The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-04
: ALABAMA SACRED
/ HARP SINGERS TO
COME HERE SOON
It Is Expected That $1,000 Will
Come to Take Part in
the Exercises
SING ONLY THE SONGS
OF THE DAYS LONG AGO
How the Sacred Harp Conventions
Are Usually Held and What They
Mean to All of Those
Participating
BY WALTER HARPER


The Alabama Sacred Harp Singing
convention will meet in Birmingham July
Is and hold three days at the Southside
skating rink.
tits expected that 1900 singers from
all parts of Alabama will attend.
This will be the first meeting of spcn
convention in Alabama and permanent
organization will be perfected at this
time The organization was suggested by
the meeting of the Georgia Sacred Harp
Singing convention at Atlanta last sep
TENDER. Thirty thousand people ATTENDED
the Atlanta convention. 1t is believed tnat
the attendance on the first convention
In Alabama will be at least half that
number Temporary officers of the organ
\ lzation in Birmingham are writing hum
dreds of letters and sending representa-
tives to county and district singing con-
yentions over the state working up in
terest in the movement and much enthus-
iasm is reported from all sections
All the railroads into Birmingham have
granted low rates.
Temporary Officers
The temporary officers of the associa-
ton are w. R. Davis of Birmingham,
chairman; J. w. Higgins of Shades Val
ley, vice chairman o. ]. Crews of Biz
mingham. corresponding secretary.
A representative of the organization
attended the Calhoun county Sacred Harp
Singing convention at Admission Saturday
and yesterday and reports great enthus-
.iasm among the Calhoun singers for the
state convention.
Secretary Crews will attend the Cullman
county convention at Cullman next Sat
urday and Sunday in the interest of the
convention.
The county conventions are usually
held in the county courthouse and the
convention at Cullman next Saturday and
Sunday will also be held at the county
courthouse.
Sacred Harp Songs
|, The old Sacred Harp song hook, writ
ten In the four-note system, is the only
one used in these conventions. 1t en-
braces the old time songs and anthems
that our mothers in Zion used to sing
and shout by.
They are peculiarly inspiring and full
%
this book the old songs have come down
through many decades unchanged. They
are sung today Just as they were by
| our erandmothers and grandfathers In
the days when religion was simple and
sincere.
The Primitive or Hardshell Baptists
used the Sacred Harp tunes exclusively
in their church worship and are the lead
ers in this style of singing 1t is claimed
that there are about 10000 members of
this faith In Alabama mainly in North
Alabama, but the Sacred Harp is not
confined to these people. The sincerity
and peculiar musical melody of the songs
4 appeals to hundreds of people of othei
faiths and though the system is con-
sidered out of date and primitive by
. majority of the people the songs them
selves will live as long as time lasts.
No Instrument Used
No artificial instruments are permitted
In the singing from the Old Sacred Harp
No piano, organ, cornet or violin is al
lowed In the conventions Instruments
of any sort are barred from the Prim-
tive Baptist church. And, indeed, the
crash OF stringed or wind instruments
would materially detracr from the beauty
of the music.
s,The music is considered too sacred for
vulgar instruments and they are not al
lowed.
a Those who have never heard a class of
A1ingers in the Sacred Harp book or at
tended one of the big conventions has
indeed robbed himself of one Of the rare
treats OF life. have, known singers to
travel thirty, fifty and sometimes hum
dred miles to attend a two or three
days convention Of Sacred Harp singers
have seen them go by horseback. mule.
back. In mule wagons and even with
OK team for incredible distances
Trunks, boxes and baskets filled with
homemade fried chicken, country ham,
and motheriy biscuits are among the es-
sentials of these big annual singing con-
vent1ons.
Ideal Convention Ground
The ideal place for holding such con.
ventions Is an old camp meeting ground
centrally located for several adjoining
counties. A big arbor large enough to
seat several thousand people is fringed
by two or four rows of board tents or
camp houses. Not far from the camp
and at a convenient distance for the
promenading of lovers is a bubblin<
spring leaping from the roots of a spread.
ling beech tree. Great oaks and beechea
shade the hillsides around about the
camp.
The dinners are spread under these