Blessings for the New Year & A Doolittle Raid Adventure

by Cindy K. Stewart

Courtesy of CrossCards

All of the authors at Heroes, Heroines, & History wish you a blessed and prosperous new year. May 2018 hold many wonderful moments and many fantastic opportunities!

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If you missed my previous posts on the Doolittle Raiders and would like to read them, here are the links: What Happened to the Doolittle Raiders? and What Happened to the Doolittle Raiders? The Continuing Story. Today we will follow the stories of Plane #7, the Ruptured Duck, and Plane #15, which had no nickname.

The eighty Doolittle Raiders, named after their commanding officer, pilot Jimmy Doolittle, volunteered for a dangerous mission early in 1942. The U.S. had recently joined WWII, and the country was in an uproar over the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. At the time, the Japanese military seemed invincible, and the Allies desperately needed a victory. 

Not until after the volunteer Army airmen loaded their B-25's on the USS Hornet and set sail from San Francisco, did they learn that their mission was to bomb the Japanese mainland. A B-25 loaded with bombs and a full crew had never launched from an aircraft carrier before, but sixteen loaded B-25's waited to do the impossible. Even if the planes made it safely off the carrier, the flight deck was to short for B-25's to land, and they wouldn't have enough fuel to make it back to Hawaii. Their only options were to make it to a landing strip in a part of China not occupied by the Japanese or bailout at sea and hope for rescue from a U.S. submarine. 

B-25 Taking Off from the USS Hornet during the Doolittle Raid
Courtesy of U.S. Air Force via Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)

When the time came for the Ruptured Duck to take off from the Enterprise, Pilot Ted Lawson levered his plane’s flaps down, the correct position for lift-off. But fearing the strong gale would tear the flaps off and disable the plane, he pulled the flaps back up. The navy flagman signaled Lawson to rev his engines and, after thirty seconds, gave the okay to release the brakes and head down the short flight deck. The wind grabbed at the plane’s wings and sent it close to the edge of the ship, but Ted braked and steered the plane back to the white line he must navigate. The deck disappeared beneath them, and the plane skimmed the top of the waves before climbing away from the ship. Ted reached down to pull up the flaps and realized that he’d taken off without using them. This had given those on deck quite a scare.

On the trip to Japan, Lawson maintained an altitude of twenty feet above the ocean to save fuel. Gunner Dave Thatcher tested the turret, but it failed to engage. If the plane was attacked, Thatcher wouldn’t be able to move the .50 caliber rear guns which were currently pointing straight back. Switching on the emergency juice didn’t help. In the meantime a bright object, an empty 5-gallon gas can thrown out by one of the crew ahead, rushed past the Ruptured Duck’s left wing. If it had hit a prop, the plane would have crashed. Ted called bombardier, Robert Clever, in the plane’s snout and asked him to engage the automatic pilot. The plane moved dangerously to the left, forcing Lawson to quickly grab the controls. The automatic pilot didn’t work either.

The Crew of Plane #7, the Ruptured Duck: McClure, Lawson, Clever, Davenport, Thatcher
Courtesy of the National Museum of the US Air Force

The Ruptured Duck arrived at Tokyo Bay, and from his immovable turret, gunner Dave Thatcher observed six Japanese fighter planes above them. One dived but flew away, and Lawson hedgehopped fast and low to avoid the “ack-ack” attacks (anti-aircraft fire). The crew located its targets, and Lawson safely guided the Ruptured Duck up to 1500 feet, allowing Bombardier Robert Clever to drop their payload. Clouds of flak appeared in front of them and flew past at the right altitude but the wrong time. Lawson put the plane into a screaming dive and outran the flak at 350 miles an hour.

As Lawson piloted the Ruptured Duck over numerous islands near the Chinese coast, he located a beach that appeared adequate for landing, which he preferred to bailing out. Their fuel level was dangerously low, and, before reaching the beach, both engines coughed and lost power. The plane lost altitude, and a quarter of a mile from shore the back landing wheels hit a wave, slamming the Duck to a complete stop. The pilot, co-pilot and navigator flew through the windshield and the bombardier pitched through the nose. Thatcher, the gunner, regained consciousness inside the rapidly sinking plane. When he tried to escape, he realized that the Ruptured Duck was upside down, so he reversed course and crawled through the hatch above him.

