The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-10
ELOQUENT PLEAS
MADE BY WOMEN.
Committee Hears Arguments as
to Question Of Granting
Laymcns Rights.
VANDERBILT MATTER UP
Conference sustains Report Con
corning Change in Church
Discipline.
VANDERBILT MATTER UP
fspeclal to The Times Dispatch

Especial to The Times Dispatch.l
Asheville. n. c., May BIT is not
Impossible that had the conference OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
heard the eloquent pleas made before
the committee on revisals this even
Ing. the women would, have won their
plea for laymen's rightsa
The committee had announced that
1t would heard arguments for and
against the memorials that have been
pouring in The chairman of the onl-
nlittee, DR.. r. w. Anderson. OF the
Texas Conference, asked If the women
had any plans to offer for the hearing.
In answer, Mrs Macdonald, secretary
of the board of foreign missions, step
ped forward and announced that Mrs.
Luke Johnson would open for the petit
TONERS. Mrs. Johnson hade stirring
plea for the women. She declared that
for centuries women had been gaining
their rights, and that It remained for
the church TO beithe one institute that
stood in. the way. I'VE do not ask for
OFFICE or position she said. "All we
ask Is a larger place in the service
of God
What is the matter with US? Why
cannot we have what we ask? Is II
because we are women, because we are
your wives, your mothers, your sis
tors, your loved ones. Does all this
make us unworthy to stand By your
side, and discuss the great questions
OF our church,"
Mrs. Johnson was followed by Miss
Head. prominent in the Women's For
eign Mission Society. who declared that
IN many places women were serving
as stewards illegally, because there
We're no men competent to do the work
and that the church was putting these
women in the position of church law
breakers She asked that il for only
this one reason the church make SUCH
work legal.
Miss Belle Bennett, president of the
Womens Home Mission Society. closed
Tor the petitioners.
the committee then went into exec
utive session. Its findings Will be re-
ported TO the conference later.
busy Day for Conference.
The busiest day the General Con-
ference has spent in this session so
far was to-day. and the action taken
regarding the substitute offered to the
report OF the committee on revisals
VIII go down In history as an agita
ton which is the forerunner or RAD
zeal change in the government OF the
church regarding the election of stew
ards in the pastoral charges. Bishop
Henry c. Morrison presided.
The report OF the committee on re-
visals was presented by Rev w. A.
Christian, OF the Virginia Conference,
secretary of the committee. The re-
FORT recommended non-concurrence in
the memorial, requesting change in
the discipline so as TO provide for the
election of the stewards by the church
conference instead of by the quarterly
conference as at present.
Frank Richardson. of the Holston
conference. Immediately offered a
substitute to the report, recommending
that upon the nomination of the pas
tor, the church conference elect the
stewards. DR.. Richardson argued that
the relation between the membership
of the church TO the government of
the church is nov too remote. and that
IL involves the old question of taxa.
ton without representation.
Rev. C. Fl. Briggs. D. D., opposed the
substitute, and said IL the church
changed its law in this respect. to a
more representative form. he was in
favor of going the whole length. and
changing all OF it.
Among the prominent laymen who
favored the substitute We're ". b.
Stubs and George Thrornburg. The
present method OF electng stewards.
Mr. Stubs said, was on basis that
was lacking In confidence on the part
of the ministers for the laymen, and
he pleaded for more confidence here
Mr.. Thornburk said there is no effort
being made to array ministers and
laymen against each other in the sub
stitute, but simply desire to a trans
fer of confidence.
Rev. j. z. Anderson and DR.. Chris
tian spoke in support Of the report III
the committee. both arguing that nc
more important subject will come be-
fore the conference than this. DR..
Christian said that the law now IL
force had been tried for years. and had
not been found wanting, and that he
was in favor of applying the scripture
in this case. which says: Hold fast
that which is sood."
The argument was lengthy and ami
mated and when the vote was taker
the report of the committee was sus-
tanned.
Japanese Ministers introduced.
Three prominent Japanese ministers
were ntroduced-Bishop y. Honda
Rev NJ Fori and Rev. Y. Tamaka. Mr.
eslio orr is fraternal messenger to this
conference from Japan, While Mr.
Honda Is bishop of United MethodlsH
in japan.
Report No of the :ommittee or
appeals was submitted. in which Ihi
appeal of Rev c. w. Cow, OF the Mis-
souri, Conference. was renl@nded tc
the conference for new trial.
Vanderbilt Matter Discussed.
This afternoon in an open meeting
CT the committee on education The
Vanderbilt matter was thoroughly rep.
resented by Bishop E. r. Hendrix ant
Chancellor James III. kirkland in sup.
port fthe present relation of the uni.
versity to the church and Ct the rela-
tion Of the bishops to the board III
trust.
Bishop L. Il. Hoss spoke on thu
other side, and his counsel, T. N, Bggs
also spoke briefly on the subject. I'll,
question was not discussed by tn,
rur1rrltee, the discussion and decision
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