The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-18
STIR CAUSED BY
CHURCH OF ADVENT
Admission of Lay Delegates TO
Council Postponed
DISOBEYED THE CANON LAW
The Rev. James G. Glass Of Admission
Is Elected Secretary to Succeed
DR.. r. H. cobbs, Who Asked
to Be Relieved.

Admission, May 17-fSpeeial)-The sew
enty-fourth annual council of the Epis-
eopal church in Alabama convened in this
city this morning with about forty clergy
and sixty laymen in attendance.
The opening service was held at Grace
church. The procession of priests in their
vestments, headed by a boys choir. made
an impressive sight The Right Rev. c.
NJ Beolkwith. bishop of Alabama, fol
lowed in the procession. The service was
conducted by the bishop in the presence
Of large congregation. The rector, the
Rev James G. Glass. and DR.. Cobbs and
DR.. Beard, assisted
The Rev. H. w. Jones of Decatur
preached the council sermon on the text:
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and
His righteousness, and all things will be
added unto you" The sermon was re-
garded as a masterful effort.
Church of Advent Controversy.
Following the service the council met
in hall adjoining the church, where
committee on credentials made a list
of the members for enrolment When
the body reconvened at o'clock the re-
port of the credentials committee was
taken UP and when the names of the lay
delegates from the Church of the Advent
OIL birmingham We're read, Bisnop Beck
with stated that these had been selected
from church where the canons of the
church had been violated, and he suggest
ed that this matter be referred back to
the committee on credentials. A heated
discussion followed, where several points
OF order were raised and r. H. Pearson
and b. z. Riggs, lay delegates from this
chureh, We're repeatedly called to order in
an effort to argue the matter before the
council The Rev. j. w. Cantey Johnson
was heard ON several points Of order but
the bishop held that the body was not
organized, hence all debate was out of
order
An appeal from the decision of the bish-
op was made, but did not come to a vote
on account of its being withdrawn. The
matter was finally settled by the reading
of the full report of the committee on
credentials and it was accepted with the
exception of the lay delegates from the
Church of the Advent.
The question raised by Bishop Beclwith
is that this church had not followed the
canon law in regard to the selection of
Vestry fourteen members being named
when the canons provide that no more
tnan eleven shall be selected by any
church. These delegates were afterwards
extended the courtesy of the floor.
The Rev, James G. Glass of Grace
church, Admission, was elected secretary
TO succeed DR. r. II. Cobbs of Green's
boro, who has held the office for thirty
two years eonsecutiveiy. DIR. Cobbs Is
the oldest member from point of mem
bership in the council His desire that
the work fall ON younger shoulders was
the cause of his name not being voted
for.
Bishop Reads Annual Address.
Bishop Beckwith read his annual ad-
dress, a document of some length, en-
braeing the statistics of the years work
In the diocese. The address lasted for an
hour and thirty minutes and was lis
tened to with increasing interest by the
council and the Womans auxiliary which
was present for the occasion The Bishop
made strong point regarding the selec-
ton of vestrymen in the latter part of the
address. Several reports were heard. The
hours of meeting were set and several
were named before adjourn
ment.
Many of Alabama's prominent business
men are present, MS we'll as nearly all of
the clergy. Among those attending the
council are: Ex-Gov j. F. Johnston, r.
ii. Pearson. s. Il. Green. Robert Jemison
and others of Birmingham. and Major W.
w, Screws, II, II. Ruth and Dr. b. ].
baldwin of Montgomery and other prom
inent churchmen from various sections
of the state.
Bishop Beckwith addressed large con-
gregation at Grace church on THE So
ciety for Relief of Disabled Clergy" Fol-
lowing this topic Sunday schools were
discussed. DR.. Matthew Brewster of Mo-
bile and the Rev. w. n. Claybrook Of
Huntsville leading in the discussion. Sew
eral volunteer speakers were heard also
The council will be in session through