The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-29
MEN, WOMEN AND THINGS
This is about a remarkable woman.

ford Millar? If not you missed the treat
 of your life.
 Those who were fortunate enough to be present at the Southside Baptist
 church will understand what I'm going to say; those who were not will perhaps
 think I'm drawing bit on my fancy.
 to forget that this talented woman spoke
 in church. Just for a bit consider the
 gathering as representative body of
 men and women seeking to be enter
 tained.
 1 Many have written to try and bridge
 the gulf between the church and the stage. Much has been said in favor of
 softening the opposition of the pulpit to the drama. It's big question and this is not the place to thresh it out l the past week was hummer in the news paper game in Birmingham, went under protest to hear the noted Englishwoman preach. didn't want to hear anyone preach and least of all woman. | I got comfortable seat and while the organist with delft fingers and tuneful soul played a restful prelude on the great organ, I tried to get grip on myself for the service
 In short time out came pr. Preston Blake, the beloved pastor, and by his side a pleasant looking woman with a distin- guished bearing. I took her in, at least thought I had sized her up. You can never tell especially when the individual l is woman.
 After a bit she got up to read, and what do you suppose she read? Of all things in the Bible she had selected q chapter out of one of Paul's epistles. Paul, the man who in writing to Timothy advised him in effect to see that women kept silent in the meetings This is not to start anything. It's merely to show how she startled me.
 She read the twelft.. chapter of Ro- and read it. I was glad to see that she stopped the ushers from seating people while she was reading out of the Bible. It's a good custom.
 It was while she read that I discovered that Elinor Stafford Millar was gifted woman Fewest preachers in the world can read the Scripture lesson in a way to hold the attention of the congregation. Many preachers, realizing this fact, get through with it as quickly as possible. I Not So with the woman of whom I'm writing. Reading the Scripture to her was part of the worship, and she showed by her manner that it was not | going to be made secondary but primary thing, for it was Gods word. l Oh, I have heard professional readers galore, sat under many amateur elocu- tionists, but Miss E1illars reading of a difficult chapter was truly an inspir- ing and impressive thing, which pitched the whole service on high plane. | She is more than, dramatic reader. 1 She is a reader into whose life has been 1 crowded the great truths of the Bible until she stands forth as 8 living epistle witnessing unto tho message she is voic- | ing
 1 It is said that the great Edwin Booth spent more than 8 score of years in learn ing to read the Lords prayer I dare say that so far as voice and skill went, he
 was just as proficient in the first year as he was after years of study. The diff ference came in the years of sorrow when the Masters message got hold of him, and he felt in his own heart the new and sustaining power of prayer. About 20 years ago, I was in Washing
 ton city and dropped in at downtown mission. It was the usual forlorn kind
 of place. The gloom got on my nerves. was getting ready to leave, when a
 sweet faced woman got up to read Bible
 lesson.
 thought had heard some ministers of great reputation get through the Scripture lessons passably well, but the
 womans reading was revelation. She
 made the book real. The scenes lived be-
 fore me- Prophet, priest and king were living men and not mere Bible charac- ters belonging to a dead past.
 Why is it that some people have the power to make us see and feel, while
 others leave us blind and indifferent?
 It's personality learned that the woman
 who had given me such pleasure was not one of the regular mission workers, but the wife of one of the famous newspaper correspondents who came down once a
 week to take part iriA the meetings. l I have heard the funeral service of all the churches, time and again. and yet as I write, only the reading of one man
 stands out. Though dead himself I can
 hear his sonorous and clear voice giving
 forth the words of comfort gleaned from l+t,