Religion: Spirit Lamp

Head machinist for the Exposition Cotton Mills in Atlanta, Ga. is a wiry, hawk-nosed little man (5 ft. 4 in.), with dark blue eyes, greasy, dexterous hands, a fourth-grade education, six grown children, a passion for hunting rabbits with bow & arrow, and some “gold needles,” which are divining-rod-like devices for locating gold.

His name is James Herman Fair.

Machinist Fair was never baptized, be longs to no church, though he thinks the Seventh-Day Adventists are all right.

What he really believes in is “the Great Spirit -that’s the true religion.” What the Great Spirit consists of is James Fair’s private affair. But eight years ago, while recovering from a knee operation, he was inspired to contribute to the Great Spirit a unique devotional labor.

First he bought a piece of seamless brass tubing, set to work with a hammer, small chisels and punches. At the bottom of the tube he began sculpturing the Three Wise Men. Eight years later he had covered the pipe with 14 spiraling scenes depicting the life of Christ. With trimmings the pipe became a lamp. Figuring his time at 50¢ an hour, Machinist Fair figures his lamp is worth $1,000.

Last week, while Mr. Fair was at work, his bungalow burned down. Mrs. Fair, lame, got out with only her life and the lamp. To the Fairs, those were the most important things. Declared Mrs. Fair:

“We still have the lamp. And somehow I know we’ll get along.”