RIGHTS OF WOMEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 June 1932, Page 7

RIGHTS OF WOMEN

SPHERE OF DISARMAMENT POSITION IN THE CHURCH LONDON, 7th June. “Women have made the sphere of disarmament their own,” declared Mrs Pcthick Lawrence, in presiding at 1 the British Commonwealth League’s Conference, “and xve regard • the proceedings at Geneva as an insult. Wo may have to think seriously whether we shall nol bo driven to obtaining. our needs by more forcible methods.'' Mrs Jameson Williams (Australia), in moving a resolution urging women’s admission to the ministry on the same terms as men, asked when Church leaders would realise that they had lost hold of a largo proportion of intelligent women. She had known women leave the Church because they were ostracised after criticising pulpit teaching. Women were given only minor jobs, and must not aspire to a Sunday School superfnlondenlship or leadership of a choir. The missionary’s wife, although slr.c faced an equal hardship with her husband, was bearing a double burden, bearing and rearing children, but she was not' accorded recognition, and could not even, baptise a baby if a man was near. Numerically, continued Mrs Williams, women were empowered to get their way, hut they were not loyal to each other. She recalled a church meeting where a majority of women elected a wholly male committee. Ihe resolution was carried.