The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-10
DR.. W IRA POWERS
VETERAN PREACHER
Reminiscent Sketch of His
Eventful career
ROMANTIC EARLY LIFE
Over sixty Years In Methodist Con.
ference-Was Man Of Mlldness
and Maenanlmlty of
Character

Rev. W, Ira Powers, who passed away
recently as the result of injuries sustained
from being struck by a street car while
visiting the general conference in this
city the Rev, James NJ, Glenn of Centre
Vile has written the following sketch,.
which appeared In tho Alabama Christian
Advocate of the issue of June Z; -
A great wave Of sorrow passed over the
Alabama, conference when news came
that Rev, w. Ira Powers. Its oldest MEM
Der and superannuate for several years,
had been fatally injured by street car
at Woodlawn, near Birmingham, during
the recent general conference.
Brother Powers had been a preacher
more than sixty years, and for fifty-one
years received regular appointment. He
Joined the Alabama conference at We
tumplka, in March, 1S45, at which session
delegates were elected to the general con-
ference of 1916, atwhich time the Method
ist Episcopal church, south, was formally
organized.
He was native of South Carolina, but
was reared In Cherokee county, Alabama.
In a conversation with this writer seven
years ago, ne spoke Of his early days,
when the Indians were still in our state,
of their manners and customs, many of
the young Cherokees and Creeks being his
companions and of their removal to the
west. Concerning the troublous times Of
their removal he said: when they were
to be taken away, some of them were
dissatisfied, and many of the whites were
very much alarmed and some of them
used to spend the nights out In the corn
fields. can remember hearing my faith
er say: There Is no danger. but I no
ticed he did not sleep much.',
To show how time advanced, he said:
I'm the old days people had no matches.
At night a chunk of fire would be COW
cred UP, and If 1t went out, you would
have to go to neighbours to borrow
fire. else take flint and strike fire
ever gunpowder, cotton or spunk which
grows in hickory trees. When matches
came in later, they cost % cents box
Those were before the days of railroads
and telegraphs. Maybe a dozen to twen-
ty teams would get together and go g
far as a hundred and forty miles to
market People in the country would
often walk five miles to church, were
more prompt and seemed to appreciate the
services more than many of them did aft
er they had moved to town." He also
described the first building Of the tele-
graph line between Selma and Montgom-
cry which he witnessed
His further words in that interview are
of especial interest now, because of the
marvellous development of that section
and as 1t was so near Birmingham that
he recently met his tragic death. Said he:
Il often think of 1851, the year was on
Jones Valley Circuit. I had thirteen ap-
.pointments'- no doubt taking In all,
or possibly more than, the entire Bir-
mingham district of the present day.
John Boiling, William Taylor, Reuben
Phillips and BENJAMIN Tarrant were local
preachers. Judge William Wilson was
licensed to preach that year. Brother
Powers stated that at E1yton he preached
IN the court house. There were a good
many rowdies there then, and only one
family would invite the preacher home
with them. A meeting was held there,
the first week with little success. but
the second week. seventeen grown per-
son joined the church. There were many
good people at Jonesboro and on the
circuit, the McAdorys OVENS Sadlers.
Major Robert Green, the Taylors. Vanns.
Sells and others.
Birmingham Pioneer.
said he: "At a prayer meeting. one of
the class leaders led with great power
The thought came to me: That man is
called to preach l asked him after the
meeting: Has not God called you to
preach?' He replied: L have thought of
going into politics of school teaching and
other things, but the only happy moments
I have are when l try to preach. He
was licensed at the quarterly meeting and
later became teacher at Summerneld.
He Is now better known as DR.. f. M.
Grace of Tennessee. He was regarded
as the best boy in Jones Valley. Elisha
Phillips was teaching there at the time.
He was licensed to preach, and later took
q course at Summerfeld, being later OF
the Alabama conference. We also licensed
to preach Nathaniel Self, who died not
long since as a member of the north Ala
= Efxyar r.
he said in conclusion, II have been deeply
interested in everything about that val
ley What is now Birmingham was
about the center of the work. We knew
that all that coal and iron were there,
but there was not a sound of a whistle
or of commercial activity. Nothing but
the Growing of chickens and barking
of dogs broke the stiffness, but now what
a difference" He little thought that he
would go back to the scenes of his form
er activities, hfty-five years before, to
die, but such, was the case.
Brother Powers served for the most
part what the world would call hard
class of appointments a place from which
the time-server and place-seeSer would
ever flee and from which the sycophantic
disciple of standing In with the higher
authorities of the church would shrink
back in horror, but with the heroism of
true and jealous herald of the cross,
he went forth trying to build up the
waste places. and as an evangel OF Chris
tan education. Some of the very best
work of his life was done after his super
annuation. Any one who ever saw him at
Georgiana, during his superannuate days,
with the fifty or seventy-five children
and young people whom he would gather
together each Sunday afternoon and with
them hold service at the church,, can
readily understand this remark. Superan-
nuation with him did not mean cessation
of labor or relaxation of faith or effort.
Though the outward man might inevitably
become weaker, yet the inward man was
renewed day by day. Physical decrepi-
trde might come. but in faith and hope
his eye was not dmmed nor his former
strength abated. Was this strange? Take
one of his remarks session of
one of his remarks at the last session of
the Alabama conference. I was con-
verified In 1872 read my Bible-have
read 1t through every year since I was
converted'-or more than three score
times in all. In those exceeding great
and precious promises of God, he found
comfort and consolation, and as old age
came on apace. 1t was not strange that
declining ife's occidental skies should
prefigllre the radiant splendors of eterni-
TVS dawn.
Oldest Member Of Conference.
Let him speak for himself. When his
name was called at Selma, in December.
1904 he said among other things: mot
man of the conference is alive today,
who was living when Joined IT. The