The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-20
ARE WOMEN EQUAL
TO MEN IN CHURCH !?
Issue Is Raised That Has
Aroused Interest in Methodist
Church of the South.
MANY LEADERS FAVOR
EQUALITY OF THE SEXES
Others Question Adyisability Of
Placing Weaker Vessel in
Position of Power.
TO The Tribune.

By Leased Wire TO The Tribune.
NEW YORK. Feb. lo.-Thc demand
Of the 100000 women in tho Methodist
church, South, which reaches 10 Cali
fornia and north 10 Columbia for an
equal voice with tho men in the coun'
ellis of the church is viewed with live
" interest by the ministry and mem
bership of the great Methodist body in
the northern states.
"The general conference Of the
Methodist Episcopal church. South, Will
do wisely to give the women what they
rotary of the Ecumenical conference,
said today. ''Our own general confer
ence placed women practically on
level with men in the matter Of voting
sixteen years ago, and only good has
resulted. Women not only vote for del
egatcs 10 ihc general conference but
are eligible themSelvs TO serve III that
capacity. They are not eligible to the
annual conference, however, for the SIN
gle reason that those conferences arc
composed exclusively of clergymen.
They arc represented in the quarterly
conferences by various officials OF Their
sex, such as Epworth league presidents,
the president of the Ladies AID So
ciety and others
women MlSuI fIeeCH,
"Woull women preachers be eligible
for membership in tho annual confer
ences!''
"Ycs,' Dr. Carroll replied, ''if we
had women ordained 10 the ministry
they would be on Il par with all other
ministers IN our body. But ] don I think
we arc likely 10 carry that equality of
the sexes as far as TO ordaln women.
| don & know as any earnest move IN
4
position on my part, but the idea does
not strike me as favorable. | don Z
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
gathering shall be expended. it is Just
as well for them TO have their own spe-
cial organizations. They can make them
more efficient by maintaining them
than by merging with any other fea-
lures In the denominational machinery
But IT. was only fair inasmuch as those
organizations have been from the start
under the 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 is all
that the Methodist women of the south
are asking of their general confer
ences.'
Mr.. James Il. JOY. one Of the editors
Of the Christian Advocate, the Meth
odist organ here, when asked whether
the equality of the sexes in suffrage
had been beneficial or otherwise, said:
Question Not Settled.
cit would be difficult to say whether
women have done any more by their
votes than they might have done by
their influence alone without the votes.
The church owes great deal 10 its
women and IN my opinion no harm can
come from their having Il voice III It's
councils. But now hat they have the
right TO share in the honors and duties
of the men they do not seem TO care so
much about ii, Few women are elected
as delegates to the general conferences
and it is bcause few care for the
honor
Incidentally inquiry was made as toI
the status of women In other religious
denominations in regard to participation
III church councils.
Rev. DR.. Charles II. Thompson Of the
Presbyterian board of home missions,
said:
In the Presbyterian church every
member has a vote on all matters sub
mitted to the laity and women arc on
an equal footing with men,
In the Congregational and Baptist
denominations tho churches are each in
dependent of each other and acknowl-
are of equal voting power in the ma
lority of these churches This is true
also of the Methodist Protestant, the
Unitarian and the Universalist demon
nations. All three of these admit wom
en- TO ordination as ministers and
preachers.
There is no hard and fast rule about
women voting with tho laity in the
Protestant Episcopal church. 1u gen. |
eral they have not received this priv |
ilegc but there are some eases. and
where they arc permitted TO vote for
delegates at conventions.