The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-05-22
DENY RIGHTS TO WOMEN
GENERAL CONFERENCE STOOD
III TO 1O5 AGAINST CHANGE.
Vote Came After Discussion by Two
Women and Several Ministerial
Delegates. No New Bishops.

D0I0SaG6S. NO NEW BISHOPS.
OKLAHOMA CITY,-Laity rights
for women was defeated by the gen
eral conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church, south, here today
by vote of III to 105.
This was the feature of the days
session, and has been made a special
order of business.
The privilege of the floor was ac-
corded two women-Miss Belle Ben
nett and Mrs. T. B. King, the former
favoring and the latter opposing laity
rights.
The vote came after discussion by
the two women and several lay min
isterial delegates, and was first taken
up on the substitution of the minor
ity for the majority report, the vote
being a most decisive one. The ma
jority report, denying woman laity
rights. was then adopted by a prac-
tically unanimous vote.
Bishop A. w. Wilson, senior MEM
Der of the college of bishops, pre-
sided over the twelfth days session,
taking the gavel from Bishop Mccoy
after DR.. Chadwick, assistant editor
of The Advocate, had conducted the
devotional service.
In an effort to place certain re-
strictions on the distribution of
money for negro education, the COM
mittee on education presented re-
port, which was adopted, urging
that the educational board be given
discretionary powers in distributing
the assessment of $95, 900 for educa-
tional work. 1t was pointed out in
the report that in the past years
$4,000 of this fund has been APP
piled to negro education without any
restrictions.
No New Bishops.
Five reports from the committee on
Episcopacy were presented by the
chairman, Rev. A. j. Lamar, and plac-
ed on the calendar. These recon-
mended the retirement of Bishop A.
w. Wilson on account of advancing
age; one years leave of absence to
| Bishop E. E. Hoss, and that no new
bishops be elected. The committee
also recommended that the assign
ment of bishops for annual visitation
l, L hxy IN ~
conference.
The special order for the day, laity
rights for women, was then taken up
the conference voting to extend the
privilege of the floor to a woman
representative on either side of the
question.
Majority and minority reports were
presented The minority report
seeks to amend the discipline by Civ
ing women all the rights now exer-
cised by laymen of the church, while
the majority recommends the rejec-
tion of the request.
DR.. B. F. Lipscomb, of Virginia,
ulO|Gu 10 SuUSIltutS INC A1AAOAASy Iva
the majority report, and Miss Belle
Bennett spoke to the motion.
She declared laity rights We're not
a class question, but church ques-
ton. Our church and the colored
church." she said, "are the only ones
| that have not granted these rights.
Replying to statement that the
movement was not in harmony with
womanhood, Miss Bennett declared
that all reforms were out of harmony
with existing conditions.
Old Maids and Childless Women,
She said the charge that only old
maids and childless women wanted
| laity rights for personal ambition.
was cruel and puerile.
Mrs. T. B. King, of Memphis, who
spoke in favor of the majority re-
port, asserted that a majority of wo-
men did not want laity rights. I'VE
do not want to be emancipated, for
we are not in position that requires
emancipation. We have all the rights
we want
The woman suffrage question, she
claimed, was at the bottom OF the en-
tire question of laity rights.
w j. Carpenter, of the Florida
conference, said at least a quarter of
a million of Methodists were de-
manding this legislation, including
the nine annual conferences.
The committee on revisals, recon-
mended in a majority report the re-
lection of the memorial seeking 70
limit the tenure of office OF presid-
ing elders to four years, and making
them ineligible until they nave serv-
ed as pastors A minority report rec
commended concurrence in the mem
orial.
GETS HUSBANDS MILLIONS.