The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-13

If
 that I have engaged in corre- 4 spondence during the past few weeks with the organizers and pro- motors of Religious Book Week" which begins today, Sunday, March 13, and continues through next Sunday March 20, throughout the United states.
 Nobody on earth loves books any more than 1 do-and nobody has a more omnivirous literary appetite than l have-for I read everythins and anything that comes my way books good, books bad, books new, books old-books, books. books!
 So l am delighted that this week glessive promoters of Religious Book Week. as season. of religious" reading, for too often religious books are relegated to obscurity in favor of the best sellers" of fiction which are only too frequently waste of time; so coagulated campaign reaching from Maine to MeXico-from New York to Florida--interesting every bihliophile in this big country of ours, ought to be a real factor in making for the development and the love of religious reading.
 From Headquarters" of Religious Book Week" in New York have been introduced to some interesting phases
 r ion a ed to make this week Religious Book week" the dates being chosen be- cause Of their nearness to Easter, so that special emphasis might be put on the necessity of religious reading.
 Many of our ministers will choose as the topic of their sermons today, Re I.gious Book Week." rne Bible being given precedence, of course, over all other books, and a special urgent re- quest being made for it to be read more frequently and more .ntelis- gently.
 One of the stories sent out from "headouartersr of "Religious Book Week." which has appealed to me tre- mendously is written by Dr. 4. H. Me Kinney of New York city, author of "Guiding Boys over Fools Hill." the title of which is Judge Browns Re- creation"
 Harold Bell Wright in his Re creation of Brian Kent did not write a more vital or thrilling story than this short episode in the life of a man who had given little thought to re- ligious reading.
 The story is of such poignant inter est to me that I am going to pass II on' to you and I feel sure that you will enjoy it just as did--seeing and feeling after reading it. the signifi- canoe of religious books and their eff feet upon our lives.
 In Judge Browns Recreation" pr Mckinney, the author, says.
 Some of his ministerial friends won dered how it was possible for the pastor of certain church to preach te the children of his congregation every Sunday morning year after year When he gave them the titles of books dealing with talks to children whicf he read, they began to realize that i is possible to do as he does if one l' willing to pay the price in reading ant preparation.
 He gladly paid this price because of the dividends received, not only 1T the appreciation of the children bu aoults.
 .'One morning he gave an object tall to make clear to the little ones tha they are three-fold in their make up physical, mental, spiritual-and tha1 to become well developed all-roune kinds of nourishment.
 He had on the pulpit table piece of buttered bread an algebra and g Bible He explained how necessary for physical well being is food, whicf he represented by the bread and butte, shown to the children present. Hold ing up the algebra he explained tht necessity for intellectual nourishmeni furnished by various kinds of books such as the algebra. Taking the Bible dnto his hand he declared that it ant other books on religious themes ar, needed for the development of the spirit, which is the most importan 9 part of man.
 go far there was nothing unusua Am what the minister said. When, how oyer, he pictured a 12-year-old bo, coming in from play-very hungry befng told by his mother to sit dowr and study algebra for "a little whil' md his hunger would be satisfied. thu youthful auditors began to smile.
 Then the preacher described ; Hakher foolish enough to attempt t urre . girl to develop her mind b. eating large quantities of bread ant butter. By this time the faces of tn ths->nehly interested children showe'