The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-25
Women and MethOdism,

The announcement several days ago
that what is known in Methodism as
the Hamilton amendment. which au-
thorized the admission of women as
delegates to the general conference,
had been carried was premature. The
situation, both past and present, with
reference to this interesting subject is
clearly outlined by the Altoona Trib-
une, which after pointing out that a
proposition to amend the constitution
of the Methodist church must receive
the support of three -fourths of the
travelling ministers of the church pres
ent and voting. as we'll as two-thirds
majority of the general conference,
adds:
"The discipline of the church does not
distinguish between sexes, but there is
an explanatory note which says that
wherever the word Iayman' occurs it
shall be taken to mean both men and
women. A layman, within the mean
ing of the law. is anybody connected
with the church who Is not bishop,
or a travelling preacher in good stand
ing in his conference. It would seem
from this that men and women are on
an equality in the Methodist Episcopal
church. And this idea is strengthened
by the fact that a woman may be a
steward, class leader or Sunday
school superintendent, and thus a
member Of the quarterly conference,
which quadrennially elects delegates to
the lay electoral conference. which, in
turn, elects the lay delegates to the
general conference.
Acting upon this theory, and be-
lieving that the women of the church.
who do the greater part Of its work and
are the prime instruments Of it's pros
perity, should be represented in the
law-making body, several lay electoral
conferences in 1883 elected women rep
respntatfvGs. fire opposition to thetr
admission was led by DR.. ]. M. Buck
ley, then, as now, editor Of the New
York Christian Advocate, and the bish-
ops, assuming an authority which they
did not possess under the law, ex-
cluded the women from the seats to
which they were chosen, until after the
conference had been organized. After
wards this action Of the bishops was
confirmed by slender majority and
the women were not admitted.
During the next quadrennium con-
troversy waxed warm over this ques-
ton, proposition authorizing the ad-
mission of either men or women as lay
delegates having been sent down to
the annual conferences. The laymen
were also given an opportunity to ex-
press their sentiments. When the gen.
eral conference met in Omaha in May,
1892, it was discovered that while a
majority of its members were favorable
to the admission of women, and while
the proposition admitting them had
received a large majority of the lay
vote, 1t had not received three-fourths
Of the ministerial vote and was, there
fore. defeated. There has always been
an opinion among the friends of equal
ity that the bishops and the general
conference Of 1888 had erred, and that
women were entitled to membership
without additional legislation, because
they are laymen. The fact that the ju-
dietary committee at Omaha submitted
a report reaffirming their non-eligibil-
ity, did not change the opinion of their
friends.
Accordingly proposed amendment.
known as the Hamilton amendment,
and providing that men only shall be
eligible to membership in the general
conference, was sent down to the an
nual conferences for action. The lay
men were also to be given the privilege
Of voting upon the proposition in Mo-
vsnber. 1924. No sooner had the gem