Plane #15 – No Nickname

The Crew of Plane #15: Sessler, Smith, White, Williams, Saylor
Courtesy of the National Museum of the US Air Force

When the time came for Plane #15 to take off from the Enterprise, she refused to budge. Pilot Don Smith feared he and his crew would be scrubbed from the mission. A deckhand realized they'd failed to remove the chocks in front of the plane’s wheels and remedied the problem. Smith maneuvered #15 down the flight deck, but a rogue wave caused the Hornet’s bow to dip just as the plane reached the end of the deck. Pointing down toward the water, #15 faced an imminent catastrophe, but the plane's speed and the strong wind enabled her to lift off.

Plane #15 headed for targets in the city of Kobe. The crew discovered a 2,500-foot mountain blocking their flight path. The mountain was missing from their charts. While adjusting their route, they listened to a Tokyo radio station until a shrieking alarm, a voice shouting in Japanese, and complete silence interrupted the broadcast. Due to the radio warning, the crew expected trouble in Kobe, but it didn't materialize. They successfully dropped their bombs on an aircraft factory, the dockyards, the steel works, and the machinery works. They only observed a little flak that didn’t come close to them.

Plane #15 reached the coast of China, and Smith and co-pilot “Griff” Williams decided to land in the ocean rather than travel inland and risk running out of gas. They located a soft spot a half mile from shore and landed the craft so smoothly that no one was injured. The crew had to evacuate quickly before the heavy bomber sank, so the men grabbed their supplies and prepared the raft. Gunner Thomas White, a medical doctor, salvaged his surgical instruments and medical kit and climbed from the plane seconds before it sank under the waves. The life raft was too small to accommodate the crew and their supplies. When one person moved suddenly, another crewman would be knocked into the water. Waves pulled men overboard, and they made no progress with their rowing. A rogue wave forced the raft against a sharp edge of the sunken plane, and the raft began to collapse. Another wave flipped the whole raft over, and the crew lost everything, including Doc White’s bandages and medicines.

Four of the five crew members on the Ruptured Duck were seriously injured, and both the Ruptured Duck and plane #15 landed on or near islands regularly patrolled by the Japanese. 

Come back on February 1st to discover the fate of these two crews.

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Source:  The First Heroes: The Extraordinary Story of the Doolittle Raid - America's First World War II Victory by Craig nelson (Viking, 2002)

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Cindy Stewart, a high school social studies and language arts teacher, church pianist, and inspirational historical fiction author, semifinaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s 2017 Genesis contest, and won ACFW’s 2014 First Impressions writing contest in the historical category. Cindy is passionate about revealing God’s handiwork in history. She resides in North Georgia with her college sweetheart and husband of thirty-six years and near her married daughter, son-in-law, and three adorable grandchildren. She’s currently writing a fiction series set in WWII Europe.

Happy New Year!

by Vickie McDonough

This was a momentous year for our Heroes, Heroines & History blog. We're finishing up our third year of blogging on history. For a time, we had days that didn't have a blogger, but we have a full crew now. Probably the most exciting event was hitting the one millionth page view mark, with guests visiting from all over the world. If you're not yet following, our blog, please sign up to receive our daily vignettes of history.

I'm deviating from the normal end of the year posts. This fall, I cleaned out my mother-in-law's home and found all kinds of interesting things like antiques and old family pictures. The following information about clotheslines was hiding in a stack of papers. I'm sharing it in hopes of bringing you some fond memories as folks are often looking back at this time of the year.

Do you remember using the clothesline to hang up your wet laundry. I do. I remember going out and washing the line--Mom was fanatical about that. Then the slow task of hanging up the various garments, always ending up with the sheets or towels on the outside with the unmentionables in between them. I also remember the lovely crisp scent of sun-bathed sheets--and being grossed out by the fly specks on them. :) I hope you enjoy the rules about clothesline and the poem.

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES

1. Hang socks by the toes, not the top.

2. Hang pants by the bottom or cuffs…..not the waistbands.

3. Wash the clotheslines before hanging any clothes by dragging a damp cloth the entire length of each line.

4. Hang the clothes in a certain order and always hang whites with whites and hang them first. (we never did that)

5. Always hang a shirt by the tail, never by the shoulders. What would the neighbors think?

6. Wash day is always on Monday, and clothes must never be hung up on the weekend or on Sunday.

7. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines to hide your
“unmentionables” in the middle. (Yep, did that)

8. If the weather is sub-zero….clothes would “freeze dry.”

9. Always gather clothespins when taking down dry clothes.

10. For efficiency, line the clothes up so that two items can share a middle clothespin rather than using two clothespins for each item.

