The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-17
COLORED METHODISTS
Pulpits of Birmingham Churches Will
 Be Filled By Visitors Today

Education and missions were stressed before the Central Alabama conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, com posed of colored communicants, by Dr. M. c. B. Mason, senior secretary of the Freedman Aid society, with headquarters in Cincinnati, and Dr. I. L. Thomas of Baltimore, field secretary of the board of home missions and church extension. In speaking of the work of the Freed man Aid society, the organization in the Methodist Episcopal church, that sup ported 24 schools for the education of the negro, pr. Mason declared that the society was doing a comprehensive work for the negro and the nation. He stated that the board had "A schools with 600 teachers and an enrolment of last year that amounted | to more than 5000 students. In these schools, he declared, industrial education was a special feature. While some form of industrial work is carried on in all of the schools, he named the institutions in which industrial education was most pro- nounced, among them Clafn university, Orangeburg, s. C.; Morristown Industrial | college, Mnristown, Tenn; Clark universl- t., Atlanta, Ga; Gilbert Industrial acad- emy, Baldwin, La.; and Wiley university, Marshall, Tex. He gave information to the effect that at these schools 24 different trades were taught, both for boys and girls, and emphasized their importance in the adjustment of race relations in the south.
 | Speaking of the agricultural depart nients, pr. Mason laid unusual emphasis | gcia fp ia | he, must stay on the farms. Too many | of our people are leaving the country Tor | the city, and as a result consumption, | which before the war was never heard of, | is raging afnong us. Our plan Is to show | our people that if a man is industrious and honest he can make good living on the farm. In this particular work we are having the cooperation and help of the leading citizens of the south. Our teachers are holding farmers institutes in many sections of the country and con sequently we are touching larger class of negro farmers who are not in any way connected with the schools
 'These farmers institutes are largely attended and much good is resulting. We are enlargng our work at the Central Alabama college, located in Birmingham, and in a short while we hope to have large company of men and women study ing the best methods of farming
 pr. I. L. Thomas of Baltimore, field sec retary of the board of home missions and church extension, delivered an able ad dress to the conference upon the work he represents. He stated that the magni- tude and gravity of the problems at hand have aroused all branches of the Christian church in America. He declared that the church is not advancing in proportion to the increase of population. Worldliness among church members is destroying fA,. fI,n nf fha dom of Christ, he maintained, and their spiritual indifference puts them in com promising position with the world. In ad- dition he declared that the tendency to- ward sin and to forget God in this 90 called Christian nation is alarming, and that the banner of Christ must be lifted and an appeal made to those who are willing to go into the fight against the power of darkness with undaunted cour- age ",The fight is on,'' was his slogan, and emphasizing it, he pleaded for the evapgelization of America before the for eigL field was exploited
 The conference session yesterday was interesting because of the strenuous ef- forts of leaders to prevent the readmis- sion of ministers who had been expelled from the church. In every case these efforts succeeded. James A. w. Usher | who had been expelled two years ago on a grievous charge, was refused admis- sion as was also !. J. Freeman, who had been expelled from the Little Rock conference.
 Of the large class of young men ap- plying for admission only a few were admitted. The successful ones were Charles Coleman, Jonathan C. Houghtan and Lewis c. Williams, Pater G. Waffton, Beiamin Butler, Matthew w. Coleman and A. D. Moon were refused adn1is- sion
 f l,a aa ,,rix Ioe et night, I. Garland Penn. assistant general secretary, with jurisdiction over the col ored chapters, was the principal speaker. He laid particular emphasis upon the importance of reaching young people in the church. asserting that many preach CTS made the mistake of overlooking this important factor in chusch work. Save the young people,, he said. and the world will eventually grow better. The church of tomorrow will be made of those who are young today" The Epworth League and the Sunday school were the future church of tomorrow, he declared.
 Services will be held in large num- Der of colored churches today, visiting ministers officiating at most of the services. At St. Pauls Methodist Epis- copal church. the seat of the confer ence. Bishop J. w. Smith will preach this morning. The deaeons will be or dained at this service.
 AL j O'CLOCK, UT. G. II. trevor or Cannon Theological seminary. Atlanta, will preach, after which memorial serv- ices in honor of deceased ministers will be held. At night the anniversary of the Sunday school will be observed. Dr. D. G. Downey of Chicago delivering the principal address. This meeting will be presided over by Dr. E. NJ Jones of Montgomery The appointments will be read at the close of the service
 Services will be held in the various churches as follows
 St. Johns A. M F. church. II a. m. J. IT. Harrison.
 A. M. F. Zion church. II a. m., c. w. | Lewis 7:30 D. m, P. r. Wright.
 Thirgood c. NJ. E. church, II q. m. A. G. Glenn.
 First Baptist church. H. N Brown.
 Congregational church. II a. m, R. M Davis.
 Payne chapel A. M. E. church. Il a.