The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-10-24
DR.. JOHN A. RICE
SPEAKS At SCHOOL
OF METHODS TODAY
Noted Scholar Organized
First Religious Training
School in United States
in 1894
Nv CAROLYN b. ELLIOTT

Fortunate, this little glimpse Of great
man, even though it comes on the last
dav the School of Methods is in session
However, Dr. John A. Rice himself has
lust arrived, having come unexpectedly
in answer TO call for one to FIJI the
place on the programme as inspirationai
speaker, made vacant by the illness OF
DR.. Hoyt NJ. Dobbs.
DIR. Rice delivered a strong address last
night on THE Improvement of Selfhood,
and this evening his lecture at the FIRST
Baptist church will begin promptly at S:4o
o'clock His topic will be, The Social
Conscience"
Although DR.. Rice lives in Sumpter, .
c. where as a member of the South car
DINA conference, and as president of Co
lurnbia college he has been connected
with the development of that state, he
belongs to the religious and intellectual
life of the south, and to the cultural ne
of the world. The reason for TINS was
expressed yesterday by the president OF
Centenary college, DIR. w. X. bourne
when he said: OR. Rice is one of the
outstanding figures of southern Method
ism. On the lecture platform he would
be worth $4,000 a year. But he is not Tor
sale His life work leads him into an
other path
The other path is that of pastor to his
flock in his native state OF South caro-
lima Other pastorates in other states,
DIR. Rice has filled. among which were
Montgomery New Orleans. Fort Worth,
and ST. Louis But there's no place ike
home" and DR.. Rice expressed himself as
being glad indeed to quit the business OF
globe trotting, and live near his hosts or
friends and relatives in South Carolina.
Some of the latter, by the way, are those
who have helped to make of the state All
it means to the nation, for ex-Lieut. Gov.
e. B. Mcleod and Senator r. Is. smith
Of South Carolina, both have the distinc-
ton of being DR. Rice's brothers-in-i law
But to leave DIR. Rice's family connec-
tions>for his connection. with the connec-
tons Off his connection with the
School of Methods; 1t is VITAL since
he Is the father of such organl-
cations. their originator in the south,
for the religious institute is really the
child of Dr. Rice's own brain and heart
If was in 1894 that he organized the first
institute or religious training school IN
this country, called 1.-The Oxford League.
Since then ne has organized. fostered,
and helped to finance others, among
, them being the preachers institute az
Ri1oxi. Miss, for Mississippi Louisiana
and Alabama But the oNioro ieasue'
a training school for Methodist preachers,
was the beginning of preachers and
teachers institutes, and schools of meth
DDS that have since come into existence
as the recognized method of training
nrea cheers and teachers for service in the
religious world.
With keen interest DIR. Rice mas
watched the development OF training
schools through the years. Today he has
the satisfaction of visiting many schools
like this in Birmingham, which numbers
nearly 1000 matriculators, or persons in
training for religious work in this dis
trict, Hfth faculty which geographically
represents an aggregate power OF intel
lectual ana religious culture gathered
from Wisconsin to the gulf. and from the
| Atlantic to the Pacific.
| Twenty five years ago DR.. Rice realized
1 that a period of intellectual reconstruc-
ton was approaching. In order to pre-
mare for it, he declined the pastorate of
| one of the great churches of southern
| Methodism and finished at the University
| of Chicago He expresses the opinion
| that he has lived since those days to see
! the intellectual attitude of the leaders Of
| the southern Methodist church largely
| changed.
DR. Rice has never sought the lecture
platform 1t has been side Issue with
| him. But because of his especial atten-
| ton to the modern study Of the Bible. he
! has been in demand in all the important
| institutes, colleges and universities In the
| south. which ask certain courses in Bible
| training The two names that covered
| the entire lecture programme of Wander
| bilt university institute were those of Sir
| George Adam Smith. president of the
| University of Aberdeen Scotland and
| DR.. John A. Rice The latter has also
,ectured at the Mother Chautauqua in
| New York.
7, since DR.. Rice is in Alabama it is OF
| hot he mi n
! Alabama conferred upon him his second
degree of L. l.. D.. the same honor hav-
/ ing been bestowed previously by his alma
mater, the University of South Carolina.
| However, all this string of degrees, as
(! long as ones arm, D. d. and L. l.. d.
and Phi. D. do not camouflage the great
| warm heart of Dr. John A. Rice. educa-
tor. reformer. lecturer. who is first of all
pastor the shepherd of flock to
whom he ministers in love.
! The programme for today at the School
! Of Methods follows
| 3:3o-Praver
s:35 to 4:10-Psychology. w. r. Bourne.
4:so to 5-Methods beginners. Miss Col
SON. imary. Miss Kennedy: Junior. Miss
Bailey girls work. Miss Binford adult
i work. Howard Colweli.
4 $40 to-G-Bible, DR.. Robert Simpson.
| 6:10 to 6.55-Lessons: Beginner graded,
Miss Coison; primary graded, Miss Ken
nedy; Junior graded. Miss Bailey; inter-
mediate graded. Miss Bose; senior graded.
DIR. Simpson; uniform. DR.. j. E. billiard
/ 6;5-Supper.
! Worship
| 7:45 to S:25-Beginner. Miss Colson; pri-
mary, Miss Kennedy: junior Miss Bal. ,y;
girls work, Miss Binford; boys work.
w. r. Bourne.
| 7:45 to s:25-Young peoples work. DR..
c. B. Williams; adult work, Howard Col
WELL executive work, A.. l.. Aderton.
| S;30-Recognition.
$40 to 9:25-Dr John A. Rice