The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-05-09
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE
Still Discussing the Admission or Exclusio
of Women as Delegates.

Still Discussing the Admission or Exclusion
of Women as Delegates.
NEW YORK, May 4-The general conference
of the methodist episcopal church, Bishop C.
D. Foss of indianapolis presiding, to-day re-
sumed the debate the report of the COM
mittee on the eligibility of women delegates.
The Rev. A. B. Leonard of the Cincinnati con-
ference opened, favoring the admission of
women. He made strong address, replying
to many points made by previous speakers
The Rev. John Wiley of the New York con-
ference, president of the Drew theological
seminary then spoke against the admission of
women. He was followed by the Rev. j. Il.
Day of the New York conference in similar
strain. Gen. ). III. Hurst, dairy and food COM
missioner of Ohio was the first layman TO
speak, and he made an eloquent appeal for the
women delegates. Prof. &. j. Little OF SYRIA
cuse favored their admission also.
The Rev. F. b. Nealy of Philadelphia said
he was in favor of submitting the question TO
the annual conferences. He offered the fol-
lowing amendment to the report OF the COM
mittee:
But since there is great interest in this question,
and since the church generally should be consulted
IN regard TO such Important matter, therefore,
Resolved That we submit to the annual confer
ences the proposition to amend the second restrictive
rule by adding the words 'Rnd said delegates may be
men or women" that II will read Nor of more
than two lay delegates for annual conference, and
said delegates may be men or women"
The amendment was seconded by DIR. Paxson,
and will be voted on at the close of the debate.
L. NJ. Shaw of Des Moines argued that women
are eligible. He urged that they should be
seated at the present general conference and
the question Of their eligibility be submitted to
the annual conferences afterward. Alden
Speare of New England spoke in favor of Dr.
Nealy's amendment, and Louis r. Fiske of
Detroit president of Albion College, opposed
il. Gov. u. &. Lounsberry of Connecticut
moved that a vote be taken on the amendment
on Monday at II o'clock. The motion was ruled
out of order. DR.; Buckley, who seconded it,
got the floor. There were objections on the
ground that he had already spoken TO the ques-
ton. He said he had not spoken 10 the amend
ment, and was permitted by the chair TO pro-
coed. Then numberless points Of order were
raised with the object OF shutting DR.. Buckley
of. The effort was successful as before he
could get opportunity TO speak the hour of
adjournment for the day arrived
NEW YORK, May 3.-Bishop +. G. Andrews
presided at this mornings session of the meth
odist conference. The Rev. q. s. Dearborn
read from the scriptures, and Chaplain McCabe
led the singing. The order of the day was the
discussion of the report of the committee upon
the eligibility of women as lay delegates to the
conference. The committee yesterday reported
against their admission. The Rev. DIR. Pendle-
ton of Kansas was the first TO gain the floor
lie moved that the women whose seats are con-
tested be given seats on the floor during the
debate. To this the Rev DIR. Nicely of Phia-
delphia objected. The Rev. G. +. Creighton
of Nebraska spoke in favor OF the motion.
After considerable discussion the motion was
lost. When the vote was being taken Mrs
Mary G. Mind of Minnesota, president OF the
wOmans foreign missionary society, stood up
to vote. Objection was made and her vote was
not counted.
The Rev. Dr. ]. H. Potts editor of the
Michigan AdUOedte, who is deaf, was given per-
mission to open the debae. He advocated the
admission of women as delegates. lie wanted
to plead for the right over might. There was
no decision rs to whether 'lay delegates"
meant men only. More than two-thirds of the
members OF the church are women. Without
women one-half the churches would cease to
exist. Women cannot be left out without harm
to the church. The Rev. William Brush, of
Dakota and the Rev. Il. +. Flood, editor of
the Chdtaaquan, spoke in the same line. The
Rev. J. III. Buckley, editor of the Christian id
UOcdte, spoke against the admission of women.
The Rev. j. A. 3. Wilson, of Wilmington, Del.
then spoke in favor of the women delegates and
was followed by the Rev. Dr. Wheeler, of Erie,
and the Rev. Luke {. Queal, who spoke against
and the Rev. j. b. Hamilton, Of Boston, who
spoke for the women. A recess was then taken
and further discussion of the subject went over
till tomorrow.
The afternoon session was held in the Wash.
ington Square methodist episcopal church.
The whole afternoon was spent in the appoint
ment of the standing committees and their or
ganizatioh.
NEW YORK, May 7.-Bishop Ninae presided
at to-day's session of the methodist epis-
copal general conference, and the Rev. j. Nj.
johnson, of the Norway conference, conducted
the opening religious services. 1t was resolved
to suspend the rules and continue the debate
on the admission of women as lay delegates.
FoTty-one delegates at once sprang 10 their feet
and claimed the floor. The Rev. III. H. Moore,
of the Erie conference, was recognized. lie
spoke in favor of admitting women. The Rev.
j. T. Edwards, of the Detroit conference and
editor of the Northeastern AdU0cdte, opposed
their admission at the present time and fav-
ored the submission OF the question to a vote of
the church.
Judge S. N. Taylor lay delegate from the ST.
Louis conference, got the floor He walked
down the aisle with number of law books
under his arm. He proceeded to argue on the
question on constitutional grounds. 1t would
do much harm, he said, to admit women at the
present time. There were bishops to be elected
and other important matters to be voted on,
and if women were admitted and allowed TO
vote, and it should subsequently be decided
that women were not entitled to Seats the acts
of the present general conference would be
illegal and unconstitutional He quoted law TO
sustain his point and said that rather than
have the women admitted now unconstltution-
ally he would pay all their expenses and do all
that he could to save the body from error. He
is in favor of the admission Of women, he said
but he wanted the question submitted to vote
of the church and TO have their seats given to
them on legal grounds.
The Rev. DIR. j. III. Bayliss OF the Cincinnati
conference argued that If the general confer
ence had power to construe the constitution IN