The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-22
DEMAND OF WOMEN
ST|RS METHOOISM
Eminent Men Say That Plea
Should Not be Ignored.
GREAT DEBT TO WOMEN
v0cate Says That Woman's Work
In the Church Has Accom-
plished Great Good.

New York, February 21.-(Special. 1.-The
demand of the 9o0. 900 women in the Meth
odist church, which reaches to California
and north to Colorado, for an equal voice
with the men in the counsels of the
church is viewed with lively interest by
the ministry and membership of the great
Methodist body in the northern states
1.-The general conference of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church. south, will do wise
" to give the women what they ask
the Rev. DR.. II. K. Carroll, secretary of
the Ecumenical conference. said today.
"Our own general conference placed wom-
en- practically on a level with men in the
matter of voting 16 years ago, and only
good has resulted. Women not only vote
for delegates to the general conference
but are eligible themselves to serve in
that capacity They are not eligible 10
the annual conferences. however, for
the simple reason that those conferences
are composed exclusively of clergymen.
They are represented IN the quarterly
conferences by various officials of their
own sex, such as Epworth league, the
Ladies Aid society and Others"
would women preachers be eligible for
membership in the annual conferences?"
Yes" Dr. Carroll replied, 'ff we mad
women ordained to the ministry they
would be on par with all other ministers
in our body. But l don't think we are
likely to carry the equality of the sexes
as far as to ordan women. ! don't know
as any earnest move in that direction
would meet any strenuous opposition. on
my part, but the idea does not strike me
as favorable. | do not believe. however.
that women have as much right as men
to help shape the policies of the church
and to have their say as to how the funds
they assist in catering shall be expended.
1t is just as well for them to have, as
they have now. their own special organ
izations. They can make them more ef
ficient by maintaining them than bl merg
ing them with any other features in the
UNCONVENTIONAL machinery. But it was
only fair, inasmuch as those organiza-
tions have been from the start under he
control and one might say at the mercy
of the general conference. to give TO
women their full share of representation
in that body. That, l take 1t. is all that |
the Methodist women of the south are
asking of their general conference"
James r. JOY, one of the editors of
the Christian Advocate. the Methodist
organ here. when asked whether he |
equality of the sexes in suffrage on church |
affairs had been beneficial or not said |
ut would be difficult to say whether
women have done any more by their votes |
than they might have done by their in |
fuence alone without the votes. The |
church owes a great debt TO It's women and |
my opinion Is that no harm can come. from
their having a voice in its counsels. But
now that they have their right to share in
the honors and duties of the men they do
no. seem to care so much about 1t. Few
women are elected as delegates to the
general conference and Ii is largely be-
cause few care for the honor
Incidentally inquiry was made as to the
status OF women in other great religious
denominations in regard TO participation
in church councils.
Rev DR.. Charles L. Thompson, of he
Presbyterian board of home missions.
said: I'm the Presbyterian church every
member has a vote on all matters sub
mitted to the laity and women are on an
equal footing with men,"
In the Congregational and Baptist de-
nominations the churches are each In
dependent of each other and acknowledge
no centralized authority The sexes are
on a voting equality in a majority OF
these churches. This is true also of the
Methodist Protestant the Unitarian and
the Universalist denominations. All three
of these admit women to ordination as
ministers and preachers.
There is no hard and fast rule about
women voting with the laity in the Protes-
tant Episcopal church. In general they |
have not received this privilege but there |
are some doceses where they are per-
mitted to vote for delegates to conven-
tons.