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By Quimby Melton
“Witness in Suffering” is the
title of this week’s International
Sunday School lesson. Backgr
ound Scripture is 1 Peter 1:3-9;
2:18-25; 3 through 5.
The Memory Selection is “If
any man suffer as a Christian,
let him not be ashamed; but let
him glorify God on this behalf.”
(I Peter 4:16)
Both of the epistles written by
Peter were to the early Chris
tians in Asia Minor and he sp
eaks of persecutions and suffer
ings they had been subjected to
and to probable suffering they
might face in the future. The
“price” they might have to pay
to be true and faithful followers
» of the Master, might be seeming
ly high at the time, but the final
reward would eclipse even the
greatest suffering.
Persecution and suffering of
the faithful followers of the
Christ did not end with the ear
ly Christians era. It has been
experienced down through the
ages and is evident today.
The early Christians to whom
the Epistles of Peter were writ
ten were urged by the Apostle to
stand firm, to remain loyal and
continue as witnesses of the Gr
eat Truths revealed to mankind
by Jesus Christ.
They were warned against be
coming “turncoats”, against be
ing “lukewarm”, or discourag
ed.
Remember the author of these
epistles was the man who thrice
denied The Master, when He was
facing that mock court which led
to His crucifixion; but who rea
lizing his mistake, sought so r
giveness for this and became one
of the greatest witnesses of
God’s love and mercy the world
has ever known.
Let’s turn from the background
Scripture to Romanis 8:18, where
we are told by Paul, another tr
ied and true witness of Jesus
Christ, “The sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory wh
ich shall be revealed to us.”
Let’s also turn to Matthew 5:
11-12, where Jesus Christ Him
self said "Wnen men shall revile
and persecute you. . . Rejoice
and be exceeding glad; for great
is your reward in heaven. . ,
— + —
Sometimes one is inclined to
ask “Why do good people suf
fer?”
There have been many answers
to this question, such as:
Men suffer to test and streng
then their faith; And just as pre
vious metals, man goes into the
caldron of suffering to remove
the dross and refine the pure.
There are many so called ans
wers to this question.
But there is one thing this lay
man by sin can destroy his
“the wages of sin”. Os course
man by, sin can destroy his
health and can suffer; but all
suffering does not come because
the sufferer has sinned. We have
known too many godly people
who have suffered, to believe
they suffered because of their
sins.
And to back up this belief may
we call attention to the suffer
ing of Jesus Christ, when He
came to earth. He was despised,
scorned, even spit upon; he was
mocked and jeered, and he suf
fered the most horrible death kn
own to mankind. Surely no one
will say the suffering of Jesus
Christ was his “Wages” of sin.
For He and He alone Is the only
human being without the slight
est trace of sin.
— + —
We usually devote all of our
Friday column to discussion of
the Sunday School lesson, but to
day we would like to add th is
request to those who read it ev
ery week.
Please join me in sincerely
praying that God in His mercy
and wisdom will crown the lat
est developments in the Vietnam
peace move with succss; and
that this will be the beginning of
an era of good will and brother
hood that will lead eventually,
when God wills, to “the peace
that passeth understanding.”
Weather:
FORECAST FOR GRIFFIN
AREA — Fair and warm to
night. Saturday variable cloudi
ness and warm with slight ch
ance of showers by night.
LOCAL WEATHER — High
today 80, low today 57, high
Thursday 77, low Thursday 49;
sunrise Saturday 6:58, sunset
Saturday 6:49.
North Vietnam Agrees To
Broadened Peace Talks
It’s Homecoming Time For Griffin’s Two High Schools
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Carletha Johnson, Miss Fairmont High; Deborah Holmes, first attendant; Otis
Head, student body vice president; Marvin Goodman, student body president;
and Oscar Daniel, senior class president, work on float for Fairmont’s homecom
ing Saturday. The float will be one of several in a parade downtown beginning at
3 p. m. The homecoming king and queen will be crowned at the Fairmont - East
Depot High football game Saturday night at Memorial Stadium beginning at 8 o’-
clock.
LBJ Halts All Bombing
Os North Vie tnam Today
By MIKE FEINSILBER
WASHINGTON (UPD—
President Johnson stopped all
bombing of North Vietnam
today and Hanoi leaders soon
afterward agreed to expanded
Paris peace talks that will
include representatives of South
Vietnam and the Viet Cong.
