Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-17
THE ACTION
OF THE NORTH ALABAMA CONFERENCE IN
 BEHALF OF A NEW COLLEGE.


 l OF THE NORTH ALABAMA CONFERENCE IN BEHALF OF A NEW COLLEGE. This IS 10 send forth greeting to the | friends of education. This communica- | tiou is made Tor the purpose of setting forth the status of the enterprise, and for the purpose of soliciting substantial aid in | the erection of college. The establish | meut of college in the bounds of the North Alabama conference has been agi- | tated for a considerable time, and definite | action has been taken in the premises by l the conference at two or more of its annual | sessions. Progress has bsen made. Tangi- ble results are now to be reached. At the session of the conference at Talladega,
 Ala, in November, 1893, the following | paper was adopted:
 Whereas, It is evident that but few of | our people are patronlzing our denomna- | tional male college; aid
 Whereas, It Is thought by many that the interests of Christian education in the state will be best conserved by the two con
 ferences remaining together in this work; therefore
 Resolved, That the bishop presiding at this session of the North Alabama coufer- ence be requested to appoint commission of seven members of thls conference, and
 that we request the Alabama conference to
 have the bishop presiding at it's next ses-
 sion to appoint a like commission, who
 shall confer together respecting the inter-
 ests of Methodist male education in the
 state and report the sameto the next ses- sion of this conference.
 This commission, appointed under this provision by the North Alabama and the
 Alabama conferences, met and formulated
 it's work in it's own way, ana presented 10
 the North Alabama conference at us annual
 session at Athens, Ala, in December, 1884,
 a majority and a minority report. The
 majority report determined that the
 Southern university should remain perma.
 nently at Greensboro, and recommenoeo
 that the North Alabama conference shouio
 adhere perpetually to the southern nnl-
 versity and should make persistent etsrt
 to endow said university. The minority
 report proposed that the North Alabama
 conference should proceed at once to build
 and equip college within its own bounds.
 The two reports were referred to the board
 Of education. On tue last day of the session
 of the conference the board of education
 presented and unanimously recommended
 the adoption of the following paper:
 "We had before us the majority and the
 minority reports of the jolnt commission
 and offer the following:
 "Wbereas, We are informed that lands
 and building material of considerable value
 may be secured as donations for the pur-
 pose of building and equipping college;
 therefore,
 '.Resolved, That a committee of thirteen
 persons be appointed by this conference to
 look into the merit of these offers and re-
 port the same 10 the next session or this
 confereuce.h
 The conference adopted this paper by
 very large vote, and in pursuance thereof the committee of thirteen was appointed. This committee, thus appointed by the
 official action of the north Alabama con-
 ference, is charged with the duty of ascer- taininE what propositions and what dona- tions and gifts can be secured for the im- portant purpose of building college in north Alabama under the auspices of the church. The work is going forward, IL Is hoped, to glorious consummation. in pursuance of it's duties the commit- tee met in Birmingham, Ala, Febru- ary 12, 1895, effected permanent organization and took such action as was deemed necessary, at that particular junc- ture, to induce propositions, donations and gifts for establishing a college. The committee earnestly solicits propositions on the subject, and asks that such dona- tions and gifts be named as parties are willing to make for the purposes indicated. Hosmer and the Hon. c. 0. Arlington are named as a sub. committee to receive such propositions and gifts as individuals, companies, corporations and cities may make.
 Sublime incentives impel to this work. Holy purposes induce action in this behalf. It is imperatively incumbent on the Chris tian ch hurch to help educate the population of the country, and thereby promote the highest interest Of the state and maintain the immediate work of God among men. It is evident that the educational facilities needed for our people are not at present sufficiently accessible. The facilities are not ado q uate to the demands of the hour. The responsibilities In the premises should be recognized, and adequate provision made Tor the education of that population which properly belongs to us. Had we college al some place accessible by railroads and in the midst of 0 numerous population | it would give advantages which heretofore have not been possessed, and would guar antee success which heretofore has not been attained. Any one at all familiar with the ideas and administration of our leaders in the times pastknows that they selected ! places for seats of learning as far from population and as difficult of access as possible, and commended these things as virtues. But these ideas of a past genera ton have been exploded. Inaccessible wilds will no longer be sought for college sites. place easy of access, of popula- ten, investments, enterprises, inven- tions and facilities is the place in which to
 establish school for the present aud the future.
 The North Alabama conference is now, through its committee, seeking to build college and asks for aid, earnest and lib- eral. Ready response and liberal dona- | lions will encourage the work and guaran- l tee college which will bless the genera tious to come. ANsoN WEST.
 Decatur. Ala. March ?. 1895.