The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-06
FAIR SExS CHURCH FIGHT.
DEBATE ON WOMEN As LAY DELE
GATES NOT ENDED.

The General Conference to Resume
the Discussion on Recommending
This MOrning-Rev. DIR. Buckley
Asserts That the Admission of
Women VIII Disgrace the Confer
ence-Rights of Lay Delegates Re-
ferred 10 "A Committee.
Cleveland, O.. May Sat the opening of
business at the Methodist conference to-
day a contest between the lay and minis
terial delegates arose over the appoint
ment of a committee TO consider the rights
of the lay delegates. dozen motions
and amendments were offered and a num-
Der of sharp speeches were made. 1t was
finally decided to appoint a committee
consisting Of one lay and one ministerial
delegate from each conference district to
consider the position of the lay dele
gates.
At 10 o'clock the debate on the woman
question was resumed. Daniel Steven
son, president of Union College, Ken
lucky, spoke for the admission of women.
He said: THE time has gone by when
anybody shall be excluded from church
offices on account of race, color or sex.
The Rev. DIR. Neely of Philadelphia, who
is leading the fight against the women,
wolves chivalry or popular demand. There
is-not a man in this house who IS under
instructions. We are simply Jurors, ana
no church or conference has the right 70
instruct us. Men and women are one IN
Christ Jesus but they are not one IN the
general conference. You cannot ordhln
women. 1t is part of the Melhodlst
constitution that the governing power Is
with the men,"
John +. Copies of Portland, Ore, said;
Il came from land where the grand wo-
ma .nf 10 RnnTrh
so much for MethOdism that every time
we men think of il we take of our hats.
He told of the great work OF tne Plon-
eer women of the Pacific slope ana the
great church they had built. Not one
church bell would ring to-day" he said,
ION the Pacific coast, If it were not for
the great sacrifices of the daughters or
the Methodist church" Mr.. Copies was
applauded and Bishop Andrews vainly
tried to stop it.
James Harlan of Iowa, ex-United States
senator and member of congress, and OF
LincOln's cabinet, said: Minis ters and
laymen constitute the membership of this
body. The whole question turns on the
question: Who are the laymenH The gem
eral conference has decided that laymen
are all those who are not members of the
annual conferences. Women are not
members Of the annual conferences. Now,
by what right or what Interpretation Of
the law Of the church do you intend to
keep women out. The word 1aymen'
means non-prOfessiCnal, and in the Meth
odist church IL means all members except
those who are professional.
The Rev. DR.. Buckley of New York said:
The only time the conference has ever
undertaken TO do so violent an act as it
now proposes to do, was before the war
when it bisected the church. That act
has been condemned to-day by the lead
ing MethUdists. IL you admit these women
in the interests of peace 1t viii be the
peace of despair 1t will disgrace the
conference and stir up men to do as they
please. Pause, brethren, before you COM
nit this awful mistake"
President Harris of the East Maine con-
ference, James +. Chaffee Of Minneapo-
lis, J. r. Day of New York, Rev. DR.. EN-
ory Miller of Des Moines, Judge II. r.
Brill of Minneapolis, and others, for and
against the admission of women.
The Rev. DR.. Jacob Rothweiler of the
Central German conference said: Il am
looked upon as the representative Of the
Germans We, as a people, do not believe
in sentiment, and we think it neither
right nor constitutional to admit women
charged that we Germans defeated the
women in the annual conference. If we
have, 1 am proud of it, l rejoice in it;
because we have saved the lay dele
gate. If we adopt the majority report, 1t
will demoralize the church"
The Rev. DR.. Charles Stafford of Iowa
moved that a vote be taken on the ques-
ton tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock.
Rev. H. l.. Graw of st. Louis wanted
more time.
Rev Stafford's motion, ordering the pre-
Vious question. was laid on the table.
The conference adjourned until $3.50
o'clock tomorrow morning, when the de-
bate on the woman question will be re-
sumeQ