The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-20
|METHOD|STS TAKE
| KEEN INTEREST IN
ANNUAL SESSION
Automatic System Makes
Many Changes in Charges
Necessary
MUCH SPECULATION AS
TO PRESIDING ELDERS
Practically Every Church in North
Alabama Conference Is Winding
Up Affairs for Report at
Bessemer Conference

The 100000 members Of the North Ala
bama conference of the Methodist church
are anticipating with keenest interest
the annual session which eonvenes at
Bessemer Wednesday, November 1. Bish-
op Collins Denny, Richmond, Va, will
preside during the conference.
Due to the large number of changes
| in important pastorates and in the DO
sitions of presiding elder and other prom
inent positions disposed of at the con-
ference, peculiar significance attaches to
the meeting this year
Not only will the pastor of the First
Methodist church of Birmingham be su-
perseded on account of the four-year
rule, but the same applies in the case
of DR.. l.. c. Branscomb, presiding eld-
er of this district. The recent resgna-
ton of the Rev. j. C. Persinger as su-
perintendent of the Alabama Anti-SaIoon
league and his return to the active work
of the ministry is another matter which
is causing considerable comment among
leading members of the Methodist church
in north Alabama
formed circles DR.. Branscomb, who has
been acting as editor of the Alabama
Christian Advocate during the greater
part of the past year in connection with
his duties as presiding elder, will be
placed permanently in charge of this,
the official publication of the denomina-
ton in this state. DR.. Branscomb took
up this work some months ago at the
time of the resignation of the Rev.
James Glenn, who was transferred to
the Georgia conference.
NEW DISTRICT
Another matter of unusual interest in
connection with the cC<ling conference
is the fact that new district is doubt
less to be established. 1t will probab bly,
be known as the Sylacauga district, and
will be made up of parts of the Bes-
semer, Talladega and the Roanoke dis
trcts. Just who will be selected for
the important place of presiding elder in
the new district is, of course, a cues
ton of more or less vital interest among
the members of the denomination as we'll
as the ministers.
H.,
one of the leading ministers in the
Methodist church in the south, will be
transferred from the Tennessee confer
ence to Alabama and will be assigned
to the pastorate of the First Methodist
church here, succeeding the Rev, ]. w.
johnson, who has served four years.
Just where DR.. Johnson will go has not
yet been reported, although it is con-
sidered certain that he will either be
r1o do AID i
to one of the more important charges
in the conference. DR.. Johnson, it will
be recalled, had served as presiding eld-
er of the Birmingham district for one
year prior to his appointment as pas
tor of the First church here 1t Is not
considered improbable that he might be
named to take charge of the district
again.
1t will be recalled that DR.. j. D. Simp-
son, another of the prominent ministers
of the conference, resigned as president
of Birmingham college some months ago.
Just what appointment he will receive
is a matter of speculation. He served
for four years as presiding elder of this
district.
HUNTSVILLE CHARGE
One of the best charges in the con-
ference is that of the First Methodist
church at Huntsville, which will be va
cant on account of the resignation of
the Rev, E. c. McVoy on account of
ill heaia.es. Another important church
which is vacant is that at Athens, the
former pastor. the Rev. B. B. Glasgow,
having accepted the presidency of Ath-
ems college.
Local Methodists are considerably in
terested in the reports to the effect that
the Rev. S. T. Slaton, pastor of the
Norwood Methodist church. may be made
Ia presiding elder and given one of the
districts in the conference. Other changes
which are being rumored in religious
circles include several of the leaders
who have served out their allotted four
years and must be transferred to 9TH
er fields Among the prominent presid-
| ing elders who are expected to either
| receive other districts or be named to
| important pastorates are the Rev. Ira
| F. Hawkins, presiding elder of the De-
| catur district; the Rev. J, S. Glasgow,
presiding elder of the Jasper district, and
| the Rev S. l.. Dobbs, presiding elder
of the Talladega district.
A large number of the ministers
throughout the conference have served
out their time and will be moved In
addition to these there will doubtless
be the usual number of other changes
definite announcement of which is await
ed with the keenest interests by the
Methodists of north Alabama.
Practically every church in the con-
ference is hard at work trying to wind
up it's affairs so that the most favor
able report possible can be made at the
conference when it meets at BesSemer