The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-24
ord during the present quadrennium. by a
majority of almost three-fourths on the op-
pOsite side.
THE WOMAN QUESTION.

III NOMAN QOEollONs
Another proposition which the ministers
in their annual conferences have failed to
indorse is that which looked towaH the
admission of women into this governing
body. 1t was virtually decided by the last
General Conference that the question of
woman's eligibility was q constitutional
one. and that the movement to admit her
must 60 through the regular constitutional
course. This required. as in the other
case cited. a three-fourths majority of
the ministers voting in the nnual confer
ences, and q two-thirds majority of the
delegates to the General Conference. How
the body last named will vote remains to
be seen. but the proposition is already de-
feated for the present. 1t has secured q
majority but no a sufficiently large MAORI
ty to make it a law, the vote beng. 5,6O2 In
The vote of the lsity on this suject-which
counts. however. only as an expression of
o~pinion-was: For, 235. Cos; against, 163. S43.
Both of these questions will engage the
attention of the brethren 1T the conference
about to convene. So far as legislation Is
concerned, they will be the most interest
ing topics that body will consider. 1t is
not possible that the laymen will be any
better satisfied with a minority representa-
ton than they were four years ago: nor is
1t conceivable that woman lovely WON.
an" will rest content under her
ban of exclusion. At tho last General
Conference the woman question was
under debate for about six days. 1t was a
hard nut TO crack. and the orators on both
sides brought all their strength to bear In
the effort to extract a satisfactory kernel.
After all, however the question is still IN
settled. and IL Is not in the least unlikely
that we shall hear over again IN the COM
ana con which were threshed out in the
last. and shall witness also. in the effort
to have women seated on an equal footing
with men, the same scenes of ever.memor-
able excitement.
DEMANDS OF THE LAYMEN.
As to the admission in larger numbers of
the laynen, this is opposed strenuOusly by
many of the ministers. not so much be-
cause they object to the principle involved.
as from the fact-to state the case broadly
that they are human, and do not. there
fore. like the idea of taking tho bread out
of their own mouths. TO send lay dele
gates TO General Conference in equal pro-
portion with the clergy woulo mean that
finally a smaller number of the clergy
could enjoy this honor; for to make tho
conference two-thirds larger than il is. or
even one-third larger. with the two orders
sitting together, and with the sessions con-
tinuing through a whole month, is q pros
pect not to be thought Of for a moment.
osoioiJ &colubiOn- may OO AOoSuCu ny
providing that the laity and clergy shall
deliberate separately in different buildings.
Meanwhile, IL is proposed TO relieve the
situation at the gathering about to con-
vene by seating the two orders on Oppo-
site sides of the house. Heretofore. the
laity and ministry have been mixed up. and
the point has we'll been made that such an
arrangement tends to keep the laymen in
the backgrounds: that they not only can
not muster as many votes as the clergy,
but that. as the case stands. they have
less chanc than their more numerous and
more valuable brethren TO secure the priv
ileges OF the floor. What will be dOne in
this matter we shall know shortly. But it
goes without the saying that having TO adj
Just so many matters OF dellcacy. with the
woman question still on its hands and the
struggle for equal rights between clergy
and laity clamOring for settlement-to say
nothing of the many high officials il will
have TO elect. and the many changes of
Discipline IL Will be asked 10 make-thls
conference will have plenty to do. and will
attract to itself q large share of public at
tentiOn. II. T.