The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-01
BIZ AUDITORIUM FORB|RM|NGHAM SEEMS ASSURED Much Encouragement Given at Conference Held Yes terday Morning WILL COST S2O,OOO
 AND SEAT 10000 Special Committee Named to Outline Plans and This Committe
 Will Meet This
 Morning

r1at Birmingham will have a large auditorium. seating at least 10000 people seems assured. The pastors and fsVnen ef A number of the churches of Blrming- ham have decided that an auditorium is necessary and very appropriate. and un- less all their efforts fail Birmingham will have one.
 Although the movement has been agi- tated at other times by other people, 1t Gid not become imperative that Birming- ham should have an auditorium until the nastors and laymen announced that Gypsy Smith, the great English evange- list. could be secured if building or sufficient size could be erected 10 ac- oommodate the crowds.
 Due to this fact the pastors and lay men announced that they thought sucn m opportunity should not be missed and plans were at once begun to secure the necessary building fund. A meeting was called yesterday morning in the base rnent of the First Methodist church to discuss this movement.
 At this meeting a resolution was put before the members inviting Gypsy Smith to visit Birmingham in March. This res olution was unanimously carried but It was not decided at what time he should be invited to hold meetings in this city.
 The chairman, pr. L. C. Branscomb opened the meeting by telling why the meeting was called and what he thought should be done. There was a large at- tendance and the crowd was estimated to be over 150 Nearly all the churches in Birmingham were represented by pas tors and laymen.
 Dr. Eaves Explains
 pr. George Eaves. one of the leaders in the movement, in order to get the proposition clearly in the minds of hls hearers read a set of resolutions giving the gist of the whole proposition. In this resolution he proposed that Gypsy Smith be invited to visit and lecture in this city during March, and that the balance of the resolutions be referred to com mittee with instructions to nominate com mittees to handle the campaign for the building.
 His resolution was unanimously adopt ed But later the vote was rescinded and the resolutions were referred to a com mittee composed of Dr. L. C. Branscomb, Dr I. D. Steele, Dr. George Eaves, F. M. Jackson and P B. Thomas, who were given the power to make plans and ap- point committees to look after the de- tails of the proposed plans.
 After this action was taken a lively discussion was engaged in as to what kind of an auditorium should be built Roth the pastors and laymen engaged in this discussion. and after all the opin- ions were heard it was generally the consensus of opinion that a permanent auditorium should be erected with a seat ting capacity of 1000 or more, costing al least S20,0O0
 The pith of most of the statements was that Birmingham needed an auditorium It was stated that many attractions and conventions could not be secured on ac- count of Birmingham's possessing no building with a large seating capacity end therefore Birming gham was the loser. Besides this, it was said if Birmingham did not erect this building one of the greatest evangelists in the world, Gypsy Smith, could not be secured. After a lively discussion it decided that ef- forts would be made to secure the fund by subscription
 With this view in mind, Dr. Branscomb said he thought that the Chamber Of Commerce, the Business Mems league and other organizations should be asked to assist and cooperate with them in this movement. He said that he believed all would be willing and ready and that the business men would surely cooper ate and assist them in the movement
 After pr. Branscomb, T. s. Smith said that he wished to heartily indorse Dr. Branscomb's view and that as a starter he would contribute 800 to the building fund. He stated that efforts should be commenced at once on this important movement and that this proposition should surely meet with success.
 Could Be Easily Raised
 F. NJ Jackson, a member of the spe- cal committee, stated that in his opinion this revival was absolutely desirable and necessary. He stated further that he thought the fund for the erection of this huge auditorium would be easily raised and that he thought the work would be e great success.
 Other subscriptions were offered, but they were not accepted at the meeting Members of the committee stated that they felt very much encouraged by this action. as they felt that but little diffi- culty would be encountered in the work of raising the building fund
 The invitation to Gypsy Smith to visit and to hold meetings in this city was for. warded last night by the invitation com mittee. It is thought that he will accept the invitation, as he has announced thai he is coming south about March to hoid meetings and it is felt that the time SC, will be convenient and acceptable.
 meeting of the special committee vii be held this morning at the First Meth odist church at 10 o'clock. At this meet ing plans will be consummated for thc building fund campaign and the commit. tees will be nominated to manage ant assist.
 The next regular meeting will be held next Monday. At this meeting 1t i,