Public agreement by North
Vietnam to the new peace table
format came about S’/j hours
after bombing of North Vietnam
ended on Johnson’s orders at 8
a.m. EST.
In announcing his decision to
cease U.S. air and naval
bombardment, Johnson said he
expected “prompt, productive,
serious and Intensive” peace
talks with representatives of the
Saigon govrnment and the Viet
Cong taking part in them.
Johnson also made it plain
that he expected the ground
war to be scaled down in the
South and also wanted clear
evidence that the enemy would
not try to take military
advantage of the bombing halt.
In a pre-recorded broadcast
to the nation Thursday, the
President cautioned that the
war would continue and readily
conceded there were military
risks to his action. But he said
Big Carriers Begin
To Move Southward
By JACK WALSH
SAIGON (UPD—The air and
naval bombardment of North
Vietnam ended tonight (8 a.m.
EST) and the big carriers that
have dominated the Gulf of
Tonkin since Aug. 5, 1964 moved
south to fight the Communists
in South Vietnam.
Although the ground war in
South Vietnam was officially
described as in a “lull,” Viet
Gong guerrillas using a sub
merged mine blew up a U.S.
Navy ship in the Mekong River
near Saigon today, killing 17
Americans and Vietnamese and
wounding 22 others. Another
eight U.S. servicemen were
missing.
Viet Cong guerrillas also
launched rocket attacks on
Saigon, Hue and other cities
Thursday night and early today,
killing at least 32 persons and
wounding another 87 Vietna
mese civilians. The attack
DAILY NEWS
Daily Since 1872
the time had come to test the
good faith of the Communists
“to ascertain if an early peace
is possible.”
In Paris, a North Vietnamese
spokesman announced in a brief
statement that his delegation
would attend the expanded
peace talk session scheduled
Wednesday — the day after the
U.S. presidential election.
There was no firm announce
ment whether South Vietnam or
the political arm of the Viet
Cong, the National Liberation
Front would be on hand.
The Saigon government said
the bombing halt was decided
by the United States on a
“unilateral” basis and added
that it “did not oppose” the
move.
Johnson and the White House
went out of their way to soft
pedal the domestic political
implications of the bomb halt.
Vice President Hubert H.
buoyed by the development,
declaring the bomb halt and his
gains show in public opinion
polls opened the way for a
"tremendous victory” over his
Republican presidential rival,
Richard M. Nixon.
His vice presidential running
mate, Sen. Edmund S. Muskie,
preceded by a few hours
President Johnson’s announce
ment of a bombing halt.
Unless a cease-fire is worked
out in four-way Paris talks
starting next Wednesday the
bombing halt means the hun
dreds of Navy, Air Force and
Marine planes that have raided
North Vietnam daily could now
turn their fury against Viet
Cong in South Vietnam. So
could the heavy artillery along
the Demilitarized Zone.
UPI correspondent Perry
Young reported from the
aircraft carrier USS Constella
tion that Vice Adm. Ralph W.
Cousins, commander of Task
Force 77, had already ordered
his units to prepare for action
in the South starting Saturday
The same would apply to the
battleship USS New Jersey and
the allied cruisers and destroy
ers which have operated off the
North Vietnam coast.
GRIFFIN
Griffin, Ga., 30223, Friday, November 1, 1968
asserted that some claims that
Johnson’s decision was political
ly inspired were "completely
unrealistic.”
Muskie commented in re
sponse to a question, “I haven’t
seen Ho Chi Minh (North
Vietnam’s leader) as a Demo-
Georgians Voice
Mixed Reaction
ATLANTA (UPD — Georgi
ans, from the statehouse to the
man on the street, voiced mixed
reaction today to President
Johnson’s announcement of
broadened peace negotiations to
end the Vietnam war.
Gov. Lester Maddox, noting
he “predicted something like
this would take place,” said the
American people owe their
thanks to George Wallace and
Gen. Curtis LeMay for the
breakthrough in peace talks.
“I think the fear held by the
enemy that Gov. Wallace and
Gen. LeMay would see that our
country would not only be a
world power, but that it would
act like one has determined
them to seek peace,” Maddox
said.
“They fear that if Gov. Wal
lace and General LeMay are
elected that instead of with
holding the bombing they would
immediately get a military vic
tory,” the governor said.
