The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-06
Orthodox Church Brookd the Only One in the State
of Alabama.

4
dome that encircles the earth-the
latter. however, cannot be seen IN
| the picture--is one of the few orthodox
Greek Churches South of the Ohio, and
adds one of the finishing touches TO
| Brookside that make 1t not Just ike
other mining towns
Within stones throw Of the Slav-
ish settlement and church stands tne
I sister Roman Catholic Church, built
soon after the coal mines were OPEN
ed by the Soloss Coal and Iron Com
pany, and the quaint mining town OF
Brook side sprang up; about twenty
years ago. when a Roman Father IN
COD followed his flock to Brookside'
ministering to Italians, irish Foies,
Bohemians and even TO the SlaVonie
Greek Catholics also except for ehe
Sacraments when the latter nrousht
their own priest from PennsyVania.
But Russia must also have her he
preventative and so quite recently the
quaint little Greek Church sprang up.
for a time matters did not move quite
smoothly between these two represen-
tatives OF the church, so that Tor some
time after the little edifhce was com
pIeted no ministrations were given lts
people. only the bell pealing form at
mathis and vesper time called to them
as from that home of bygone days
BIlt now since Christmas the Greek
Priest from Slayonia has been finally
installed, the doors thrown open ana
Slavish chant and Offices welcome It's
people.
When democratic America, attracted
perhaps by vesper bell or some SER
vice unintelligible yet with its appeal
ing influence steps into the little
church, the look of satifed longing
In the eyes of it's people as in broken
English they try to make others see as
they see is almost pathetic.
The interior OF the church is very
rich In coloring, with its rich Eastern
blue and crimson and gold. More than
once or twice do wee see Saint George
and the Dragon, Saint Nicholas and
again and again the Greek Cross with
it's question. Why the lower one
Is turned so?
The Priest says 81 cannot explain 1t
in your language"
priest from St. Louis has lately
ministered to his Brookslde brother
priest who has been quite Ill, an illness
probably caused by the great climatic
change from Slavonia to Brook side.
And preparations are being made to
receive the Greek Archbishop also from
ST. Louis in Brookside.
The quaint town of Brookside. it
self, set In the hills, might almost
be made of Kaleidoscope bits OF other
countries: Slavonfa, Italy, ireland, Ger
many, Bulgaria, with an American
toning down in coloring as well as in
government.
The CITY public school has also its
strong foreign element in this town
Of thirty-hve hundred people. although
the Roman Catholics have a full school
also.
Small Russia and Italy claim per-
haps the same green and yellow PEN
ell with American Columbia as umpire
One little Russian maiden has the
sweetest oval face, with large blue
eyes, sensitive nostrils ana mouth and
the most magnetic appealing voice;
clear and resonant. What generations
of mute appeal. of repressed hopes and
fears! What final ringing II viii be!
l will live! are embodied In that voice
And now in the midst of It all the
Sloss Company shuts down it's mines
indefinitely. so that after all many
miner. who has also trusted to stay
under the shadow of the Greek Cross,
may wander elsewhere in search of
work.