The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-19


 took confidence in it's neghbor Sunday school, though it happened to be of an other denomination and broke over it's barrier into mutual helps in the county, the state, then national Sunday School associations, thus doing it's part in build ing a national spirit.
 On a late afternoon during the month of July or August. 10S years ago, at Sloane's Meadow near the Eoosac river in Williamsburg, Mass, were two piles of hay that sheltered five Williams col lege students, in a simple prayer meet ing that twas but the breaking forth on A higher plane of the missionary spirit which had burned now bright now dim unon their American shores for nearly two centuries" Their noble purpose l spread to other colleges and the modern missionary movement in America may be said to have had it's birth upon the spot where was held the haystaek prayer meeting and as a students volunteer movement.
 Fifty years later George Williams came iron, the country to London as a dry 1 goods clerk ds44. and formed of Bis as- sociates in business an association for rnutnal heln and instruction that took ! foothold on the American soil at Mon treal and Boston in 1852. With loyalty 1 to the church. acknowledeiug it's debt of L. l association found a democratic camp l ground for an army. made up from the | .'danon1i'7 tions' and of those without a. | church IT thev had a creed it would be 1 the effort of the man to meet worldly l conditions with today methods, to answer the deep cries of the lonely human-being i with a constant sympathy. to anticipate | tho needs of the tenpted. grouping nor tai with kindliness of touch that does ' fa offr hun l fnent for human diseoura cement human help for hlinan weakness, human knowl- edee and skill for human ignorance. Their method. the hand-to-hand touch the heart-to-heart heat of Inst one man for another man. every man for fellowmen Thus another great world-rrovement be gan and continues 8 lavr1an's movement that is not denominational What have llst said also has applicatior to the Younp ], WoTen's Christian association.
 fhe federated reigious work of stu oents' and among the men of the army ana navy where the man is met with out distinction of class and rank as 1 nnderclassman to undercla ssman and as private to private comes from the l association. At Mount Hermon, the Students, Vol unteer Movement. another tyne os l American idealism was organized ,n l ieSb at MT. Moody's summer eather- | ing of Young Mems Christian associa- tlon and Young Women's Christian as soclation students who had come +o Northfeld on his invitation to spend Q 1 lew weeks in the study of the Bible out or gathering of 250 students came this world movement
 Of the third most renoa rIxahIa raI,,. 1ous orders of all times. 1t Is said that general Booth was for all practical pur- poses layman when he organized the ] SaVatlon Army, an agency for reach | ing teaching and helping the poor though they do much wholesome l preaching it has not the ecclesia sticaI ! appearance.
 In this connection the evangelist may De noted an example of a sort of lav preaching. Jealously he clines n b,s place on some conference roll or con Nent1on membership. At times I fear | ne IS made to wonder if he really does belong to his church. Yet God gives him power and he remembers that Jesus Christ was not denominational ana tne evangelist will continue with ms spiritual ministrations to the world
 The settlement work from 'eArnold l Ioynbee QSb3-'83), divesting his move niehts TOT religious and moral fnstruc- | .ions or clerical appearance" and oro- ceedfng through Fellowship and classes to its highest development in 1acoo hlis or Rfchmond Hill, and Miss Jahe AdofSms of Hull House. while not whoiiy layman's movement, yet in it's practical conduct and effectiveness. was and is now, layman's movement tbat knows no denomination.
 1 out or such methods grew the eenera1 | and better club idea of our country 1 that mas done much in teaching man that his opportunity is in helping his 1 fellows and in teaching man that he ! Gf lrA must make good and be good for him. 1 self, that no other man can for him. l Like example of laymen's effort is round In the American Humane socie- ties, In the work of Miss Frances E | Willard and associates in organizing lls74, at Cleveland. O., the Women's Christian Temperance union. It's api tation and instruction, believe, that in some measure gave the Anti-Saloon | league with its far-reachfng res,,1ts | in this democratic experiment we are yet making in America. True the lat ter, l6 years later Q890), grew out of | the work of Dr. Howard H. Russell inc pastor or the South West Tabernacle of Kansas City, and its propaganda forced on us by the fearless of the clergy who know that the duty of pastor does not stop on Sunday night but carries i'm into business, political and social life with fighting righteousness. Religion Is right living during the week and not alone on Sunday and at death We need not trouble about how we die. it is how we live, for if God has the direo ton of life, He will conduct the fun eral.
 Looking to the societies and brother hoods of the church, we note that thev have been largely developed by the clergy, yet in them are found field for the religious work of the layman with his organizing and business ability Wit ness the infuenee of the Brotherhood of St Andrew, the Presbyterian Brotherhood and many others.
 Of the young leople's societies it is not ed how they tmphasize education and give 1t definite religious value. Presi- dent Hall cites the fact that within a trife of over ons year the Epworth league secured among its membership over one l thousand classes, with more than 1SO00 1 members, for the study of textbook on the life of Christ" To the same pur- pose are the Baptist Young Peoples Un- ion, Christian 1ndeavor and the Vest minister league So also the Methodist order of :Deaeoness," requiring careful instruction to ai for wise and efficient ed- ucational servio, and the women's mis- | sionary movements are from laymen and are now incorporated into the church It has been said that these womens mis- | sionary societies literally forced them- selves the charch
 The founding ef the Bible societies are traced to laymen trying to give the word | to all who desi,sd, regardless of price ! You are familia with the story of 1 'Mary's Bible"--he little Scotch girl who