The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-21
LETTERS TO EDITOR
ATTITUDE OF PASTORS UNION
e Editor of The Age-Herald:

To the Editor of The AgeHerad:
 notice that the Pastors union has been ar- raigned by some of it's critics in the controversy that has arisen over the majority action of the city commission forbidding the opening of Per shing pier a municipal dancing pavilion.
 One would think from frenzied utterances on the subject that Birmingham must be a city with such pier to be city without a peer. I ask permission through your columns for a state ment anent the Pastors union solely on my own initiative and authority.
 The Birmingham Pastors union is an asso- citation of Christian ministers coveting for them selves and their congregations progress in Chris tian living. We meet once a month for de- votional program, an uplifting message from some member or visitor and for the transac- tion of business pertinent to our common in terests.
 We are not civic organization, but we rep resent a considerable force in civic life, and we have the welfare of Birmingham uppermost in thinking and acting along civic lines. The Pastors union is no ecclesiastical tyranny yielding political cudgel It is not organized for political movements, but it is sen sitive to every movement within our borders that is beneficial or detrimental to our social life. In it's fraterna deliberations it has as much right to discussion of social questions any club or chambers; and much right to applaud three commissioners, if it so desires, as any other organization has to applaud two of them. It also has the right a group of citi- zen-ministers to initiate any legitimate counter movement to what it deems a civic menace.
 The Pastors union seeks no control of it's members in their pulpit utterances, and is in no wise responsible for the remarks made by any minister on it's roll call with reference to social, moral or political issues. It has, how ever, record for alignment on social issues that is creditabe and consistent with the ordina- tion VOWS of most sacred calling. The Pastors union makes no claim to infallibility. It is de- lucrative democratic body and Is liable to err TOTS in judgment and action. But I submit that triumph of faith and the victory of clean life, the Pastors union has consistently stood with the law of Christian liberty and the law of Christian living in it's attitude toward all of those civic conflicts into which it has been drawn. Its purpose as an organization is in- spirational--to inspire it's members to a sense of the dignity of their high calling and the re- sponsibility of holy task; to inspire them with the sense of comradeshlp Tn tne great opJec- tves of Christianity; to inspire them with the desire to serve the high interests of the king dom of God with the fathfulness of jealous men who love Christ and common humanity.
 It is uttermost from the spirit of the Pastors union to incite it's members to anger and un- brotherly suspicion and un-Christian intoler- ance. It is uppermost in the purpose of the union to stand for that which makes for the victory of the Christian life.
 ROBERT N. SIMPSON,
 Chairman Pastors Union.
 Birmingham, January 20, 1922.