The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-27
SAL WALTON ARMY
DINNER ENJOYED
Poor People Treated to a Christ
mas Banquet
MANY BASKETS SENT OUT
About 600 People at Table and These
With the stay.at.Homes, Who
Received Baskets, Mum.
hered Over 1000.
MANY BASKETS SENT OUT


yesterday.
All who could attend and there were
about six hundred OF them, were at the
annual dinner which was spread in the
hall of the army on Second avenue. be-
tween Twenty-first and Twenty-second
streets. Many baskets. each containing
enough food for dinner for Ave. were
sent out to those who could not or did
not care to came to the hall and eat to
their hearts content.
The annual dinner commenced at 1
o'clock. and the greater part Of the
| afternoon was consumed. The doors Of
the Salvation Army hall were thrown
open to the poor. and no one was turned
away
Hountful Repast.
It was bountiful repast. For several
days past Capt and Mrs. r. Boucher. in
charge OF the local corps, assisted by the
fifty soldiers here, have been preparing
for the dinner. Captain Boucher
worked all night Sunday. and everything
was ready for the big feast yesterday
morning. There were hundreds and hum
dreds of pounds of roast turkey chicken
and beef. Bushels of potatoes and hun
dreds of pounds Of bread had been Sc
cured. Butter. and pickles by the gallon,
pies and cakes of all descriptions, and
coffee. tea and milk were in greatest
plenty. There were highly favored dress
| ings and plenty Of cranberry sauce and
salad, and the four long tables which
were placed In the hall were loaded to
their capacity.
| Apples were In abundance, and bananas
and oranges were piled up to delight the
| hearts of the Children especially.
The baskets which we're distributed In
the early morning contained potatoes,
canned vegetables. two loaves of bread,
coffee and sugar and a dressed chicken,
and everybody who applied received one
/ of these baskets, and there were some
| left over,
! Persons commenced to apply at the
hall for admission to the feast as early
as $3.50 o'clock. They were met at the
! door by Salvation Army officers and las
sizes, and were saluted with a hand
shake and a word of good cheer. "Come
in. we are glad to see you. May God
bless you
! NudOS ~ TCSl ~ TIOIfl0e
The guests were made to feel at home
Immediately on their arrival. At times
Mrs. Boucher would go out on the side
walk and placing her arm around a
poor woman or child would escort them
| into the hall and assign a seat DON'T be
timid." she would say. Come right in:
VIC are glad to have you with u.s.
At l o'clock Judge N. B. Feagin OF the
police court of Birmingham arrived. He
was the honored CUES. of the occasion
and he was assigned to a seat Afterward
Judge Feagin spoke briefly and feelingly
to the poor people. He was loud in his
praises of the Salvation Army and its
officers.
The army lassies and the officers acted
as walters and Mattresses and well did
they do their work. When one sitting
would get through, and they were not
hurried either, others would file in and be
served. A large number of citizens called
at the hall during the progress OF the
dinner to see the poor people eat They
were cordially received by the officers
and were made to feel at home. Every
one commented favorably on the work of
the Salvation Army.
Dinners Sent to the Jail.
Yesterday afternoon the Salvation
| Army sent dinner to thirty-eight white
! prisoners confined the in the Jefferson
county jail. twenty-five pound turkey
was carved and the dinner was sent over
in baskets.
Next Sunday afternoon at 8 o'clock In
the Salvation Army hall there will be an
entertainment for three hundred poor
| children. There will be a Christmas
tree, and fruits, candles and presents for
the little tots.
Clothing and shoes .yill be distributed
among the children and the officers
would appreciate any donations made in
this line by the people of Birmingham.
Judge Feagn's Remarks.
! Judge Feagin's speech at the dinner fol-
| lows:
SOLDIERS of the Salvation Army, La
| dies and Gentlemen: Why this bounte-
Gus spread? why so many joyous faces
around this festive board? It is Christ
mas. Nineteen hundred and four years
ago life was given to the world as an
| inspiration for mankind. sinless soul
lived to teach us the force, the lasting
influence on the human heart of the
| precious power Of love.
THE great Napoleon is quoted as hav-
| ing said: Alexander Caesar. Charlie
| magne and 1 erected empires. Upon what
were the creations OF our genius found
ed? Upon force. And they have all
persisted from the face Of the earth.
Jesus Christ erected an empire upon
love and today millions would die for
Him..
ut is in memory of this grand and
| good life these tables groan under the
| weight of the feast to make glad our
hearts today. 1t is in remembrance of
the birth and the life of that siniess
soul that we are here reverently TO re-
1oice and to dedicate anew our hearts
to his service.
An Humble Carpenter.
For years he was an humble carpen-
ter, lowiy Nazerine. So poor 1t is told
The foxes have holes, the birds of the air
had nests. yet this son of man had not
where to lay his head His life was not
spent in the assertion of his rights among
men. but rather as a manifestation of
his love for men. He chose the lot of
the poor to prove the futility of riches
Of ranx ~ placa and Of roUar 70