The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-12-03
METHOD|STS ADOPT
UNION OF COLLEGES
After a Hot Debate the Vote
Stood 80 to 106
SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS
Florence Defeats Birmingham for Next
Meeting Place BY Vote of 102 to
75-Brooks Lawrence Talks
ON Prohibition
SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS

for the union of ~ Methodist colleges
in Alabama. The test vote came on the
proposition to substitute the minority re-
port Of the board of education In place OF
the majority report. The result was 90
ayes and log hayes. Then by viva voce
vote the conference adopted the major
ity report OF the board, which embodies
the plan of the joint commission repre-
senting the Alabama conferences for the
unification, classification, correlation, en-
largement and maintenance of Alabama
| Methodist colleges. The vote was taken
| after several addresses had been made for
| and against the educational proposition.
| The friends of the Athens Female college,
including Miss Mary Moore, president OF
that institution, considered the plan as a
menace to the standing of the Athens col
lege, and for that reason they were OPP
posed. Miss Moore's address to the con-
ference was an appeal to Methodists not
| to tear down the work that has taken
| her seven years in building. The ses-
| sions of the conference was long drawn
| out, and there was not much business ex-
| cept that relating to the report on edu-
| cation.
Bishop Kilgo opened the session with a
| brief address. He told the preachers that
| their calling Is one not suitable for chick
| en-hearted men, that they must have
| courage to wage the fight against sin.
| They must have the courage to bear the
| criticism of their friends because the
world fights them when they strike twin
| blows against the devil and they must
make the devil mad or they will know
| that they are not doing any good.
| He spoke OF worldiness in the
church, and said 1t is an intolerable con-
| dition, enough to break the heart OF any
| pastor. So that all might understand
| the purport of the proposition under con-
| sideration the report of the board of edu-
cation was re-read, also the report OF the
minority committee.
| Miss Mary Moore, president of the Ath-
ems Female college; w. T. Sanders, pres
ident of the board of trustees, and Prof.
NJ X. Clements were extended the priv
| ilege of the floor to address the confer
ence. Debate was limited to 10 minutes
| for each speaker, except when privilege of
further time was granted. Addresses IN
| favor of the majority report were made
| by the Rev. George Stoves, DR.. Robinson,
Mr.. Smith, a member of the joint COM
mittee the Rev. Frank P. Culver, Fred
NJ. Jackson, DR.. Jenkins, the Rev. L. c.
Branscomb and DR.. Hawkins. Speeches
| against the proposition were made by
| the Rev. Pursinger, DIR. Butt, Professor
| Clements, the Rev. e. NJ Glenn, L. d..
Patterson, w. 7. Sanders and Miss Mary
Moore. Professor Clements said that to
lower the grade of the Athens college
would discount the value Of every d.
ploma that has been issued by the col
| lege since 1913. The Rev. Culver said
! Athens college was not on trial, although
] her friends insisted in having 1t 30. He
| said he stands for one great college for
women at Montgomery and one great col
| lege for boys at Birmingham. The wom-
ans college would not interfere with the
work Of the Athens college. Fred M.
Jackson said the educational plan pro-
posed gives permanency to the educa-
| tional work of the Methodists and makes
| 1t so that the wealthy laymen will see
| the advantage of giving money for the
| Methodist college system. DR.. Branscomb
! said it would enable the layrnen Of Ala
| bama to prove that they are not stlngy as
| has been charged.
L. D. Patterson, financial agent for
| the Birmingham college, said 1t looked
as if the Methodists of Alabama were
mot competent to manage their colleges.
| They have let Auburn go, gave away
LAGRANGE, Florence, Tuscaloosa, Tus-
kegee, had lost several others and
last legs. Now, he said, 1t looks as
If they intend to pull down the only
woman's college that has ever amount
ed to anything, all for the benefit of
the Montgomery college, which is still
in the experimental stage.
W. T. Sanders said the report of the
lmmission could mean only one thing,
lowering of the grade of the Ath ems
ollege so that 1t will be mere feed
= for the Montgomery college. There
will be no chance to raise its grade
hncause the report commits the con-
ference to the building of one great
college for women at Montgomery. One
Of the speakers for the report paid
Miss Moore a sincere complaint even
though he was advocating the measure
that she opposed. He said that nine
tenths of the friends of Athens college
were supporting it because Miss Moore
was the head of the institution and
should she give 1t up they would not
care If 1t was converted into train
ing school.
Miss Moore was called for and re-
sponded. She said that seven years
ago this conference had adopted her
somewhat as the daughter of the regi-
| ment. She told of her work at Athens.
how the college had recovered from
the effect of the epidemic last year and
| now has an enrolment larger than
any other Methodist college in the
state. The college was founded in 1S43.
| the value of the plant Is appraised at
| $4,000, the annual income Is $4,000,
total enrolment 1877, members of the
| faculty &c. She said this college had
! succeeded because the trustees are local
/ citizens who have pride In the work
4 of the college. The question then came
to a vote on the motion to substitute
the minority report of the board of
| education for the majority report. The
motion lost by division Of JOG to 80.
4 Bishop Ki1go spoke a few words OF
Cancellation and asked that the con-
tending parties let the question remain
settled and let all feeling that had
been aroused in the discussion die
out.
The bishop said that inasmuch as a
| great deal of time had been expended
by the conference on the report on
education, he does not see how it is
possible for the conference to finish its
work before late next Tuesday. He
asked the examining committees to
make Their reports early and have their
undergraduate classes ready for ordina-
ton on Sunday Question 4S, Where
shall we hold the next conference?
was asked by Bishop Kilgo and invita-
lions were extended by the representa-
tives of Florence and Birmingham
Florence won, the vote being as fol-
lows: Florence 102, Birmingham rs.
Brooks Lawrence Speaks
The Rev. Brooks Lawrence Of the Ala
bama Anti-Saloon league appeared before
| the North Alabama conference today
urging the Methodists to help keep the
state prohibition
1--WE think we are facingoin Alabama
today crisis with reference to liquor,
he said. 1--WE are pointing to the activi
ties of the liquor forces, their newspa
pers and their corrupt agents, to Charles
Lewis and the money that he is spend
ing in Alabama as the crisis but tn,