The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-11
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

 ard college. who also serves the Ft Payne Baptist Church asked me to run up and fill an appointment on Sunday as he had agreed to go and assist Rev. J. J. Milford, the pastor in series of mettngs.
 Not wishing to get up before day tc catch the Sunday morning train, I ran up on the local Saturday afternoon, ex- pecting to get supper and go right to bed as I had had a hard week of it and was dog tired, and short on sleep. having at tended the banquet at the Presbyterian church on Friday night.
 I read Saturday Evening Post all the way up after having glanced through the afternoon papers. I was met by one of the deacons and the Methodist pastor. The latter had come down to tell me that he was in the midst of meeting and had told it around that I was to preach for him at the evening service.
 l went to the Rainey Hotel and ate a hurried supper and made my way to the Methodist church which was packed although it was Saturday night, showing that the revival spirit had got ten hold of the congregation I went into the pulpit weary and worn but soon the gospel hymns lifted me out of my las- situde and I felt rested for the sermon.
 
 Without any knowledge on my part it had been arranged for me to preach on Sunday morning and night at the school auditorium as all the churches united for the services I got up in time to go down for awhile to the Baptist Sunday school. On reaching the school found a large audience present, for the meeting was in fuii swing.
 There Is nothing which helps in evange- listic services more than good singing All of the noted evangelists have their sing CTS who see to it that good chorus is trained. What would Moody have been in his evangelistic tour without Sankey? Even Billy Sunday would be at loss without Rodheaver. for "Roddy" is one of the great attractions.
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 It is not only the custom of the evange- list with nationwide fame to pay great deal of attention to the music, but it has gotten so that many of the lesser lights never undertake a campaign without carrying along singer to organize a To- cal chorus in the towns where there are services to be held. Out of these con- ditions has grown up a new profession and many take courses as evangelistic singers.
 have heard larger choruses in some of the big meetings in the great cities, but never heard a better small one than furnished the music for the three ser vices at Fit Payne do not know who trained them, but evidently some one with musical ability has been faithful in his work, for the selections were excellent, and the songs sung with fevor and power.
 I went wholly unprepared to take part in revival services, but the warmth of the Saturday night service put me in line for the two on Sunday. Any preacher will know what mean, for found myself in an atmosphere of prayer. and the environ ment made it easy for me to be moved by the spirit of revival, and I greatly en- joyed the opportunity of service which had been put upon me.
 On Sunday afternoon I drove eleven miles up little Wills Valley to Valley Head and then up the mountain past Mentone to Riverside where the Alabama Sunday School association under the leadership of pr. Lang was in camp. I found him collarless pounding away on a Corona while the others were taking their Sunday afternoon siesta. tf
 But at 4 o'clock the bell sounded and I was rung in for Sunday school seance which was held out on the wide front yer anda. In the group were charming girls and consecrated women from over the state, but no men had showed up, and that is why pr. Lang seized on me so quickly, for he confesed that never be- fore had he felt so wildly what it meant to be "a mere man" and the only one in prayer.
 A1Ier a HIIeen-Tnile QrlVe DaCk to F1. Payne, I got supper and hurled to the school house to find it packed I had learned that pr. s. L. Dobbs, the pre- siding elder of the Gadsden district, who is remembered here so pleasantly for the work he did while on the Birmingham district. was to be present. and thought saw a chance to get him to do the preaching, but he declined.
 I had already been in three services, and was greatly disappointed when he left it to me- Pastor Waites would not hear to taking the hour, so had to preach. I do not know how I would have. gotten through the evening if it had not been for the choir and for the wonderfully uplift- ing prayer of pr. Dobbs. have never had the pleasure of hearing him in the pulpit, but he is marvellously gifted in prayer.
 Praying is a gift, just as much as preaching. have heard great pulpit ora tors whose prayers were weak. Just as have heard preachers whose sermons were not specially strong. but who pray ed with power. On rare occasions both gifts are found in one man, which was notably the case with Sturgeon the great English preacher; and also with Dr. Richard Storrs, the great American di-