The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-18
Liquor Held to Be Bet
ter for State Than
Equal Suffrage. II
LAY DELEGATE
CAUSES STORM
Cries of "No, MOI" Come From
Methodist Conference, When
Blackstone Man Voices His
Sentiments on Granting Bal
lot to Women-Laity
Rights Refused.
BY MAMIE BAYS.


Danville, Va, November 17-Almost
tho entire session this morning of the
Virginia Conference OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church. South, was occupied
with the further discussion OF the pc
tition in favor of granting the rights
OF the laity to the women OF the church
Able members of the conference spoke
on either side of the question. and the
remarks Of both held the close atten-
tion OF the body. What might safely
be termed tho storm" of tho session
occurred in tho midst of the remarks
Of George L. Adams of Blackstone. {,
lay delegate, who spoke against the
petition, when at the climax of his re-
marks he said: Il know DR.. Cannon and
others Will think II strange for me to
say II, but would rather see Virginia
stay wet during all the rest of her
history than to see women receive the
ballot and exercise the rights OF men
In the State and In the church."
When Mr. Adams made this statement
there were scores of cries of No! mol"
from members of the conference in all
parts OF the church. Mr. Adams said
further that he could sec the handwrit-
Ing on the wall, and that hc realized
the question OF Importance in this
connection was not tho question of tho
ballot, but the question OF the effect
on the homo and on society which
would follow. He said also that he
believed that not 10 per cent of the
women OF the country want the ballot.
and that only few women in the
church want the rights OF the laity
extended to them
Want, No Experiment..
| +. II. Rowe was another member OF
the conference Who opposed the pcti-
[ tion. He said he did not want to sec
: the church try an experiment with the
women; that he did not want to see all
barriers between men and women
broken down. and that to take wcmcn
out of the home is contrary to the
scripture
The discussion was opened by j. II.
Payne. who began his remarks on the
subject Saturday afternoon and he CON
ttnucd TO support tho petition to-day.
Some men" lie said, "are afraid OF
woman suffrage, while other men have
lived under its rules so long as not
TO he afraid Of IT." Applause greeted
this remark. but Bishop Denny quickly
duieted it.
Give woman the justice that be-
longs to her" said Mr.. Payne. These
rights belong TO her by guarantee of
the Old Testament. the New Testa-
mcnt and tho apostles We require her
to take the same vow in baptism that
we require OF man: the same vow when
we receive her into the church. and
extend to hcr the right hand OF fellow
ship TO the same privileges as given
10 man. Such procedure would not
pass in civil courts.
Tho law OF tho church says woman
can be a Sunday school superintendent
in the same sense rs n man can hold
that position, but that While he can he
member OF the quarterly conference,
she cannot be.
i.
the view or common sense and justice.
Revolutions are the best thugs that
happen. for tile best things have come
through revolutions
When several members OF the con
ference had spoken there was the call
for tho question. and the vote was
taken to substitute the word CONCUR
for 'nonconcur' in the item OF the re-
port of the committee as amended on
Saturday. the amendment providing
that the functions of the ministry,
travelling or local be not included with
the rights OF the laity which the peti-
ton requests.
| IN favor Of substituting the word con
cur for 'nonconcur" and 6s against
this substitution.
Immediately after the vote was taken
different members OF the conference
said the question on which the vote
was taken was not understood by all
the members before it was taken.
Would r'ut 1t to Vote
DR.. James Cannon said that he was
surprised that the vote was taken be-
fore W. a. Christian. chairman of the
committee, had spoken to the ques-
ton, as is the custom In this confer
ence. Then the motion was made TO
reconsider the vote and reopen the dis
cussion. and tho motion carried. DR..
Cannon stated that lie desired to offer
n substitute TO the item OF tho report
under consideration. and the following
Is tho substitute he offered:
Whereas. an appeal has heen made
to the general conference of our church
TO change tho practice and the law OF
tho church so As to make women eligi-
Bile to all the offices in the church; and
Whereas. II Is not possible to make
this change without at the same time
imposing responsibilities which may
not be desired by many women who
think the present responsibilities To be
as great as God intended them to be;
and
Whereas, there is not sufficient in
formation as to the wishes OF any con-s
siderable number OF our women on this
question: and,
Whereas, the consequences are toe
far-reaching for decision to be made
by comparatively small number OF
the membership OF the church and with
out the vote OF the women. the very
persons who arc vitaly concerned, &
"Be 1t resolved, That the Virginia
Conference hereby memoriaiizes tie
general conference to order vote Of
1.-The membership OF the church TO ic
taken on this question. providing that
the vote of tho preachefa md the fsysis