The members of the Free Irish Church have decided three
points of great importance this week. The Lay Conference has determined that the lay representatives in the constituent body or "General Synod" shall be elected by all male parishioners call- ing themselves Protestant Episcopalians, and not by communi- cants only. It also determined, in spite of a spirited protest from Mr. R. Hamilton, of Belfast, that women should have no votes. So strong was the feeling on this point that Mr. Hamilton declined a division, the Conference, we presume, believing that to give women votes would be to give them to the clergy. The Clerical Conference, again, has decided by a large majority that the laity shall have as much authority over doctrine and dis- cipline as over anything else, a wise as well as generous resolu- tion. The laity were quite certain to take such authority, and it was most expedient to admit beforehand that they had a right to it.
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