11. Clothes must be taken off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the laundry basket and ready to be ironed.

12. Ironed? What's that?

And now a poem:

A clothesline was a news forecast, to neighbors passing by.

There were no secrets when clothes were hung to dry.

It was also a friendly link, for neighbors always knew

if company had stopped by to spend a night or two.

For then you’d see the “fancy sheets” and towels upon the line.

You’d see the company tablecloths, with intricate designs.

The line announced a baby’s birth, from folks who lived inside,

as brand new infant clothes were hung so carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could so readily be known.

By watching how the sizes changed, you’d know how much they’d grown.

It also told when illness struck, as extra sheets were hung,

then night-clothes, and a bathrobe too, haphazardly were strung.

It also said, “on vacation now”, when lines hung limp and bare.

It told “we’re back,” when full lines sagged, with not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon if wash was dingy and gray,

as neighbors carefully raised their brows and looked the other way.

But clotheslines now are of the past, for dryers make work much less,

Now what goes on inside a home is anybody’s guess.

I really miss that way of life, it was a friendly sign

when neighbors knew each other best…by what hung out on that line.

Did you ever hang your laundry on a clothesline? Did you help your mom with the clothes? Do you have a clothesline story to share?

Have a safe and blessed New Year!

Stained Glass Mandalas contains over 50 unique designs. It also features fascinating vignettes about the history of stained glass and interesting facts about tools, technique, and the glass used in creating the colorful projects. These optically engaging patterns stimulate the brain and induce creativity. 

Bestselling author Vickie McDonough grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie is a best-selling author of more than 45 published books and novellas, with over 1.5 million copies sold. Her novels include End of the Trail, winner of the OWFI 2013 Booksellers Best Fiction Novel Award. Song of the Prairie won the 2015 Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Gabriel’s Atonement, book 1 in the Land Rush Dreams series, placed second in the 2016 Will Rogers Medallion Award. Vickie has recently stepped into independent publishing.

HHH Book Day

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and got to spend time with family and good friends. Many of you may have received money as a Christmas gift and are looking for something to spend it on. What better thing to buy than a quality Christian fiction book? Here's this month's list of books by our bloggers. 

Did you get a new book for Christmas? Tell us about it in the comment section.

Vickie McDonough

Long Trail Home 

by Vickie McDonough

A weary soldier returns from the War Between the States to discover his parents dead, his family farm in shambles, and his fiancée married. A pretty, blind woman reaches through his scarred walls, but will the secret she holds ruin all chances for a future filled with love, faith, and family?

Shattered Memories

by Debbie Lynne Costello

The Charleston earthquake has left destruction like nothing Doctor Andrew Warwick has ever seen. On a desperate mission to find the lady who owns his heart, he frantically searches through the rubble, where he finds her injured and lifeless. After she regains consciousness, the doctor’s hopes are quickly dashed as he realizes she doesn’t remember him. Things only get worse when he discovers she believes she’s still engaged to the abusive scoundrel, Lloyd Pratt. Now Drew is on a race with the wedding clock to either help her remember or win her heart again before she marries the wrong man.

Bandolero

by Nancy Farrier

Yoana Armenta’s reckless behavior results in her being captured by bandoleros, Yoana fears her impulsive nature has caused irreparable disaster. Amado Castro gave a deathbed promise that he intends to keep – at all costs - even if he must break a childhood vow. When his choice endangers Yoana’s life, he struggles with the decision to honor his word, or to protect Yoana, whom he has come to care for more than he could have imagined. Now as the bandoleros threaten to sell Yoana and her tía to a fate worse than death, and the rancheros want to hang Amado, they must make choices. Will they trust God, or will they do what seems right to them?

A Baby for Christmas

by Erica Vetsch 

The only Christmas gift Oscar Rabb's four-year-old daughter prays for is one the widower can't provide: a baby sibling. And when his neighbor's house burns down, he's willing to open his home to pregnant and widowed Kate Amaker and her in-laws—but not his heart. Even if his little girl's convinced Kate's unborn child is the answer to her wish. Kate quickly sees the generous but aloof Oscar has little interest in growing closer to his house guests. Still, she intends to make the coming Christmas a season to remember for his daughter. And as Oscar starts to open up to her, Kate can't help picturing just how wonderful the holidays—and a future together—might be.

