Birmingham age-herald., 1895-05-22
EPWORTH STATE LEAGUE In Fourth Annual Conference at
 the First Methodist.
ABOUT 200 IN ATTENDANCE
The Election of Officers Was the First Work of
 the Assembly.
BISHOP GALLOWAY DELIVERS AN ADDRESS
Short. snappv Talks on Live Topics Keep the Interest at It's Height-The League Will Support Two Missiona-
 ries-List of Delegates.

ries-LiSt of Delegates.
 The Epworth league of Alabama con vened in its fourth annual conference yesterday morning at S:30, the president Rev. Dr. J. w. Newman of Taiiadega' presiding. The sessions are held in the First Methodist church, and about 2oo delegates are in attendance.
 The morning session opened with deVo- tional exercises conducted by the presi- dent Dr. Newman, after which MT J. D. Kennedy, chairman of the local unlon' welcomed the delegates to Birmingham in an appropriate address. He spoke or the great and good cause in Which the Epworth league was enlisted, or the splendid personnel of its membership anu the good accomplished through the or ganization. He said Birmingham was glad to entertain the delegates as guests and bade them welcome. mi,
 The response was made by B. F. Phil- lips of Opelika.
 The election of officers, under whose guidance the conference would be con ducted, resulted as follows:
 President, Dr.. J. w. Newman of Tal- ladega .,,
 Assistant secretary, J. c. Adams or Montgomery. ,.
 Railroad secretary, w. Il. Banks oi Attalla ,..
 Misses Lillie Drennen and Annie Jer- nigan presided at the piano
 finder the head of Reports From the Field" large number of leagues In all parts of the state were reported as active and effective in the work undertaken py them. Most of the reports were good. Quite a number of leagues were not rep resented the delegates not haVlnB aI- rived up to that hour. From the reports it is learned that the organization IS rap fdlv increasing in numbers and Tn WorH tbrouphout the state. With few excep- tions the Epworth leaguers were report ed to be pursuing the course or study mapped out for them, and great nun Der of them subscribe for the Era, the Epworth paper. ,.,,
 When the league of the First Meth odist church of Anniston reported the nresident. Dr. Newman, told of the nara work he had in organizing the league there and the difficulty of getting II to work. pr. Newman said president aIle. president was elected, and they Wouiu not attend Finally he had himseii elected and after so long tune soou results began to show He suggesleo that all pastors take note or that 1act.
 Rishop Galloway, who was in the au- dience took issue with Dr. Newman, saving he thought it bad policy TOT the pastor to accept the presidency of league whenever any one eIse cai De prevailed on to accept H.
 At the completion of the call oi Iaaeues in tn North Alabama confer ence Rev. pr, A. J. Church was ac- corded five minutes in which 10 preseh. the claims of the American society or Religious Education, located al Ashe, vile. N. C. He said: You are organized in what John Wesley called offensive and defensive warfare for Christ With out organization you can accom- plish nothing. We invite you 10 come to Asheville and spend month, or longer if possible to study the Bipie. we commit to you the most important and most delicate work of the pastor. We give the greatest religious and spiritual treat YOU can get anywhere. We hope to enable you to master the most diffi- cult problem confronting the Christian.
 At the conclusion of Dr. Churchs talk e social session of thirty minutes was given after which the conference ad- 1ouined until 2:30 p. m.
 Afternoon Session.
 7rrhe afternoon session opened with de- votional services, conducted by Key. E. A. Donnelly of Montgomery.
 "Reports from the field" revealed the presence of several delegates from iespues in the Alabama conference who represented flourishing leagues. There are twenty-five leagues in the Alabama conference six of which were repre- sented in the conference yesterday.
 "What?" was the subject of paper by Rev. w. P. Dickinson of Montgomery. He said Methodism, like other denomi- nations, was divided into factions, but fits special object has been to save souls for Christ. No organized force has done more for the church than the Epworth league. Long ago the church discovered that something was needed to influence the children. Sunday schools were or ganized. but they were found to be in- adeauate to reach all. The Methodist church saw something besides the Sun day school was needed and began to look about for another means of reach ing the young people.
 The Epworth league was founded and the wisdom of those forming it is verified by the great work accomplished by it. The Epworth league is part of the church, and must be recognized as such The utmost care must be exercised; the Epworth league must not be the Trojan horse bearing the enemy into the church. He suggested several plans for increas- ing interests in the league and widening its influence.
 "The State Conference was the next subject on the programme. and pr. New man stated that he had called on Rev. J. B. Cummings of Prattville and Dr. S. M Hosmer of Birmingham to lead in the