The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-27
METHOD|STS WILL
 MEET WEDNESDAY
The North Alabama Conference
 Convenes at Huntsville
KILGO WILL PRESIDE
Come Before the Conference.-The toric Sketch of North Ala
 bama Conference
BY E. NJ. GLENN

The forty-first session of the North Alabama conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, south, will convene in the First Methodist church, Huntsville. November 3O under the presidency of Bishop John c. Kilgo, D. D., of Dur ham, N. c.
 More than 100 years have passed since John Hunt, the sturdy pioneer, hewed his way through the wilderness and made his "deadening" and settlement by the Big Spring, whose evolution is the fair city of Huntsville First. it was mere camp by the spring; then Hunt Spring; next the legislature of the Mis- sissippl territory. as though to give en- phatic forecast and prophecy to the stra- tegic importance of the location, took a hand and dubbed the embrio town "Twickenham, a name designed to be dignified and famous, if not specially euphonious. It was "Twickenham" in 1S1O. But, when the bustling burg shed the swaddling clothes of pioneer set tlement," emerged from the traditions of trappers and the like. and put on the more imposing apparel of an incorporated seat of civil processes and administra- ticns, then the name was made Hunts vile. Action to that end was had by the Mississippi territorial legislature in 1911.
 From the day when John Hunt first pitched his tent and lighted his camp fires close to the Big Spring." that still bears his name, Huntsville has through all the years played a part im- portant and honored. in the annals of church and state; welding the influence becoming such a center of culture and commerce, with at least enough of poli- tics to spice withal. Large and illus trious has been the contribution in the splendid men and women and their achievements. which Huntsville and it's environs have made to the current of civilization through the passing century; and varied, vitalizing and far-reaching will be found the ramihcations of their impact upon posterity.
 EccIesiasficaI Beginning
 So far as reliable records may inform us. the beginning of religious work in the
 Big Bend' of the Tennessee and the region about Huntsville was in the first decade of the last eentury-the Baptists and Methodists entering cotemporaneous- ly in the year 18oS In that year these two denominations constituted churches in that region, and gave definite organza- tion to their followers. The first Method ist preacher to be sent into that region was the Rev. James Gwinn, who received his appointment from a session of the western conference" held October 1-7, 1908, at Liberty Hill. in Williamson coun- ty, Tennessee. Among the Methodist churches organized at the very first was one at Hunts Spring; organization was effected at other eligible places along about the same time, and at the end of the year, in September, 1909, MT. Gwinn reported a church membership of 179 -four of them being colored), part of them be- ing in Tennessee.
 From that far-off beginning Methodism in and around Huntsville has forged steadily forward, with dependable prog ress, vindicating a right to the respect and good opinion of the people by the things it has stood for, by the efforts 1t has made to render effective service to the passing throng in distinctively re- ligious way, and also and at large by a consistent and persistent purpose to main tain and perpetuate, inviolate, the best traditions of our civilization and the most revered examples and precepts of the fathers.
 At present there are two Methodist churches in the city of Huntsville-First church, Rev. G. E. Wasson, pastor, with Rev. Clare Purcell assistant, and Holmes street, Rev. H. E. Wheeler, a former Bir- mingham boy, pastor. These two churches have a membership of more than 100o. There are also several suburban churches which with the two before named, give a list of more than 15o0 com municants. Ministers. famous in Meth odist counsels and history, have served at the altars of the church in Huntsville erecting a standard and setting a pace calculated to impose a tax upon the re- sources and qualifications of those who come after
 At this particular time the conference faces the necessity of naming a new min ister for First church, Huntsville The Rev. s. E. Wasson, after three years Tn that pastorate, has transferred to Texas and Is stationed at Clarendon. Thus vacancy occurs in one of the most im- portant pulpits in Alabama Methodism it is an interesting vacancy; a great many eyes are turned tn it.: a great deal of speculation is indulged respecting it; but as I happen to be entitled 10 seat in the cabinet that deals with the sue cession. it would be utterly out of all good for me to hazard even a guess as to that fortunate minister.
 Dr. w. E. Morris, the able and affable presiding elder, together with the Rev. Clare Pursell and the Rev. H. E. Wheeler and committee of laymen, will have i'm mediate charge of handling the confer ence.
 The Conference
 The North Alabama conference was or ganized by Bishop Paine at Gadsden in the fall of 1870 Previous to that time the Tennessee conference extended juris- diction into the state of Alabama south of the Tennessee river coincident with the watershed as naturally marked on Sand mountain by the tributaries of that river South of that line the state was divided enthusiastically, as concerned the Meth odists into the Montgomery and the Mo- bile conferences. Since 1870 it has been the Alabama conference and the North Alabama conference; the line dividing the two conferences begins with the south- ern border of Pickens county, thence eastwardly with the southern border of Tuscaloosa county, and therefrom ex- tending eastward to the Coosa river: thence down that river to southwest cor ner of Coosa county: thence eastward on straight line with the southern bor- ders of Coosa and Chambers counties to the Georgia line. Alabama conference embraces all that part of the state south of that line, and also west Florida North Alabama conference embraces all that part of the state to the northward thereof.
 The North Alabama conference Is sub divided, for convenience and facility of administration Into 12 districts, each un- der the immediate oversight of a presid- | ing elder, whose duty it is to look after all the interests of the church temporal | and spiritual within his particular bor- | ders. The presiding elders constitute the hiebon'S cahtnpt for ha ndlfpor tl,a o.-.