The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-05-30
M E II w q M EN-
A ND T HIN G S

am getting mighty thick with the
Methodists, and 1 want to say that the
Birmingham Southern college outfit is
good bunch of sports. 1 have a
reason for so thinking. Nothing shows
the better feeling among the denomi-
nations than the little incident which
occurred atthe commencement exer-
cises out at Owenton on last Wednes-
day, when /. a Baptist preacher, was
invited to march and sit with the
board of trustees and later got a
chance to talk
It's just such little things which
shows best the great change which is
coming over the great religious bodies.
I recall the fact that in my first pas
torate in the mountains of east Ten
nessee, where some of the denomina-
tions were still holding acrimonious
debates. invited Methodist minister
to a seat in my pulpit and called on
him to pray, and got severely criti-
cised for it by some of the hide-bound
Baptists.
Today / am glad to say that even
this old feeling of antagonism amongst
even the churches in the backwoods
| is dying out. 1t has long been dead
in the cities. Pulpit exchanges are
now the order of the hour, and no one
questions the propriety of 1t. There Is
scarcely a month which passes with
out nay being called upon by some de-
nomination outside OF the Baptists to
fill the pulpit.
| Organic church union may be far
away, but Christian cooperation Is al
ready an established fact. This Is why
the question of raising million dol
| lars for the Birmingham Southern col
lege is not merely matter to be left
to the Methodists of Alabama, but Is
of interest to all of the evangelical
denominations in the state, and mem
bers of various faiths will feel suf-
| fcient interest in the movement to
make contributions
The banquet tonight at the Tutwiler
to inaugurate the campaign, Make 1t
Million" reminds me of the one held
a few years back when one was held
at the Southern club to raise funds
needed for the consolidation of the
Southern and the Birmingham. at
which the late Bishop James Mccoy
made such a wonderful address. and
yet saddened all present, for 1t was
seen that the effort had taxed him
heavily, and that his strength was Civ
ing away.
1t was a great occasion, and one I'll
never forget, for while 1 am not cas-
lily shaken out of my poise. / came
very near for once getting discon-
certing jolt. After the marvellous ad-
dress of Bishop Mccoy, the chairman
called on R. s. Munger, who said: Il
will give you $4,000, but my good
Baptist brother, Frank Willis Barnett,
will make my speech" 1t was one case
in which a speaker had a right to say,
Il never dreamed I was to be called
upon"
IN
Now, I have never denied that 1
am fond of speaking, but in my Wild
lest flights of fancy 1t had never en-
tered my head that a Methodist
brother would put up $4,000 to give a
RI nj OF hrn nnnnrtlJnifU
speak at a Methodist banquet, but r..
| 81 Munger is so given to generosity
that there is no telling what good deed
| is likely to proceed from him. con-
fess that it was with some pride that
I arose from my seat, for l was con-
soious that I was high priced orator,
as it was costing $1,000 a minute to
listen to me. Some who~heard me init
mated that the crowd wouldn't have
listened to me for any less sum.
I have retold this very old tale on
myself with the sole purpose of bring
ing out the fact that tonight at the
Tutwiler around the tables will be men
of various faiths. There will be rep
resented practically all of the evan
gelical churches. Jew and Gentle will
| be there ready to respond with time
and money to bring to a happy and
rapid conclusion the million dollar
drive. It's the Birmingham spirit at
work, for at last in this home town
of ours we have learned the lesson
| of service, and that the way to put
over big things is to cooperate.
| Birmingham has come to the hour
when she believes that to occupy the
place she has mapped out for herself
commercially and industrially the best
way to accomplish it with surety and
speed is to put her public and private
| schools and higher institutions of
learning on par with her great COM
rnercial enterprises; and that this can
only be done by the raising of suffi-
cient funds both to build, equip and
maintain them. This is why / am con-
| fdent that in short while Make 1t a
Million" will be changed to read Made
Million and the Birmingham South.
ern college will go forward with leaps
and bounds.
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