The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-15
M EN, w o M EN
 A ND T H N G s

l got real homesick when I went out to the Ruhama Baptist church on Tuesday to attend the Birming ham Baptist association, as it brought back to me memories of IT years of work as editor of the Alabama Bap- tist. when during the fall raced all oveR the state from one associa- tion to another.
 
 discussed and the order of proceed ufe is concerned that there is a close Eresemblance between one association and another, but the difference comes in the people, There is an atmos- phere all its own which clings around the different sections of the state. and 1t is nowhere shown more mark edly than in religious gatherings. It is easy to imagine that dinner on the ground" is as standardized as the usual hotel or club luncheon. or as alike as the banquets served; but such is not the case. I have made the rather rash statement that if I happened to be blindfolded and taken to any portion of the state and the bandage removed I could tell by the things on the table or the way in which they were cooked just where was at."
 got out to the association on Tuesday just little before it ad- jcurned for the noon hour, and friend facetiously remarked, You are a bit late, doctor,' but I replied, Not at all; I'm just in time for din- ner" pr. Stivender, the pastor, an- nounced that after the benediction If the crowd wanted anything to eat it would only be necessary to follow Frank Willis Barnett, and so for once in my life l had no trouble at all in leading the Baptists of the Bir- mingham district.
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 I marched out of the church with It least 300 hungry Baptsts in my wake, and although 1t was rather circuitous way in which I led them, not & one lost the way, but each one passed by table and was handed .. covered plate and passed on to the next one and was served either cof- fee. or iced tea, and then moved on out into the yard under the shelter ing oaks where narrow tables had been put on which to rest the p. p.ates, saucers and glasses.
 The good women of East Lake have long been noted for their hospitality, as well as for their ability in the way of serving, but I never saw a crowd better or easier handled than was the one on Tuesday. It takes not only a lot of food to feed 50c people, but it takes a lot of fore thought to provide means to wait on them without confusion or the waste of time. Every one had all they could eat and were urged to have, more.
 Old Ruhama church has had a long history. One of the features of the session came just at the close. when J. E. Wilson of Bessemer arose and said: Brethren, I attended an asso- citation here in 1867. just 54 years ago. I have forgotten the name of the moderator. I was only Is years old. but recall that the crowd was so great that when the hour Tor t--e associational sermon arrived to ta,-e care of the overflow a preacher was sent to the schoolhouse, which sat hack on the hill near where Howard college now stands to preach"
 thought to myself, nothing better shows the growth of Birmingham than what has taken place around ola Ruhama church. Then it was but frame building in virgin 1orese' Now in spite of its roominess ana pretentiousness 1t is to give way to a great modern church building. The little schoolhouse has grown into great educational center, and around it have sprung up many oommodlous buildings, and yet they, too' are mad eouate and more will have to be built.
 We are soon to celebrate our semi centennial The writer of the pag- cant is here at work, the scenic artlst has mapped out his plan. The money to finance it is flowing in by the thousands. The publicity is begin ming to spread far and wide. Along with the industrial marvels will pc saap the great changes in the re- licious and educational growth or Ire Magic City. It is epitimized Tn anu around old Ruhama.