The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-05-21
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN MAY BE
 ORDAINED ELDERS
General Assembly of Church to Discuss Matter at Phil
 adelphia Meeting.

Philadelphia, May z0-Adn1asaon Ipf women to ordination as ruling eld- CTS of the Presbyterian Church ts question that will be submitted to referendum voote of the entire de- nomination in the United States if the recommendation Of @ commission which has been studying the subject for the past year Is approved by the Presbyterian General Assembly which opens its annual sessions here to- night
 A survey. taken by the commission on the Of1cial Relation of Women in the Church, in which the opinions of leading ministers. elders and women was obtained, led it's members to these conclusions:
 '"That the Scriptures did not forbid either women elders or women preachers; that three other denomi- nations ordain women to the ministry but that few women avail ther selves of the privilege; that four other de- nominations did not have women preachers and are not inclined to have them; that the evidence shown is favorable to women as elders but unfavorable to women as ministers; that of the Presbyterians canvassed 60 per cent. favored women as elders, 48 per cent favored women as min isters, while 32k per cent. opposed any change in the present usage of the church."
 An elder in the Presbyterian church occupies a spiritaual office but does not preach. He assists the minister in his religious duties and, as a pres byter, Is a member of the governing body of the church endowed with the function, among others, of maintain ing denominational doctrine and ad- ministering discipline. For centuries the office has been filled exclusively by men.
 Last year, three Presbyteries. it was said, made overtures to the Gen eral Assembly. One from the Presby- tery of Columbia river asked that women be made eligible to ordination both as ministers and ruling elders. Another from the Presbytery of Dal- las, Tex, asked that a committee be appointed to investigate the whole question of enlarged opportunities for women in the church and the Presby- tery of Saginaw. Mich., urged that they be ordained as ruling. elders The Moderator thereupon appointed a commission to inquire and report composed of Rev. s. Hall Young, chairman; Rev. Edgar W. Work and Rush Taggart, all of New York; Rev William H. Barrett of Bellfontaine O., and John T. Manning of New Ha- ven.
 The commission said it found that the Methodist, Protestant, the Con- gregational and the Christian churches ordain women to the min- istry but few availed themselves of the privilege. Four other de11omina- tions, the Lutheran, Baptist, Episco- pal and Methodist Episcopal. it was said, "do not have women preachers nor does there seem to be any partic- ular inclination in these churches to accord them this office.
 "In practically all of these sever churches" said the report, "womer are admitted to every other oGicia position in the church except the ministry They serve on officia boards, are trustees, deaconesses, etc. and there is a growing tendency tc admit them to official equality with men in the matter of council and oversight in the government and ser. vice of the church.
 Those opposed to any change in the present usage in the Presbyterian church were quoted by the commis- sion as arguing that ordination o1 women would lower the dignity of the office, afford an excuse for men tc shirk. their duties. retard or defeat the union of Presbyterian churches in the United States, keep men from church and countenance and accele. rate a dangerous feministic move ment."
 Arguments quoted in favor of tn, change included statements that