By: Aurel Dikin Sr. and James P. Dikin

One of the spiritual milestones in my life began with my employment at the U.S.Rubber Company, the predicessor of Uniroyal. Throughout life there were times which tested my courage and my faith in God. The daily challenges in a world so filthy and corrupt will either taint your life or make you a stronger Christian.

Being a supplier of products needed for the War effort, U.S. Rubber provided a safe haven for me and I was exempted from the draft. Dena and I had four children at the time and being able to serve my country here at home was a blessing. Little did I know my faith and courage would be tested in a way I never expected.

I had worked several positions as pressman, running stock through hot noisey presses in an environment and under conditions that modernday OSHA would love to shut down. This was at a time when labor unions were young and did not have the voice or respect they enjoy today. Temperatures exceeded 120 degrees and the dust and fumes from the rubber and solvents made the job not only hazardous, but also at times down right inpossible.

I had attended a Union meeting in a smoke-filled hall with a couple hundred workers where I wittnessed the vulgarity and open display of infidelity as married men were pursuing female workers openly. There was almost a carnival atmosphere and the workers seemed to be in one accord in their hatred of the company they worked for. I was taught to respect those who are over you, to live peaceably and honorably. I sat back and listened and whatched until I had enough... You see, soon they started sininging a song which seemed fimiliar to me. It was to the tune of "The Old Rugged Cross", but these men descrated it by singing "The Old Rotten Boss". I had enough of this.... I left.

I wouldn't pay my union dues because I couldn't. Not because of the money, but because to support an organization so strongly opposed to peace and God was repulsive to me. Finally my boss called me in and explained that I either had to join the union and pay the dues or they would have to let me go. I conceeded but told them, "I will pay my dues, but I will curse each dollar and it will not benefit the union". That seemed to be an acceptable position to them.

As I kept working I gained favor with management. I guess they saw I had developed skills and job-knowledge and when they needed a supervisor they called me into the office. When the position was offered to me I told the superintendent that I didn't think I could do the job since I only had an eighth grade education and no prior supervisory experience. He said, " I heard you are a Sunday School teacher and If you can teach children you will be able to teach and lead men." What could I say? I accepted the promotion.

Little did I know, but soon my time with U.S. Rubber would soon be over.

I was working the night shift and one night one of my workers came in with liquor on his breath. I took him aside and told him he would have to go home, that I couldn't let him operate presses in his intxicated condition. He begged me not to send him home since he would lose a day's pay and leave a bad mark on his work record. I told him I would watch him and if his safety or that of his co-workers was threatened I would send him home.

I went back to running my press and soon I didn't see that worker any more until the end of the shift. When he returned he ran some production but it was all undercured & scrap. He also had taken all the stock I ran that night and rubbed off my identifying code and replaced it with his own. When I saw the scrap he ran and what he did to cover-up his production loss I confronted him. He picked up a steel bar and threatened to kill me. I reported the incident to the superintendent and did not go to work for the next three days.

My boss stopped by the house on the third day and asked me to return to work for a meeting to review the situation. When I entered his office there was the worker that threatened me, the foremen, union officials and the big boss. I was told I had the support of management to prosecute the worker, but instead I offered him my hand to him. I said, " I tried to protect you , you chose to threaten me. I forgive you, please don't let it happen again." After that meeting I asked my boss for a 30 day leave of absence, which he granted me.

During my time off I worked around the house and repaired shoes in my little shoe shop in the garage. After the thirty days were up I still wasn't up to returning to my old job and I asked for an extension of the leave, which my boss rejected. After 11 years with the company I felt it was time to move on and with Dena's support I quit my job.

My faith in God was strong and in my heart I knew He would never let me down. As time went on I busied myself with work around the house and the income from shoe repairing was about $15.00 per week. We were entering that time where they say you must "Fish.... or Cut Bait". I couldn't fish

(I had no money for the bait),- I couldn't cut bait because my knives were dull. Dena could always make something to eat from seemingly very little, but now the cupboards were bare. And then there was tomorrow, THANKSGIVING DAY.

Did I miss God? Some would say an empatic "YES". I thought that God in His infinate mercy and grace surely wouldn't let my family suffer. I knew when I left my job it was the right decision, but now I was hurt, confused and although the family was strong and understanding during this time, how could I face tomorrow?

The best thing to do when you think you might have missed the boat is to call out to the Skipper. That's what I did!

I needed to find a place where I could be alone so I climbed to the attic of the garage. The attic had become a place of dust, spiders, mice and old discarded items, but that day it became my prayer closet.

The scripture tells us that when you pray and the burden is so heavy that you don't know how to pray the Holy Spirit prays through you in groanings and words which express your innermost needs to your Heavenly Father. That day I met God in such a way I cannot fully express in words. I don't remember all I prayed, but I do remember what was important. My prayer time ended with me asking God, "what am I going to do about tomorrow?" it being Thanksgiving. He said, "Be Thankful For That Which You Have!" I responded, "Lord, Dena has made meal after meal with seemingly nothing to make it with, and if I had a loaf of bread I wouldn't ask you for another... but Lord, we have nothing". As I knelt the broken and humble God said, "You Have Me!!".

At that point I felt the whole world was lifted from my shoulders and I wiped the tears from my eyes and left my prayer room to face the world in the strength of His power.

As I came out of the garage a neighbor lady was comming up the walk with sacks of groceries in her arms. She was of a different faith, but what she did and when she did it tells me she was God's way of proving to me that I HAD HIM!!

That Thanksgiving Day was not only a day of thanks, but also a day of new beginnings. The next day the Treasurer from the church we were attending called to ask if I would clean the church for Sunday, since their cleaning lady had quit. That Sunday I was told the Pastor was very happy with the work I did and the church offered me a full-time job which I retired from some 32 years later.

Post Script:

Aurel Dikin, Sr. continued to teach Sunday School for many years, and wife Dena (who was a teen evangelist before they married) taught thousands over a 30 year period.

They even had a Sunday School on Milliken Ln. for many years and touched many young lives when they came North to rest on weekends.

Mom and Dad passed away years ago and I promised them I would share their stories with others.