U. S. Rep. Fletcher Thomp
son, a Republican, however,
said he was "dubious” about
the President’s motives. “Mr.
Johnson could have made these
concessions months ago,” he
said.
"I’d like to wait a few days
to see the effect of this an
nouncement in Vietnam,” said
the incumbent congressman.
His opponent, former U. S.
Rep. Charles Weltner, a Demo
crat, however, said he
"thoroughly approved” of the
bombing halt and expressed
"optimism” that it would lead
to a "cessation to the loss of
lives in Asia.”
Weltner said he did not be
lieve the President’s action was
a “political maneuver” aimed
at influencing the presidential
elections next week. “I am sure
the President is sincere in his
desire to bring the war to a
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(Griffin Daily News Staff Photos)
Rhonda Parris, Darien May, Betti Anderson (front, 1-r) Becky Walker and Rose
mary Henzel (standing) check with Principal Bill Cody on the homecoming flower
sales at Griffin High today in preparation for tonight’s big program. The Home
coming King and Queen will be crowned at the Griffin - Towers halftime show at
Memorial Stadium.
cratic stragey-maker.”
In Vietnam, U.S. bomber
pilots carried out their final
raids before the President’s
order went into effect at 9 p.m.
Vietnam time. Navy aircraft
carriers which had been operat
ing off the shores of North
Vietnam moved southward.
conclusion.”
E. Earl Patton, a Republican
U.S. Senate candidate against
Democratic incumbent Herman
Talmadge, who was not availa
ble for comment, charged that
the action could have been
taken “six months ago” and
said he was “concerned that
this may be a political move.
“But I hope this will lead to
serious talks in Paris,” he
added.
Some Georgians indicated the
President’s remarks to the na
tion Thursday night might influ
ence their choice of candidates
in the presidential election next
Tuesday.
”1 was planning to vote Re
publican, now I’m going to
think about it,” said Stanley
Gerson, 27, an Atlanta insur
ance man.
“Johnson may have had po
litical motives,” he added, “but
Country Parson
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“I wish all fathers were as
wonderful as little boys
think they are.”
Vol. 95 No. 261
Eagles Plan To
Start New Grid
Season Tonight
The Griffin Eagles have forgot
ten past performances and plan
to start a brand new football
season here tonight against To
wers High.
The Eagles held some of their
best practices ever this week,
and the players and coaches feel
the tide has turned and victor
ies are ahead.
“Our Monday practice was the
best ever,” Coach Max Dowis
said. “The boys felt good. Their
spirit was high.
“The good sessions continued
all week,” he said.
“I believe fans will see a dras
tic change,” the Griffin coach
said. “The players want this
game. I believe they will give a
supreme effort to get it.”
The game means a lot to the
Eagles. They are after their fir
st victory, and more important,
they hope to make a great show
ing before a Homecoming audi
ence.
Rickey Clark has rejoined the
team after recovering from a
broke foot.
“He has looked real good in
practice,” Coach Dowis said.
“His presence should give
our defense a big life.”
All other players are healthy
are ready to play.
The offensive unit will have
Donnie Robison, who needs only
10 more yards to reach the 1,000
mark passing, at quarterback,
James Black at fullback, and
Larry Chambers, one of the lea
gue’s top pass receivers, and
Kenneth Hand at halfback.
Johnny Baker, another of the
region’s top receivers, and Jeff
Allen, will open at end. Big Bill
Cody and Sonny Folse will be at
tackle, Bruce Colwell and Luke
Nichol at guard and Henry Ar
nold at center.
Clark joins the Eagles as a
starting linebacker. He will play
along side Craig Bozeman, whom
coaches feel is one of the hardest
hitters in Region 7-AAA.
“We’ve been looking forward to
seeing Bozeman and Clark play
together,” Coach Dowis said.
“It’ll be Interesting to watch
them tonight.”
Robison, who may be the lea
gue’s top passer in yards gain
ed, needs only 10 more to reach
the 1,000 mark. He should get
that early in the game, since the
Eagles rely heavily on their
passing game.
If Robison repeats last week’s
performance, he’ll finish the
game near the 1,200 yard mark.
A few more receptions should
put Chambers over the 500 yard
mark and Baker over 300 yards.
Vote Devices
Predicted Here
By ’7O Elections
A member of a committee st
udying the feasibility of secur
ing automatic voting equipment
for Spalding County said today
he thought some voting device
would be used here in the 1970
elections.
