WOMEN IN THE CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1916, Page 3

WOMEN IN THE CHURCH.

QUESTION OP FRANCHISE DISCUSSION BY SYNOD. Christehurcli, May 12. A radical change, giving voting powers in the church to communicants only, which was embodied in a bill to amend title B of Canon 5, presented by Archdeacon William* at a meeting of the Anglican Synod, showed that there was a strong fooling at the conference to further amend the constitution by giving the franchise to women. In introducing the measure, Archdeacon Williams said he would welcome an intendment giving the qualification to every parishioner who was a communicant, thus giving the women the franchise. (Applause). Archdeacon Mac Murray said that although the bill had his sympathy, he thought it would narrow the franchise on which the Church organisation was built. Before it was adopted the diocesan synods should be given an opportunity of considering the change. 'Another objection arose in the question who was to define whether a person was a communicant or not! It would be possible to find 50 parish priests who would have 50 different opinions on what constituted a communicant. This was giving an authority to the clergy which had a tendency to take powers out of the hands of the laity in their favor. He moved as an amendment, "That the bill be referred to the diocesan synods for their consideration."

The Bishop of Auckland considered that as the franchise proposed was on a communicant basis it would be possible, to differentiate between the sexes. He tiusted the alteration would be added making no distinction between the sexes. The Bishop of Christehurcli said he hoped the bill would pass its second reading and then be referred to the diocesan synods. This would allow of the alteration being made to give equality of the sexes, lie had always supposted the enfranchisement of women, and would do so to the end of .lis days. Mr. Joachim said it was a beautiful idea that all members should be communicants, but there was the danger, if this were done, of frightening people iroiu the Church. It would not do to let tnose who had not taken the Communion feel that they were outsiders. ; Archdeacon Williams, in replv, said he regarded Archdeacon MacMurrav's amendment sympathetically. He realised that the bill was revolutionary—the result of an idea he had cherished for 20 years—and he would not care to see it passed without careful consideration. The amendment was carried.