The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-13
WOMAN IN THE CHURCH.
Shall She Be Admitted to the General
Conference Is the Question.

| WOMAN IN THE CHURCH.
Shall She Be Admitted to the General
Conference Is the Question.
Editor IVomdn's Column, Morning Call:
Shall women be admitted to General Confer
ence or not? is the present live question of
Methodism. Church law, as interpreted,
says not; so the ms are wisely comforting
with the outs. Woman has been the shut
tlecock OF tho ages, but few things are
settled in regard to her. First, she has 4
soul, ard that secures her church member
ship. Woman started coequal with man, for
the tite-deed gives 'them domluion." but
through sin, humanity went down, and she
was robbed of her soul as to-day in China
and India; but great church council,
about 600 a. ID. restored that soul, though
the learned opposition declared that as
woman cannot properly be called homo
IMAM, she cannot properly be said TO have a
soul" The radicals carried. however,
though explaining that "her soul is ueces-
sarily of an inferior quality" A womau'5
was also lost in the general wreckage of
good, but when young miss takes prize
for best scholarship, When Phlippia Faw-
cett takes the mathematical triDoS at Cam
bridge, England, standing 400 M arks
above the senior wrangler," Bennett, and
the grand fellow is
GLAD OF IT,
Because, he says, " she deserves it,; when
Helen Reed captures the classical prize at
Harvard from sixteen men, and she nothing
but all annex, the world is about ready to
concede to woman an intellect. And what
issthe General Conference? Wesley says,
1t is Tor the purpose of conversing on the
affairs OF the societies aud the result of our
consultations We set down to he the rule of
future practice. Now women are members
nf ha iatR.
to discuss the interests of the societies, and
justice demands that General Conference
either admit women or give some reason,
not prejudice, for excluding them. We hear
much OF the inherent rights of soul and in-
telIect, OF responsibility for their usp. Int
inherent rights OF soul involve Inherent
rights of body, and freedom granted 10 tha
Immortal part Of woman implies freedom he
the Hesn III when that immortal part is in
carnated. Laymen have no true represen-
tation If they may not select the Intellect
preferred irrespective of its casket. Frances
h. Wizards bUdy could alone convey the
soul and inteliec: of a certain Rock River
delegate 10 say the members of the
church shall share its councils, shall select
delegates" aud then to say that they shall
select from only one-third their number, is
to take away tw0-thirds
THEIR FREEDOM.
General conference is tile flagship of the
Methodist fleet; as it leads, Methodism fol-
lOMSS IL spikes OE DOlntS Tue CuuTC0 guns
Its flag signals peace or war; the great ar
mazda sails by its direction to its selected har-
Dor. 1t is the exponent of the church, the
spirituality therein generated, is subject to
its control, is applied to good or evil, at its
discretion. 1t fixes rules and regulations
for all. and II its delegates are worthy it will
Improve women to be of the number; if not
it is dangerous for women who are alike
concerned TO be helpless in their power.
This term "laymen'" is peculiar. The
church is composed Of clergy and lay
men,. w omen are in the church, formally
admitted. but the clergy declare them not of
their order. SO If they are not laymen what
are they? Ii they are laymen even secular
law says that there should be no discrimina-
tlnn among members of the same order.
When delegates are chosen women are lay
men; when the delegate chosen is a woman
they are not laymen. We may well inquire
with the forlUrn woman Ill Mother Goose,
.. - Lawks massy, | am not |, who am ?"
The rules say the term he, his and him
shall not be construed to exclude women
from being class leaders," etc., and does
not say how they shall be construed else
where. Why not conStrue them in the inter-
csts of Justice? When
THE FUNDAMENTAL LAW
Says nothing about women, and two classes
are named, as in our State Constitution,
WHY class woman with the idi t and not
with the freeman? Higher law demands
that human law be interpreted, whether
secular or ecclesiastical, by the fundamental
law-the golden rule. Chief Justice Mar
shall said, silence and blank paper never
took rights from any one; yet every right
that woman Possesses has been challenged
because OF silence and blank paper" The
Whole question Is a bubble in the interests
Of injustice. Such is the way of the W Orld
"a wrong inherited is cherished becau Sc it
Is oId; but the Church should seek what is
right. what is Christllke. But says the
conservative, there is no sanction" Are
we sure there Is sanction for the NJ Il.
Church at all? Wesley lived and died in
the Church of Z gland. The encyclopedia
says: They regarded their society as a
great home mission, and neither Wesley nor
his followers desired TO make themselves a
sect-a new church-but they considered
themselves part OF the national church.
In fact they held much the relation To the
Established Church that the Salvation Army
does to-day. II also says, The American
MethUdists, like Wesley, regarded them
selves as members OF the Episcopal Church,
Bnt .he revolution came; it was impossible
to remain allied to
THE ENGLISH CHURCH,
so Wesley, who was a Presbyter in the
Church OF England, ordained Coke as its
nrst BlshOp-ali unsanctioned, except by
common sense. Wesley left a deed OF dec
laratlon as direction to his societies. 1t
provides Tor no lay delegates, so the breth-
rem inherit no sanction TO 20 in General
conference or to be climbing the fence into
the annual. Wesley made his sanction,
men made theirS-why not women? Men
asked for lay delegates on the ground that
authority springs from services Lord COe-
riuge says, There are no rights without
corresponding duties" therefore no duties
without rights, for rights and duties are cor
relative. Ii members have church duties
they must be founded on the right (Which is
SIMPLY Self-power) to meet that duty, and
Wherever service is demanded each normal
brain should help decide what the duties
are and how they shall be met. No rights,
no duties. That is the key to the Bastile in
winch human rights languish. Those who
are ignored are certainly n OF responsible for
matters OF church or State, and the Bishops
ala well IN their Episcopal address of 'SS TO
commence Dearly beloved BRETHREN" for
IL is all OF the brethren. Methodist women
owe duty in proportion to their meager
rights. Their cheerful service is mostly a
gratuity given of grace aud favor.
SARAH NJ. SEvERAScE.