The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-04-21
M E N w O M EN
 A N D THIN s

StASC CilcIcQ lle InlIlISlIy have made 1t rule never to turn down an invitation to preach unless 1 had mighty good reason. By this l mean have felt obligated to let no little thing keep me from preaching.
 
 l reckon that without doubt I have been called upon by more different de- nominations to fill pulpits in the past 20 years than any other clergyman in the state of Alabama. l attribute this, how ever, to the fact that for 17 years 1 was editor of the Alabama Baptist, and rot in the regular pastorate.
 
 And now that I am connected with The Age-Herald it is known that my Sundays are free, and therefore am asked near ly every Sabbath day, and frequently in the week, to preach at some evangeI- ical church, either in Birmingham, in the district or somewhere in Alabama, and occasionally even out of the state.
 The only way I can differentiate be- tween my fondness for talking is to say that while I like, to speak, I love to preach There is all the difference in the world between public speaking and preaching. never realized this until l went to the Southern Baptist Theological seminary at Louisville, and had my att tention called to it by one of the pro- fessors
 I went into the ministry from tho law, and through the advice of Dr. James B. Hawthorne went to our great Southern Baptist seminary not so much to take a regular course as to get indoctrinated in the Baptist faith, for I had never had any training in the beliefs of the church to which I gave myself, and it was necessary that I learn something of its history and church government.
 It was while in Louisville that Dr. Car ter Helm Jones, one of our most dis tinguished preachers asked me to fill his pulpit in his absence one Sunday. I ac- cepted without hesitation, and it got noised abroad. Dr. Kerfoot, member of the faculty, and a very warm friend sent for me. I called at his study and he said Brother Barnett, I hear that you are going to preach for Carter Helm Jones. Is it true?'' Yes I replied with out hesitation
 was, however, a bit puzzled by his next question, for he asked: Have you ever preached?" I answered in the nega- tive, stating the fact that I had never even prayed in public Then" said he, it means that you are going to preach your first sermon in a great city pull pit. whichNis filled each week by one of the most eloquent and scholarly ministers in all the south?" Yes" I answered. q have got to begin somewhere, and so far as l am concerned. it does not make the slightest difference whether it's before a great critical audience in town or in the backwoods in the presence of sympa- thetic hearers
 He just couldn't take it in, and while at the time it did not seem anything out of the way to me, as I look back upon it with perspective of 25 years experience, I can understand just why he feared for me and wanted to give me some advice. It was then that he told me that it mattered not how much ex- periencelI had had at the bar or on the hustings. that preaching was of diff ferent order, and made greater demands or the nervous energy. I have since then learned the truth of the statement.
 You can see since I accepted my first invitation under such difficult circum- stances that I have never been hesitant about speaking a good word for Jesus Christi since then whenever an oppor- unity offered. T can almost say that while I like to preach to white folks, love to preach to black folks; and again there is all the difference in the world in the reception which a preach, gets from the different races. |,
 It takes something highly serious to make me pass by an offer to preach to colored people. for it is good every now and then to stand before a sympathetic audience, one thattwill give the preacher all the encouragementr he needs and make him almost preach himself to death to satisfy the demands put upon him to do his dead level best. Not only this. but negroes want the gospel undi- luted with aesthetics or anything else. If you hold their attention you must stick to your text and the Bible.
 
 This is why when was invited to preach at the Twenty second Avenue Baptist church tcolored) on last Sunday afternoon haccepted. and went out in spite of the biting wind for I well knew that on the inside L would find warm welcome, for when a white preacher visits a colored congregation they make him feel at home at once ,upon his ar rival, and help him in every way pos- sibe when he gets in the pulpit They have perfect genius for getting the gest out of their visiting white brethren
 I have always been proud of the friendship of colored men and women and look back through the years with joy because of the love which has been So freely given me by some of the old time darkies, as well as by the modern leaders of the race. Born and reared in the south.s think I know them as well as any white man can know the depen- dent race. It's comfort to have been able to have helped some of the worthy ones individually and to have had 8 part in standing by them as a people at times when they needed white friend
 This is why when Aunt Molly White. colored, asked me to come out and preach before her society I jumped at the chance. Now, if'you don't know s'Aunt Molly and live out in North Birming- ham. you 'ies' do know nobody, for she is a kind of institution among black ana whites. She is one of the props of the T'wantv-Cecoud Axepua Ranfist church