The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-09-28
Women In the Church.

Rev. Or. A. NJ. Courtenay, at meet
ing of Methodist ministersin Baltimore
recently, said:
The advocates of the admission OF
women as legally elected delegates
rest their case mainly on four propo-
sltions. These are, first, natural right:
second. proprIety of the recognition Oh
80 considerable majority Of our mem
bership; third. scriptural permission,
and fourth. capability. hold as to the
first and second pleas that they are IN
valid, and as to the third and fourth
that they are proved by good evil
dence. and are essential, but are not
sufficient for verdict IN their favor.
One thing more is requisite for the es-
Enlistment of their case, namely, the
promotion Of the welfare of the church
through this change in our economy
To this conclusion, THAT the equaliza-
ton in privilege of our laity without
discrimination Of sex would be wise
policy. assent. We know the Scrip
lures speak on this subject, and are
summoned to testify confidently against
this innovation. But let us not
be swayed by the mere citation OF
this witness, to whom all must
bow. for it has often been called to
the stand by a desperate conservatism,
whose instinct 1t is to worship the past.
even when its opinions are dead and
deserve only to be decently buried.
Liberalism the curse of exegesis, would
establish beyond any fear of assault
| from fair logic any of the errors which
Christianity has OutgrOwn and flung
aside as the TOYS of his childhood. The
rights of women to religion were never
| denied, eithsr for the daughters OF
Abraham or the worshipers of Jeve.
Finding. after athOrough investigation.
no prohibition in Scripture, we advance
step. 1t is not enough to assert what
all concede, high degree OF
zeal. of moral worth and of cultivated
| intelligence among the women of ouI
church, or of special ability to some
elect ladies', but she is not man s equal
on the average, in qualifications for Ju-
dicial or legislative functions. Mental
and moral differences of sex are mon
strOusly over-estimated. | judge them
to be no other in kind or degree between
the typical man and woman than be
tween some and others Of the same sex
The highest members of each, which
stand nearest the goal of development
are most nearly approximate.
What is proposed as to our genera
conference avail only for the exceptiona
women, who is not to be judged supe
rior to the ordinary women, but eacl
as to fidelity in her own sphere. Phoebe
the deacon. has her place as well a.
| Eunice, the mother. There is a multi
tude of what | call the 'exceptiona
| women those who are not absorbed
by the household, who manifest capac
ity and who profess a call. and presen
the old credentials OF gift, grace an(
usefulness TO spheres Of enGeayor, othe
than that, but never wOrthier, noble
than that of the home. The eligibility
of women as an essential part of TIM
laity to place in the general confer
ence and her presence there will,
believe, enhance the power OF tn
| Church. but there is no urgenc,
Of need. The Church is in II,
crisis. It's delay would cause no dis
aster. and the gain from it would no
be sudden, startling, obvious at
glance. 1t would come, not as spas
modic revolution, but through slow anC
steady evolution. The General Confer
ence would not be delayed by flood o
femininity. The discretion of the mall
maiorities in all electoral conference
may be trusted to hold woman in SAT-
subsection. 1t will be long before any
but a very few women of the most SIG
nal distinction will pass the crowded
portals.
The proposed action would cure al
incongr Iity of our economy. We hav'
given women suffrage in the Church
She votes on constitutional amend
ments, the highest function of the cit
zen. We have given her Office. She !:
a class leader. steward, supern;eD. an
land delegate to the electoral confer
jence. She has honored herself and III
IChurch in these positions. What II
there so surprisingly sacred in the Gen
eral Conference that bids her pause a
its threshold? Is it the saDct'sm sane
forum of our temple whose veil M
woman's hand may lift! Is il
because it is the lawmaking body
the fountain of authority? But
llS EnltI luuNllOh 10 W uNNiS'
regulations within specific restrictions
of constitutional law, and this is sub
united TO a peoples vote, in which
woman now has place. This Is really
law making and one who may do this
should not be prevented from doing
any or all the lesser things contained
within 1t. We cannot stand still in {
capricious objection to the la't logica
result of what has gone before. W.
must, for consistency, go either back
ward or forward. Woman may eithel
enter the General Conference. or sh'
may not enter either quarterly or ell &C
toral conferences. She should not vote
with the laity at all, or go the whole
way with it through our courts.
Big Churches.
"a l..