Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-27
I'D GO TO rnn CONFERENCES.
The Question Whether Women Are lay.
men" I'm .hc Methodist Char~h.

The Question Whether Women Are LAY
men'' In she Methodist Church.
The woman qsestion got into the Methodist
Episcopal conference at Omaha yesterday after
noon. Tho Judiciary committee reported that
the word ''iaymen" in the discipline did not
mean both sexes. hut that il had reference to
men only. The committee did not mesn to take
the ground that the women shoald not be adj
mit'ed. but simply that the meaning Of he
word ''laymen, IA il wss placed in the disci-
PINE wears ago. did not iEclade women.
DIR. ID. II. Moore. the woman's champion, got
the hoor and offered a substitute. declaring
that the plan Of the lay delegation Was not .
constitutional question, bat it might be do
cided by the action OF the general conference.
and therefore that the general conference
might decide the righ; 10 admit women TO the
general Conference without n constitutional
charge, He held further that the word lay
men did mean women well es men. The
term might have been app,.ed only 20 men at
the time the words were adopted, but by all
justice and right the term Ought to be applied
to both men and women.
DIR. Kynett did not agree with the report. Ne
held that the word ''iaymen" meant both women
and men.
DIR. Hamilton offered substitute providing
that the animal conferences should vote upon
the proposition to make the word ''laymen'
mean men only, and in case the proposition wss
not carried by a two-thirds vote then the word
taymen should thereafter mean 10th men and
women This was great hit. II was received
with hearty applause.
DIR. j. NJ Buckley made a vigorous speech
going to show that the word ''laymcn" never
had meant women. He wanted the women
to come In legally IL they came in at all. Drs.
Hamilton and Moore. be said. were TRYING 70
get the women into the conference by trick
III this EFFORT succeeded il would place u stain
upon the record OF the men who presented such
scheme and would lie a Questionable right
granted to the women. There vas great APP
plause at the close Of his speech. mingled with
cries of NO. no. b. the friends OF the womea.
DIR. Field OF Phi.adelphla held that the ad
mission of women would drive the young mer
and bows out OF the church He pleaded 70,
tine young men, be said. by urging the confer
| ence and all the women OF the church not Il
| insist upon admitting women.
Dr. Bristol Was opposed TO the scheme pro
posed By DIR. Hamilton. He held that the
| women shoaid rot come in by jugglery. Les
them come in By vote Of the annual confer
ences or not at all This he said. Was tbs
| only way by which the women could come into
| the general conference in a constitutional
manner. motion wac made to iay DR. Ham
hton's amendment on the table. II Was mo-
| tabled.
DIR Hamiton's amendment provides that the
word 'laymen' as applied TO lay delegates
must mean male delegates. and in case this in
| depreciation Of the word is not sustained by
two thirds vote of the annual conferences and
| three-foarths vote Of ;he general conference
then the word ''lgymen" shau mean boti
women and men, ard Will. of course, admit thu
women as lay delegates.
DIR. Hamilton amendment was adopted b,
! 4 vote of 2St to la. The result was tumultu
ousl? applaEded.
The question was divided. DR.. Noore's part
Of the paper was laid on the table. DR.. Hamil
tons substitute was then adopted by a vote 81
24i 70 100, to take the place of all other part,
Of the paper and be submitted to the annua
conferences. The victory Vas greeted by lone
burst of applause.