New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-04
AFRAID OF THE WOMEN.
METHoDIsTs HAVE A LIVELY DEBATE.
MANY MINISTER'S WANTED A SECRET BALLOT.
BUT THE COURAGEOUS ONES CAR

BOI The COUHAGEOUS ONES OAh-
RIED THE DAY.
The Rev. E. Lewis led the devotional exercises open
ing the fourth days session OF the New-York Con-
ference in the First Methodist Episcopal Church In
Yonkers yesterday. After Bishop Fitzgerald had called
the meeting to order the following resolutions were
offered by the Rev. DIR. C. C. McCabe:
Resolved That hereby request the presiding elders
and pastors to Withhold their consent to the sale OF any
church parsonage property Until the approval Vi ~
conference can be obtained.
Resolved That the New-York Conference request the
next General Conference to enact forbdding the sale
Of church parsonage property without the consent Oh he
annual conference within whose bounds may d. suaeu
These resolutions were passed unanimously Tho
Rev. Dr. James NJ King president OF the New-forh
Conference Historical Society, reported the action OF
tho committee appointed to confer with committees
from the New-York East and Newark Conferences
concerning the organization of the General Methodist
Historical Society to take the place Of the present
Conference historical societies. The Joint committee
recommended the appointment by the Conferences OF
five representatives from each Conference to organize
the society. The report was approved The board
OF managers OF the Historical Society then Of
fered resolutions requesting the Conference to
accept the proposition OF the JOINT committee
and to appoint the officers of the present Historical
Society representatives Of the conference held for the
purpose Of organizing the new society. These resou-
tons were adopted
The Rev. Elon Foster offered a resolution asking
that when the question of the advisabity Of admitting
to the Electoral and General Conferences should
to be voted on the vote should be taken by
ballot. This the match in the powder keg. The
Rev. Dr. j. r. Day proposed as a substitute for Mr..
Fosters resolution that the vote should be taken by
"yeas and nays"
This proposition reused the Rev. Charles A.
Howells who said he did not think man should be
asked to cast his ballot openly. II man should
vote against the admission Of women to the Con-
ferences and should happen to be sent to charge
which was in favor of it and which knew he was
against it the women would make his life BURDEN
declared Mr. Howells There were murmurs of dis
sent This stirred up the brother still more. Yes,
they would" he Numbered. zone irate wo-
man in congregation is more than the
Angel Gabriel can stand.o LOW cries OF Oh OH"
from the crowd of women in the gallery and in the
back Of the church.)
The Rev. Jonas B. Cross said This question is
the most important that has come up for years. 1t
is necessary to know the position Of the men who are
to represent us in the General Conference Therefore
will vote for DR.. Days substitute"
The excitement over the question as to how tho
vote should be taken already so great that at
the end Of every speech half dozen men would spring
up clamorng to be heard. The Rev. Dr. Day got the
floor and said: 81 think the conference has right
to know how the members vote. il man hasn't the
courage 10 vote NO openly, pity ~ 'AAib
said "when State law has Just been passed secur-
ing a secret ballot it is a poor time for Methodist
Conference to declare that man shall cast an open
ballot In a recent Conference in Troy such rule
was passed, and know that several young men were
led through fear Of the consequences to vote an OPP
position to their convictions"
Chaulan McCabe said: {" / never thought the women
would turn against me. Qaughtcr) Tribune re-
porter called on me one evening and asked me for my
oninion on the question OF the admission of Women.
I told them I was much opposed to it, This went all
over the country of Soon after heard that
a woman in Western charge had said after learning
nv position on the subject: when Chaplain McCaoc
comes here for money again don't give him dollar
ANY one can recognize the sex OF that logic. laugh
teri This shows what may happen in small districts
II a mans position on the subject is known
The Rev. Charles H. McAnney favored the secret
ballot He thought it was wrong, however, to act as
though the women they had to face were Bengal tigers
After short speech by DIR. Day his substitute was
voted upon and was carried by vote of 125 to 3d. The
substitute was then adopted. Ten minutes was the
limit allowed each speaker for debate
The Rev. william Nick. Darwood made the first
speech. He in favor of admitting women. Ills
reasons for this he sad were because men and women
were one in obedience to the law because in the early
ages women had been prominent in the Church. be-
canse he did not believe the Apostles Instituted any
narticnlar form of church government; because he
tboppht that st. Paul said what he did about women
in the church because of the Eastern feeling about
women: because they have now no voice III the gov
ernment of the Church. He asked the Conference Ill
the name of million women and in the name OF
Christianity, to give the women chance.
The Rev. Charles Gorse said: 81 am Tor the
women. d. Buckley seems to intimate that
woman should sit in the until her husband tells
her TO open her mouth. QaughterD "Can you say
that thew undermine or njure the Church! Why they
raise most of your salaries. Q.aughtef) The OBJ
lection is raised that some of the women, II adj
mitted would probably come to be the heads. What
harm IL they do? hope they will put woman In as
Editor of THE Christian Advocate, in rlace OF Dr.
Buckley next year" GIaughter)
DIR. Crooks said "The admission of women Will
change the whole order and government of the Church
70 we admit women to the Conferences they will be
eligible for ordination ministers and bishops When
e vote for this we must vote with minds made up
for total revolution in the structure OF the Church.
We should take long time before deciding on this
momentous question" AppaUSe) aco,rst tbs adm,s.
sion of Women He said that the Divine Economst
drew very pronounced line between the SEXES:
sneech against the question lie had been led to take
his stand on the subject he said largely through tno
opposition TO the movement displayed by the women
IN his congregation In the election on the question
In his church only one woman voted dor IL; Ihe
The Conference adjourned after making the debate
on the question the order of the day for to-day al
Presiding Elder Coons reported that the Rev f. x;
Grcgs had left the denomination and nad entered inc
EnisconaI Cburch The Rev. J. Wheat had gone over
no the Congregatonasts. The anniversary OF ue
Woman's Home Missionary Society was heid III the
afternoon.
REFUSING TO RECEIVE WOMEN DELEGATES
After Bishop FOss had called the New-lorK East
Conference OF the Methodist Episcopal Church 10 ooer
at Patchoue, L. l., yesterday morning. the Rev. d.
NJ Adams presiding elder of the Brooklyn district.
made his report. DR.. Adams reported year OF
great prosperity. Many new churches had been
dedicated and some now in process OF erection
when the name of Professor W. W. Martin was
called the Bishop announced that, owing to his reia
ton 10 the Vanderbilt University at Nashville Ienn''
as professor of theology. Mr. Martin deemed Dest -
asn.,,v himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church,
Sor,h and his withdrawal accepted with much