The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-17
M E N w O. M E N
 A ND HIN 6 s

is fortune awaiting the arcni
 tect who can build a church where al
 the members who wish a back seat can be faceoInm odated, or a theatre in which all
 those who are seated can see the stage
 Tn my own mind, as I have frequently
 sat in the pulpit watching the congregation
 striving to pre-empt the last row, I have lunconseiously thought of the struggle in iplayhouses to get located in the bald headed row. There is a reason" but 1 am not going to exploit it here and now Il nave also often in my own mind tried Ito invent for churches something like the revolving tables one occasionally sees at some of the small town hotels, where EeYerything is placed upon the different }! layers and all one has to do to get the ! tuil pill of fare is to give it the proper swing
 I have tried. to figure out either a re- fyolying pulpit placed in the center of the churcn so that the preacher could do ithe revolving. or circular seats on pivots, ton which the members sat while like on
 flying jenny making the circuit around 1 a stationary platform on which stood I their pastor. I have not worked out all
 of the details, but simply scatter my un-
 finished plan in order that some architec-
 tural genius may work it out to scale l
 But all joking aside, there Is a need for
 revision of plans, both in playhouses
 and churches. I am willing to indulge f ha ov
 way of designing handsome theatres; or ] in providing beautiful churches. They :, may go as far as they like in mak-
 ing their buildings attractive both on the outside and the inside from the stand l point of beauty, if they will only give
 the playgoers and the church attendants. 1 I am aware that this Is the desidera- . .tun1 of all modern architects, and that 1 in cooperation with the builders they are doing everything in their power to erect not only handsome exteriors, but com fortable interiors. My only answer is that very few succeed in so doing know churches whose spires ascend lheavenward and cause one to pause to
 marvel at the picture they make against has to sit in them under the ministra- l tions of the minister The same thing is true about many theatres and opera houses, beautiful to look upon but lilly adapted for the audience to enjoy the play or opera.
 Sure there are churches built for speaking purposes as there have been cathedrals erected more with the idea of being a background for inspiring cere- monials than for sermonizing. Another that theatre, opera house, church or auditorium may be perfect for the lis tener, yet be imperfect for the actor, singer, preacher or orator, or vice versa. This is but a commonplace to those who make their living by talking or singing. There may be a science of acoustics but if so, it is not in good working order, or if so, it's rules have not been wrought into many of our most ambitious build ings of the day. I am inclined to believe
 
 opera house or auditorium an architects attention is directed more to the beauty l of his design than to the laws of sound. By all means let the building be thing of beauty" but if it is not adapted to the purpose for whcih it was inteded it will not be a "joy forever
 I call to mind one striking instance of where both the exterior as well as the in- terior of church was something to be proud of. and yet when it came to being suitable for sermonic work it is known as a ''preacher-killer.' I speak of the First Baptist church. Nashville. Tenn. haven't a loud voice. but it is a carrying one, and I rarely have any difficulty in making myself heard either in or out doors but the height of the ceiling and the enormous size of the pillars in the auditorium of which I am talking made parts of the church.
 l I might have thought that the trouble was in myself if had not been at the time associated with Dr. James B. Flaw LnOrne, one or the foremost pulplL or ators of America. He found so much trouble that he had the pulpit changed
 and sounding board erected, but it did r. little to relieve the situation. well re- call my friend. John Rust, then pastor of the Edgefeld Baptist church. and a
 brilliant speaker, saying that William Jennings Bryan couldn't enthuse silver audience in it.'' And this at time when the ssilver-tongued was riding the 1 crest of the free silver wave.
 | I'll ask of my preacher friends, polit- ical 'spellbinders'' or statesmen orators, or any of the professionals or even anna l teurs who are won't to speak on short notice and under all kinds of circum- stances, how it is that being in equally 1 good voice and humor, and eager to get lat ones audience. in one church, hall. theatre or auditorium. it is easy to go ] through in comfort to ones self and by watching the faces see that they are
 hearing without an effort; and yet at an another place to be conscious of a strain. | ing to get it over, and a struggle on
 the part of the crowd to receive it. The
 answer comes. defective acoustics. 1 I have often heard it stated by those
 who have given the matter much thought
 quietly confess that acoustic properties
 arc Ia. matter of chance. ! Granted that