The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-14

of possibilities and will no doubt create
a deal of talk not only among South
ern Baptists but throughout the length
and breadth of America, for so far as
/ know it's the first time that such
thing has been undertaken in the ranks
of any denomination. l believe that
the little band of women which met in
an upper room of the First Baptist
church last night started under Gods
viii a bigger thing than they have yet
realized.
We have heard much about the sac
rifices of ministers. but where his
burdens are paraded on all occasions,
it is only seldom or in a patronizing
way that their wives are looked upon
as the member of the partnership car
rying the heaviest part of the load. 1t
is truly epochal for them to at last
come together to study the problem of
preachers wives in an intelligent and
sympathetic maner. While their action
may be criticized by some who may
profess to see in it but an outcropping
of modern feminism, 1 am sure that
those who will look deeper will find
that 1t was born out of dire necessity
BEAR THE HARDEST BURDEN
We talk about the high cost of liv-
ing, but it bears harder on the wives
of preachers than on any other class
OF women, for while the salaries of
been raised, there has been no general
movement to increase the pay of min
listers in a way to take care of the
fact that the dollar has been cut in
two. At the associations this fall ]
have said The price of everything has
riz except that of preaching Hun
dreds of faithful ministers are serving
for less than living wage and the
pitiable struggle to make both ends
meet falls on their wives.
Now 1 am sure that the organization
which came into being so quietly on
last night as the brethren were carry
ing on the business or the convention
below will discuss not only material
but spiritual things. / have empha-
sized just one phase of the need for
such a society 1 daresay as yet the
charter members hardly know just
what they will set themselves to do
at first, but one thing l do know, and
that is where a lot of good women
band themselves together something
worth while is sure to come out of it.
The fact stands out that here in
Birmingham the ministers wives met
and organized a union which as yet is
unnamed, but Shakespeare asked a
long long while ago Whats in a
name?" The all-important thing is
that they started something, and the
naming can come later. 1 happened
down the stairway and it was only by
accident that I got on to the moment
Gus thing which they had just done, for
none of them looked self-conscious.
only found it out by insinuating that
they had been plotting against some
body and ought to have been down
stairs in the convention.
OFFICERS ARE ELECTED
Mrs. d. l. Purser of Tuscaloos the
wife of the beloved DR.. Purser. one
time pastor of the First Baptist uroh
of Birmingham, and who gave 45s LIE
in unselfish work, was chosen as rseGi-
dent; Mrs. J. V. Dickinson of t.oden
was made vice president; Mrs NJ
Shelburne of Gadsden was the saere-
tary and Mrs. A. ]. Dickinson iris
city will be the press agent. pro
gramme committee consisting O. tire
following well-known women vgrEors
was appointed: Mrs, ]. A. Z gisans
Selma: Mrs. ]. r. Hobbs Birmi ham
Mrs. o. w. Greer, Birmingha ana
Mrs. t. c. Singleton, Ensley.
| The organization means busin ana
| has divided the state into fou Sec
tions and the work has been pped
out and apportioned. Mrs l. I. .eeNes
| of Birmingham represents the n hern
division, Mrs. J. M Shelburne tn east
ern division, Mrs. ]. V. Dickins tHe
| southern division and Mrs. L. law
| son the western division. 1t u pe
their business to get in touch the
pastors wives in their sections .tAaf
in person or by letter and exp -
objects
l wish to be the first man o. con
graduate the new organizatio 5ron
the step which it has taken and Dray
God'S hlessing uDon their effO