The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-16
LETTERS TO EDITOR
MILES MEMORIAL COLLEGE
Bishop G. W. Stewart Replies to J. A.
 Bray's Recent Statement

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 There appeared in the issue of youi paper of June an article published bN one J. A. Bray, stating, as he claimed the reasons tor his failing to be reelected president of Miles Memorial college al the last meeting of the board of trustees of said college, and accusing me of mis- application of the money intrusted to me as treasurer of Miles Memorial college. would have made answer to these charges eIfore now, but have been away in Flor Ida for two weeks holding district confer ences.
 I wish first of all to quote few pass. ages from the Rev. Brays article:
 70 l hold that treasurer is due to make regular reports of funds passing through his hands, whether that man be a layman or bishop. As secretary of the ex-board, that had upon itself the putting up of large new building at cost Of several thousand dollars. l called on the treasurer for l. report of the funds. He refused to make report to the ex-board ana building committee.
 "(2) 1 held and hold that money raised for a specific purpose should be used for that purpose. The case in point: The gen. eral education board of New York made a donation to us of 5000 to be used in the construction of our new building. We were pledged to that board to use s50o0 previously raised for the same purpose. in addition to the above, l later turned over $12O0 to the treasurer Bishop Stew arD, which I had raised, and in raising pledged the donors that it would be ap- piled toward putting up our dormitory. This made s1i,S00 pledged to be used In our new building.
 But the fact is, only a little more than 5000 were thus used, and our money was out. I called this breaking faith with the general education board and our local donors as we'll
 "t3) l did not think it wise, I do not think so yet, that the treasurer of a school fund should have that money deposited in his own name as an individual Such is the case in our board. If the treasurer should suddenly die all the money would be either gone or in litigation
 In replying to the above l have this to say: As treasurer of Miles Memo rial college I am depositing all money coming to me for the school in the name of Miles Memorial college By explana- ton l would have 1t understood that, when the presiding elders of the state of Alabama report their mission and edu- cation money to me 1t is held by me for them until the meeting of the presiding elders council. an annual meeting, at which time I make report of all money received from them and each presiding elder in turn makes his report stating the amount of money forwarded to me by him. After our reports are compared and balanced division of the money is made So much being appropriated for mission work and the other for educa- ton. That which is appropriated for education I then deposit in some repu- table banking institution in the name of Miles Memorial college, as my bank books will show. It will thus be seen that no litigation would result from my sudden taking away, or any character of my taking away for that matter.
 I have paid out all money by order of the trustee board. l made my report to the trustee board chat elected mo treasurer and to whom l am amenable. on May %. 1912. It was by them placed in the hands of an auditing committees, which committee. after due examination, made report to the trustee board sub sientiating the correctness of my report: and the trustee board unanimously ap- proved and adopted it. The donation of five thousand (s5900.00) dollars from the general education board of New York to which reference was made by the Rev Bray was conditioned upon the absence of any mortgage or heavy obligation car ried against the schocs. It being stipu- lated by the general education board that the gift of the five thousand (s50O0 0o) dollars would not be available for use until the property of Miles Memorial col lege had been cleared of all outstand- ing indebtedness. At this time there was mortgage against the school car ried by the Bessemer Trust and Bank ing company of Besse,ner Ala. for five thousand six hundred c5s000o) dollars. used of the money then in hand tsj6oe) by order of the trustee board to lift this rnorfpaue (as an affidavit t.srpto auneud- ed by MT. Smith. presisen- cf said bank.