The Swaddling Cloth

by Amber Schamel

Through the ages, men have told many stories about Mary, Joseph, and the birth of the Messiah. Stories of shepherds and sheep, kings, angels, and stables. But one story no one has ever told. One story hidden in the fabric of time. The story of The Swaddling Clothes. Mentioned not once, but several times in the Scriptural text, what is the significance of these special cloths? And how did they make their way into a stable in Bethlehem?

The Planter's Daughter

By Michelle Shocklee

Adella Rose Ellis knows her father has plans for her future, but she longs for the freedom to forge her own destiny. When the son of Luther Ellis's longtime friend arrives on the plantation to work as the new overseer, Adella can't help but fall for his charm and captivating hazel eyes. But a surprise betrothal to an older man, followed by a devastating revelation, forces Adella to choose the path that will either save her family's future or endanger the lives of the people most dear to her heart.

Legacy Letters

by Alana Radle Rodrigues and others

Seven pink envelopes, addressed in Wanda Taylor’s spiky handwriting, represented her legacy to seven people she held dear. Legacy letters—that’s what they were. A last gift, though some might call it interference. People often sought her advice and her God-given gift of discernment. But not these seven, and her heart ached for them. They were good people who loved God and their families, but she saw patterns in their lives that could harm them in the future if left unchecked. Monica was the lynch pin to the entire project. The mantle of the matriarch fit her, and everyone in the family recognized it. But she needed to learn how to let go before she could take charge.

The Labor Day Challenge

by Susan Page Davis

What begins as a friendly city rivalry with Bangor turns into a baffling case for the Priority Unit. One of their colleagues turns up dead in what should have been a mock crime scene, and their suspects are legion. Eddie is in charge of the investigation, but he’s more than a little distracted by Leeanne’s erratic behavior. Is the wedding on or off? Jennifer’s younger brother Travis shows up in Portland unexpectedly with some disturbing news, and Chief Browning is out of town every weekend, pursuing his dream of living in the north woods. Captain Harvey Larson holds everything together for the family and the Priority Unit, but the convoluted path to solving Detective Joey Bolduc’s murder turns up evidence of other crimes.

Secrets and Wishes
by Kathleen Rouser

More than fists fly after a fight between Philip and Zeke. When their widowed parents, Maggie Galloway and Thomas Harper meet they can’t seem to agree on much. But when he is deathly ill, Maggie nurses him back to health, and takes his children in hand. Growing affection between them is quickly denied by both. An old beau appears offering Maggie a new opportunity. But then tragedy strikes the town and Thomas and Maggie find themselves working together to save the children of Stone Creek from a huckster’s potion. As Maggie considers leaving town, Thomas wants to offer her an alternative. Is he too late to declare his love to the angel of mercy who has captured his heart?

One Holy Night

by J.M. Hochstetler

It’s 1967, and the Vietnam War is tearing the country apart, slicing through generations and shattering families. Because of Japanese atrocities he witnessed as a Marine in the South Pacific during WWII, Frank McRae despises all Asians. Now his son, Mike, is a grunt in Viet Nam, and his wife, Maggie, is fighting her own battle against cancer. When Mike falls in love with Thi Nhuong, a young Buddhist woman, and marries her in spite of his father’s objections, Frank disowns him. Then, as Christmas approaches, Frank’s world is torn apart, and he turns bitter, closing his heart to God and to his family. What Frank doesn’t know is that on this bleak Christmas Eve, God has in mind a miracle. As on that holy night so long ago, a baby will be born and laid in a manger—a baby who will bring forgiveness, peace, and healing to a family that has suffered heart-wrenching loss.

Lucy Farrow - The Woman Who ignited the Flame at Azusa Street

by Tamera Lynn Kraft

The Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, California is known as a catalyst for the modern Pentecostal movement to burn all over the world. William Seymour, a black half blind preacher, was credited for the revival fire at Azusa Street, but Lucy Farrow, an old black woman born in slavery, was the spark that ignited the flame.

Lucy Farrow was born a slave in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1851. Her uncle was famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass. We don't know much about her past, but she was married and living in Mississippi in 1871. By 1890, she had moved to Houston, Texas, was a widow who had borne seven children of which only two survived. There is only one known photograph of her with a group of people.

