Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28
WOMEN AND THE CHURCH

WOMEN AND THE CHURCH
alspaich from Chicago states that
among the changes IN the new constitu-
tlon Of the Methodist Episcopal church
which has been finally approved by a
tbree.fourths vote Of the various con-
ferenccs throughout the country Is a
proylslon which gives women, chosen
ns delegates. the right to sit in that ca
paclty In the general conference Of the
church. Hereafter II win only require
a two.thrds vote Of that conference TO
amend the constitution. It has hereto.
fore required tbree-fourths
The admission OF women delegates IS
a radical departure from the rigid rule
Of the past, which excluded them from
the deliberations Of the conference. 1t
has taken many years and great
many votes at conferences 10 bring
about this change 1t met with deter
mined opposition from a sufficient NUM-
Der to defeat It, and this was the means
Of preventing other changes In the
constitution Of that church which Were
contemplated, but being associated with
the amendment concerning women dele
gates, met with the same fate,
This concession Is mark Of the
progress Of the present age in reference
to women The reluctance to permit
In Methodist church councils, direct
representation from at least one half Of
IFS members, was not sign OF that
Christian llberality Of sentiment enter
tQIned in the early Christian church
and which has prevailed IN the latter
day Church Of Christ from the begin
ming Laymen as well as ministers all
members Of both sexes, young and old
have bad an equal vote in this Church
az all It's general conferences from the
day Of It's organization Unity has
usually marked the action Of those con-
ferences, and contrary votes to the
propositions presented have been very
rare. This, however, has not been be-
cause Of any denial Of the right to dis
sent, but the manimlty and harmony
exhibited. have been the result Of the
accord Of spirit prevailing in the body
Of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Lat
ter-day Saints.
The Apostle Paul, touching on the
question Of the rights Of women in the
Church made some remarks which
have been much misunderstood by peo-
pie In modern times In an epistle to
the Corinthians, he advised
Let your women keep silent In the
churches for II is not permitted unto
them to speak But they are command
ed to be under obedience, as also saith
the law. And Il they will learn any
thing, let them ask their husbands at
home for 1t is a shame for women to
speak In the church.
The customs Of the times in which
Paul wrote and Of the country to which
his objection applied, were such that
the women who made themselves prom
inent in public, by speech and by APP
parel were Of the class known as
courtezans The Apostle. therefore, adj
monished the Saints, not only in this
tpistle but in one to Timothy, that
women should be plain in their apparel
and not put themselves forward in such
manner as to be viewed in an i'm
proper light but to be modest in raj
ment and appearance and In speech.
and TO keep silence In the churches so
far as teaching was concerned, But it
is also evident from other writings OF
the same authority that women as
Wen as men bore testimony in the con-
glegations Of the Saints 70 the divine
mission Of Jesus Christ prophesied
spoke in tongues. interpreted, and adj
mlnlsiered to their own sex.
The great difficulty with the various
denominations in modern Chrlstendom
IN dealing with questions Of doctrine or
Of discipline, is that they have to de.
pend upon the constructions when they
put upon the writings Of deceased
Prophets and Apostles, given to the
people Of God hundreds Of years ago
They lack the authority held by those
former ministers OF the Most High. and
the revealing spirit by which they were
Inspired. Therefore, they do not know
how to adapt to present conditions and
requirements, teachings impaired in