The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-04
Venerable Bishop Wilson Uses
GaVeI Made from Tree Under
Which Wesley Preached
EPISCOPAL MESSAGE READ
BY BISHOP c, B, GALLOWAY
Permanent Organization Is Effected,
and the Highest Methodist Tri-
bunaI In the South Is Ready
for Three Weeks Session.

When the venerable Bishop Alpheus
W. Wilson of Baltimore brought down
his gavel with flash of his old-time
vigor calling the general conference of
the Methodist Episcopal church, south,
to order yesterday. there were but six
absentees.
The feature of the day was the epis-
copal message, which was read by Bishop
c. B. Galloway, and while the conven-
ton began its work in a business-like
way, several things during the morning
showed the deep under current of senti-
ment that pervaded the gathering.
Immediately upon the conclusion of the
bishops address a telegram expressing
love and greeting was sent to J. C. Ber-
ryman of Caledonia. Mo- who is in his
9th year, and who is the sole surviving
member of the Methodist general confer
ence of 1874.
message of sympathy and esteem was
received from the womans home mis-
sionary board, which has just adjourned
at Asheville, N. C.
j. w. Heidi of Atlanta presented to the
conference through Bishop Wilson a
gavel made from the wood of the tree
under which John Wesley, the founder
of Nethodism delivered his first sermon
in America near Savannah. The gavel
was made by R. p Repper of Savan-
nah.
Opened BY Famous Hymn.
Immediately after Bishop Wilson
brought the conference to order he read
the famous hymn. No. rs. Holy. Holy,
Holy" transcribed from the old Latin
"a
and sang 1t with fervor. When the audi
ence was seated Bishop Wilson called
on Bishop J. S. Key to lead in prayer
The latter asked for strength to admin
lister the churchs affairs and to legis-
late for the best interests of the great
body whose representatives were presnt
and that the body be permitted to make
no mistakes during the next few weeks
OF its deliberations. The bishop asked for
blessings upon the President of the Uni
ted States and upon all those in authority
under him and prayed that the city of
Birmingham, as well as the visitors to
the city. might be benefited by the pres
ent conference.
Bishop Wilson then called upon Bishop
C. b. Galloway for the Old Testament
reading and the Mississippi divine read
from the Goth chapter of Isah. Bishop
A. Coke Smith read the New Testament
lesson, choosing a part of the 10th chap
ter of St John.
Bishop e. f. Hoss read hymn No. 30
and the congregation again joined in the
singing. Prayer was then offered by the
venerable Rev. C. w. Carter of the Louis
lana conference.
1e
The chairman called DR.. John T. Tigert
of Nashville to the clerks desk to call
the roll. He called the roll of bishops
first and the entire list of effective bishops
was present the only absentees being
Bishop ]. C. Granbery and Bishop o. P.
Fitzgerald.
When the roll of delegates was called
1t was found that not more than half
dozen were absent out of the entire
list.
Upon motion DR.. Tigert was next elect
ed permanent secretary of the confer
ence. and he at once named his assist
ants in the work.
b. F.. Lipscomb of Petersburg, Va,
spoke in favor of adjournment of the daily
conference sessions at l o'clock and DIR.
Tigert made motion providing that the
rules of the last conference be adopted
and for the naming of committee on
rules, to which all proposed changes
should be referred. The motion, after
short debate. was carried
Change In Committee Meetings.
Dr. j. NJ Moore of Dallas of the North
Texas conference, then. offered resolu-
tion providing for change in the method
of holding meetings of the standing COM
mttees of the conference. His motion
provided that the odd numbered commit
tees taken in the regular order should
meet on Mondays Wednesdays and Fri
days of each week. and that the even
numbered committees should meet on
Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays. DIR.
Moore spoke on the resolution. and said
the change was proposed for the benefit
of the small conferences in order to give
them representation at as many of the
committee meetings as possible. After
considerable debate the proposition was
adopted with but small dissenting VOTE
This means that the following committees
will meet on Mondays Wednesdays and
Fridays:
Episcopacy, revisals. education, missions.
temperance. Epworth league and finance.
The following committees will meet
Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays:
Itineracy, publishing interests. church
extension. boundaries, Sunday schools, ap-
peals and colportage.
A committee of seven on credentials
was then authorized ana these men were
named: W. L. Nelms, r. A. Child, r. II.
Nahon, ]. W. Sims, J. D. Freser. s. r.
Hay and ]. E. Moon.
The list of conferences was next gone
ever by the secretary in order to place
the alternate delegates
4 committee of five. on fraternal recep-
~ and correspondence was named =