The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-24

The North Alabama conference of the Methodist Episcopal church south will hold it's session for 1907 in the city of Tas- caloosa, beginning November 2, and con- tinuing for about six days. This is the thirty eighth session. Bishop E. R. Hen drix, of Kansas City, Mo, will preside.
 The history of Alabama, as to it's politi- cal, commercial, educational, and ecclesl- astical incidents, relations and results. cannot be written without having to do largely with Tuscaloosa. In all these re- spects, the Druid City is to be dealt with, and dealt with as a factor dominant In wide and varied qualifications. Their line is gone out from Tuscaloosa at least 10 the uttermost parts of Alabama Ana doubtless in the future more than Tn the past. will the seat of the State university wield wider influence upon the fortunes of this affluent commonwealth Ana no more can the history of Tuscaloosa ltseit be written without reckoning with Eplsco- pal Methodsm, and the history Of Epls- copal Methodism in Alabama without reckoning largely with Tuscaloosa, than can the States history be written With the elimination of this fair city by the Warrior.
 In 1S1S while vet the Red Man roamed the regions round the Rev. Ebenezer ! Hearn was sent by the Tennessee con ference to explore territory but recently ceded to the United States. and to estab- fish therein preaching places at such points as might be eligible therefor. The region traversed by Hearn, previous to October that year had for it's more salient boundary points Bear Meat Cabin, now Blountsville; Catavala Town, new Ash ville Wilson's Hill, now Montevallo; Ca- haba Falls, now Centerville, and Tusca- loosa. Hearn's headquarters were estan- lished at the home of the Rev. David Owen Methodist local preacher. then living about a quarter of mile from the site of the present county court house in Birmingham The descendants of that David Owen are honorable and useful cit izens of Jefferson and other Alabama counties till this day.
 It was on Hearn's third round of that ample circuit that he reached the town of Tuscaloosa. Speaking of that town, he said: 'The buildings, with two excep- tions, were board shanties; the two excep- tons were log cabins"
 Such was the unpretentious and humble yet honorable beginning of Alabama most classic city, whose elegant homes, splendid buildings and cultured citizenship are today the pride of the state
 Pastorate In 1919.
 Tuscaloosa first appeared in the ap- nals of Methodism, as pastorate, in 1Sl9, the same year that Alabama became a sovereign state That year there was a Tuscaloosa circuit" with Rev. John Kesterson as pastor. For four years, that circuit embraced the town of Tusca- loosa, and extended over practically the entire watershed of the Warrior river, running from 40 to 6Osmiles in width, with the meanderings of that stream, for nearly 200 miles, At the beginning of 1919 there were in Alabama eleven itin- mt wi a number of local preachers ordained and unordained, and about 1900 members.
 The first session of a Methodist annual conference to hold in Tuscaloosa was in the month of December, 1924, with Bishop Joshua Soule presiding. Christmas Day was Sunday, and the bishop preached 10 large concourse of visitors and towns people. That was a session of the Mis- sissippi conference, which body till 1892 exercised ecclesiastical Jurisdiction for Methodism in that part of Alabama. It was at that conference session that the town of Tuscaloosa was taken from the circuit and, in Methodist parlance, con- stituted station" with Rev. William M Curstis- as pastor. Thus beginning, ths station has continued with standing and influence in church councils for more than 80 years.
 Methodism began it's work in Alabama. in 1908, with the coming of missionaries from South Carolina and Tennessee to the scattered settlements on the lower Tombigbee river and in the Tennessee valley in which is now Madison county Till 1882 the movements of Methodism in Alabama were determined by the South Carolina, the Tennessee and the Mis- sissippi conferences. But that year. 1S32 the general conference having made pro- vision therefor, the Alabama conference was organized, having it's northern bor- ,lo he Of south of the Tennessee river, and eXtend- ing southward throughout the state That organization was effected at Tuscaloosa in November, 1892. under the episcopal presidency of Bishop James O. Andrew. At that time Episcopal Methodism had in Alabama about 1200O members, some 200O of them being negroes, and there were about 65 itineranl preachers besides great many local preachers. numbers of whom had themselves seen some years of service in the active pastoral rela- tion. At that early date, due to made quacy of support chiefly, Methodist preachers as a rule seem to have found it necessary to become local, and to en- gage regularly in secular pursuits. in order to provide for the exigencies of maturer years or for the demands of a growing family. Hence, in keeping with general conditions. there was among Methodists a pronounced sentiment against the marriage of ministers, till they had seen some years of itinerant service And. extending even to recent years. there has continued the insistent idea that a young minister should defer matrimony, at least till the completion of his four years course of conference study-an idea not always binding upon the conscences or the conduct of young brethren. And they are wise.
 Educational Movement.
 From an early date Tuscaloosa has been in touch with the educational move ments of Alabama Metnodism. In 1892 Edward Sims, North Carolina Metho- dist became citizen of Tuscaloosa. He
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