The age-herald., 1898-02-20
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 Birmingham has certainly outgrown It's swaddling clothes. It Is a city in size and importance, and should have put away childish things"-that iss uncouthness and bad breeding-long ago. But, there can be little doubt that this progressive city of Alabama holds within her borders a eer- tain class of men and women who are either indifferent to the requirements of good form or are unconscious of the sim piest rules governing respectable society.
 This has been demonstrated on several occasions by the rowdyism exhibited at certain churches of the city during we'd ding ceremonies.
 And strange to say. this offensive con- duet has generally been apparent in the handsome First Presbyterian church, cor ner Twenty-first street and Fourth ave nue.
 The proximity of this church to the business portion of the city, and its con- venient and accessible location, may in a measure account for the presence at we'd dings of great numbers of people, who be- have like veritable hoodlums, and who of- fend all well-bred persons with their noise and tumult. These social rowdies were indifferent to the fact that the church is the House of God; that their conduct was personal insult to the clergyman, to every member of that high-toned, inf1u- ential congregation, and to every person in the great audience present.
 Their only object seemed to be to pro- cure favorable position from whence the bridal party could be seen to advantage, no matter what a commotion they cre- ated, or how disgustingly offensive they became.
 Birmingham society should adopt the plan of issuing presentation cards with all wedding invitations, in order to prevent a repetition of the rowdyism that was ram- pant last Wednesday evening at the First Presbyterian church, when Miss Roden was married to MT. Redin, of Louisville.
 If every guest is expected to present his or her card at the church door, there will speedily ensue a stoppage of the noisy ex- citement which has attended so many of the handsome weddings of the city
 It is form of barbarism to treat a mar riage as rollicking frolic. No matter how fortunate; matter how bright and propitious the outlook, the hour of mar
 
 beings life. To treat such an occasion with levity, not to say hilarity, is to be- speak 8 plebian of the first degree.
 Presentation cards should be issued in future with all Birmingham wedding in- vitatlons.
 
 If these cards fail to accomplish the pur- pose for which they are intended, then 1t behooves the various church authorities to ask for police protection, on the oc- casion of fashionable weddings. The re- spectacle element of the city should no longer submit to exhibitions of such row dysm as would co credit to the common est tenement districts of great city.
 Unless men and women can properly con- duct themselves at all times in every tenn pie of worship, they should be dealt with by those authorities which have right to enforce law and order.
 The First Presbyterian church has suf- fered greatly at times from social mobs. and the congregation has been patient and long-suffering. A repetition of the barbara ties of last Wednesday evening would be a reflection upon the responsibility of the community. Good taste, good breeding and good form demand that men and women who cannot behave themselves at all times in Gods temples shall be refused admis- sion to their sacred precincts. at we'd dings this can be accomplished either with presentation cards, or with the strong arm of the citys police.
 | The time for owdyism-barbarism In any | form-has passed in Birmingham, and the best element of the city are determined to demand at least an outward display of re- spect for public opinion, in the churches | as we'll as in the opera house. There are too many well-bred people In Birmingham to consent to be rated and l judged by the mob present last Wednesday evening at the First Presbyterian church. Responsibility has its rights, and it has | decided that all degrees of hoodlumism | must be relegated to the slums, from whence they came. BALL.