CHURCH AND WOMEN

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 102, 26 October 1929, Page 15

CHURCH AND WOMEN

ANGLICAN BISHOP'S VIEWS

Healing with women's work in the Church, Bishop West-Watson, at the Christchurch Diocesan Synod, said: "I think there is no question that th Home Church, in giving women a prominent position in its councils and in its pastoral work, has taken a step which it is not likely to regret, and which has proved to be in line with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Here in New Zealand, Archbishop Julius took a great and courageous stop forward when he brought Sister Edith out from England,, and started the Deaconess Institution, which has developed into our. Community of the Sacred Name, and concentrates specially on its work as a Community of Sisters. Meanwhile, and especially since the last Lambeth Conference, Church has moved decidedly towards the recognition of the diaconato for women as a definite order in the Church, and such recognition has opened a path of service for. many who do not feel called to .theEvocation of a sister or to the lifo of a: community/ Tho number of women in New Zealand I who feel the1 vocation to sisterhood is | wise counsel of women that was needed. i for the,work of the Church, and I am [strongly disposed to think that there is room for a deaconess organisation side by side with tho older sisterhood." The Bishop then spoke of the many troubles which arise in married life and in tho homes, with the consequent suffering. He felt that . whilo the clergyman did his-best, it was the wise counsel of:women that was neded. He bolievcd'that the pastoral ministry of women was needed to supplement and to work in with the clerical ministry of mon. He felt that the diaconato gave women the opportunity of giving of their best to humanity, and was a regular and public work of tho church. Io form such a diacohate properly a training ground was necessary. In earlier days women wero nut trained to take responsibility, but with the extension of a liberal education they had shown qualities and capabilities which wore formerly unsuspected. Tho training for tho diaconato must ineludo devotion, doctrine, and method. The Bishop advocated the establishment of a central training school, which ho said might well be used to proparo those who would give religious education in tho day schools. Later he urged that as such a training school would need special funds for establishment and upkeep it was possible to appeal specially to women to assist, for there wore many who were in sympathy with such a school. He felt that it would bo w^ell for the Church to show women and gn-ls that thero were great oportuni-t-ies for service within the Church, and that trained women should be taken into the Diocesan councils. Tho Bishop advocated not only training but probation to Bhow that the workers offering woro in earnest, and wero suitable tor important work. '