The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-06
THE WOMAN QUESTION
Stirs Up the Methodist Confer
ence Very Briskly.
MINISTER'S FULL OF EloQvENce
Lay DELEGATES Discuss Extea-
naaa Of Paaeorato.
MINISTER'S FULL OF ELoovENcs

Cleveland, May k-The fourth dAy's
session OF the Methodist conference saw
that great religious body still unorgan-
lied for the transaction OF business The
debate on the eligibility Of women dele
gates occupied the entire day, and. 50
far as the speakers are concerned, there
is no evidence OF . desire to bring thA
discussion TO q close. Some OF the lay
men are anxious to terminate the ecn-
test. and II Is said that q motion vii be
offered tomorrow to close the debate II
L o'clock II that IL done ii Il probable
that . vote win be reached stomox1oW
Or the drst thing Thursday morning.
No sooner had Bishop Andrews called
the conference 20 order this morning than
c. W. Bennett. OF Cincinnati. presented .
resolution providing for the appointment
OF special committee to pass on all COM
municasions from IAymen. This commit
tee was to consist OF one minister and
one layman from each district. After q
good deal Of debate. In which Rev. DR..
shier. of Detroit. expressed regret that
any feeling existed between the clergy and
laify. the resolution was adopted.
The woman question was then precipi-
tated by President Daniel Stevenson, OF
Union college. KY. who criticised the ac-
ton OF the bishops In deciding against
women In lsSS. Rev. G. Nicely led the light
against the women He held the propo-
n ]
was true the Bible said men and women
are one In Christ. but 1t was not so in the
general conference. He held that In the
church the status Of women Is Different
from that OF men. The question, he said. II
. constitutional one. and no one Is to be adj
United unless specifically mentioned. The
delegates were thoroughly aroused, and
feeling ran high Judge Caples OF Oregon;
Senator Harlan. DIR. Buckley, OF New
IA 40 Ia N
James Chaffee. of Minneapolis: Rev. DR..
J. w. Hamilton. DR.. j. X. Day, DIR. Emery
Miller. of Iowa. and several other men
prominent in the councils OF the church
spoke upon the question. When the hour
Tor adjournment arrived the conference
discontinued debate till tomorrow morning.
The lay delegates met at S o'clock and
heard reports from their committee OF fif-
teen appointed to consider the question OF
extending the term OF pastorate. One re-
port. signed by Gen. Risuling, of New Jer-
sey, recommended that In exceptional cases
ministers might be continued In their pas
toratas Indefinitely. A second opposed the
change in the rule regarding the time limit,
giving as a reason that very often minis
tiers remained too long in churches. and an
amendment was offered by a delegate pro-
viding for an extension Of time by a three
fourths vote OF all the adult members Of
80 N'@N@A - NeoAsSiiy whit ciCcS oHu
the Recommendation of majority OF pre-
siding elders Of the district. Both OF the
reports and amendments were tabled. A
resolution recommending that the period
OF probation be changed from six months
TO three months was also tabled.
A Delaware man asked for the adoption
OF resolution requiring the conference 10
shut on debate on the woman question at
noon Wednesday giving as his reason that
m
an opportunity to show their oratorical
ability" The meeting considered that this
would be discourteous. and refused to con-
slider IL.