Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-05-20
METHODIST CONFERENCE.
Woman Is Allowed to Speak-New
Bishops Ordained.


Ashevile, May 19.-For the first
time in the history of the General
Conference of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church, South, a woman was al
lowed to speak upon the floor. BY
unanimous consent of the conference
Miss Belle Bennett, secretary of the
Woman's Home Mission society, was
invited to address the delegates on
the subject which has been considered
one of the most vital questions before
the conference, the right of women
TO sit in the councils of the church
and for equal rights with the laity.
For some time it was difficult to
Judge which way the conference would
vote, but after many speeches the
members voted TO adopt the report of
the majority of the committee on re-
visals which denied the women the
right asked for. 1t was thought that
the next action of the conference in
placing ten women on the great mis-
Siomary board was Il little singular.
The women expressed themselves
delighted with what has been accom-
pliShed at this conference in creating
Il sentiment in their favor and do not
during the next four years have de-
termined to work harder than before
for the passage of the measure which
they claim means so much for the
women of the south. Never before
i'm the history of southern MethOdiSm
have the women received so much at
tention as during the present session
of the conference.
While the women were not success
full. the laymen of the church also
received adverse legislation today.
The measure which passed recently
allowing them larger representation
at annual conferences was defeated
today by the constitutional question
brought before the notice of the con-
ference that it required 4 two thirds
vote of the delegates and three
fOurthS vote of the members of the
annual conferences. The measure
failed To receive the required number
of votes and WAS, therefore, defeated
which leaves the law as il now
stands in the discipline of the church.
The most impressive service of the
General Conference was the ordina-
ton of seven bishops in the Central
Methodist church this afternoon. Rev.
Drs. Collins Denny, John G. Kilgo,
William B. Murray. Walter Il. Lam
buth, r. &. Waterhouse. Edwin d.
MouZOn and James II. Mccoy, each
accompanied by two of their closest
friends. entered the church in a body
preceded by the bishop of the church.
a deathlike stiffness pervaded the
church as the procession entered. The
opening hymn was announced by
Bishop \. w. Wilson. the collect was
read by Bishop +. +. Hose. prayer
was offered by Rev. G. H. Briggs the
epiStlc was read by Bishop II. &. Nor
rison. the Gospel by Bishop w. a.
Gambler. The hymn. How Rich Thy
Bounty. King of Kings" was an
muumced by Bishop James \. Atkins.
The sermon was preached by Bishop
Alphcus w Wilson. Examination IF
the biShopS-elect was conducted by
Bishop Hendrix. The "Neni Creator
SpirituS." was recited by Bishop Key.
All of the bishops imposed their
hands on the heads of each bishop
elect. each was presented with a
Bible and. Bishop Gambler presented
each Il parchment tcStifying to their
ordination aS bishops. The wives of
the majority of the newly-elected
bishops were present and We're given
seats of honor in the church, whir h
was Inadequate To hold the great
crowds The bcncdiCtiOn was pro-
nnunced by Bishop Wilson.