14 April 1949 | Jennie Lawton Scarsdale to JH re AFH

April 14, 1949

Scarsdale, N.Y.

Dr. Halsey:

Brother of my very dear friend Abigail Halsey. My dear Sir: just last Christmas I first heard of your sister’s death through the kindness of her Attorney-at-Law, W.B. Platt, who upon request sent me your address. For the past few years neither of us had written letters and I deeply regret this as only in this way did I keep in touch with her .

Several years ago 1919-’21, I was closely associated with her. I was in Social Hygiene mode with the Government and my duties in connection with the Camp Upton covered Suffolk Co. travel orders over Long Island, office in Patchogue. My headquarters in Southampton were the Post House and I knew and loved dearly the White family. All a vivid happy memory. Abigail Halsey was the first President of the Social Workers Club and I Vice Pres. My home is in Athol Massachusetts but during the past winters I have lived with my brother—Arthur L. Lawton, 80 Anderson Ave., Scarsdale, N.Y., and am at that address at the present time. Both your sisters Mrs. White and Abigail motored to Athol and we had a lovely time together in my home next to Cong’l Church in the Upper Village. This note can only express to you the deep loss I felt at losing such a mutual friend, that her beautiful expressions in verse and in many letters revealed the greatness of a noble woman and that the great blessing that came with my life by knowing her.

This is a very poor expression and I can only ask that you will see beyond the writing and through it with an understanding of how much tribute I would like to give my dear, dear, Abigail.

That she is now with the Savior we loved and served and receiving the greatest blessings any of us can hope for, is a joy to me.

She spoke to me often about you and of her deep affection.

Most sincerely,

(Miss Jennie) E. Lawton

(80 Anderson Ave., Scarsdale, N.Y.)

The Unbeliever's Prayer

--> 19 Apr 1949 Frank Boydon to JH

The Unbeliever's Prayer

by John Gunther Jr.

Forgive me for my agnosticism;

For I shall try to keep it gentle, not cynical,
Nor a bad influence.

And O!
If thou art truly in the heavens,
Accept my gratitude
For all thy gifts
And I shall try
To fight the good fight. Amen.

John Gunther, Jr., a student at Deerfield Academy, died in 1949 at the age of 17 from a brain tumor.  

On "The Cure of Souls" by John Watson

by Jesse Halsey | Monday Morning | 12/19/49





With thanks to: The Jesse Halsey Manuscript Collection. Special Collections, Princeton Theological Seminary Library.

Editorial for Presbyterian Tribune c1949

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By Jesse Halsey

“Christmas is coming . . .” and what happens will depend upon where you live. What can Christmas mean to Christians in Korea, south or north? What can Christmas mean to millions in countries like East Germany where it used to be the great day of the year and now, because of religious repressions and economic strictures, little in material ways is possible. What about Yugoslavia with a non-existent harvest and a winter of starvation ahead? How does one keep Christmas without toys for the children and food for the table? It is all very well for us who have so much to be merry at Christmas, but what about the others?

In my last talk with Dr. Robert E. Spear, he said that, the greatest mystery of Divine providence was the fact that America had so completely escaped the judgments of God, abroad in so many parts of the earth. With our superabundance of good things, we are doubly obligated as individuals to share—“We bear the Christian name and mark.” And as churches, the needs of brother Christians in many lands claim our consideration just now for the Christmas—the Christ spirit—must “get abroad” else the whole thing is a mockery!

From a national point of view, we are learning that freedom is expensive. Most of us believe it is worth all that it costs. Uncle Sam is often pictured as Santa Claus by the caricaturists. The Marshall Plan is sometimes dubbed in terms of Kris Kringle beneficence. Just the same, increasingly, the country will bear the burden of rearmament and huge military expenditure. Along with it might it not be that some gestures of hope and goodwill, might be used?

At last report, the American Commissioner in West Germany had at his disposal some $50,000 contributed by friends for the relief of refugees and the feeding and housing of those who have managed to escape from the tyrannies of East Germany. Such persons—refugees from the Bolshevik terror—aided and rehabilitated, would be worth in terms of propaganda, the equivalent of many guns.

All through Indiana and Illinois, near hundreds of rural stations, there are great metal beehives of corn. In the western states the superabundance of nature (wheat) is often rotting on the ground for want of shelter. Potatoes in excess—subsidized for destruction—have become almost a national scandal.

Would it not be the very best strategy in the face of the world situation to dispatch some of these surpluses to the Adriatic and to Yugoslavia? If potatoes will not stand the voyage, certainly grain will. The best anti-communist, pro-American propaganda at our disposal is American surplus grain in hungry countries here and there the world around. Communism thrives on starvation. Communism literally goes on its belly. In playing Santa Claus, Uncle Same might be showing good business sense. Twenty or more divisions of Serbian soldiers right on the spot are one of earth’s most dangerous points! Would it not be excellent business for our government to help in the face of Yugoslavia’s famine?

We (editorial plural) have mixed our metaphors, jumbled our idealism with prudential economics in rather characteristic American style; this I confess. But more than ever before, we are convinced that food is akin to friendship, and that gestures of help are the best propaganda. Believing in preparedness, defending right with might, I still would leave no door or help unopened, trusting that friendship is better than ferocity and that the Christmas spirit is not confined to one day in December.