WOMEN AND MINISTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 17 September 1929, Page 14

WOMEN AND MINISTRY.

[DISCUSSION IN ENGLAND.

MISGIVINGS OF WESLEYANS. POSTPONEMENT OF DECISION. Tho question of women entering the ministry was tho chief subject discussed at the English Wesleyan Methodist Conference at Plymouth a few weeks ago It had already been decided in principle that women were eligiblo for tho Wesleyan ministry of tha Church, but tho proposition was put forward that tho matter should be suspended ponding conferring with tho United and E'rimitivo Methodists in view of the union of the three Churches, which is imminent.

Tho matter aroso on the presentation by jthfe Rev. Dr. Maltby (Ilkley) of a report "which contained certain conditions on which women should bo appointed. Tho principal condition stated that, "as by marriage a woman accepts another voca tion involving responsibilities which would interfere with the fulfilment of tho duties of a woman minister, her marriage shall be regarded as equivalent to resignation, unless, on special application, tho conference shall otherwise determine." Dr. Maltby, moving the adoption of the conditions, said that the committee which had been dealing with the question thought they had adopted the best course in regard to women ministers getting married.

Dr., Scott Lidgett, in seconding, said [what had been done on tho marriage question was a compromiso. Ho supposed that women resigning on marriage was equivalent to a man minister resigning on entering business. (Laughter.) He understood there was an amendment to withhold this subject until Methodist union arrived. "I think," he said, "it would be an act of unwisdom and, conceivably, of cowardice to leave it to a new and nnited conference to face a thing from ;whicb we had shrunk and had postponed." Dr. Waterhouse (Richmond College) moved an amendment declaring that, while accepting tho principle of women in the ministry, in view of the peculiar difficulties of the itinerant system and the lack of demand from their churches for women ministers, they should suspend further steps in that direction until the united Church was constituted. Ho expressed doubt whether it was wise in the face of the coming change to act for themlelves. . . The Rev. J. H. Rider (chairman of the Cornwall district), in seconding the amendment, said there was no evidence that women ministers were essential. If ever there was a subject which could wait until they had a council of the united Church, it was this one. (Cheers and dissent.) , Dr. Maltby, in reply, said the amendment" meant postponing this question for five or six years. There was a real demand. for women ministers. If you do what we are suggesting in oor repor., eaid Dr. Maltby, "there ie not the slightest danger of thinking that we shall embarrass the other two Churches. The amendment was carried by 171 to 173. When it was proposed to put it as a substantive resolution the Rev - Smith (principal of Richmond College) moved a further amendment that the conference should invito the other Methodist conferences to join with it next year in appointing a joint committee to consider the nuestion of women and tho ministry. This was carried. The result of the decision is to postpone the question of the position of women as regards the ministry possibly for a roupl? of years