The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-26

in, that building is rubbed, scrubbed,
washed and polished.
Il can imagine people criticising
this man for the thing he has done.
Why spend so much money on a
building which is to shelter nothing
but the boilers and engines of a
plant? Something far less costly
would have answered the purpose.
Instead OF engines with flywheels.
which do nothing but go round and
round, why did he not put some of
his wonderful automatic machines,
which do something, out in front.
where people could see them, and rele-
gate the power plant to the rear?
1.-The answer is, men spend money
on the things they love and value.
The buildings we erect are symbols
of our pride in and affection for the
things inside. What a man thinks
Of his home is revealed in the kind
of house he builds around ii. What
q man thinks OF. his business is
shown in the buildings he erects to
house it. This man l have in mind
was born with love for mechani-
cal things The power that makes
them go is a thing which, to him. is
worthy OF shelter as costly and
as beautiful as he can afford to make
it. The energy that throbs through
the great factory he knows comes
from the power house, where the pom
derous flywheels turn in comparative
silence. The power house is back of
it ali-that is why he made it the
costly, beautiful thing it is.
Is Spiritual Power House
And that is why / am going to put
al the money can get into this
church. 1t is the spiritual power
house back of all the fine things men
are doing in the way of service. 1t
stands for that which should he sym
bolized in costly and beautiful ways.
And in that way men, who under
stand it and love it, viii be glad to
see it housed"
Some time later on an Easter
morning. a check was placed on the
plate designated for the building
fund I never credited it to the ser
mon-the sermon was worth more.
But when il came TO a building
for the social activities of the parish,
it was different. That's good
thing" MI. Ford said to me. |
want to give 10 that" And he volun-
tarily gave literally to it. He came
hack to the subject Of this work at
a later time and insisted on making
a second contribution which was
larger than l felt it wise TO accept.
1t doesn't often happen, but / have
known churches to be destroyed by
the generosity Of few rich peo-
pie l wanted to avoid that
Mrs. Ford does much through the
regular channels of the church and
charity organizations. 10 her person
Al interest and wise guidance the
Ford hospital owes more than the
public ever will know. To her gene
rosity the Williams house. a church
institution and a temporary home fey
borderline girls, owes its establish
ment. There are many who could
speak as recipients Of her private
and Individual charity.
Through the mails countless APP
peals for help come to her. And
conscientiously and with woman $
sympathy she goes laboriously
through those letters herself. Mum
erous cases she has turned over to
me for investigation through my de-
partment. The pity Of il is that so
many proved to be undeservinS.
Great was the surprise and confusion
of people to find that their letters
had touched the sympathy which
they had hoped to arouse. but that
that sympathy proposed to act in
diligently. No case, if it seemed to
merit investigation, was turned down
by Mrs. Ford.
There is a woman on a farm in
Arkansas. for example. who must be
still wondering at the reach Of the
Ford Motor company because an in
day in answer TO her pitifui appeal 10
lINl r-A