In Houston, Lucy pastored a small mission-church in 1905. A young black man attended her church named William Seymour. During this times, Reverend Charles Fox Parham began holding crusades in downtown Houston and preaching about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. He had started a Bible college in Kansas where many of his students received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Lucy decided to move to Kansas for two months and left her church in the hands of William Seymour. There, she attended Parham's school and work as a governess for his children.

When Lucy returned to Houston, she shared her experiences with Seymour. As short time later, Parham opened a new Bible school in Houston, and Farrow convinced Seymour to enroll. After attending the college, Seymour moved to Los Angeles to preach the Gospel and about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Seymour had not yet received the baptism. Seymour and those in his ministry collected an offering to send for Lucy. She preached and taught there, and through the laying on of hands, many received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues including Seymour. Word spread and Seymour moved to a building on Azusa Street to accommodate the seekers, both white and black at a time when segregation was a major part of church life. Revival spread throughout the nation and the world.

Lucy didn't stay in California for long during the revival. In August, 1906, she traveled to Norfolk, Virginia. On her way, she stopped and preached Parham’s Apostolic Faith Movement camp meeting where many received the power of the Spirit, spoke in tongues. In Virginia, she held a series of meetings in Portsmouth for several weeks where 150 received the baptism of the Holy Ghost and about 200 were saved. In 1911, Lucy contracted tuberculosis and died in her home in Houston.

Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures and writes Christian historical fiction set in America because there are so many adventures in American history. She has received 2nd place in the NOCW contest, 3rd place TARA writer’s contest, and was a finalist in the Frasier Writing Contest. Her Novel, Alice’s Notions and her novellas Resurrection of Hope and A Christmas Promise are available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Christmas on a Plantation

By Michelle Shocklee

Christmas has come and gone once again. I hope you and yours had a wonderful day celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! As the author of historical fiction set on a Texas cotton plantation, I can't help but wonder about Christmastime back in the 1850s and what it was like for the occupants of the plantation, especially the slaves. Did their celebration include any of the traditions we enjoy today? Were they allowed to celebrate at all? A little research revealed some interesting tidbits I'd like to share with you. 

Plantation Frolic on Christmas Eve. Frank Leslie's Illustrated newspaper, 1857.
(Photo: Library of Congress)

If you were a white plantation owner, your celebration would include a huge feast with roasted turkey and goose, fish, venison, vegetables that were grown on the plantation, and all manner of sweets. A grand tree would be decorated, with wrapped presents beneath its boughs. Friends and family from neighboring plantations would be invited to share in the celebration, often staying overnight. Of course, house slaves would be there to serve you and see to your every need. A good time would be had by all.

Christmas in the quarter looked a bit different.

Like Rose Hill, the fictional cotton plantation in my book, The Planter's Daughter, southern plantations had dozens and dozens of slaves living on the property. A typical week for the slaves involved six days of hard labor, with Sunday being the only day they were allowed to rest, do laundry, and perhaps visit relatives on a neighboring plantation. When Christmas Day arrived, however, many plantation owners allowed their field slaves to not only have the day off, but some went so far as to give their slaves the entire week off. I found this a bit surprising, considering the very nature of slavery and the poor treatment slaves endured the rest of the year. 

As it turns out, my suspicions may be justified. Frederick Douglass, a former slave who became one 

of the most famous black leaders of his day, wrote in his narrative:

From what I know of the effect of these holidays upon the slave, I believe them to be among the most effective means in the hands of the slaveholder in keeping down the spirit of insurrection. Were the slaveholders to abandon this practice, I have not the slightest doubt it would lead to an immediate insurrection among the slaves. These holidays serve as conductors, or safety-valves, to carry off the rebellious spirit of enslaved humanity.

Unfortunately, he was right. Some masters used Christmastime and the promise of food, gifts, and time off to ensure obedience throughout the year. Any hint of rebellion or escape could result in the loss of holiday privileges or even a cancellation of Christmas entirely. Escape was always on the minds of the slaves and the slaveholders, and Christmas often presented the perfect opportunity to leave the plantation. Passes were sometimes issued as gifts, watchmen were occupied, and normal routines were interrupted. Harriet Tubman, the woman who escaped slavery and eventually helped many others to freedom using the Underground Railroad, helped her two brothers escape during Christmas one year. Their master intended to sell them after the holiday, so Harriet risked her own freedom and led them in a journey north, eventually making their way to Canada.

