The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-21

There was held Thursday at the tlrsl
 Methodist church of this city, mos'
 important meeting in connection wi.h the Methodist Centenary campaign. this
 meeting bringing together for confer ence the presiding elders and number
 of representative laymen of the North
 Alabama conference.
 The presiding elders present were Rev.
 w. B. Hope, Albertville; Rev. G. E'
 Boyd, Ensley; Rev. Robert Echols, BIT
 mingham; Rev. W. E. Morris. Decatur
 Rev J. B. Cumming, Florence; Rev. 5.
 L. Dobbs, Gadsden; Rev. w. E. Guthrie
 Haleyville; Rev. G. T. Harris, Jasper
 Rev. I-~F Hawkins, Roanoke; Rev. k.
 w. Anderson, Sylacauga; Rev. J. R. Tur-
 ner, Talladega; Rev. w. E. Fauch, Tus-
 caloosa. The laymen present who are district campaign directors were: MT. Il.
 G. Stokes, Ensley; Judge J. F. koonce'
 Florence; MT. w. B. Nixon, Hackleburg;
 MT. George c. Douville, Dadeville; MT
 w. F. Enslinger, Huntsville. Other lay
 men present who are district leaders
 were: Mr. l.. J. Mcconnell, Talladega,
 MT. J. R. Burton, Jasper. There wers in attendance also the following minis LerS ana lay men WHO nave OlllCtoi iS's~ tions to the centenary campaign: Rev. w.. G. Cram, missionary secretary, Nash vile, Tenn; Rev. R. M. Archibald and Rev. Foster K. Gamble, conference mis- sionary secretaries; MT. William Il. Stockham of Birmingham, conference campaign director; Rev. George R. Stu- art, chairman of spiritual resources com mittee: Rev. P. B. Wells, chairman or publicity committed; MT. J. H. Wilson I. II S. Chadwick. conference Sunday school
 field secretary; MT. w. S. Parks, field director for north Alabama and Ala bama conferences; Rev. R. E. Tyler and Rev. w. c. Echols of the Epworth league board Mrs. M. P. Henderson of the Wom- ans Missionary society. The chairman of the meeting was MT. William Il. Stockham, well known Birmingham pusl- ness man. who is director of the centen' ary conference and who is giving much of his time to this service to which ms church called him. Rev. Foster K. Gam bles served as secretary of the conference. This meeting in Birmingham Is one of a number to be held throughout the territory of the Southern Methoois' church, one for each annual conference. The entire church Is enlisted In the great est enterprise ever undertaken by Me thodism, the movement being launcheo | this wear because ISlJ IIiftiho ehS S.NN~ | of the first hundred years since the Ms I sionary society of the Methodist church 1 in America was organized. It is to be | a centenary celebration. not to glorify the achievements of the past hundred years, but to provide for more aggressive "orh
 at home and in foreign lands.
 | The Methodist Episcopal church, south alone is to raise $35 900 during period I of five years this money to be used III | + nd n lands. Methodists of the north and ol Canada are in similar campaigns and the | total to be raised is more than $l2o.- l coo. .OO0 No movement in Methodist circles | has aroused such interest as this, IL DC
 ing by far the largest task ever under- taken. In the programme of the Soutn ern Methodist church $5,000,000 is to DC used in reconstruction work in Europe serving the peoples of the countries Una l have been devastated by war
 1 Three bishops of the church, Bisnol w R. Lambreth Bishop James Atkins
 and Bishop James Cameron are now 1T 1 Europe. studying the field and deter 1 mining where the church can best serve l In strengthening its other work Tn th'
 home field and in it's various foreigr missions the sum of $25.OO0O0O IS to p' used. The present income of the churcf 1 for such work is now on the basis o
 BIO 900 for five years, hence $35.OOoU 1 for the five-year period means tre | mendous gain.
 The bigness of the task is making ap peal to the membership of the Methods Episcopal church. south and the organiza tion for the campaign Is being extended to reach every local congregation.
 The meeting of yesterday was to plal especially for the "eight-day drive which comes April ? to May 4. Mucl
 work has already been done in the hold ing of meetings in every district in th north Alabama conference. Then tn ] cfurcl ha nrn,,idad for Nrrai men