The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-24
Wethodist Conference M 1HscaIOOSa or NObembeY 27
BY E. M GLENN.

1 is described as a man of means and of public spirit In 1928 he built two story brick school house, and turned 1t over to the trustees of the Methodist church in that town Such was The Sims Female academy" Thus did Tus- caloosa Methodism, at that early day, lay foundation and make beginning for the education of young ladies, which l foundation in its enlargements, ampliica- ton and continuance, in various direc- tions, has served to bless Alabama and the regions beyond with an incompatible company of cultured women.
 And not only with provision for edu- cation of fair daughters was Tusca- loosa early concerned and related and busy; but for boys also. It was at Tuscaloosa, in 1928, that Alabama Meth odism first became engaged in the long drawn-out project of building colleges for boys. The Tennessee conference hav- ing determined to undertake the found Ing of a college at La Grange, Ala, sent Rev. William McMahon, as an accredited representative to the conference in ses- sion at Tuscaloosa, to secure cooperation in the institution at La Grange To Tuscaloosa accordingly came MT. Me Mahon, in due time and order to ap- pear before the conference, and to mako known his mission. The result was formal acceptance of the invitation from Tennessee, and the engagement of Ala bama Methodism for active cooperation in building the college Thus came tho commitment of the conference to cause, which has continued variously till now. Although Methodism has not required college training as a condition precedent to entrance upon the work of the regu- lar ministry yet, from the very earliest times. one of it's chiefest tenets has been an educated ministry, as one of It's con- sistent efforts has been to foster an edu- . cational spirit, and strenuously has striven for every facility to secure an educated constituency and looking to the widest possible diffusion of knowledge among all the people. It has seemed to proceed upon the principle, that as none of the really vital issues of the life and ministry of Jesus were "done in corner.' 80 the largest possible meas ure of all excellent learning must needs minister to the prevalence and perma- nency of those things that Methodists con- ceive Christianity to stand for.
 Whatever idea may obtain as to the predominance of sectarian bias in de- nominational schools in general, it may not be amiss here to state, that when
 La Grange college was founded, the ob- ject in view was not to build a bull wark for denominationalsm, or even to harbor teaching the theological tenets peculiar to Methodism; but rather to project a school calculated to secure broad scholarship, independent of sec- DldS. AccOTul1Biy, at tnc outSci' it was officially announced touching LG Grange college-"This institution is pure ly literary and scientific; no theo- logical professor shall ever belong to this college, and the medication of the pe- culiar tenets of any religious denomina- ton is expressly forbidden by the consti- tution.' Such may seem strange basis upon which to plant a denominations al school But such the Methodist fath- CTS stood on and built on.
 The act of the legislature incorporating La Grange college was given official ap- proval January 19. 1S30 These were the Methodist pioneers and beginners in col lege enterprise and operation in Alabama. La Grange college antedated the founding of the State university and all other col leges in Alabama, and was the first insti- tuition of learning authorized by state charter to do college grade work In the | first faculty may be noted graduate | from Chapel Hill, N. C., and another, a Yale man.
 True to predilections, descending as priceless patrimony from excellent and 1 honored progenitors, present day Meth
 l odism in Alabama finds itself deep in the
 l problem of providing better and yet still
 | better educational facilities. And promi-
 nent among the important matters that
 l at the approaching session at Tuscaloosa will receive attention, will be the educa- | tional interests and plans of the confer ence. Next year. 19OS being the centen- nial of Methodist organic existence and effort in Alabama, it seems probable the conference may seek to signalize the year by awaking the communion to a com mendable enterprise and liberality for strengthening and perfecting the educa tional system.
 In the state of Alabama, then, are up- wards of 125000 Methodist communicates; there being in the North Alabama con- ference a lay membership of more than 77000 The net gain of members in 1906 was about 5000. There are S19 church or ganizatons, altogether. making up 237 pastoral charges of stations, circuits, and missions, embraced in ten presiding el- | ders' districts. There are 24 local preach | CTS, 37 of whom are employed this year | in regular pastoral work. The conference l has a total of 239 itinerant preachers. l There are, 664 Sunday schools. with 6.719 l scholars in attendance last year It is
 i, confidently expected that the reports at
 l Tuscaloosa will indicate healthful ad- vance.
 | First and last, many conference sessions
 l have been held at Tuscaloosa. Invitations
 1 there have always been cordially ex-
 l tended and gladly accepted. It is a good
 l place to meet. And, of course, the com
 l ing session will be no exception to the
 l pleasure and profit always found in that clever cultured center.