The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-20
After Long Discussion
Methodist Conference
Rejects Memorial.
SEVEN BISHOPS
ARE ORDAINED
Able Speech Delivered by Miss
Belle Bennett in Pleading for
Rights Of Women-Layrnen
Also Receive Adverse Leg
islation - Impressive
Service.
Especial to The Times. es.Dispatch.l

Especial to The Times .Dispatch.1 A
Asheville. n. c.. May ls.-For the
first time in the history of the Cen
eraI Conference o. the Methodist Epis-
copal Church. Ssuth, a woman was al
lowed TO speak upon the floor. BY
unanimous consent Miss Belle Ben
nett. secretary of the Woman's Home
Mission Society. was invited To address
the delegates on the right Of women
to sit in councils of the church, and
for equal rights with the laity.
The memorial from the womans
Home Mission Society requesting that
the rights of the laity be granted to
the women of the church was defeated
by vote of "a to 13s.
There were several speeches on both
sides OF the question The majority
report Of the committee on reyisals.
to which the memorial was referred,
recommended non-concurrence.
The minority report recommended
such changes In the discipline as
would include women in all refer
cnces made to laymen.
The discussion occupied almost the
whole OF the morning session. Miss
Belle Bennett delivered an address
which for thoughtfulness and clearness
n
speeches that has been heard on the
conference floor. She spoke of what
the women of the church have done
and what they are doing in Christian
works and in raising money for the
church. and said all they asked was
the right to have voice in the coun-
ellis of the church. SO that they might
be called into consultation in matters
of distribution of the funds raised.
Miss Bennett said she believed no
man before her would call a deaconess
or a woman enga ged in rescue work
unwomanly. and argued further that
the simple fact of being given voice
in the conference 81 tie aharsl. would
have no tendency e., lnake women less
womanly.
In this connection she said Il know
some women are silly, but so are some
men. and / am reminded in this con-
nection of the words of George Eliot,
who said i don't deny that this is
true: God made them SO to match the
men"
She then referred TO the accomplish
ments of women in the intellectual
world. and said complimentary degrees
are never bestowed upon women but
that women work for every honor they
win.
'.I would help blackball every insti-
tuition where women could buy de-
gree for s5," she said, referring to the
work of the church in territory not
thickly settled, where pastors and pre-
siding elders are compelled to call upol,
women to act as superintendents OF
Sunday schools and as stewards. MISS
Bennett said Every time you do that
you are disregarding the law, and how
nv, nd
to regard the law of the church when
YOU preachers are disregarding it?"
Favor. Memorial.
Frank Richardson, in closing hi:
speech in favor of the memorial. saie
/ this movement among the women !:
simply the fulfilment OF prophecy
You may shut the doors of opportu
nifty upon them he said, .but the time
| will come when God Will open thos'
! doors"
| George Stuart opposed the memorla
! upon the ground that the rights tn
4 women claim belong to the men of tn
| church. I'VE make laws for rules n
/ said. mot for exceptions. Gods law !
husband and wife. father and mother
| while the women who do not marry ar
1.-THE exceptions.
". 3. Stubbs spoke in favor OF the
/ memorials. upon the belief, he said
1 that ii was criptural. He cited thi
passage in Joel. which says. ''Youl
sons and your daughters shal
prophesy," and the words of Paul, tha
in Christ Jesus there is no male an'
no female. He asked also where TN
cause of prohibition would be to-day
4 had it not been for the women OF IN
4 church and their work.
cd pad this work. he said
"until the women put 1t where yo'
4 could not dodge it any longer.
4 II was thought that the next actor
7 Iof the conference In placing ten womel
! on the great missionary board was
4 little singular The women expressed
! Themselves delighted with what ha
n heen accomplished in their favor. AM
during the next four years have de
termined to work harder than betor
'ifor the passage of the measure, whlc'
they claim means SO much Tor the Wo
Imen of the South,
Never before in the historyso of South
ern Methodism have the women re
q ceiyed SO much attention as during tn
present session of the conferenct
!, While the women were not successful
: the laymen of the church also re
: ceiyed adverse legislation this morn
! ing. The measure which passed recent
ly allowing them larger representatto
at annual conferences was defeated to
d day BY the constitutional question.
Brought before the notice OF Il
Z conference that it required tw
thirds vote of the delegates and
y three fourths vote OF the members 1
5 the annual conference, tho meas
4 ure failed to receive the required nun
3 Der Of votes and was, therefore, q
: feated, which leaves the law as Y no
{ stands in the discipline Of the churc
VIII Adjourn Monday.
Effort was made to get the confe
. ence to reconsider Its action of yeste
day and name Friday instead of Mo
!. sscay as the time for. adjournment
!. the conference, but the effort faile
/ The members OF me conference we
q rIsnrged Ia remain until every item HI
nj been cleared from the calendar al