Bank closing
Dear Editor:
An institution that has served its community faithfully for 104 years is now slated for abandonment by its current owners. MainSource Bank has announced that it will close the East Enterprise Bank on April 26th, 2013.
“The Bank of East Enterprise” was organized on January 21st, 1909. The building site was purchased from my great-uncle, Jordan R. Houze, for $275 and he was elected assistant cashier of the bank. Before the building was constructed, the Modern Woodmen of America negotiated for the use of the upper floor to be used as a lodge hall.
In 1934, the bank became “The East Enterprise State Bank”. Wilbur R. “Jack” Houze, son of Jordan Houze, was president of the bank from 1945 until 1976.
After banks were deregulated, the East Enterprise bank has been included in sales to various larger financial firms.
During the more than 100 years of its existence, I’m sure there have been times when the bank has been less profitable than other times. It made it through the Great Depression without closing. None of its owners decided to quit East Enterprise because of “the company’s long term objective.”
There are other banks in all of the towns where the customers from East Enterprise may be forced to do their banking. Those banks will probably see a great influx of new customers.
Wilma Lohide
Near East Enterprise
Disappointed
To the Editor:
I would like to air my disappointment in the Switzerland County Road Department and Switzerland County Commissioners for not pre-treating and or treating Clovis Pickett Road for the recent snow and ice on Friday, January 25th. This happens to be a road that the Switzerland County School buses use to pick up and drop off children to and from school.
Not only did I and my neighbors have trouble driving on the ice but I understand the school bus slid (at the 90 degree corner) when it tried to stop to let my son off. I have heard that there are a number of roads that also have not been treated. I believe all roads are to be treated, not just particular roads, especially roads that school buses use.
Monica Oevermeyer
Clovis Pickett Road
Petitions
To the Editor:
If you are concerned about the fact MainSource Bank is closing the East Enterprise Bank effective April 26th, 2013, petitions are being circulated at the following locations: East Enterprise Marathon Uptown Pizza, East Enterprise Family Dollar, Susan’s Kountry Kuts, East Enterprise Market, Fairview Grocery and Dutch Discount.
The petitions will be mailed to Mr. Daryl Tressler, President and CEO of MainSource on March 1st, 2013.
We are in hopes MainSource executives will reconsider their decision. Thanks for your support in this community endeavor.
Julia Hazeldean
Near East Enterprise
Information
To the Editor:
Patrick, I read your column in the last paper with great interest. I, too, have a Facebook account and I recognize a lot of what you wrote. I have tried to be very careful to only pass on facts that I know to be true. Many times I have passed up unverifiable things and even posted links showing refutations of the supposed “facts”.
There are a lot of times when I have refused to pass on a picture that I know had factual information because the maker added a little line at the bottom like “yes, they really are that stupid”. “They”, of course, referred typically to a particular political party or to a group of people. I could not, in good conscience, pass that on.
We seem to have lost the art of civil discourse. Ad Hominem (name calling) attacks against the person and straw men arguments instead of a reasoned, factual, logical statement of position seem to be the order of the day.
It seems that a lot of people simply do not think any more. I saw on video many instances of people asked “Why is this candidate good?” Answer: because he is “cool” or “good looking”. Or “black” or “white” or “Hispanic.” Or because he/she “just is”. When asked what they did not like about a particular candidate? “He, or she, is a stupid bimbo”…or some other useless comment. Very few can actually articulate real issues and what stance a candidate is taking and why they agree or disagree. Even worse, when some were asked questions where the opposing candidate was said to have that position, they were against it. But when they were shown that it was actually their candidate who held those “repulsive” and “dangerous” positions, they were still behind their candidate.
Sadly, our nation is very divided. It is even sadder because, if you look carefully, you can see that the divisions are being very carefully crafted and fed. People who are focused on some perceived wrong committed against them by some group of people, maybe won’t pay attention to what is happening in Washington…to the bigger picture behind so many issues.
I see the direction our country is headed and, if not for my belief in Almighty God, it would be downright scary. We are following a pattern that has been followed by other leaders in history. I know my husband and I are not the only ones who see that. Barbara L. Maness’ editorial indicates that she seems to see it, too. I do not know Barbara or what all she sees/believes, so I cannot speak for her, but at this point, my husband and I have no reason to believe that direction is going to change, or at least not without a huge miracle.
Those of us who see the bigger picture can also see how the issues are being tied together to advance a sweeping agenda. And the truth is, if you just do the research into the things that our leaders (whether political or financial) have been recorded as saying or what they have written, the plan is plainly there.
There is another very important thing being missed. If you read the documents related to the founding of our nation, the arguments and discussions held regarding the writing of those documents and the actual writings of the over 200 Founding Fathers (and especially the 56 signers), it is clear that the huge majority were religious men and that they relied upon the God of the Bible for what they were doing. It is recorded that they stopped to pray time and again when they would reach an impasse in their discussion. James Madison was not a lone wolf when he said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” And therein lies the greatest problem of all.
Our nation has moved very far from God. We are no longer a moral people or a religious people. Even those who claim to be “Christian” often support issues that are clearly against the holy Scriptures. Many do not even live according to those Scriptures. Many neglect their civic duties and do not even vote. They do little to nothing to care for the needy or to protect and rescue the most vulnerable among us. The pastors of the Revolution were not only involved, but taught from the pulpit that their people should be, too. They not only took up arms, after the war they regularly preached about issues and elections. The idea of not knowing the issues and, God forbid, of not voting were practically anathema. I don’t hear much of that today.
America is the only nation besides Israel that was founded upon the idea that the rights of the people come from God and not from government. America was founded with the idea that the government shall not infringe upon a people’s right to worship or upon their manner of worship. The Founding Fathers persistently referenced the God of the Bible as being the Creator and even Benjamin Franklin (a Deist) recommended wholeheartedly the teaching of the scriptures in all schools, which leads me to another important issue.
In addition to the pattern we are following governmentally, there is another pattern we are following as a nation…the pattern of warnings given to Israel in ancient times. Israel did not heed the warnings and judgment followed. We have received the same warnings (harbingers) and are following the same pattern with uncanny accuracy.
I highly recommend reading the book The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn wherein he details this comparison. Although written in a fictional style to make it more readable for the masses, the information regarding our nation is documented. Not only does he give resources, but searches online can easily find the information. The book has taken the country by storm and skyrocketed to the best seller list when it came out and, to my understanding, still remains there. People are beginning to wake up and a more concerted effort to be diligent in soul searching, prayer and sharing is taking place.
Regarding any negative reviews, I have read them and the book and heard the man speak. The negative reviews left me wondering if the reviewers really read the book. As you pointed out, Patrick, no human writer is perfect, but they pulled things out of the book that simply were not there. In fact, there was so much twisting of what Mr. Cahn wrote that it led us (and others we know) to wonder if there was an agenda behind the reviews. A reviewer (like a journalist) is to remain objective. I saw little, if any, objectivity in the negative reviews of The Harbinger.
Mr. Cahn points out that it is not too late for our nation. Harbingers are warnings, not actual judgment. The real judgment comes when the warnings are persistently ignored. We still have hope, but we are very far down the path. I pray it is not too late.
I know the written word is not the best means of communication. So, anyone who wants clarification on anything I have written here is welcome to contact me at anndaughter@yahoo.com.
Respectfully,
Abigail Wolfer
Patriot area