Women Brethren

"Brethren and sistren" occur in most anecdotes about Baptist preachers. They should occur no more. Dr. George W. Truett of Dallas, threetime president of the Southern Baptist Committee, presiding last week over a conference of Southern Baptists in Memphis, Tenn., ruled that "brethren" applies alike to male and female members of the congregation.

The ruling was occasioned by a dispute over the right of women members of the church to address the convention, to cast votes. Dr. John William Porter, editor of the American Baptist, stormily opposed gallant Dr. Truett. "We go right against the Scriptures!" he warned his undisputed brethren. "We break a precedent of 2,000 years!" Dr. Truett silenced his brother by quoting the Southern Baptist constitution.

The ''brethren and sistren" issue also confronts the general assembly of Presbyterians, which meets in St. Paul this month (TIME, March 18).