New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-29
SHALL WOMEN BE ADMITTEDi
ANur FOR THE CONFERENCE TO CRACK.
VIEWS or Prominent METHODIST EPISCOPAL
AUrHo Try uN THE srBJECT.


AUrHo Try oN THE srBJEcT.
NJ u,ns nxc,tspoent has been caused by the cleo
ton by a number Of tho annual conferences Oh inc
Methodist Epi, opal Oh ,rch, OF women as lay anu TO
serve lay delegates TO the Cenerai conference Vi 'nN
denomination which opens on Tuesday inc 0enerai
Conference VIII discuss and settle the question whotner
tho womcs are entitled TO take their seats Tho ques
uon &c Of grave Importance as 1t Is ono OF consttu
t,onal and legal right and of gsllsntry. The
women were mostly elected by the western annu"
conferences Amog them are Mrs. Angeiine #. NOW
man who was elected lay delegate by the Nebraska
Conference and Miss Frances F. Willard The president
~ tho Womon's National Christian Temperance Union
who was elected lay delegate BY tho Rock RIVER
ILL.,, Conference.
Mrs Newman IS a relative By marriage Of Bishop
Warren She has been working against Mormonlsm
for several years and Is strongly opposed 10 the al
mission of Utah as while II is controlled BY tho
Normon authorities 1t mainly due 70 her efforts
that Congress passed the providing $4,000 for tho
erection Of tho Ant.Mormon Home for Women 10 eac
Lake City. Mrs. Mary r. Lathrop, the president OF
the Michigan state Union Of the womon's CHRISTIAN
Temperance Union Is one OF the reservelay delegates
sected by the Michigan Conference Mrs. Llzhle u
Van Dyke IS one of the lay delegates Of the Pisourg
Penn, Conference. Mrs Mary c. Mind Is lay deo'
gate and Mrs Harriet A. Hobert q reserve rom sho
Minnesota Conference. ....-. -, -
There are two women reserve lay delegates rom
the North Nebraska Conference Mrs. Hcnneua
Hodsefts and Mrs Rose S. Harding The Southern
Illinois Conference has elected as its reserve lay oeio
gates Mrs. salo NJ. Logan and Mrs saio l. Noe'"oS.
Mrs Charlotte E Fisher is reserve lay oelesSo VI
the Colorado Conference. Mrs Hartsough, tno WHO
of a prominent member of the Dakota conference 10
~ f3r reserve Law delegates Of that body. Other
reserves arc Mrs Jennie r. Preston. from the Detroit
Conference; Mrs. Minerva f. Roberts, rom tho NO
braska Conference; Mrs. Clarissa NJ Ceavclsnd from
the Illinois Conference, and Mrs Lucinda s. Coleman
from the Wisconsin Conference Tho Rev. Dr. James
who is tho Professor Of Exegetlcal Theology In the
Drew Theological Seminary, at Madison N j. is rec
ognzed as one Of the best authorities upon the law OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church
PROFESSOR STRoNG'S POSITION.
MY position is that the law now stands SAID
Professor Strong to o TRIBUNE reporter women can
not become members Of the General Conference.
First-Because the discipline. which contains
both constitution and the statutes OF the ethoeist
Episcopal Church, docs not authorize It, The worus
aynan' ana lay delegate do not, either, according
10 general special usage include women There Is
no explicit exclusion of women from the other oinces
created and spoken Of in the discipline but there is no
pretence that that account women are eligible 10
the law IS equally opon General Conference itself
has decided that women arc not ciigeie no pOst 40
membership In the highest ecceslasuca poay can oe
assumed nom "a. mere o SS9SrS gy.n oil the Ia"
Second The whole history Of Methodist lesslst is
on sn a GSsSt adm Women no have cve
yet sat as members of that body. When the law was
no SpS ever that %Sm So
debate ON ON the the oor tho l0 cpnesnco Itself
such idea publicly and without dissent ds
NO women can become clerical members. and BY
all parity Of reasoning no women car become Ia!
and practically acted upon. The General Conference
itself has ms 1I me bs
iaypon include women as eligible to certain l9T
impiyng their exclusion from all Others
SOME STRONG OBJECTIONS.
"Third-Yet even ~ General Conference ITSELF ha
not tn, power Without precise change OF the law
TO admit women, II elected, to their body; Il
nay define the terms and qoalifca
tions of subordinate bodies which its creatures
or accessories, but not Of its own membership such
course would subversve Of all constitutional right ir
any legal body and especially of tho General Con
ference body the original source OF lower
II is only a delegate body representing the ministry
membership at large duly elected according to con
stitutiona right aud under special RESTRICTION rules
resembling in this respect tho Congress OF the Unlte
States ~ 81. :. . .. g.. ,ou,,o..,+ :,
decide between the claims OF two rival candidates Il
scat when tho facts in the case are In dis pnte pu
usage and inyariabc precedent in any Individual IN
stance, much less to pronounce ex cathedra genera
Interpretation OF the law on any constitutional ques
The Supreme Court in the one case and the bod,
alone 40 this. There is regular method provided Il
the Discipline by which, II thought best; women can b
admitted; but rot otherwise. II 1t be at
tsmpted by any Other process, (sna
judgment. wordllngs would tern it. tn
attempt WILL and ught TO be resisted as an invasion
of constitutional rights usurpation and revolution
ANY measure or ecc caused by tho votes of women
II admitted under the present law, will DO nuu ant
VOID. and all the official acts and consequences re
sutne from such illegal vote VIII be liable to be SO
aside by an Injunction, which any member OF IN
church win have the legal right to sue out In CIV
court restraining such action.
Tie advocates OF forcing through the measure, Of
the strength of the present law, warned OF such
dangerous and amentable possbIlity-rather proba
blity. On the general merits of the question, name
w. of the proprlety and advisabity OF so changln
the law as TO allow the election OF women this
not the time 10 say anything. Their ihmcaiats az
mission Is now demanded in certain quarters an
must be at once discussed and disposed Of The Ger
eral Conference, presume Will do this camy' Wise
ly and we'll"