The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-06
RIGHTS OF LAY DELEGATES
still The All Absorbing Question Before th
Northern Methodist Conference.
SPEECHES FOR And AGAINST WOMEN.
The Opponents of the Proposal to adinh
Them Say They Must Act as a jury
High Tributes To the Daughters
of the Methodist Church.

CLEVELAND. o., May Sat the open
ms Of business Of the Methodist Con
ference to-day a contest between the Ia,
and ministerial delegates arose over ih'
appointment Of a committee % consoles
the Fights OF the lay delegates \ dozer
motions and amendments were offered
and number OF sharp speeches were
made. IL was finally decided to appoint
a committee. consisting Of one lay and
one ministerial delegate from each con
ference district to consider ,ne position %
the lay delegates.
At 10 o'clock the debate ON the women
question was resumed. Daniel Stevens.
president Of Union College Ky, spoke
for the admission OF the women. lie
said:
THE time has gone by when anybody
shall be excluded from church offices on
account OF race. color. or sex.
SIMPLY JURORS.
The Rev. Or. Neeley. OF Philadelphia,
who is leading the fight against the wo-
men. said:
This question is not one that involves
chiyalry or popular demand There Is
not a man In this house who Is under In
sructons. We are simply Jurors. and nc
church or conference has the right To
Instruct us. Men ana women are one m
Christ Jesus, but they nre not In tha
General Conference. You can't ordain
wonien II is part OF the Methodist
constitution that the governing power l.
with the men,"
John +. Copies. of Portland. ore, said:
= came from a land where the sEahn
women of tho Methodist Church nave
done so much for Methodism That every
time we men think of H. We take OH our
hats"
ne told of the great work Of the pio-
neer women of the Pacific slope. ard the
great church they had built Not one
church bell would ring to-day, he salu,
"on the Pacific coast II II were not io'
the great sacrifices of the daughters OF
the Methodist Church.
Mr.. Coples was applauded, and blshop
Andrews yainiy ,ried TO stop IT,
lanes Harlan, of Iowa, ex-united
States senator ana member oi Lincoln
Cabinet. said.
"Ministers and laymen constitute the
membership OF this body. The whoie
question turns on the question, VINO are
the laymeng The General Conference
has decided that iaymen are al those
who are not members OF the Annual Con-
ferences.
Women are not members of the an
nual conferences. Now. by what risht or
what Interpretation OF the law Of the
church do YOU intend TO keep women out?
The word laymen' means non-protession-
al. and in the Methodist church II means
all members except those who are pso-
fessional."
The Rev. Or. Buckley. Of New York:
THE only time the conference has
ever undertaken 10 DO SO violent an act
as it now proposes 10 do was before the
war. when il bisected the church. That
act has been condemned to-day by the
leading MethOdlsts. II you admit these
women in the interests Of peace it Will
BE- the peace of despair. IL will disgrace
the conference and stir up men TO do as
they please. Pause. brethren, before you
commit this awful mistake"
OTHER SPEAKERS.
Other warm speeches we're made by
President Harris of the East Maine Con
ference: James H. Chaffee, Of Minneapo-
lis: j. r. Day OF New York; Rev. Dr.
Emery Miller. Of Des Moines. judge II.
r. Brill OF Minnesota. and others for
and against the admission OF women.
The Rev. Dr. Jacob Eothweler. OF the
Central German Conference, said:
Il am looked upon as the representa-
tive OF the Germans, We. rs a people. do
not believe In sentiment. and We think IL
neither right nor constitutional to admit
women 10 the general conferences. IL
has been charged that we Germans defeat
ed the women i'm the annual conferences.
II we have / an proud OF it-I rejoice in
it, because We have saved the lay dele
gates. II We adopt the majority report
you will demoraize the church,
The Rev. Or. Charles +. Stafford, OF
Iowa, moved that a vote be taken on the
question at 10 4. NJ. tomorrow.
Rev. II. l.. Graw Of St. Louis. wanted
more time.
Rev. Staffords motion ordering the pre-
yiOus question was laid on the table.
The conference adjourned until $50 A.
VI tomorrow. when the debate on the
woman question will be resumed.
y