The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-18
SOCIETY AND HOME TOPICS FOR WOMEN
Talk With Miss Angy Manning Taylor, Who Is
 Gi0ine Bible Readings Under Auspices of Y w. C. A.

riwether,. I learned something only just a bit, however. about Miss Taylor which will no doubt interest the many friends she has made during her visit. T am in no sense public woman" Miss Taylor told me at the beginning. T shrink from publicity more than anything else in the world Something inside of me just seems to rebel at the very thought of newspaper notoriety. For generations I've been thus. I pre- sume it arises largely from the nature of the work do. My theme, my work. is eternal things-a subject so sacred and so big that 1t needs no publicity and my own personality does not enter into the question at all. It isn't as If I were great singer or an artist or an author-their mission is so differ ent."
 still, you couldn't be as effective in your work; yen couldn't accomplish what you do if it were not for a tre- mendous personality that you possess suggested.
 Pm merely a teacher--nothing more, nothing less" Miss Taylor replied mod estly. 'I am one of the few people who
 know just exactly what they are. I am a teacher of the Bible. I do nothing social I am merely a student, u
 worker"
 Did your utilization with this sort of work come about through your identifi- cation with Sunday school work or the
 Young Women's Christian associatione'' inquired.
 Neither" said Miss Taylor quickly TT was an art student and through coming in contact with mere person ality, chose my vocation. I was studying the History of Art in the east; | it was before I took a course at the Art Institute' in Chicago that I came l undre the influence of very wonder ful personalfty-a woman who had the power to make me feel that I could be of more service in the world as a | teacher of the Bible than as an ar tist. l chose, and the result has been very steadfast devotion to my work" 'Is your work conducted entirely un- der the Young Womens Christian as- sociation?" I asked "Oh, mo-" Miss Taylor replied q am connected with the Moody Bible school Tn Chicago, and my class engagements
 are arranged for me through that insti-
 tuition. Churches as we'll as the various branches of the Young Women's Chris tan association, call me to my engage
 ments, but reserve the right to make
 my own private engagements" Do you find women less interested in
 
 formerly?" I asked
 "The main trouble with the luke warm attitude of women toward such things lies in the fact that the modern temptations and environments are so overwhelming in their magnitude and
 their diversity that it is hard for many women to lay aside the good for the best" said Miss Taylor. with all ths diversions that the modern woman has
 to contend with. she finds it difficult to put aside part of each day to de- l vote to her spiritual development Those who meet these conditions of the spir- l itual life are the women who are bring l ing to fruition something worth while eff
 fecting the elimination of things per- haps as l said before just as good for | thee ebest, namely. the cultivation of the l spiritual life. Many women are per- l fectly willing to make sacrifices for the aesthetic and intellectual side Of their life, and I contend that if the spiritual life is presented to them as if should be, and which I endeavor to do
 in, my teachings, that they will see ths I need of it, and accept it eagerlys Tie | highest and best of the spiritual life
 makes every woman long for her rela- t1ves with God to be more close, more genuine and more tangible and it means | giving up many things worldly bu-
 what do they count for in comparison
 with the best? I do not try to present
 my teachings to my auditors in an emo tional way, but rather through the req soning power. of the woman. I do not
 believe that there is anything in the
 Bible contrary to reasoning, although
 there is much beyond reasoning, and
 that makes the form of revelation
 "The greatest hardship that I encoun-
 ter in my work" said Miss Taylor, "is putting my message in concise form in a short 45-minute talk each day. There 1 is so much to be said, so much to be
 told, that I often find myself on the
 verge of overstepping the mark, but I
 never do. That is part of my work
 and study--to learn how to keep within
 the bounds and present my theme SD
 that it will reach the hearts and minds
 of my hearers but not to tax their pa l tience and interest"