The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-25
B|G CROWD HEARS TIE REV. BRANDON Standing Room at Conference
 at a Premium MAN OF WIDE EXPERIENCE At the Morning Session Yesterday Presiding Elders Made Reports
 on the Work in Their
 Districts.
MAN OF WIDE EXPERIENCE
BYE. M. GLENN.

Talladega, November zs.-(Special)- Yesterday afternoon Rev. J. w. Johnson of Mt. Vernon church, Birmingham, oe- cupied the pulpit in a eharacteristically strong sermon.
 Last night the auditorium was crowded to it's utmost capacity to hear the sem ieentenary sermon of Rev. F. T. ]. Brandon. Standing room was at a pre- mium. MT. Brandon joined the confer enee in 1854 at Talladega, and has served all grades of appointments from the hardest circuits and missions to the best stations and districts. In the early sixties he went to the Confederate army as a chaplain.
 After seeing that kind of service for a while he came home, organized a com. pany. was elected it's captain, and went back to the front and firing line. The earnest faithfulness of the good man so endeared himself to his brethren that year ago the conference by resolution re- duested him to be ready to preach ser- mon upon the occasion of his fftieth year as an itinerant Methodist preacher. The text was St. Matthew 2S; 19, 20. The natural sympathy of the congregation made fitting preparation for receiving one of the most unique sermons that has been ever delivered before the conference.
 Congregation Was Swayed
 In doctrinal statement IL was strong; in rhetorical finish 1t was beautiful; in sallies of humor and flashes of wit it was superb; in junction and spiritual fer vor 1t was sweeping. The great congrega- tion was swayed by the eloquence of the preacher. In the judgment of worthy ones the sermon was one that would have done justice to the best pulpiteers of the present and past generation of the Methodist church. MT Brandon is father to Rev. F. w. Brandon and of General w. w. Brandon, and uncle to the Hon. John Burnett, the congressman.
 The Morning Session.
 The conference met this morning, Bish- op Wilson in the chair.
 The devotional exercises were con- ducted by the Rev. J. S. Marks of De- eatur.
 Dr. W. L. Dinsmore, a layman from Decatur. was seated In place of L. P. Troup.
 The names of presiding elders were called, and reports from their respective districts were had, as follows;
 J. I. Williams of Guntersville, D. Full mer of Jasper, w. F. Andrews of Lo Fayette, L. C. Branscomb of Talledega, and V. O. Hawkins of Tuscaloosa. These gentlemen by their reports indicated en- largement and prosperity as attendant upon the ministry in their bounds Churches and parsonages have been built and repaired, contributions to all benev- oent institutions of the church have abounded, and there has been a gratify- ing ingather of members.
 The bishop called question 1.-"who are admitted on trial?'' And the following ministers were received on trial in the conference:
 Birmingham district: Joseph Parkin, William Sasne.t Branham; Decatur dis trict, Ben B. Glasgow, Leroy A. Brown Solomon T. Daniel; Florence district. Hoyt M. Dobbs; Guntersville district, Webster V. Teer; Jasper district, Ed- ward B. Redus; Talladega district, Joseph E. Morris, Edley D. Totherow Tusca- l loosa district, Lucien K. Knowles.
 Question 2. "Who remain on trial?' Ans. F. L. Aldridge and W. F. Price in class of first year, and Charles D. Brooks, William E. Gibson, John H. Harris, John W. Ledbetter, Thomas M. Purcell, Edgar H. Drislill, Lando M. Harris and William R. Howell in class of second year.
 Elected deacons, Foster K. Gamble Robert Y. Hannon, Marvin R. Hefiin, Lewis F. Parrish Robert J. Pollard Louis A. Waits. These, together with Robert Echols, Eugene E. Emerson, Waights G. Henry, William H. McNeal. George M. Randle and Samuel T. Saton. were passed to the class of third year.
 Rev Dr. Law of South Carolina dis trict agent for the American Bible socl- ety, and Rev. MT Cunningglm, director of the Correspondence' school for the Southern Methodist church, addressed the conference touching their respective in- | terests. Dr. Law is a minister in the Presbyterian church, and is granted cordial reception by his Methodist | brethren.
 | At Il o'clock conference adjourned for preaching, Bishop Wilson occupying the pulpit at the Methodist church and Rev. H. c. Howard of Tuscaloosa that of the Presbyterian church. Large and appreci- ative audiences of townspeople and con ference attendants heard these eminent | divines.
 The weather is ideal, and Talladega Is doing herself proud in the matter of en- l tertainment.