Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-11-24
WOMANS RIGHT
To VOTE AND
HOLD OFFICE
IN CHURCH AND in STATE
As Viewed By the Rev. 0. B.
Chester, of AmeriCus

In this matter of granting women
all the rights and privileges of tho
male laity, so far as admission to the
General Convention as delegates with
full voting powers, and so on, is con-
cerned, / may describe myself as
slightly on the fence" said Rev. O.
B. Chester yesterday, in discussing the
agitation that is continuing in the
various sections of the South along
this line, and of which there will pron~
ably be some outcropping at the South
Georgia conference, meeting at Sa-
vannah the coming week.
Il am conservatively progressive,
continued Mr. Chester i would not
put bar in the way of anything that
will rebound to the effectiveness of
the women In the church or lead to
broader and more comprehensive life
for them inside and outside of the
church. | am not Bourbon, study
the signs of the times as we'll as
can, try to understand the drift OF
the times, and ] fully appreciate that
1t is veering more and more toward a
Completer recognition of the equality
of woman in activities from which she
has heretofore been barred or, at tina
most, not admitted on a parity with
men. But | fear the tendency is to-
ward too rapid movement in this di-
rection, and while would not stand
as / have said, as barrier to the
qualification of the hopes of women for
a more complete position in church
work, yet feel that may really be of
more genuine service to them and to-
the church by acting as gentle brake
on the movement than by endeavoring
to expidite it.
| "It has been said that this church
agitation is the religious suffragette
movement" continued Mr. Chester with
a laugh. II would hardly dub 1t that.
know the true Christian worth OF
women, / appreciate to the full their
noble work in the church and for the
] church, | hesitate to discourage their
ambition to do that work on broader
scale, or in a broader arena, by taking
on themselves the full rights and re-
sponsibilities that now attach to the
men, but cannot but feel that it IS
one of the things in which we should
move slowly, with the utmost deliber-
ateness, and with a consciousness
of its full significance. do not SYM
pathize with those who are assailins
the women's movement with hammer
and tongs, assailing 1t as something
almost diabolical Their position I
regard as to extreme. Neither do I
stand with those who are for quick
and broad action, immediate changes
along the lines indicated While be-
iieye that the forward movement OF
women, in the church and out of the
church, will not be checked, thai, i'm
oCaAtC ACopS0iD ~ WIZ lC1Ohb0 W tetsl
good of humanity, | am fearful that II
the brakes were TAKEN off it might go
so precipitately and SO far as to en-
danger its own cause and destroy that
very increased usefulness its advocates
claim would ensue from 1t.
"The very physical differences Of
men and women to my mind circum-
cribe the operations of women in some
lines of activity / regard woman az
on parity with man, but necessarily
working along lines different from
man to Eat extent. You might say
that God has established, in his divine
wisdom, certain barriers that cannot
or should not be torn down. But
wherever 1t Is possible to broaden wo-
mans activities, without disturbing
her position in the scheme of life that
God has ordained no one would give
encouragement to 1t more quickly than
/. Such movements, though. of neces-
sity must move slowly, adjusting them
selves to old conditions, working like
the leaven gradually until the object
sought for is accomplished
DR.. Chester does not favor the sug-<
gestion that has been made that the
old system of separate women's church
boards to supervise the work of the
women and handle the finances result
ing from their labors should be re-
turned to. These former feminine
boards have been merged in the gem
eral boards, with adequate represent
tation by women. The Americus pas
tor believes this was a step In the
right direction. He sees no peculiar
benefit to be derived from a return 10
autonomous women's boards to direct
wcmen's activities.
I'VE are on the verge of great
changes" said DIR. Chester, In all
fields OF human activity The outcome
no man Ia wise enough prophet to
clearly foretell. would that II were
80 possible that women need not 70
forth into the worlds busy trade ar
enas to battle for an existence. That
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