The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1908-02-10
GREETINGS ARE BROUGHT
FROM OTHER CHURCHES
Dr. ]. A. Rice Was Speaker Of
Occasion.
Methodist Church with its Present
Esermsas Membership, Grew
oat Of the Advent of Mat
snew sturdiyant at Tom-
ssssee settiement.


Church the Tooth anniversary of the
Official advent Of that church within the
bounds of the present state Of Ala
bama. The splendid address Of the day
was delivered by DR.. John A. Rice.
formerly pastor OF, the Court Street
Church.
Despite the inclemency of the wealth
er the large auditorium of the Court
Street Church was comfortably crowd
ed. Methodists and others from all
parts Of the city came to the church
and filled the pews to their full ca
pacity to the last row, the gallery.
also had its full share of the crowd.
To fitting1y mark the occasion Of the
centennial celebration, the committee on
arrangements of which DR.. Thomas M
Owen was chairman, had arranged an
elaborate progTsm OF addresses and
music. This program was carried out
to the letter. the large audience becom-
ing more interested as the program
progressed.
on the rostrum Of the auditorium sat
all of tnc mir tters OF tina Methodist
Church in the city, together with menu
Z bers of the committee on arfangs-
ments from other cities and als1 fta-
ternaI delegates from churches Of oth-
er denominations in the community.
Each of those sitting on thc .sstrum
took part in the elaborate program.
The occasion was most solemn, and
the addresses made were in keeping.
All Of them. with the exception Of the
addresses OF the frakernaI delegates,
were historical and the past leo years
In the history of the church was re-
viewed with feeling of triumph. Es-
pecially was this keynote OF the occa.
sion struck full in the address Of DR..
J.. A. Rice.
The music program was one OF the
best heard in Montgomery church In
many years. The committee in charge
Of this part Of the program comforting
with the organist OF the church chose
series of selections which well
brought out the general note of tri-
unph. Not only were the selections
well chosen, but choir consisting OF
Misses Elizabeth Millspaugh and Mary
Nefghbors, and Messrs. Logan, Moore
and Van Pelt. assisted by an orchestra
Of five pieces deserve the highest praise
for their part in the ceremonies.
Rev. Charles H, Motley. President,
Alabama Conference Historical Soci-
ETY., M. =. s:hnrcn, South, presided over
the celebration and introduced the
speakers inzturus --s~
The address Of the occasion by DR..
J.. A. Rice, formerly pastor of the
Court Street Church and at present
pastor of the Rhayne Memorial Church
OF New Orleans. gave an idea OF the
character Of the oId-tIna circuit rider
telling entertainingly OF the great diff
ficulties which tins man If God had
to overcome. The picture was an IDEAL
one. and as the audience slowly left
the great auditorium. they could but
think that the circuit rider deserved
all. and more, praise than given them
by the speaker of the occasion.
The address made deep impression
on all who heard II. The fame OF Dr.
Rice a. q pulpit orator already wide,
was strengthened by his tribute to the
circuit rider. and the lesson he drew
from this great agent Of Christianity.
The address Of DR.. Rice Is printed In
full in another column.
Rev. Charles H. Motley was master
of ceremonies and in a short address
told Of the occasion which the congre-
CATION had assembled to celebrate. His
address follows:
I'VE have assembled for the purpose
OF COMMUNICATING the one hundredth
anniversary Of the formal and official
planting OF Methodism and the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church within the
bounds OF what is now the State OF
Alabama One hundred years ago, or
on January 2, 1893. in the South Caro-
lima Conference a brave and hardy
spirit, Rev. Mathew p Sturdivant
volunteered to go into the wilderness
and enter upon the charge that Is Of
ficially designated in our records as
the 'Tombigbee settlements" This
charge formed what was then the set
tied portions OF South Alabama, not
including the city Of Mobile, and all
was 3 part of the Mississippi Terri
tory. Another viii tell you OF the
struggles and trials Of this valiant
missionary. as well as the subsequent
development Of the church.
During the years which followed.
through the Providence Of gracious
and watchful Lord the planting of 1908
has prospered until our two confer
ences number more than 175.00O mem
bers. Time would fail me to recount
the details OF the growth Of the or
ganization, as well as to attempt to de-
pict Tor you some of its Influence in
shaping the life and society OF the
State. Perhaps. however. 1t may not
be amiss for me to say with eli reason
able pride, that the Methodist Church
and its influence for good in the State
OF Alabama easily rivals any other in
LIuence ever operative in the state.
But the past is secure. We have
reached the one hundredth mile stone
IN our career onward, and are met to-
day, the Methodist Churches of Mont
gomery ana our friends, to rejoice
with each other, to praise God and to
worship Him for the glory and great
ness OF that past. And as we contem-
y plate the record OF the years that are
gone; the lives of our leaders. our
experiences and conflicts with evil, ana
the forces Of uprighteousness, our
prayers ascend to Him who has been
both. a pillar of fire by night, and
pillar of cloud by day, to strengthen
us. to consecrate us. and to so vitaIize
us with Christian grace and hope ana
faith that we, and our children and
our childreh's children may labor as
faithfully and build as well in our
day and generation as the heroic
fathers of long ago.
These exercises today have the Of
ficial sanction OF our Conference, and
are held under the auspices of the
Alabama Conference Historical Society
one OF the auxiliary bodies Of the
Conference. The following are the
resolutions adopted at our meeting in
December. 1907:
Whereas. the year 1908 will witness
the one hundredth anniversary OF the
official advent Of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church. in what Is now Alabama,
an event of great significance and i'm
portance in the life of the people OF
the State, and
Whereas, this important anniver-
sary should be adequately and fifty
COMMUNICATED. therefore be IT
Resolved. by the Alabama Confer
snce HiRtarical Society of the Metho-