Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-08
IGNORED THE OVERTURE.
Action of the NJ. p. Conference on the
Woman Question.

Action OF the NJ p. Conference on the
Woman Question.
The interest Of the Methodist Protestant con-
ference at Laurel, Del, yesterday centered in
directly In the question of the eligibility Of
women to elders orders and to election as dele
gates to the general conference. but directly
to the validity Of the action of the
last general conference in admitting female
delegates, and the propriety OF the submission
by the general conference of the overtures in
regard to the same. specifically declaring that a
woman could be admitted to elders orders and
be elected as a delegate to the general confer
ence.
The burden Of the speeches was as to the ac-
ton itself of the last general conference in the
matter. IN view of the fact that the present law
OF the church had, in the past. all along been
interpreted as being opposed TO the woman $
side OF the question. Thus in the final vote il
was impossible to form a conclusion as TO the
actual position of the conference on the sub
ject.
This side OF the question was brought out bv
the introduction by Rev. DIR. :. b. Souther-
land ard Mr.. c. r. Button Of the following
resolution:
Resolved. That the Maryland annual confer
ence does hereby refuse to vote on the aforesaid
overture.
ID. T.,
urged that the matter should not be acted upon
until the annual conference immediately pre-
ccdIng the next general conference, which is
three years off.
Rev. DIR. J. ID. Murray. q member Of the re-
cent general conference. claimed that the
method adopted by that body in thus attempt
ing TO secure action by the annual conferences
on the question was one of indirection.
Rev. W. N. Strayer. also member of the
general conference, was in favor of action by
the conference and showed that he was an ar
dent advocate of the woman side Of the
question.
Rev. DIR. T. H. Lewis president Of the West
ern Maryland College. commended that vote
for or against the overture in question must be
n either event q vote against ones conviction.
For every one acknowledged the law of the
church and its interpretations. at least up
to the last general conference, had
been against the ordaining of q woman as an
elder or right OF representation in conferences.
Now. believing this. the pro-woman OF anti
woman person who votes on the overture must
thereby acknowledge that the whole past course
of the church has been inconsistent and directly
contrary to its own law Of management. and
the church at large would be put into an un-
natural and unhistorical position.
Rev. J. ]. Murray spoke.in favor Of the reso-
buttons. at the same time discussing the posi-
ton OF the church on the subject and arguing
against any change being contrary to the
Bible.
Rev. DR.. ]. L. Stpaughn closed the debate.
arguing against the resolutions, claiming that
it would be an unheard-of reflection upon the
general conference. He then moved to lay the
resolution on the table, but it was defeated By
vote Of II to AZ.
The resolution was then adopted. The over
lures making the presidents of Christian En-
deavor societies members of the quarterly con-
ferences and allowing each society in the cir.
cult to elect its own steward were adopted