Columnists

Armistice Day Celebration – Eight years ago we were glad to celebrate the return of peace with two celebrations which will never be forgotten. This year there is to be but one celebration, but it should be made a rousing one. The members of the American Legion Post are giving the people of this section a free celebration in the community hall. A parade, headed by the Legion fife and drum corps, will start at 7:30pm, and at 8 o'clock, Father Gibson, chaplin of the Post, will make an address in the hall. The drum corps and Legion quartet will provide a brief entertainment, which will be followed by dancing. Let's all get out and celebrate.

Dimock – The ladies of Dimock will serve one of their finest dinners, Saturday, Nov. 13, at which time the men of Dimock Township will hold an all day bee in order to grade off the big quantity of dirt around the new addition to the school building. Men are urged to come and help with the work, as there is much to be done to put the grounds in proper condition. A few teams will also be needed. Men, women and children are invited to attend, as the proceeds from the dinner will be given to the Athletic Association.

Elk Lake – D. A. Fargo was a caller in town on Tuesday. Mr. Fargo is preparing to retire from farming and has an announcement of a sale in this issue. ALSO Calvin Lathrop and family have moved from their farm to Montrose in order to be nearer school for the children. His father, Charles, will reside with them.

New Milford – Miss Agnes DeWitt became the bride of Charles Dillon, of Brooklyn, NY, Monday. They were married at St. John's Catholic Church in this place. They will reside in Brooklyn, NY.

Old Toll Roads – Editor J. L. Tiffany, of the Nicholson Examiner, writes the following interesting facts regarding the toll roads which were once common in the county, and in regard to the old Abington and Waterford Turnpike from Providence to Montrose. He told that he remembered the old toll gate kept by B. Steele, near the present home of Charles Benjamin (Brooklyn) and that the rate charged for teams was a penny. Mrs. Bacon also remembers riding from her home, then in Brooklyn, to Bacontown (near Nicholson) in the four-horse stage coach, which stopped to pay a toll at Steele's. Prior to the building of this turnpike the road ran across the hill farther west. Traces of this road can still be seen in various places. Much produce was carried over this highway and cattle and sheep were driven to market. The road connected at Providence with the highways to Wilkes-Barre, Philadelphia and New York, and at Montrose it connected with the roads to Great Bend, Binghamton, Owego and Buffalo.

Oakland – Constable Charles Culver, of New Milford, James C. Florence, of Hallstead, and Deputy Carl Huntley, of New Milford, raided the place of Elmer Wakeman, near Oakland, on Tuesday night. When the raid was made there were a number of men in the house and Wakemam accompanied two of the officers when they searched the premises. There was plenty of evidence of liquor law violations and Wakeman evidently felt the wisest thing he could do was to leave. Watching his chance, he got out through the rear of the house and made his escape in the darkness. Yesterday morning the officers brought 45 quarts of alleged whiskey, two bottles of ale and three gallons of alcohol to Montrose and locked it up while a chemist's analysis is in progress. The officers were unable to bring 50 bottles of ale, ten gallons of grape wine and a quantity of mash, owing to lack of transportation facilities. While the officers are chagrined to think their bird flew just as they were about to "salt" him, they feel that if he shows up in his old familiar haunts again they can put the "nippers" on him in short order.

Clifford – E. G. Greene, judge of the election board, made a trip to Montrose on Wednesday carrying the election returns. Mrs. Greene and Miss Sarah Rivenburg went with him and made some calls in Montrose.

Honesdale – The Honesdale Borough Council has placed a tax of 25 cents a year on every telephone pole in the borough, and $1.00 a year for each mile of telephone wires. Gas and water pipes are taxed $10 a mile.

Montrose – Some weeks ago a dozen or more violinists of this region met in Montrose and organized an association of "old fiddlers." They elected R. J. McCausland, president; Geo. M. Noll, secretary; I. W. Oakley, director. Up to the present time they have twenty members, all of whom pay small dues, and meet here for practice and a general good time. Some come as far distant as Tunkhannock, Nicholson, Brackney and Rush.

Rush – Blaine Sterling had the misfortune to hurt his arm while cranking his car.