While writing The Planter's Daughter, I relied heavily upon an incredible research book titled I Was Born in Slavery. (To read my post about this little treasure, click here.) True narratives of life as a slave in Texas, many of these former slaves shared memories of Christmastime on the plantation. Millie Ann Smith was born a slave in Rusk County, Texas in 1850. She recalled that on Christmas Day, "Master would fetch us down flour, syrup, sugar, and fresh meat so we could have gingerbread cake." James Boyd recalled the "big dance" they would enjoy at Christmastime with music and singing. If the master was generous, a hog would be killed and set to cook in a pit in the quarter. Gifts were usually new clothes, shoes, food , hand-me-down toys, and even coins and were handed out by the plantation owner or a member of his family. Alcohol was also plentiful on some plantations, and some unscrupulous masters encouraged their slaves to drink heavily as a form of entertainment for the white people.

Many "marriages" took place during Christmastime on a plantation. Perhaps it was the festive atmosphere or the relaxed work schedule, but whatever the reason, many slaves chose to marry (not legally) during this time. Depending on the relationship between the slave and the master, some ceremonies were conducted inside the plantation home, often with the master of the house presiding.

It's easy to understand why the slaves looked forward to Christmas. Although they were subjected to the evils of slavery day after day, some managed to find real joy in the celebration. Former slave Charley Hurt said Christmas was the one day he was happy and could forget he was a slave. I can only hope he and all the others truly understood the source of that happiness and the real freedom we find in Jesus Christ.

Michelle Shocklee is an award-winning author of historical fiction and is a contributor in six Chicken Soup for the Soul books. The Widow of Rose Hill, Book 2 in the historical romance series The Women of Rose Hill, releases February 12, 2018 and is available for pre-order on Amazon. Book 1, The Planter's Daughter, is available now.  

A Christmas Miracle in 1914

By: Michele K. Morris

Merry Christmas and Happy 2018 to each and every Heroes, Heroines and History reader.

I love this time of the year. People just seem happier—nicer. I’m not sure what it is that makes them that way.

I wish I knew.

I wish we could all get along as if it were Christmas every day of the year. But human nature keeps us at odds for an abundance of reason. I pray one day that will change.

Throughout history there are examples of people coming together at Christmas and making amends—at least for a moment in time.

Newspaper account of 1914 Christmas Truce

One of those Christmas miracles happened in 1914. During the first Christmas of WWI an unofficial truce took place in the middle of battle torn Europe.

One of the first known written accounts of a truce developing, was when an officer of the Royal Irish Rifles reported to headquarters that the Germans had “illuminated” their trenches, were singing songs, and wishing the opposing soldiers a happy Christmas. The British officers were guarded, but the soldiers were curious.

Soldiers during the Christmas Truce

Further down the battle lines, soldiers from both sides serenaded one another with Christmas carols. The German men sang Silent Night and the British, The First Noel. Soon, scouts were sent out to meet—very cautiously—in the shell-pocked, no-man’s land between opposing sides’ trenches. These few brave men exchanged whisky, cigars, and a message saying, in short, if we don’t fire at them, neither would they fire at us. Then the real miracle happened. Men came out of the dank, dark, battle trenches and exchanged names, traded gifts of cigarettes, candy and food, they played games together and sang. They had a Christmas party.

Playing soccer

Spontaneously, in other areas, the same types of trues were taking place. No one organized these truces. No one spread the word that troops could come together and observe the holiday. And in fact, many officers discouraged the truce. So, what made these men—who only hours before where shooting at each other—come together to celebrate Christmas, as friends, chums, mates or comrades? Was it tradition that brought them together or, perhaps a longing for family or home . . . We may never be able to explain it. It was truly miraculous.

During this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could come together like these men in 1914 and forget our differences? Forget that we were recently “shooting” at one another. Forget the political mess our world is in.

Change begins with one person. I’m going to put forth an effort this year to be a person who makes change happen, who makes a difference. Will you? Make the impossible happen. Make it Christmas all year long.

Blessings to each and every one of our amazing HHH readers, and may you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year.

