New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-05

was general curiosity in ell parts Of the house to
vec and hear him. he is short In stature put STOUT
and compact in figure, and when ne SPOKE IN GEAR,
weIicut tones his voice was heard distinctly IN all
r.r+s 81 the Orora House. There fully . hundred
speakers II was said yesterday, who dssirc to SPEAK
ON the woman question: and 1t was hardly possible
70 reach a vote on it before Monday afternoon or
Tuesday.
ono Of tho speakers who opposed TO the admis-
son of the women suggested that they should be heard
49, "a. C,,,fcrence and II IS expected that motion to
that ecct Will DO presented before tho dobate Is closed
others who arc expected TO speak for the women
are General Clinton r. Fisk, the Rev. pr. cfcshson
and judge Lacey, of the Wyoming conference. war
pcr Miller Is said TO favor the amepdmeht ana many
of the lay delegates reported yesterday TO DO
willing to admit the women delegates who have been
.laerea "a this Conference II the question OF future
women delegates is left to the Annual Coniorenoes
DR. LEONARD BEGINS THE SPEAKING
After q prayer By tho Rev. Dr.. H j. Leohart ana
singing led BY Dr. McCaoe, Bishop foss annoul.ou
that the regular order of the day would now be taken
nm Or Hunter presented resolution INTENDED 10
restr,ct the debate on the woman question: and
provfiing that the discussion should ciosc at noon.
This was laid on the table The first man lucky
enough to be recognized by the Bishop was the heV.
DR. A. b. Leonard, of Ohio, who in his speech showed
Ill the aggressive propcnsties which are peculiarly
characteristics in church IS well as national pohlo''
politics ,...
DR. Leonard opened his remarks with the statement
that he had received six anonymous letters. nc
had nothing startling or sensational to present 70 inc
Conference Hence he did not speak under any iear OF
removal should no prove such obstruction as Ut.
Buekey had been lie continued with direct attack
on Dr. Buckley, saying that tho person VINO wfo'o .ho
letter TO the must DO erasihed 10 know .hss
the obstruction had been removed and the hsh' VI m
candle thoroughly queDched By Dr. Hughey' OF d.
Louis lie was interrupted py appiau'o,
and the Bishop onco more called attention to the TACT
that the rules forbade IT,
DIR BUCKLEY's POSITION REVIEWED..
DIR. Leonard continued his review Of DR.. Buckiey'
quoting from Of his editorials In The Christian ho-
rooatcn on the admission and reniarlng that
Tho Doctor was often clearer his writing than In his
,ueakng He com pared this editorial with the opinion
advanced on the samo subject by the Bishops in their
address to the Conference There was he added some
thing subtle in the Episcopal Address. when II stated
that definition Of lsymen would settle the question
Of the eligibility of He next referred TO a
point iu Dr. Qucal's address. He quoted Dr. ouea as
having said that he " as member of tho first committee
appointed to consider the admission OF men as lsymen
and that tho word male" had been added to that COM
the bjli This Dr. Leonard said was interpreted
Admission In favor OF the woniens side OF the question
This brought pr ouea to his feet to ask the privilege
Of making an explanation II was gr91ted and BE said
that pr Leonard had him ae ,s sa
of that nrs committee 1865 and thought al the time
that 1t defeat the Of tho report for the
admission Of laymen but was sfterward Informed ana
stated in ry address that 1t simply represehveu =
principle Of tho Church. Dr. Lconards Interpretation Is
bis
Dr. Leonard-I leave Dr. ouears statement with you
NY own Interpretation OF his words was that he meant
hat the rider being placed I'm the report gave the women
the right OF laymeh There are many on THIS
moor to-day who would have been in this body ct all
hed they received the votes OF the women In the Lay
Electoral Conference surprised at some OF the subtle
nsnuations the Episcopacy this point II we are
10 be consisten. excluding women now, we must go
back and up the foundation Of lay delegation laid In
ises The plan OF the present lay delegation was not
submitted 10 annual conferences The plan was mace
n every jot and title by the General Conference without
thy reference the annual conferences at ALL
DEFENDING THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
Dr. Mlcy whose slow and deliberate manner OF
tpcech strongly contrased with the style OF his I'M
mediate predecessor made light of many Of the argu-
tnents of the opponents of the committees report
harscterrng SOHO Of their differences and conclusions
Is prepostcrous and absurd
DR.. J. X. Day. OF Newburg said that rs rceosmhcd
he adaptabity OF women for an ver-widenng series
N occupations but he believed that the hour was not
ret for the admission of women to the law-maklng
body of the Methodist Church. because the great mass
the Church had not yet voted upon tho qyssnGn
10 quoted previous speakers among then sS; Mneee f
he Conference which passed the law creating lay geie
cs that the tern would ever ~ Tosd pop 10 the same
question, In the same Conference OF 1S72 lie sal9 no
Insw that in every court of the land law Is inter
preted by its obvious intent III, ,,
that Ss rs and tie Of Of to IN
bis Conference argued from the definition OF snge
hanging Srd snSe Is A' to osnd
philosophy upon any liked sst 81 b Terms efteepth
the s Words sre Already Obsolete ie Yet upon
expectation of single word We propose to ehect INC
Sssory Of Chrstensom' He advised the delegates to
smenbcr that thoy only very small part OF the
'1 On ;brs or four more General Conferences,
Again said he If you admit women to TINS p9dy
ben, of whom there not now too many IN propo5
ION to the elergymon is wo have no, enG on
want TO lose of them The change would Weates
e force OK lay 0auahIe prsctcs cspcri
NICE as have 81 think thew should be an added
bce asupplanting one We need to 90 SLOW, snu
hould discuss this matter in our annual or SSnl we
fave a tremendous business now on hand ana we
hould not be rushed by sentimentahS 10 suen nasty
PLEADING FOR THE WOMEN.
General Hurst Of Ohio presented the case OF the
tomen in sn exceedingly able and witty way. de
xoke from q text--this passage from the psciphhe'
THE General Conference holds that in all matters
pnnected with the election Of Law delegates py inc
tord layman shall be understood all members OF the
bureh not members Of the General Conference He
ourd in this an absolutely legal proof Of the eligi'
nlity Of the women. and wtiy pictured tho progress
Ives who met each new demand for the women WIN
be assertion that It illegal All such objections,
ily reading the passage which he quoted; .,,
General Hurst applsuded at one point ana snlS
hised reiterated request from the Bshop 20 reirsn
rom hand clapping. IL was against the rules SAID
suppose II is Impossible to control the muscles
tho diapbrsgm 10 prevent laughter but the muscles
the arms and hands can be easily controlled Tho
General proceeded to saw
What is the logic OF the Episcopal Address, and the
tcunents favor Of this protestf IL iesds IN
gtaby conclusion that the action OF THIS ody IN
gro ves constitutional, and that every General Con-
,renoe since 1872 has illegal and unconstitu
lonsI body With all reverence be IL said, tho EplS
opacy DO not interpret the law for US or for the Ohufe
mis- is Supreme Court Of the Methoas' Shureh' anu
b decisions are absolute and unQuestioned "
THE CHURCH STILL HAS CONSTITUTION.
Professor j. Little, Of Syracuse University INTRO
need himself as Z" the old brother who believes that
he Methodist Church still has constitution tooA eA
sp,iou TO DR. Floods remark that the women are