Susquehanna – James Clancy died at the family home on Vine Street, November 6. He is survived by one sister, Miss Catherine Clancy and two brothers, Charles and Patrick, all at home. Interment in Laurel Hill Cemetery.

News Briefs – Annie Oakley, one of the best markswomen the country ever produced, died at her home in Greenville, O. She toured the United States and Europe with Buffalo Bill, when Col. Cody's Wild West Show was at the height of its fame. She was 66 years old and the wife of Frank Butler. ALSO In the fenced enclosure of the Montrose cemetery, are buried the mortal remains of Dr. Josiah Blackman, born in 1794, who died in 1875. Dr. Blackman was one of those faithful country doctors who never spared himself when there was a person needing his ministrations, and no night too dark, nor storm too severe, to keep him from harnessing his horse and traveling miles to the bedside of a patient. He was a mild-mannered, quiet spoken type. Dr. Bullard tells the story that one time, when in the stable caring for his horses, one of the animals stepped on his foot. Whereas, it is related, Dr. Blackman said, "Damn." Dr. Blackman felt a twinge of conscience along with his pain and was heard to qualify his remark with a one addressed only to himself, "Well, I might as well say it as think it." [Dr. Blackman was the father of Miss Emily Blackman, Susquehanna County's noted historian.]

On July 27, 2022, a woman in Chambersburg called 911 after being threatened by a male with a firearm. When police arrived, they detained Wesley Cureton as a suspect, and the woman identified him as the person who had threatened her with a firearm. Cureton, however, denied that he had any weapons. When the police conducted a frisk on Cureton, they did not find any firearms. Upon searching through Cureton’s fanny pack, they found a black mask but no firearm. The police then began to search the surrounding area to see if Cureton had “ditched” the firearm before the police arrived.

The police walked through an ungated breezeway into a courtyard of one of the surrounding residences. On a concrete patio on the front of a vacant apartment, the police observed a black suitcase. Upon inspecting the suitcase, the police could see that it was partially unzipped. The police then opened the suitcase and found two loaded firearms. The police took possession of the firearms and logged them into evidence.

Using surveillance video, the police were able to observe a man wearing black clothing (like what Cureton wore when detained by the police) and a black mask like the one found in Cureton’s fanny pack. They saw the black clothed man carrying a suitcase, walk through the same breezeway area that the police had used to find the concrete patio where the suitcase had been found. The video did not show anything beyond the breezeway but, when the black clothed man returned to the area that was being surveilled, he no longer had the suitcase.

The police then charged Cureton with possession of a firearm without a license as well as the offense of unlawful possession of a firearm (based upon Cureton having a prior disqualifying conviction). Cureton sought to suppress the firearms – contending that his suitcase had been illegally searched. The trial court denied the suppression motion. Cureton was convicted and sentenced to a period of incarceration of 102 months to 204 months. Cureton filed an appeal.

Cureton again argued on appeal that the firearms should have been suppressed because his suitcase had been searched without his permission and without a search warrant. The Superior Court noted that no search warrant is required for the police to search abandoned property. The question of abandonment “is primarily a question of intent and may be inferred from words spoken, acts done or other objective facts.” When assessing the circumstances involved in an abandonment claim, a court must determine whether the property owner “voluntarily discarded, left behind, or otherwise relinquished his interest in the property in question so that he could no longer retain a reasonable expectation of privacy with regard to it at the time of the search.”

As to Cureton’s suitcase, the Superior Court observed that “the suitcase was unattended, the suitcase was on a patio in a public area, and the patio was easily accessible to the public because there was no fencing or signs prohibiting access.” Because Cureton “voluntarily abandoned the suitcase, he abandoned not only any legitimate expectation of privacy in its contents, but also standing to challenge the search of that suitcase.” In layman’s terms, if you ditch your property in a public place, you ditch your right to challenge any search or seizure of it. The Superior Court affirmed the trial court’s refusal to suppress the evidence. Cureton’s conviction and sentence were affirmed.

Good day Dear Hearts, I Love You. As society continues to move further away from biblical principles, many Christians are recognizing the increasing need for spiritual discernment. In a culture where truth is often redefined according to personal preference and God's standards are frequently ignored, the ability to distinguish right from wrong, truth from error and righteousness from deception has become more important than ever.

