WOMEN AS MINISTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21136, 19 March 1932, Page 13

WOMEN AS MINISTERS.

BAN BY METHODISTS.^ DECISION IN VICTORIA. AN OVERWHELMING VOTE. [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT."| SYDNEY, March 10. Although the Methodist Conference of Victoria lias decided that women should be barred from the ministry, the women are determined that the matter shall not be allowed to rest afc that. They will biing their request before the Australian conference at the first opportunity. It is doubtful, however, whether they will be any more successful. Judging by the proceedings in Victoria their claims, so far, have aroused very little sympathy. By way of compromise, altogether unsatisfactory from a woman's point of view, the Melbourne conference has agreed to establish an order of deaconesses, similar to that of the British conference. The alternative was suggested, "in view of the practical difficulties in the way of receiving women ministers, and in order to provide a worthy sphere for the exercise of the gifts of women called to special service."

From the time the motion to admit women was put forward the conference displayed an anxiety to vote, and members were almost impatient. The Rev. A. Hambly said that one reason why the motion was opposed was that God had made women essentially different from men. Ho did not believe that God intended women to share with men in all the work of the world. At any rate, it was going to be a very costly experiment (i it were decided to admit women. Women in the ministry would always need special consideration in the matter of circuit appointments. Voices : That's the point!

"Many of us have been in circuits where the work is so rough that women should not be called upon to do it," said Mr. Hambly. "To say that women rank equally with men in such work is untrue. They have not the physical ability of men. I doubt, too, whether the women of our circuits would work as well under a woman minister. You know the feminine mind as well as I do."

The women had their champions, and one minister accused his fellow ministers of bias and conservatism, and reminded the conference that the British conference had voted overwhelmingly in favour of women. Another minister said he could see no objection to the admission of women. Mentally there could be no objection and for spiritual experience and character there could be no objections. Somo of the greatest saints of the Church were women, said another speaker. The allegation of physical weakness might have held good 30 or 40 years ago, but not to-day. The women were doing great work in the bush and inland missions, but when there was a chance of offering them the highest position in the Church it was denied to them. On a show of hands there was an overwhelming vote against women being admitted as ministers.