The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-11-30

This invitation is for you. Here it is just asi truly as if it were put into the hands of every Methodist woman in the Birmingham district by the postman to- morrow morning:
 HARVEST DAY.
 December fifteenth,
 Eleventh Avenue Methodist Church
 From II a. m. to D. m.
 Your presence is earnestly desired.
 r5 '. V. P. Who is invited? You are. you'd blessed self if you belong to a Methodist mis- sionary society. And even if you do not, the fact that your mother used to take you to the Baptist. or Presbyterian, or Episcopal, or any other church when you were little girl does not debar you from this meeting as the bonored guest of the Eleventh avenue missionary auxiliary But the R. $. V. P, in nice, fat letters l hope the type is set, is sent to Method ist women of the 9 auxiliaries of the Birmingham district And it doesn't mean to respond if you please to Mrs Mcintyre, the gracious president of the hostess auviliary, nor even to Mrs John Moseley Lipscomb of the hostess com 1ittee, planning everything for your hap piness on Harvest day. It simply means Respond if you please" by going your self, to the next meeting of your own missionary society, to issue this invita- ton personally to your membership and to tell them there are two more meet ings-just two, remember-oefore time for closing up the books for the year, before time for bringing in all of the sheaves' before Harvest day!
 WHAT OF HARVEST DAY
 But what is Harvest day, you are won- dering? James Whitcomb Riley might reply:
 When the frost is on the pumpkin
 And the folders in the shock"
 The boy of the house is sure to define it in terms of plum pudding and big red apples, turkey with cranberry sauce Yes" he will tell you, T know what harvest day means;
 Dad and mother, sis and brother, with me an little Bill just sttin' round big full table with nothin' to do but eat!"
 Harvest daya Why yes, know lit- tie Bills dad will say. That is the time I gather in the fruits of my labors. That is the one day in. the year that l see the reward of my services that l take an inventory of all I have sown."
 Harvest day? Certainly little Bflfs mother will assure you. ''The boy is right It means every material blessing he has earned for himself during the mans heart and brain. and hand. have
 
 ventory day, when we
 Count our many blessings
 Name they one by one.'
 rs,yt best of all it means Thanksgiving Now mothers a brick when it comes to guessing. The boy said so. The wom- en of southern Methodism will think so, too for this is exactly what their wonn- ans missionary council meant when the announcement was made that December 15 was the day set aside for the various conferences, with their districts, and lo- cal auxi1iaries to celebrate Harvest day. Of course, celebration is in order un- til after the work is done, after the goal is reached, and the years victory is won. Otherwise there won't be a complete in- gathering of the harvest, and harvest day won't be quite filled to the brim with thanksgiving.
 INVITATION IS OUT
 Now, then, the whole invitation Is out signed, sealed and delivered An in- vitation to your auxiliary. not only to come to the harvest da ycelebration December 15.u but to "Come, rejoicing. bringing in the sheaves-"
 But confidentially, don't you SUD- pose the city editor is beginning to wonder whether this manuscript is la- boring toward a sermonette, an edi torial, or toward that objectionable form of short story-the didatic? Be- ing a generous person, however, sure enough diplomat, accustomed to meet ing emergencies gracefully, he may forgive a newspaper "cub" who hap pens to be your conference president, for tying this harvest day memory string not only around the Ringers of the Birmingham district, but every one of the 295 missionary auxiliaries in north Alabama. This is really the only way l can send the personal letter I've dreamed of to you. dear women, be- cause conventions and conferences and synods and interchurch movements are just swimming around in my head, and will keep my pen bdAy for the next "steen" months.
 An excuse eff one is needed), for the faith, that the North Alabama Wom- ans Missionary conference will round 'out the years work gloriously will be found in the past growth that has added 57 new auxiliaries to our roll since this date last year, and has en- uisted more than 1500 new members swelling our total membership to ap proximately 1000 women and young people. And true reason for such faith will be found also in part of a
 TTH DC NTTCCTn