The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-20
M E N, w OM FEN
 AND T HIN G s

! U have just left the Baptist state com lveHtion after hearing the discussion of
 the laymen's movement, and 1t gives me
 the chance to say some things which are isymptomatic of the time in which we live,
 Time was when the laity played only a
 small part in religious affairs and the
 story of how gradually through the cen tturies since the birth of Jesus they have
 won back for themselves the right to
 have a voice in the councils of the church
 makes an interesting story.
 | It is well known fact that Jesus, the
 Master Teacher, Surrounded Himself with
 iaymen. which in itself gave offense to
 the ecclesiastics of His day. and trained them for service and sent them out to
 spread the gospel. The book of Acts is
 the story of their heroic service, hut the book has not been closed, for today there fare consecrated- laymen who are making
 history.
 1 am not old man, and yet I have
 lived long enough to see a great growth l ir the part being played not only by the men but by the women in the or ganized work of the various denomina- tions. The preacher is not to be showed aside, but the layman is coming to tho front, and side by side they are tackiing the great religious, social and civic prob
 lems of the hour.
  The old sheer about hypocritical Sum Iday school superintendents, deacons, stewards, elders and vestrymen is losing l it's force, for the very best men from the secular professions and business life of the country are actively engaged in some form of religious work; and, in fact, unless a man of standing in the Iconmunity is serving his church in some. capacity it is matter of unfayorable Icomment, and personages of nationwide celebrity are glad to be known as church workers.
 I have noticed an increasing attendance
 upon the part of laymen at the conven- tion. For a long time the sessions were held in the summer months on the theory that it would give busy men a greater opportunity to attend. It was some eight or ten years ago at Jasper, when the convention met in a particularly warm spell, that a motion to change the time to the fall prevailed in spite of the ar gument that it would cut down the at- | tefdance of the laymen. I am glad that the prediction proved false The best evidence I can give of the growing sentiment and power of the
 laity is to state that the present secre- | tary treasurer of the executive board Of the Baptist convention is a laynen. The selection of D. r. Green, superintendent 1 of banks in Alabama, also showed that the people coveted the best, and were not looking for any cheap man to be at the head of their denominational work, l but wanted one capable of handling large affairs in an intelligent way. He made his maiden speech before the body | Wednesday morning, making profound | impression on all who heard him. | stood at a point of vantage during the laymens discussion where could take stock of the iaymen present from the different sections of the state, and. my heart was warmed by looking into the 1 faces of many of my business and pro- l fessional friends whom I had learned to lean upon and love during the years lwhen I was actively engaged in the or ha ax1ifnr and owner of the organ of the convention, the Ala baina Baptist which is now convention property, and ably edited by Dr. l.. L. Gwaltney.
 am sure 1 will be able. to mention only few of them as I sit here pound- , ing out this story. but in any event I'll
 be able to call up few from memory, conscious all the time, however. that am leaving out many others I spoke 1 in another article Of the jds of the fell 1 lowship of the meeting. and what a precious thing friends are, and now my 1 heart glows within 1fle as I set down here the names of those in whose homes 1 I have been entertained in my travels up and down the state
 1 Take R. r.. Pettus, the tall sycamore of North Alabama tower of strength in l Huntsville. known as deacon, moderator iand faithful board member. q man who has always been in the forefront of every 1 forward movement in the denoniinat; ton. Another gentleman from the Tennessee valley was my friend Dr. Henry J. Will ! lii, ghanl. the noted educator and good all. iround scout" Then there was Perry Henderson, the quiet but faithful laynlan who for years stood almost alone with faithful little band of women on guard 1 at Athens, when Baptist services were
 held in the courthouse; but today worship
 is held in a commodious brick church 1 There is one man in the convention
 whose long service is appreciated by the | Baptists of the state, and that is w. A. Davis. for years the faithful and eff
 as much time to his denomination as any one in Alabama. [ got a glimpse Of D. l I. Cooper oi Oxford. my banker friend.
 who for years used to take me into his ]! Calhoun association. He is one of what <; Brother Crunpton. the beloved secre- | tary-emeritus, calls "one cf the olc
 guard
 East Alabama was represented by w. | P Nichols of Roanoke cnA of the great