The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-24
M E n w o M E N
A ND T THIN G S


the Springville Baptist church, and in
my congregation was my good, friend
Holmes, now pastor of the Presbyterian
church in the delightful little town, and
housed in a manse which has recently
been put in fine shape for he and his
dear wife.
The manse is just between the church
he serves and the one at which 1 had
lust preached. and on my way down to
the hotel we walked together, and stop
ping for a moment at his front gate, 1
commented on the unusually fine flock OF
oroilers and friers that were running
about his yard, 1t was mere obserya-
ton and not hint.
Eut the good doctor has heart in him
II at ever beats in sympathy with his
brother preachers, even though they be
outside of his denomination, and he said:
Just wait a minute and I'll run in and
pick you UP one of the finest" and he
really meant it. But, somehow, as much
as L like chicken / couldn't reconcile
my conscience to taking one from a min
lister.
| Srringville is experiencing revival in
all-day singing. Let not Birmingham
with its community sing, think that It
has a monopoly in its Sunday afternoon
performances, as the beautiful little VII
lage in st. CLAIR county frequently gives
whole day to singing. DR.. Holmes
asked me to say that next Sunday at his
church there would be an all-day singing
with dinner on the ground.
| Now, il you have never been to one OF
these singing events, you have something
to look forward to as they draw people
for miles and miles around. They are
part of the life of nearly every country
neishborhood and while in some ~
of the state there may have been sing
ings at which there was some cause for
criticism, from quite an extended knowl-
edge of them, L think they have been
productive of good
l have heard them fiercely debated at
Baptist associations. L well recall some
years back when attempt was made
in the Tuscaloosa Baptist association to
go on record against all-day singings;
that in spite of the fact that a majority
of the preachers were in favor of SO DO
ing, the Hon Fleetwood Ball led the OPP
position against any such resolution with
such fervor and eloquence that the mo-
ton was lost.
1 can hardly blame a country preacher
for looking upon them with at least a
bit of jealousy mingled with his convic-
items that they may sometimes verge too
near Sunday frolics to be classed as
religious gatherings, for just let it be an
nounced that one will be held and 1t Will
draw from every country church in the
county in which it is held, and almost
put Sunday schools out Of business Tor
the time.
But when an all-day singing is held in
Springville church there isn't the
slightest fear but that it will be carried
on in a spirit of worship. And song is
worship just as much as prayer and
preaching, and l for one do not share the
prejudice against all-day sings that some
of my brethren do. 1 have been at them
when they were not only opened and
closed with prayer, but at stated in
tervals the songs were interspersed with
prayer.
More and more here in America we are
beginning to learn the benefits, both So
ciai and religious, which comes from
music. / recall that when we first talked
of having community songs in the park
OF. Sunday afternoon that some of the re-
ligicus people in Birmingham were AFRAID
that it was not a proper thing, ana tnat
! it might lead to Sabbath dissertation, but
feel sure that those who have watched
the growth of the movement will bear
witness that it has grown to- be dis-
tinct religious asset
But the Springville Sunday schools are
not going to take any chance on having
their attendance cut down by the all
day sing next Sunday. for the superin-
tendents and teachers have wisely moved
UP the meeting hour so that the exer-
cises can be held and the lessons taught
and an adjournment had in ample tme
for all to be at the opening of the all
day sing. 1 am telling about the all
day sing in order TO give some of my city
friends chance to run up to SPRING
willie next Sunday afternoon and see ana
hear for themselves the JOY which comes
| from rendering praise through song to
| the Lord