The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-26
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS


the captains of a team, How do you
get an audience if the local committee
ii the town you are sent to visit fairs
to drum up one?,
1t was very pertinent question, and
many suggestions were offered Fin
ally some one appealed to me by say
ing: ''Dr. Barnett served last year and
has been busy this season; let MIN
tell us his method / was glad to do
it, for it is so simple.
If a public hall is not easily obtain
able and centrally located, make can
vas of the situation and locate place
near the courthouse if built in the CEN
ter of a square or a corner where the
traffic is greatest, if there aSe several
principal streets, or in the middle II
there is only one main thoroughfare,
and get up on box and so to talking.
1 find usually that curiosity will
usually get in it's work and unless you
tire quickly and your voice gives out,
it won't be long before few will stop
to listen and gradually your crowd will
grow until it practically takes in all
who are downtown. Now many do not
like to speak out In the open, but I am
very fond of it, for as the old darkey
preacher says: "You Jest nacherly has
mere lib'ty."
And liberty is what We want We
want a chance to talk to the people,
not merely the banker merchant, or
professional class, but to the farmer,
the laborer and "the man in the
street." for If | am correct. the idea
ganda, but includes campaign to
arouse patriotism and a greater 10y
atty to the government.
Any preacher familiar with the con-
duct of revivals knows that many men
who will not come if they are held in
church will flock to them when they
are held in tabernacle or a tent. This
is one reason why tho great evangei-
lists who carry on union services make
it q part of the agreement in visiting
cites that the meetings be held out
side of the churches. Another reason,
in the case of man with Billy Sun
days drawing capacity, of course be-
ing that no church edifice is large
enough.
Il have had to do great deal of open
air speaking or preaching at our Bap-
fist associations, and am always glad
of chance to talk out in an open for
UNI. They begin in the middle of the
summer and run through to the mid
die OF November. There are about so
in the state. They are great occasions
in the communities in which they are
held. In many instances the churches
are entirely too small to seat much
more than the delegates who are sup
posed to spend from the opening unit,
the closing, with short recess for
dinner on the ground
There is magic in that last word, or
rather. combination of words. Dinner
on the ground" will recall to every
man who was ever reared in the coun-
try visions of foods of every kind piled
around in prodigal quantities. l hardly
dare even set down the good things
here while talking of food prepared
ness and conservation. but even at the
risk of whetting some ones appetite
iii these "meatless and wheatless" days
here goes:
Dinner on the ground is picnic,
and then some. The usual picnic brings
together few choice souls who choose
wandering in the woods, and appetite
waits on digestion. some on hints that
it is about time to see what is in the
baskets. The ladies get busy and
spread showing table cloth under
some sheltering tree and the men
some one goes to the spring for water.
and then to many the best part of the
picnic is on in earnest.
The above shows the private tete-a-
tete affair, A Sunday school picnic is
different, and, by the way, If you have
gotten to that point where you can't
enjoy this variety of outdoor fun and
feasting. then you had better consult
your physician, for you are getting old
and grouchy or you are dyspeptic
AMI your liver is out of order. l thank
the Lord that | can go to one in the
May that is to come and get a days
enjoyment not merely in the dainties
served. but in helping to put up the
swings, rig up the games and play or
umpire the ball game
No, | haven't forgotten the dinner
on the ground" How could l. when I
am known far and wide as an expert
on the subject. It's my proud boast
that after Is years OF hurrying from
one association to another and par
taken of hundreds of the outdoor
spreads that I can be blindfolded and
led to the table and by merely glanc-
ing down the festal board tell just
what part of Alabama I am in. for l
! know the cooking in the various parts
!, of the state.
l daresay some of you city fellows
| who We're reared in the country will
recall the pleasurahle anticipate
which stole over you at the end of the
! Introductory as few women quietly
| left the church building to go out to
set things ready for dinner. Then
came the benediction and Deacons