                     ___________________________________________

    

                                                                                                             

 Multi award-winning author, Michele K. Morris’s love for historical fiction began when she first read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House book series. She grew up riding horses and spending her free time in the woods of mid-Michigan. Married to her high school sweetheart, they are living happily-ever-after with their six children, three in-loves, and eight grandchildren in Florida, the sunshine state. Michele loves to hear from readers on Facebook, Twitter, and here through the group blog, Heroes, Heroines, and History at HHHistory.com.

The Origins of Christmas--and Giveaway!

A very hearty HO HO HO to all of you!! In the UK the day after Christmas is known as Boxing Day, and traditionally the Christmas season extends through Epiphany on January 6. Which means it’s still the season to make merry. So in the true spirit of Christmas past, I’m going to delve into the history, traditions, and symbols of our Christmas celebration.

I’m offering 2 copies of my award-winning Christmas story, One Holy Night, for our drawing, so be sure to post a comment today before midnight to be entered! I’ll announce the winners tomorrow morning.

Now on to Christmas.

When Was Jesus Born?

There have been a number of theories about when Christ was actually born, but most of the evidence points to either 5 or 4 BC. The Bible records that Jesus was born during Herod’s reign, and Herod died in 4 BC. Consequently, Jesus could not have been born any later than 4 BC.

Engel erscheint den Hirten, anonymous Dutch painter

The scriptures also mention a Roman census at the time of Jesus birth. It is known that Herod the Great was a friend of Mark Antony. He, in turn, was on intimate terms with Caesar Augustus, who ordered this census. The census that most closely corresponds to the one mentioned in Luke is the Imperial Citizens Census decreed in 8 BC. Undoubtedly such an extensive census would have taken several years to complete and probably reached Palestine around 6 to 5 BC.

If Jesus was born in the winter of 6 BC, he would have been close to two years old when Herod ordered all the baby boys in Bethlehem to be killed not long before he died a painful death in the spring of 4 BC. If Jesus was born in 5 BC, then he would still have been a baby when his parents secretly fled with him to Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous designs.

The Adoration of the Magi, Abraham Bloemaert

Who Were the Magi?

These unnamed wise men were likely Zoroastrians from Persia. Since they are known to have studied the stars, it would have been natural for them to investigate an astrological phenomenon like the one recorded as announcing Jesus’ birth. It is also very credible that the journey from Persia to Bethlehem could have taken up to two years.

What Was the Star?

There are two theories that may identify the star the Magi followed to Bethlehem.

First, in December of 7 BC there was a confluence of Jupiter and Saturn. By February of 6 BC Mars was in close proximity to the two planets. Astrologically, this is known as Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces. To the ancients, Jupiter represented the greatest of the gods, while the sign of Pisces (the fish) would indicate that a very important ruler was to be born.

The second possibility is a comet that appeared for about seventy days in the late winter or early spring of 5-4 BC. Another comet then appeared in March of 4 BC. The Greek term for star is aster, which can be interpreted as any astrological phenomenon. That makes either of these comets also a possibility for the star that announced Jesus’ birth, especially since they would have been visible from Persia and would have appeared to be traveling westward.

In his book The First Christmas, Paul L. Maier suggests that the configuration of Jupiter with Saturn in 7-6 BC alerted the Magi that a new ruler would soon be born. Then when the comet of 5 BC appeared with its brilliant light, it is very believable that they would have followed it. Maier also believes that when Herod questioned the Magi about when they first saw the star, they described the astrological sign they had observed two years earlier. This would explain why Herod had all the baby boys in Bethlehem less than two years old killed.

Where Was Jesus Born?

Birth of Jesus by Gerard van Honthorst

Accounts of Jesus’ birth were documented early on. Origen (185-254 AD) wrote that he saw “the grotto with the manger where He [Jesus] was swaddled.” Stone feeding troughs contemporary to Jesus’ time have been excavated in stables in Bethlehem. The grotto that is the traditional birthplace has been saved from destruction several times. The first was because Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD) tried to destroy the new Christian religion by building a temple to Adonis there. The result of his efforts was that the grotto was preserved, along with a record of its location and significance.

The first full account of a Christmas service at the grotto was written in the fourth century. Aetheria, a nun, described hangings of silk, decorations of gold and jewels, numerous lamps and candelabra, and the chanting of psalms during the sacrament of the Mass.

Why December 25?

