The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-10-17
By DOLLY DALRYNrpLE
686NaE Bible without it's portraya

of womanhood would be like a
 home without a woman's voice in it, a cradle without woman's hand upon it, throng without a womans face in it-like world chaotic and dark through woman's absence. The Bible without it's revelation of womans life would be as cheerless as the corridors and cells of a trappist monastary, as disappointing as a bird of rich plumage with no song in it's throat. The Bible without a woman's face in it's pages. would go to it's chronicles as certainly as no lover would go to a nome that was womanless. :"
 Expressed in these beautiful words, pr. Robert N. Simpson, the beloved pas tor of the First Christian church. who has been invited by the Blrmingham Graded union. to deliver a sekes of lec- lures before this organization, sounds the keynote of his own exouisite thoughts in regard to the part woman hood plays in the Bible; his encomium upon the influence of woman and her importance to the world from the be- ginning of time, is nothing short of clas- sical.
 pr. simpson, while resident of Bir- mingham for only the past year. has by his masterly intellect, noble Christian character and splendid intellectual boise. created an atmospheer about himself and ms church which has redounded to his credit and to the credit of this com munity.
 coming here from Kentucky-of which state ne is a native-aImost an entire stranger, he has impressed himself mon the hearts and minds of the people of this city in a most enviable manner and the Graded union, appreciating his many good qualities, has shown keen appreciation in inviting him to appear peIore this organization in a series of lectures, covering a period of several weeks
 Dr. Simpson is a man of most enpas- ing manner and agreeable personality. anu IL IS easy to see how he makes irienos and holds them-and in speak, ing Of his appearance before the Graded union, he told me interestingly of how his connection with the church came about through his utilization with the sunday school-the foundation practi- cally of the church.
 In giving my lectures before the Graded union," pr. Simpson said .it was intended that the subject matter would relate to the Women of the Bi- pie, and l have chosen as my theme unnamed Characters of the Bible which VIII De character sketches of six women six men and two groups of children, rms embraces wi6n aIJ course, great stress will be laid upon Woman's place ill the Bible and her jn- fluence.
 Who would find charm in the story of Eden, for instance, if the voice of the mother of the race did not ring out in those leafy avenues and at the rim of 9 tropic river? And what would Nazareth be but forgotten hill country town, if the mother of the Redeemer had not borne her cross through it's narrow streets? Who would be interested in isaac's well-digging and moving of tents, if Rebekah's romance had not been in- terWoYen in the story; and what reader would follow Jacob as far as the tents of Laban, if Rachel did not come into view with an earthen water-jart on her brown shoulder and an old folk song on her red lips?
 Who would care for the first chap .OiS ol iNAotoSt uo cOHtiUueQ, II all one could find in them was the story of a Pharoah's tyranny and Egyptian atroci- ties? But woven into the black fabric of that account, the scarlet threads of woman's passion in the exquisite pattern of fine romance, as Jochabed hides her man. child in waterproof basket at the brink of the Nile, and a Miriam keeps watch from behind the screen of a tall canebrake, and Pharaoh's daugh- ter gives to the tiny founding the pro- lection of princess arms-and you make the first chapters of Exodus ex- ceedingly readable. And when you have become interested in the ambition of Moses and alarmed over his acts of vio- lence and seditious utterances that make him fugitive from the wrath of the king, you would follow him no farther than the safety zone of Midian's bound ary, if you did not see the comedy daugh- ters of Jethro at roadside we'll and sense a romance, as the fugitive foster prince shields them from the insults of a band of ruffians, and walks home with Zipporah, the eldest born. The un- named wife of Cain makes you remem- Der the land of his exile, and the story of Hagar is one of the most heart-grip- ping stories in the biography of Abra- ham. That story of conquest and car mage, fire and sword, in Joshua and