The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-19
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

unsigned letters.
Now, I have never been thin -skinned,
for having had many of my members to
criticize me while in the pastorate, scores
of lawyers to berate me before juries,
and dozens to send me what for a better
name is called bucket letters" as an
editor, am not what might be termed
a sensitive plant.
I am therefore bit hard to feaze, and
if any one gets joy in sticking pins in
my pachydermous hide they are welcome
to their sport l am not only usedNto give
and take in speech, but am ready to
have any reader flay me with his quill
if what L write fans to meet his or her
approval.
/ Now, this column is intended to be per-
sonal or my name would not be signed at
/ the bottom. do not hide behind the ed
itorial we" but l string the Is along
| like telegraph poles. and up-to date no
one has complained that I put them too
far apart. I never did believe in economy
when it came to the use of the per-
sonal pronoun.
While ! am ON this subject, T might as
well say that whenever I have any ref
erence to myself either in a sermon or
speech (Which is quite often) do not
beat around the bush and go through a
lot of INSTANCES, or preface whatever 1
tell by saying, '1f you will pardon a per-
sonal reference" and then spin it out
as if I was letting the thread pull hard.
just let it roll and get it out of my
system without apology.
Possibly this is why I crate on quite
few who believe that a man should hide
his light under bushel, but ] do not be-
long to the rushlight crowd but give
adherence to the electric sign bunch who
cry aloud for notice. This is a day
of advertising, and the man or the firm
who does not believe in it will never
catch the attention of the public
freely confess that l enjoy the spot
light. l like to be seen and 1 am not
ayerse to being heard. If people do not
know | am living it is not my fault, for
try to keep abreast of every good thing
which is pulled off in Birmingham, and
can be frequently found in public places.
1t may be weakness. but / am owning
up to what many others feel but who
are not quite so frank.
| This is a day of craftsmanship, and if
a man is not Interested in selling him
self he will never make a good salesman.
unblushingly admit / want to know
and to be known. In the first place 1
like to be noticed, and then in the next
am fond of people who are doing things
| themselves I am willing to let them
talk about themselves if they will make
| it f1fty-ffty and hear something about
myself.
What is the use of being shy in this age
in the sand like an ostrich? There is
nothing too bigtor too sacred which does
not need all the publicity it can get,
Big business learned the lesson after
years of trying to hide behind screen
of secrecy. The great corporations are
the big advertisers.
80
It was a genius for publicity which put
| over England's great need for men. and
when Uncle Sam got into the fight he
used every bit he could get in every way
possible. Then the American government
got into the game, and the states fol-
lowed, and along came the cities At
lanta got a name for herself because
she knew its value, and Birmingham is
just beginning to get in line.
What was it~whch put the drives over
the top in Birmingham? Publicity, with
organization backing it up. The churches
have at last awakened to the value of
advertising, and are making great use of
it in their educational and missionary
programmes Publicity heped to make
the wonderful evangelistic meetings of
Billy Sunday notable throughout the en-
tire country.
boldly claim that II publicity is good
for the things set down above it will not
hurt the Individual. provided he wants to
use it in way to be helpful to others.
am anxious to be known in order that
may use my position and what ability
have to put over big things in this
home town of mine and in Alabama, my
native state
am a bit amused at an unknown
friend who takes the troubls to read my
daily column and ring or underscore all
the Is and mail them to me. | would be
willing to publish the number at the
bottom of the page if / had the time TO
count them and thereby save him or her
the trouble of wadng from top to bottom
with pencil in hand to encircle or mark
them.
do my best 10 keep UP my batting Ct
1t may. be he or she is keeping score on
me to seer if I Will ever graduate out
of the bush league into the minor and
then into the majors On the other hand
it may be his or her wish that I drop
out of big company and hide myself in
the tall timber of the countryside In
any event, if he or she is getting JOY
out of it, | hope he or she will drop me-
a line to know how many home runs I
have made while at bat in this game to-
day.
4 nm HH.. n ~