The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-14
GILBERT SPEAKS
FOR MILES COLLEGE
Delegates Being Dominated by Busi-
ness Principles in Transactions of
Business Sessions and Not
Through Sentiment
By HARRY NJ. AYERS


amid cheers Thursday morning.
The resolution follows:
Whereas. The action of the college OF
bishops, acting as a board of visitors, ve-
toing the acceptance of the so-called
million-dollar gift to the medical depart
ment of Vanderbilt university by Mr. An
drew Carnegie has been criticised In GER
tain quarters, and. whereas, four men,
bers (being a minority of the board of
trust, at the annual meeting held June.
1918, entered their protest against the ac-
ceptance of the said proposed gift; and,
whereas 1t has been claimed by certain
parties that either the veto of the bishops
nor the protest OF the minority members
of the board of trust represents the senti-
ment and Judgment of the church gener-
ally; therefore, be 1t
Resolved, first, That While we regret
that the terms of said gift as set forth
In Mr.. Carnegie's letter were such that it
could not be accepted without sacrifice of
self-respect, we do hereby heartily in
dorse both the bishops veto and the pro-
test of the minority of the board of trust.
Second, That We hereby express hearty
agreement with the sentiments and posi-
tions of the bishops as expressed in their
veto and message to the church at large
and OF the minority of the board of trust
a Suppressed in their protest:
Third That we hereby pledge our hearty
sympathy and support to the bishops and
TO the minority of the board of trust as
faithful servants of the church. in the
discharge of their important, though un-
pleasant duties in this and the whole Van
derbilt matter"
The resolution was read by ]. 8. Chad
wick, one of the editors of the Christian
Advocate, and signed In conjunction with
him by j. II. Sturdivant, presiding elder
of the Bessemer district, and w. b. Hope
of Jonesboro.
100000 May Be Returned
In discussing the matter, Editor Chad
wick stated that while Mr.. Carnegie gave
100000 of the money Internationally,
Withholding $4,000 on the ground that he
was opposed to church ownership of
schools, it is believed that the 100000 will
be returned to the donor The case has
been decided in favor of the bishops es
opposed to the board of trustees by the
lower courts of Tennessee, and Is now
with the supreme court. 1t is expected
that decision will be reached In the
matter by January or February. Mr.
Carnegie, it will be remembered. not only
demanded that the money he gave be
dlSoSNGlcQ liOIl tnuTCn O@HtTSlnp, Dtt
demanded a separate board OF trustees
which was granted.
Business Sense Dominates
Following the example set by Bishop
j, II. Mccoy, who puts system into every
phase of his activities, the delegates to
the North Alabama conference of the
Methodist Episcopal church, SOUTH are
being dominated by business principles IN
the transaction of the business of the
sessions, the business sense In many
cases triumphing over sentiment.
This developed in discussion Thursday
morning on the question OF admitting
an elderly man as a trial preacher. Ii
was shown in the discussion that he was
too old to equip himself for the best work
IN the ministry and that his health was
rather impaired, with the result that he
would in all probability soon be charge
ON the church. 1t was argued that the
conference superannuated list is already
large, and when the facts were brought
out the gentleman In question was net
received, although his presiding elder was
given the authority to employ him.
A greater insistence than ever before Is
being placed ON the educational uualifica-
tions of ministers. This was shown IN
the discussions as to the admission OF
students who had applied for trials as
preachers, and the point was strongly
stressed by DR.. ] l.. Cunningham of
Nashville, of the department of education,
who pleaded for more efficient ministry.
He also stated In the course of his address
that 75 per cent of the young men who
enter the ministry and the young women
who enter mission work come from HON 8
where the daily family altar is q fact.
Bishop Mccoy indorsed this statement
and asked the speaker to repeat it. which
he did.
Among one of the most interesting dele
gates present at the conference is ], w.
Gilbert, a world renowned negro preacher
and teacher. He Accompanied Bishop
Lambeth on his noted trip through Africa,
and when he was introduced to the con-
ference by Bishop Mccoy, who clasped
his hand. the entire body rose In respect
Thursday morning.
Speaks for Miles College
After the business of the morning ses-
sion had been concluded, Professor Gil
bert was given the floor and he made an
excellent plea tor Miies Memorial cole. G
at Birmingham, after dwelling for a short
, time on the trip through Africa. He was
given rapt attention by his hearers Tears
fell from his eyes and from the eyes of
several of his hearers rs he spoke If
Bishop Lambeth and the work In Africa
the old black nanny and the needs OF
the negro OF today.
Gilbert is a pupil OF George William
Walker of Augusta. Ca, one of the
souths greatest workers among the ne
groes and in his address before the con-
ference Gilbert made the statement that
OF the 800 students trained under Dr.
Walker not one of them has ever faced
a court. He stated that the object of
Miles college is to teach the negroes that
lit is more important to get the kinks
out OF their brains than IL is to get the
kinks out of their hair" to impress upon
them that OF necessity they must Tor
many years to COM. be content 10 be
''hewers of wood and drawers OF water"
He spoke in high praise of the people OF
the south for their treatment of the negro
and defended the negro in his loyalty to
the white people. pleading for differen-
tiation on the part of white people be-
tween good, law-abiding negroes and the
lawless classes "The only thing in the
world worse than a bad, low down me-
gro," he said. 'is a white man of the
same type" and he was applauded.
substantial contribution was voln-
tarily given to the college by the confer
ence after Gilbert's address.
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Sailors Arrive
Venice. Italy. November 13.-Forty sail