▁their ▁worship ▁meet ings . ▁ ▁Women ▁Women , ▁who ▁made ▁up ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁converts ▁during ▁the ▁Aw ak ening , ▁played ▁a ▁cru cial ▁role ▁in ▁its ▁development ▁and ▁focus . ▁It ▁is ▁not ▁clear ▁why ▁women ▁converted ▁in ▁larger ▁numbers ▁than ▁men . ▁Vari ous ▁scholar ly ▁theories ▁attribute ▁the ▁dis cre p ancy ▁to ▁a ▁reaction ▁to ▁the ▁perce ived ▁sin ful ness ▁of ▁youth ful ▁f riv ol ity , ▁an ▁inher ent ▁greater ▁sense ▁of ▁religios ity ▁in ▁women , ▁a ▁commun al ▁reaction ▁to ▁economic ▁in security , ▁or ▁an ▁assertion ▁of ▁the ▁self ▁in ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁patri arch al ▁rule . ▁Hus b ands , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁South , ▁sometimes ▁disapp ro ved ▁of ▁their ▁w ives ' ▁conversion , ▁forcing ▁women ▁to ▁choose ▁between ▁submission ▁to ▁God ▁or ▁their ▁sp ouses . ▁Church ▁membership ▁and ▁religious ▁activity ▁gave ▁women ▁peer ▁support ▁and ▁place ▁for ▁meaning ful ▁activity ▁outside ▁the ▁home , ▁providing ▁many ▁women ▁with ▁commun al ▁identity ▁and ▁shared ▁experiences . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁pre domin ance ▁of ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁movement , ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁formally ▁ind o ctr in ated ▁or ▁given ▁leading ▁minister ial ▁positions . ▁However , ▁women ▁took ▁other ▁public ▁roles ; ▁for ▁example , ▁relay ing ▁test imon ial s ▁about ▁their ▁conversion ▁experience , ▁or ▁assist ing ▁s inners ▁( both ▁male ▁and ▁female ) ▁through ▁the ▁conversion ▁process . ▁Le aders ▁such ▁as ▁Charles ▁Fin ney ▁saw ▁women ' s ▁public ▁prayer ▁as