Omaha daily bee., 1891-01-18
METHODIST WOMEN.

Inc lnulcatlOnS are That women Will
have representation in the next general
conference of the Methodist Episcopal
church, which is to be held in Omaha in
1882. Full returns of the vote of the
churches on the question Of admitting
women to the supreme legislative body
have not yet been made public, but
about three-fifths of the districts have
made their returns, and these give 1866
S2S votes in favor of the proposition to
admit women and ,674 against. 1t is
believed that later returns will not re-
verse this verdict or materially affect
its proportions, so that it is
doubtless safe to say that one
of the most important issues under dis
cussion in one of the greatest religious
bodies in the world is decided so far as
the laity is concerned. This, however,
is not final. 1t yet remains for the an
nual conferences and the general con-
ference to give the final decision, and in
order to make complete the victory of
the movement in favor Of feminine rep
resentation in the general conference it
is necessary that three-fourths of the
ministers who are to vote this year shall
vote in favor and two-thirds of the men,
bers OF the general conference.
But these requirements do not
cause apprehension to the advo-
Gates of the innovation, who argue
that as the ministry, prior to the con-
ference of 1872, respected the vote of the
laity in 1869. So it may reasonably be
expected that the ministry voting in
1891 will show respect to the vote OF the
laity in 1890. 1t is suggested, however,
that it would be no compliment to the
laity of the church for the general con-
ference to ask its views on
question so important and then to
have that expression overridden and de-
feated by an adverse vote of the minis
try, while it is not to be expected that
those who did not choose to vote at
all are to have their votes
sition to the decision of those who
obeyed the summons of the general con-
ference and cast their votes upon the
question. 1t would therefore be a mat
ter of astonishment If the ministry
| should fail to ratify the vote of the laity.
| Yet as a matter OF fact there has been
very pronounced hostility among the
ministry to admitting women to repre-
| sentation in the general conference.
Until the year 1872 the general con-
| ference Of the Methodist Episcopal
church was composed entirely of min
| listers. The agitation for lay represen-
tation was continued for number of
| years, and was finally successful in 1871,
| laymen having been first admitted
| to the conference in the following year.
| Subsequently women were elected as re-
servo delegates and prior to the general
| conference Of 1888 as regular delegates,
but after long and animated discussion
in the conference they were rejected,
the ministerial vote being against them
by q small majority. Then it was re-
solved to submit the question of the ad-
mission of women to a vote of the entire
adult membership of the church, and
this was done last October and Novem-
Der with the result already stated. 1t
was urged in favorof the proposition that
women by their Intelligence, their deyo-
tion to the church, and their interest in
its institutions aud operations, We're en-
titled to recognition in its chief legisla-
tive body, and that the spirit of Method
ism in recognizing the rights of women
in the church demanded this measure.
The opposition was on the ground that
the measure was against precedent,
against the teachings of scripture, and
was likely to lead TO woman suffrage in
the state and TO the ordination of women
as preachers Fhe large majority in
favor of the proposition will be accepted
as substantial evidence of the progress
of more liberal views respecting the
ri ghts of women, at least in the churches.
Women are greatly in the ma
| iority In the Methodist Epis-
copal church, it being estimated that
they comprise at least two-thirds of the
membership, and they are also the most
vital force in Methodism, as in other de-
nominations. 1t must be confessed that
the churches would have but a feeble
life without their faith and devotion,
their earnest labor and untlagging zeal,
The church being thus so greatly de-
pendent ON them for its welfare and sue
cess, it would seem TO be not only n mat
ter of justice but OF sound policy to
admit them as counsellors in the highest