The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-28
MEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

A man Is known by his friends. This
is an old and true saying. thank
God for. my friends, for life without its
friendships would be hardly worth living.
From the bottom of my heart l pity the
friendless man.
When came back to Birmingham 1s
years ago. after having travelled far and
wide, made two friends. the one a man
and the other a woman, but now they
are one, and one OF the loveliest couples
to be found anywhere. l refer to Bishop
James Fl. Mccoy and his dear wife.
Now, somehow my friends let me take
am going to forget for bit that my
friend Dr. Mccoy is Methodist bishop.
for to me he is just plain Jim whom 1
learned to know and appreciate when he
was the editor Of the Alabama Christian
Advocate and had an office next door
to mine when was giving all my time to
editing the Alabama Baptist.
Our papers were set up on the same
machine by the same man, and often
wondered If he didn't get bit confused
lin his theology or denominationally up
set after having to set matter for a Bap-
fist and Methodist, each of whom was
absolutely loyal to his religious faith
and doing everything possible to propa
gate it, lived in constant fear that
some day / would pick up a copy of the
Alabama Baptist and find one of Jim s.
of mine on immersion would slip into
the Advocate.
Now, here is one that has never found
its way in print. When the Methodist
general conference met here, knowing
that the name of my editorial brother
was in the mouths of many as Alabama 8
candidate for a bishopric, and feeling
sure that he was in every way worthy to
wear bishops robe, and give dignity
and honor to the high ecclesiastical Of
flee. was greatly interested in the ru-
mors of his chance of elevation
SO one day 7 went into the Advocate
office and said: Jim, you know, as a
Baptist, I cannot take any stock in
bishops, but old fellow if your friends
want you to be one and you don't mind
being one l do not hesitate to say that
am strong for you and If you think
it won't queer you I am willing to put
the Alabama Baptist behind YOU He
looked at me, and broke out into laugh
and replied: II am much obliged to you,
Frank, but I fear that if the conference
thought I was the candidate of the Bap-
fists and ba clsed by the Alabama Baptist
Lit would ruin my chances" OF course, it
was all joke, but he knew l wanted him
to lard.
He didn't get the honor then, but l
knew it was coming, for I had been
closely enough associated with him 70
know that he had in him the real stuff
out Of which bishops are made, and
meme Of his Methodist brethren were
prouder of his being made one than l
was, and I am glad that Birmingham
has such a strong man in its midst, for
whenever anything affecting its inter
ests are conce.ntd he always lines M on
| the side Ct right.
| Now, I am going to drop Jim" for
awhile, and pray his pardon for for
getting for the moment that Mary Moore
is his wife She came into my life at
| the same time he did, for she was con-
rected with the Alabama Christian Adj
vocate; in fact. she was its good an
| gel. In the old days ] saw much of the
| young girl who was just budding into
womanhood. 1 knew that she was bright,
dreamed of the great work which lay
before her and how wonderfully we'll she
was going to handle it.
| The story of her re-making the Athens
college is part of the history of Ala
bama Metiiodism. / used to meet her as
she went up and down north Alabama
setting on fire ambitious girls to get a
| higher education / visited the school
and saw her masterful hand in it's every
department She leaped at once into
prominence as one of the marked women
! educators of the south, and under her
guidance the college was a great sue
cess.
4 | heard Bishop Mccoy make a truly
| great address just last week at the din
ner ait the Southern club when the picked
men of Methodism in Alabama had come
together to discuss plans to put Birming-
ham college over the top. 1t was easy t.
sec in the masterful way in which he
handled the gathering why he had beer
made a bishop. He is born leader o.
men. He has made good as a preacher
as an editor, and as a great executive
/ was proud of my friend
few weeks ago 1 was at Alexande
4 City and invited to make a short ad
dress on food preparedness before thu
session OF the Womans Missionary so
ciety Of the North Alabama conference
saw Mrs Mccoy preside with that gra
cicusness which no man can copy. Oh
Monday night, / sat next her at Thu
speakers table at the dinner at the Tut
wiler at which the Girls Industrial schoo
was discussed. / heard her speak. Il
her talk there was eloquence, pathos am
common sense. She is one or the grea
wcmen speakers in the south. Her ad
dress made a profound impression.
Rlrninshan ought to count itself for