The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-29

Birmingham has had a rare treat
during the past week, in that DIR. James
w. Lee of St Louis, presiding elder
of the st. Louis district Methodist
church, has been lecturing each even
ing, beginning last Monday and closing
Friday evening, at the school of meth
DDS.
within the bounds of all southern
Methodism there probably is no more
unique man in personal makeup and
varied history than DR.. Lee, AS stu
dent and scholar in literature, as Il
preacher, lecturer and writer, either of
philosophical books or of the most
gossipy correspondence, he ranks with
the foremost of his class of this age.
During DR.. Lees brief stay In Biz
mingham he has won thousands of
friends and admirers by his lectures
each evening at the First Baptist
church. DR.. Lees record as a servant
to educational and religious uplift in
the United States is as an open book.
There probably has been no other
preacher that has taken Il more active
part in work of this nature. Within
the last few years his work has called
fourth considerable comment and at
tention from the press. The Zion Her
aid discusses him as follows:
'Since the death of Borden P. Bovine,
DR.. James w. Lee must be accorded the
honor of being the leading Christian
philosopher in America. These are
words of high ecomium, but they grow
out of careful study Of his works"
AS a pastor, church and parsonage
builder and money raiser, he has had
wonderful success, and probably in the
last named talent he is exceeded by
one. In ST. Louis this ability has en-
abled him to touch the pocket book
and heart of the people for the cause
of God most effectually, and doubtless
in a larger measure than any who have
gone before him In serving the st.
Johns church there he made a Won
derful record, endearing himself in the
hearts of the people for all time.
His few days of work in Birmingham
has had practically the same effect.
While his lectures have proven highly
educational and interesting, he has won
by his magnetic personality. DR.. Lee
was ordained into the ministry In
1875. In 1893 he was transferred from
Atlanta to st. Louis becoming pastor
of the st. Johns church He was head
of an expedition to Palestine in 1894,
sent out to secure material for an il
Illustrated book on the Earthly Foot
steps of Christ and His Apostles" This
book has a circulation in England
and in America in portfolio form of
more than 100000 copies, the largest
of any book ever written on the sub
ject of the holy land.
After serving st. Johns church for
four years he was made presiding elder
of the st. Louis district, after which he
was transferred back to a pastorate at
Atlanta, then again to st. Louis as pas
tor and again as presiding elder. The
last time he was appointed presiding
elder in 1914 and has served to the
present time, but has been appointed
chaplain of the Barnes hospital and as
sistant to the trustees in st. Louis
The Barnes hospital. under the aus
pices of the Methodist Episcopal
church, south. is the greatest institu-
ton of its kind in the United States
with the exceptions of Johns Hopkins,
Baltimore, and the Massachusetts, gen
eral of Boston.
In addition to his work as pastor and
presiding elder, DR.. Lee has written
the following books: THE Making of
a Man" 1892; Earthly Footsteps of
the Man of Galilee," 1895; Henry w
Grady" 1897; History of Methodism,'
1900; History of Jerusalem 1904;
THE Religion of Science" 1912; THE
Making of a Man has been translated
into the Japanese, Chinese and the
Korean languages, while the RE