The actual date of Christ’s birth has never been credibly established in spite of a number of attempts to do so. Church leaders early on began to speculate on the actual date of Jesus’ birth, with a number of dates being proposed. Clement of Alexandria (c.150-c.215) favored May 20, while other church leaders argued for April 18, April 19, and May 28. Hippolytus (c.170-c.236) advocated January 2, and others argued for November 17, November 20, and March 25. A Latin treatise written around 243 set the date as March 21, the supposed date on which God created the sun. Polycarp (c.69-c.155) had already followed the same logic in concluding that Christ’s birth and baptism most likely occurred on a Wednesday because God created the sun on the fourth day of the week. But there wasn’t enough evidence available to conclusively prove any of these dates, and there were serious flaws to the calculations behind all of them.

So why was December 25 chosen as the date of Jesus’ birth? For one thing, December 25 was sacred not only to the Romans, but also to the Persians, whose religion was one of Christianity’s main rivals during the first century. Some scholars claim that the celebration of the Christ mass was instituted to compete with the pagan traditions that were creeping into the church.

From the beginning, celebrating Christmas was controversial. Origen (c.185 to c. 254) preached that the celebration of birthdays was for pagan gods, and that Christ would be dishonored if his birth was celebrated in the same way the pagans honored their rulers. The giving of lavish gifts and excesses of eating and drinking that accompanied pagan celebrations contrasted drastically with the nativity’s simplicity and offended church leaders. Even today, many people condemn these traditions as being contrary to the true spirit of Christmas.

Not all of Origen’s contemporaries agreed that Christ’s birthday should not be celebrated, however. In fact, the nativity has been observed in some form since 98 AD, and in 137 the bishop of Rome established it as a solemn feast day. As Christianity spread, individual churches increasingly adapted traditions from some of the pagan winter festivals practiced throughout the Middle East and Europe, such as hanging evergreens and giving presents, for their celebration of Jesus’ birth.

For the first three centuries of the Common Era, the celebration of Christ’s birth didn’t take place in December. When individual churches observed the nativity, they usually did so on January 6 during Epiphany, one of the church’s earliest feasts. Western Christians first celebrated the Christ mass on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the empire’s favored religion. That was the date of two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti, the Roman “birth of the unconquered sun,” and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian “Sun of Righteousness” whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Since pagans already honored deities with some parallels to the true God, church leaders decided to appropriate the date by substituting their own festival. So in 350 AD, Pope Julius I set the observance of the Christ mass on December 25.

Although Eastern churches initially held on to January 6 as the date for Christ’s birth and baptism, most eventually also adopted December 25, while still celebrating his baptism on January 6. The Armenian Church continues to celebrate the nativity on January 6, while the Western church designates Epiphany as the date the Magi located the Christ child. The earliest English reference to December 25 as Christmas first appeared in late Old English in 1038 as Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ.

Traditional Christmas Customs

The Christmas Fair, Georg von Rosen

Many of our traditional Christmas customs appeared during the Middle Ages. The tradition of reenacting the nativity scene was introduced by Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), when on Christmas Eve 1223, he and his companions worshiped in a cave near Greccio, Italy, surrounded by the traditional oxen, sheep, and donkeys. Saint Francis’ friars wrote the first festive songs that became the first Christmas carols. By the fourteenth century, carols were firmly established as a treasured part of the religious observance of Christ’s birthday.

Although the pagan origins of the date of Christmas and of many Christmas traditions have caused opposition to the holiday from the beginning, in general the church has viewed efforts to reshape the surrounding secular culture in a positive light. In 320 one theologian wrote, “We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it.” And to that, I say, Amen!

Do you have a favorite Christmas tradition, perhaps one you share with your family? If so, please share it with us!

I’m offering 2 copies of One Holy Night in the giveaway. Any comments posted before midnight will be entered and 2 winners will be chosen. Check back tomorrow morning to find out who the lucky winners are!

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J. M. Hochstetler is the daughter of Mennonite farmers and a lifelong student of history. She is also an author, editor, and publisher. Her American Patriot Series is the only comprehensive historical fiction series on the American Revolution. Northkill, Book 1 of the Northkill Amish Series coauthored with Bob Hostetler, won Foreword Magazine’s 2014 INDY Book of the Year Bronze Award for historical fiction. Book 2, The Return, released April 1, 2017. One Holy Night, a contemporary retelling of the Christmas story, was the Christian Small Publishers 2009 Book of the Year.