◆ SpookStack

a + m curteins waved through broken and shat- _ tered windows, Then [ saw it. so 2 ON THE EAST SIDE of the church were pre- viously had been a doorway and stairs lead- ing to it was now an opening large enough to drive a big truck through. What had been the basement of the church now looked like rem- nants of war-torn buildings I had seen in pic- tures. The church had been bombed, The thick cement and brick wall, symetrically and power- fully built to last for years, now was reduced to a mass of rubble. No floor was visible through piles of rock and debris. A_ toilet bowl was lying on top of some of the rocks as if it had been casually offhandedly thrown there. Blood was all over the side walk ap- proaches to the church and people were being helped into the many ambulances which had now arrived. ‘Father,’ one of the bystanders said to me, “they are trying to kill all of us.” I could only agree. 4 : A well-dressed Negro man was now pleading with the crowd fo refrain from viclence, It was his church that had been bombed. “The police will find those responsible for this,": he said. A group of young men ‘in the crowd | were loudly disagreeing with him, About then helmetted police quietly and cautiously tried ‘ware similac te the “How long, oa to move inta the crowd now massed all over . the street. A patrol car slowly eased through one section of the surging mass and someone bounced a large stone off the lop of it. Another followed. Other stones began to fly toward the line of pofice who did their best to dodge them. The minister was still pleading for order. - * * . MARKY OF THE PEOPLE I passed were an- xious to speak. All of them who did so spoke respectfully and qtietly. ‘Reverend’, one man said, “isn’t this terrible?’’ A well-dressed man who looked like he might have been an usher in the bombed church said, “Father, we’ve got to be patient. ‘Vengence is mine saith ihe Lord.” We must not become violent.” A young boy with a Bible in his hand walked by cursing loudly. . . . Accidentally 1 bumped into a girl who was al- ready in motion to throw a large rock toward the police in the. middle of the street. When she saw me she paused and then dropped the rock when a Negro man standing nearby and urhtly holding on to his wife told her not to sion oe, a a nT * r throv it. I shook hands with a ministeg dressed exactly as I was who told me that this was the fortieth bombing in recent years anc then he asked rhetorically, “How long can we keep our people from serious retaliation?” This statement struck me immediately as being Lord, how very similar to d. how long!” of the oppressed people of God in the Old Testament. ' More police were now arriving. Fire trucks with lights burning brightly even in the day- light were slowly moving toward the area. Crowds of people were running here and there, some getting away from the rocks that were flying about, others were calling for children or for loved ones who seemed to have been if the church. * 0 8 AS 1 WAS WALKING away from the church, an elderly jooking gentleman approached me and asked, “Reverend, why can't they catch the ones who did such a thing? Why don’t they get those who are trying to kill us?” A short time later the second question would have bees stated differently for they found the bodies of four little girls wha were killed by the explor . - ae + cr a! . Pe. ee eee : ea og! * a Mes Wa A LAST LOOK at the scene which was be coming more and more frightening by the min- ute brought once again to my attention the “How long?” of the minister, On this Sunday morning which had begun so quietly and cow- tinued so violently this same prayerful qued- tion must surely have been ig the hearts and on the lips of many of the good people of Bix; . mingham. © . Birmingham — a city that is truly beautiful; a city which glories in a history that was so remarkable it merited for itself the title ‘‘t Magic City.” Birmingham—now a hame wh epitomizes for many throughout the worl hatred and violence and brutality. Birming —s city whose" people now, if not in timed past, truly know real fear. My sincere prayoy as I watked away and the prayer of many others who, like myself, were born in this city and who love this city. my prayer was that the laces ap ee Tee OF EF TT EE Te EE Ly A Ty A Re Ae se fhe % ” ngs her ‘time would not be so long before this city once ~ again would be known for her beauty, for her good people, for her tranquil and peaceful way of life. for charity towards all men, rather thas for such as happened on this overcast and tragic Sunday morning. 8