The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-28
PREPARING FOR BIG
PARADE THURSDAY
Expect 5000 Men to Participate in the
Demonstration - W. c. Pearce
Speaks on Religious Educa-
ton and the Nation

is larger than any other similar institu-
ton in the United States. Its closest
competitor for first honors as to enroll
ment is that one at Asbury Park. n, j..
which has something like 800 members.
DR.. r. J. Bateman made the opening
address yesterday afternoon, taking for
his theme, 'Our Marching Orders" His
talk was characterized by numbers of the
students as very helpful. Following DR..
Bateman came the various conferences
of the primary, junior, girls work and
home departments. Each of these de-
partments was in charge of an expert
and the conferences lasted about 40 min
utes.
DIR. Williamson Speaks
DIR. w. j. Williamson, pastor of the
Third Baptist church of st. Louis, de-
livered an address on the book of Philip
plans at $40 p. m. and at 6;1O p. m.
the lessons of the various departments
were taken up. The sessions We're sus-
pended at $40 for supper and the students
ate in the basement of the church. where
the committee on refreshments had pre-
pared for them. 1t was found that the
SelluHitDcS were llOA VI SttlllNitiA lhhlA-
tity to go round, but the committee as-
sured the Bible students that provision
would be made for all today. The num-
Der present was far larger than had been
expected and this fact caused the short
age in the food supply.
just after the prayer at o'clock came
the showing of the pocket testament
league but just as the members of this
league were coming forward to the ros-
trum for their showing" the lights were
cut out. One of the students fastened
to a telephone and was assured that the
lights would be burning in a very short
time. 1t was more than 10 minutes be-
fore the current was flowing again, how
ever, and in the fitful glare of two gas
lights, w c. Pearce of Chicago an ex-
pert in adult Bible classes, took up the
period that had been set aside for con-
ferences. He told his hearers many IN
teresting things of how an adult Bible
class should be conducted. One of tho
things he stressed was creating discus
sion in the class.
Mr.. Pearce was scheduled for an ad-
dress on "Religious Education and The
Nation,' to begin at o'clock. Just be-
fore he finished his talk on the Bible
class the lights flashed on and he soon
stopped. In his address Mr.. Pearce said
that there We're four elements that were
vital to the life of a nation. The first
of these, he said, was commercial pros
perity; tine second, mental culture; the
third law, and the fourth. religion. He
said that commercial prosperity meant
the building up of great cities, of great
factories of carrying to a successful con-
clusion any great enterprise that demand
ed brains and money.
Should Uphold the Schools
Mental culture, he said, was necessary
to the life of nation, and said that the
lighthouses of the American nation are
the schoohouses. mo man is a real
patriot" said Mr.. Pearce. unless he pays
his school tax gratefully. If you strike
down schools and other educational in
stitutons of this country darkness would
hover over the nation such as was never
before known" He pointed to ancient
Greece and Rome us nations that had
been built up by culture. They were de-
stroyed because they had no religion,
he said He told of an incident that hap
pened to him when he was travelling in
ancient Rome The guide took him and
his party into what had been the parlor
of a former wealthy man of the Rome
of long ago. That room, he said, explain
ed to him just why Rome had fallen.
The pictures on the walls would have
caused any man to hang his head in
shame, said the speaker.
THE third element in the life of a
nation Is law said Mr.. Pearce mo
tunity of serving the people than the
good, Christian lawyer and the men who
make the laws of your state"
The fourth element, said the speaker.
is religion and 1T is more than CONNER
cial prosperity. more than mental cul-
ture. lie said that it did not matter how
rich a man is if he has religion and it
matters not how much he knew, If he
had no religion he would be worthless TO
the people.
Mr. Pearce finished his talk with the
declaration that if the American people
We're to maintain their present high
standard of civilization they must have
in addition to the other elements, re-
lgion. And the proper way to go about
having the latter element = to equip the
Sunday schools as the secular schools
are equipped. Unless this is done, said
Mr.. Pearce, the time must inevitably
come when the nation will crumble ana
decay as did the nations of ancient times
Stresses Saving Children
DIR. j. w. Williamson of ST. Louis was
the last speaker and took for his topic.
"Thc Sunday School aud Soul Win
ming" DR. Williamson made strong
plea for the saving of children. saying
that young people We're the root of the
nation and that the way to make the
nation versed in matters religious was
to give the children working knowl-
edge of II. DR.. Williamson quoted an
pastor as saying that all
Christianity could be summed up In
four words: admit commit, submit
and transmit" just as the ST. Louis d.
vine got this far In his address the
lights went out again very suddenly
but the quiet was undisturbed and he
continued talking. The lights flashed
on about five minutes later but the stu
dents were so absorbed listening to DIR.
Williamson that they went unheeded
Preparations are now all complete
for the great parade OF men to take
place next Thursday night A vety largo
number of acoeptances 10 tale part
have been received from prbmlnent
men and IL is said that therefwill be
at least 5000 in the line OF {arch IL
is not necessary for one 10 mxtriculata
In order TO take part In tfe parade
The parade Is TO be a feath OF the
training school hut every tan In Bir-
mingham or Alabama. forI hat matter,