The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-24

world about store-keepin', but I bet l I'm right on the psychology or 1t. | 'Mornin' Zeke Think 1t over, you know I'm your friend" He started away but at the door, he turned back. And oh, Zeke, wouldn't you just as soon quit sellin' that Hiawa- tha stuff to young PrCvine? Course it can't intoxicate his stomach. Court says so. But somehow 1t gets into young Provines head. Nature abhorrin' a vacuum. you know, and he goes home ugly and his wages half wasted and he can't afford it. He can't afford it nc more'n l can. Zeke." There had been a winning smile on the speakers face. though his tones were quite serious, but now he added. with a troubled look, And 1t humiliates his father. Zeke. that's the worst of 1t. His poor. old father"
 His poor. old father" echoed zeke. DO you say that parson?"
 "Yes, Zeke. I say 1t. Why Zeke, maybe that poor old man ain't as patient as he ought to be. but bless your miserable soul, Zeke. he's been minister in this town and the Lord knows that covers multitude of sins. If He don't know, l got to tell Him."
 The Lycem lecturer and Charley Hawkins walked in silence for few minutes and then the Lyceum lecturer asked, Does 1t wCrk?"
 "Only sometimes" sighed Charley Hawkins, and then, smiling again, as was his wont. But it does work sometimes"
 The little timber town. rich in sand. sunshine and sawed pine. was even quieter than usual next morn
 ina. for the Heading merchants" had closed their stores and even the Palace hotel had acquired Sab batical aura, partly because the side, walk was swept and the sucking pigs had pursued their dinner to the back door, partly because the splint- bottCmed chairs outside were strewn with the gaudily colored sections of the Sunday Post-Dispatch. which had reached town the evening before. Even the Rev. Charley Hawkins in his pulpit had semblance of the Sabbatical air, for he wore a stiff bossomed shirt and collar, protrud- ing cuffs and string tie, together with the same graygreen suit un- pressed since its days in Simmons Mercantile Emporium.
 My friends. my brothers and sis ters, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods" I am some times led to believe that many of you think that any coin bearing the stamp of Caesar is unfit to be rem dered to the service of God. Some of you are bad citizens and as bad citizens you may justify yourselves, You dodge your taxes and your tithes equally well. Some of you are good' citizens. You pay your taxes, but you do not pay your tithes. TG the bad citizens I have nothing to say. None of them are supposed to come to church anyway. But to you good citizens. I have a line of plain talk. Caesars money is government money. Government money is genuine money and genuine money is good enough for God. You seem to think that make believe money is good enough for your pas tor and so you attempt tC pay him in donation parties, in second hand merchandise. in worthless checks and in paper pledges which are never fulfilled. You cheat your church and your God!
 50 much I tell you as a minister of the Gospel, but now let me throw away the Gospel and speak to you as man to man. You, and by you, l mean you people in the pews down there. you have not done me right. You promised me S6o0 q year tG hep me save your souls. I think I could save 'em. You-all owe me s315 cut of my $500. My wife and children ain't got clothes fit to go to church. ain't got black coat to wear to conference and l can't get one. not because Brother Simmons won't trust me to pay for it, but because he won't trust you-all.