The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
LAUNCH PLAN FOR
 RELIGIOUS WORK Smith Speaks to 300 Men on
 the Subject HOW THE PLAN WORKS Birmingham Crowd Enthusiastically Joins Movement Which Is Ex- pected to Spread all Over
 the Country
HOW THE PLAN WORKS

Three hundred representative men, by unanimous vote, at 10:30 o'clock last night put Birmingham in the list of go leading American cities, which will, beginning next September inaugurate years cam pagn to interest men in religion.
 The Men and Religion Forward Move ment,p which has already taken hold of country, being adopted by all denomina tions and organizations. is launched in Birmingham, and temporary commit tee, with w. NJ. Cosby as chairman. is charged with the duty of selecting a cam paign committee of 100 men to set it in motion.
 When Fred B. Smith of New York, the powerful campaign manager, presented the plan to the body of men at the First Methodist church last night they adopted it with an enthusiastic vote, and eagerly srasped the opportunity to secure liter ature explaining it's scope.
 MT Smith startled his audience when he told of the methods, purposes and agencies which are to be brought into play, the four great committees of spec- alists which are to visit the 20 cities, which in turn will send committees 10 smaller cities, the hundreds of magazine; that have agreed to print leading articles presenting the movement in the one month of October and cooperation of thousands of newspapers willingly prom ised.
 At preliminary meeting at the Morris hotel MT. Smith told of the inspiration of the movement, and how simultaneously several great organizations conceived the same idea. He explained it's adoption by meeting of representative men in a meeting gathered at Detroit. and told the many wonderful things already accom- plished.
 'The objective" he said, lis to throw hack into the life Of every church bet ter specialized form of work for men and boys, and to leave every city and town Q
 we'll organized interdenominational band of men to do the work which such an organ ization best can do It is in behalf of the Christian life of the men and boys of North America"
 MT. Smith characterized the move ment as one which will probably re- veal the need to evangelize, but whose purpose is primarily training. -Four groups of specialists, containing five men in each group will be sent from headouarters to the 90 cities. remain ing seven days in each city, conferring with the workers" there and inspiring ho ,t to the cities in their neighbour ood.'
 The speaker introduced his remarks with his idea of Just what a big thing 1t was for the 300 men to be gathered together, not to plan an office build ing, or hear a political speech, but to hear about religion. I've are here ir the name of God to launch move ment which promises to contribute to the greatest need of this nation," he said.
 Americas need is not physical Scientists have proven that the Amer ican is the biggest man in the world We are not dying out Intellectually oi socially, but if the flag of this nation which we love so deeply be dragged in the mud it will not be caused by the power of an invading army but because we let the fires of our inner religion die out and our morals de- cay.
 T stand tonight and blush for my country wh en l remember that our chief legislative body today voted to keep in its midst brute, thug and bum. Let no nation boast of it's flu ture when men openly stain our rec ords with such acton. You men of Alabama ought to have your heads down when you remember that both oi your representatives were in the crowd that voted to keep him there. II love my country With every dror of my blood and I believe that if you want to have a country that is the | strongest on Gods earth then you will stand by your religion. Every man wha will put his life m line with this move ment will be the man who will find his life increasing in lines which make it worth living.
 Things are rum-drum now. No na- ton in the world so badly neeus and desires a hero as ours. We've had them the Jacksons and the Lees, but where are they now? We had a war with Spain and they married and kissed themselves away. We discovered the north pole and now we don't know whether we've got fool or a black : guard on our hands. If a man should speak of discovering the south pole we'd shoot him on sight. We were sure we had a hero when he went hunting, came home and blew up.
 "The only programme in life which l is worth while is the church of Jesus Christ. Remember how glad men are who can look back over years of ser vice. The man who throws his life with abandon into his religion, 40 or | 50 years later will say that the stars are just coming out"
 At the close of MT. Smiths talk T | II. Johnston made tliu motion that the movement be taken up by Birmingham and 1t carried unanimously Ten or l5 Birmingham men will leave tonight for Nashville to attend the southern convention of the movement and upon their return they will begin laying plans for the opening next Septem- ber.
 
 Hinton Clabaugh Returns Hinton G. Glabaugh of Birmingham.