The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-16

l put I0lnG VIII OutWeebA AA'o'
 Dickinson is a great favorite in the con venton. He has just received flatteF- | ing call to a college town, but 1t seems will remain in Eufaula. l am glad ne loves my home town.
 1 Rev. John w. Inzer of Mobile was hon. l ored by being made vice president or the | Preachers conference. He presided dur l ing the session as Dr. Crumpton the pres 1 ident wished to have him do so. John 1 Inzer is a royal-hearted fellow and ev- erybody loves him. He is sure-enough red-blooded, wholesome preacher. He is a great leader among the young people. This is one reason he was called to Dauphin Way church.
 Rev M. K. Thornton of Besener is one of the solid men of the convention. When he gets up to speak every one knows he is going to take a safe and sane position This fact makes him a real power in the denomination. He is one of the depend able men. He has a strong hold on his people and Is doing a constructive work in his pastorate.
 Dr. J. NJ Thomas of Ta1adega, the state representative of the home board work in Alabama, is a marked man at the convention. He is pastor of one ot the best churches in the state, is active in his association. In fact, he is what is called "an organized Baptist" which means he sticks by his crowd
 Dr. J. NJ Shelburne was marked man at the convention in his military uniform with the red badge of courage the A frianUle his sleeves, One of the best evidences that the fund that Frank Rushton and his co-Workers were trying to raise will be wisely used is the fact that picked men all over the country like the president of Howard col lege are willing to magnify the work by enlisting in it. He preached the ccnven- tion sermon in his uniform, and a right gallant figure he made as he stood and pressed home the plea for better relations among men. His sermon was unusually strong in that ali through the Rotarian idea service, which is a Christian view point, was stressed.
 Prof. I. C. Dawson, dean of Howard col lege was present. There isn't any dan ger whatsoever that he will pass unno- ticed in any body, for he is an up stand ing man. I believe he stretches the tape to about six and a half feet. An impious freshman was heard to say behind his back that Dawson wore trousers bI inches in the seam and 2S around the waist Ii isn't quite as bad as that, but it takes some cloth to make him a pair of pants. Dawson is known and respected for his scholarship. He is French shark" His books are used as text books in number of schools
 A number of prominent laymen are here from all parts of the state. J. B. Ellis of Selma ic Of tbp rppnlQr 3ftpn0- ants. Jim is always in politics helping some other fellow but if he ever wants anything for himself, he needn't stay away from Baptist gatherings for fear that somebody will accuse him of being around vote getting, for his record as consistent worker in the Baptist denomi- nation is too firmly established to be questioned. He isn't the kind who at tends only when candidating.
 One of the big men here is D. c. Coop CT, the Oxford banker. Dave is big man in more ways than one. Big in body, heart and bFains IIesis one of the Baptist standbys. Moderator of the Call houn associa ton for nearly 20 years, he is a power not only in his church. and county, but in the state affairs of his denomination. He is fine presiding off, ficer
 Dr. Preston Blake ran down for day. There is general regret throughout the state that he is going to move to Vir- ginia his old home. pr. Blake has made a reputation for himself in Alabama that any man can take just pride in. He has ever been on the side of righteousness and his going will leave gap in Baptist ranks that will be hard to fill. In the 10 years that he has been at Birmingham l have never heard any man, woman or child crticise him. but on the ether hand hpa bts nraiSa hy one who knew him. pr. Blake is one of the most lovable men that has ever been in the state.
 Rev. J. E. Barnes, who for several years was pastor at Pratt City, but who now lives in Mobile, is justly popular with his brethren. He is conscientious worker in all denominational undertak- ings. He is greatly interested in the Sat suma industry and believes 1t has great future. It seems all of the Mobile preachers get the Satsuma fever.
 A commanding presence Is great as- set to any public man, and to none more so than to preacher. We hear a great deal about the government "commandeer- ing" various things. Well, there is 2 preacher here who Is able at any time to "comman andeer" an audience and take them with him in spite of everything When a marble gavel was presented to the convention by the Sylacauga church, Dr. Crumpton, the president, called Dr. R. J. Bateman to the platform to accept it and return thanks
 It looked like a simple thing. It would have been to many men. But Bateman held up that little gavei and began to talk about it until the crowd sat spell bound and when he sat down wave of applause swept the audience He is one of the greatest preachers and platform speakers in the south and is in constant demand at all of the great religious gath erings. He is an orator, and looks the part, but in spite of his triumphs as a speaker he is unspoled and one of the best fellows in the world. Bateman is greatly beloved in Troy. his home town, and has refused some of the most flat tering calls in the bounds of the south ern Baptist convention. One of the great missionary boards tried to secure him, but his heart is in the pastorate.
 The santly Davidson is here. His mere presence is a bcnediction to the conver- tion. He is known as the man of prayer have seen him at sunset on mountain top melt scores of preachers and hun dreds of men and women to tears by his talks to God That is his power in prayer. He speaks to the heavenly Father. He forgets his crowd. They may be in his subconsciousness, but while engaged in praying he Is in direct com munion with the Almighty. Too often public prayer is only religious stump speaking. I have heard preachers who were afraid to say things to the con gregation In their sermons close with prayer in which under the pretense that they were addressing Jehovah Were ian-