Spiritual discernment is the God-given ability to evaluate life's circumstances, teachings, ideas and choices according to the truth of Scripture. It is not merely human wisdom, intuition, or common sense. Rather, it is understanding that comes from God and is guided by the Holy Spirit through His Word. The Bible teaches that discernment begins with a sincere desire to know and obey God. Proverbs 2:1-7 provides one of Scripture's clearest descriptions of how discernment is acquired. Solomon urges believers to receive God's words, treasure His commandments, incline their hearts to understanding and seek wisdom as diligently as one searches for hidden treasure. The passage promises that those who do so will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs further declares, "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." These verses emphasize an important truth, spiritual discernment is not naturally possessed by mankind. It must be sought from God. Just as a miner digs deeply to uncover precious metals, Christians must devote themselves to prayer, Bible study and obedience if they are to develop the discernment necessary to navigate an increasingly deceptive world.

The Apostle Paul expands on this principle in 1 Corinthians 2:12-13. He explains that believers have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, enabling them to understand the things freely given by God. Paul further states that spiritual truths are communicated through words taught by the Holy Spirit. This teaching highlights a sharp contrast between worldly wisdom and divine wisdom. The world often evaluates issues through the lens of public opinion, personal feelings, political ideologies, or cultural trends. However, Christians are called to evaluate all things through the revelation of God. The Holy Spirit illuminates Scripture and helps believers understand God's perspective on matters that the natural mind often misunderstands or rejects.

One of the greatest tools God has provided for discernment is His Word. Hebrews 4:12-13 declares, "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword." The writer continues by explaining that God's Word pierces deeply into the thoughts and intentions of the heart, exposing motives that may otherwise remain hidden. In an era when misinformation, false teachings and moral confusion abound, the Word of God remains the ultimate standard of truth. Human opinions may change, cultural values may shift and philosophies may come and go, but God's Word remains constant. Scripture not only reveals God's truth but also reveals the true condition of the human heart. Hebrews reminds believers that nothing is hidden from God's sight. Every thought, motive and action is fully known to Him. This reality underscores the importance of approaching God's Word with humility and allowing it to examine us.

Spiritual discernment begins not by judging others but by allowing God's truth to expose and correct our own hearts. The need for discernment becomes especially evident when examining the state of modern society. Many of God's commandments have been ignored, reinterpreted, or openly violated. Practices once widely recognized as sinful are frequently celebrated, while biblical convictions are often dismissed as outdated or intolerant. In such an environment, believers face constant pressure to conform to the world's standards rather than God's. Without spiritual discernment, Christians can easily be influenced by false teachings, deceptive philosophies and worldly values. Discernment enables believers to recognize error even when it appears attractive, popular, or persuasive. It provides protection against spiritual compromise and helps Christians remain faithful to biblical truth.

Yet discernment serves a purpose beyond merely identifying errors. God intends it to help believers grow into greater Christlikeness. Romans 8:29 reveals God's ultimate purpose for His people, "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son." Spiritual discernment plays a vital role in this process of transformation. As believers learn to distinguish between God's will and the world's influence, they are better equipped to make decisions that honor Christ. Discernment guides daily choices, strengthens spiritual maturity and helps Christians reflect the character of Jesus in their homes, churches, workplaces and communities.

The challenges facing today's culture are significant, but Scripture provides both guidance and hope. God has not left His people without direction. Through His Word, His wisdom and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He has provided everything necessary for believers to walk faithfully in difficult times. As moral and spiritual confusion continues to increase, the call for discernment becomes even more urgent. Christians who humbly seek God's wisdom, study His Word diligently and rely upon the Holy Spirit will be equipped to recognize truth, resist deception and live lives that honor God. In a world desperate for clarity and direction, spiritual discernment remains not merely a helpful virtue, but an essential necessity for every believer. God Bless our community.

Don’t spend Thanksgiving alone. Join us Thanksgiving Day for a complimentary traditional Thanksgiving Dinner from 12:00pm to 2:00pm. No reservations are required. 570-853-3988, Pastor Vince.