“We have received 100 percent
cooperation in our study,” Dick
Hyatt said. "Everybody seems
to favor purchasing voting ma
chines. All candidates in the
race for county commissioner fa
vor the proposal.
"I believe some voting mach
ines will be purchased before the
1970 elections.”
Members of the study commit
tee have been demonstrating vo
ting equipment here for several
days.
Members of the Griffin Junior
Woman’s Club demonstrated the
equipment today at Commercial
Bank and Trust Co.
"Anyone interested in the vot
ing equipment is urged to go by
the bank for the demonstration.
Members of the Junior Woman’s
Club will show voters how the
machines operate and answer
any questions voters may ask,”
Hyatt said.
Israeli
Commandos
Raid Egypt
Israeli commandos stabbed
deep into the heart of Egypt
today and blew up a power
station and two Nile River
bridges down river from the
Aswan Dam. Egypt played
down the effects of the raid and
said it was carried out by a
lone Israeli fighter-bomber.
In the deepest penetration of
the war the commandos de
stroyed a power station in the
Nagi Hamadl area and blew up
bridges at Qena and Na]
Hammadi. The area is about
280 miles south of Cairo and 140
miles north of Aswan. The Nile
flows northward from Aswan to
Cairo.
South Vietnam,
Viet Cong
Included
By GEORGE SIBERA
PARIS (UPD—North Vietnam
said today it has agreed to
attend broadened peace talks
next Wednesday which will
include representatives of South
Vietnam and the Viet Cong.
A terse, three-paragraph
statement by a North Vietna
mese spokesman said his
delegation headed by Minister
Xuan Thuy had been informed
on Thursday of President
Johnson’s decision to halt the
bombing and shelling and “all
other acts of war” against
North Vietnam.
The statement said “in order
to find a peaceful settlement of
the Vietnam problem, a meet
ing including the representa
tives of the Democratic Repub
lic of (North) Vietnam, the
South Vietnam National Libera
tion Front (Viet Cong), the
United States and the Republic
of (South) Vietnam will be held
in Paris not earlier than Nov. 6,
1968.”
Johnson in announcing the
total bombing halt Thursday
night—one day after Hanoi was
informed—had already set the
date of the broadened talks as
starting nert Wednesday.
A North Vietnamese spokes
man said U.S. Ambassador W.
Averell harriman officially in
formed North Vietnamese dele
gation chief Xhan Thuy on Oct.
30 that President Johnson was
ordering a bombing halt over
North Vietnam, one day before
it was announced in Washing
ton.
It said Thuy took note of this
and Johnson’s call for four-way
negotiations in Paris and
conveyed it to the government
of the Democratic Republic of
(North) Vietnam. The Johnson
invitation called for participa
tion of South Vietnam and the
Viet Cong.
Harriman fired the opening
shot of the forthcoming diplo
matic war with Hanoi by saying
he will demand a political
solution to the Vietnam War
that will let the South Vietna
mese people determine their
own future—presumably a ple
biscite which the Communists
have opposed.
In a statement to the French
and foreign television networks
Harriman warned that the
second phase of the U.S.-North
Vietnamese talks will be tough
going.
"A cease-fire is a final step,”
he said. “As the President
indicated, he expects the other
side to join in a de-escalation of
the war and eventually stop the
fighting.”
Hanoi Statement Pending
The Hanoi delegation an
nounced it would also outline its
position at a news conference
later today. Diplomatic sources
said the Hanoi group also would
announce it sought a cease-fire.
Harriman said the second
phase of the Paris talks will
have “simple objectives, but
which are difficult to attain”—a
political solution “which would
allow the people of South
Vietnam to determine their own
future.”
This meant a plebiscite for
South Vietnam which Hanoi and
the National Liberation Front,
or Viet Cong, have resolutely
opposed. The restated U.S.
demand Is expected to raise an
enormous obstacle in future
peace talks.
One of the main reasons for
the failure of the 1954 Geneva
Conference which ended the
French Indochina War was the
Communist opposition to any
international policing of free
elections.
Harriman expressed hope the
South Vietnamese government
will be present at Wednesday’s
opening session of the full-scale
talks. He said Saigon may not
be represented Wednesday be
cause it may need some time
for organizing its Paris mission.