{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_66484/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_66484","id":"gutenberg_66484","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66484","summary":null,"tags":["Category: History - Religious","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Colored Methodist Episcopal Church -- Discipline","Colored Methodist Episcopal Church -- Doctrines","Colored Methodist Episcopal Church -- Government"],"text":"Transcriber's Note:\n\nObvious printer errors have been corrected. Hyphenation has been\nrationalised.\n\nThe text is divided into fifty eight Chapters, which are grouped into\nnine Parts. The Chapters are not identified in the Contents pages: they\nmostly coincide with the topics noted there, though not with their\nnumbering. The numbering of pages is occasionally out of sequence,\ngenerally when a topic is discussed more than once.\n\nBoth the Index and the Contents Pages use expressions that identify the\npage number and section/subsection to which they relate. These\nexpressions are explained in the Note immediately before the Index.\n\nA number of words and phrases are bolded in the original. These are\nidentified in this text by =equal signs=. Where the original treatment\nis unclear a guess has been necessary.\n\nPassages in smaller font in Part IX (The Ritual), that describe actions\nto be taken by a minister or the congregation, are identified by +plus\nsigns+.\n\n\n\n\n THE DOCTRINES\n AND\n DISCIPLINE\n OF THE\n\n COLORED METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH\n\n\n REVISED EDITION 1918\n\n\n COPYRIGHTED 1918,\n By The AGENT and Publishers of the\n COLORED M. E. CHURCH\n\n\n\n\n=Episcopal Address=\n\n\nTo the Members of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church:\n\nWe esteem it our duty and privilege most earnestly to recommend to you,\nas members of our Church, our form of Discipline, which has been founded\non the experience of a long series of years.\n\nWe wish to see this publication in the house of every member of the\nColored Methodist Episcopal Church; and the more so, as it contains the\nArticles of Religion maintained more or less, in part or in whole, by\nevery reformed Church in the world.\n\nFar from wishing you to be ignorant of any of our doctrines, or any part\nof our Discipline, we desire you to read, mark, learn, and inwardly\ndigest the whole. You ought, next to the Word of God, to procure the\nArticles and Canons of the Church to which you belong.\n\nWe deem it proper, in this place, to give you a brief account of the\norganization of our Connection:\n\nFrom the introduction of Methodism on this continent, we have ever\nconstituted a part of the great Methodist family\u2014first, as members of\nthe Methodist Episcopal Church in America, and also after the change\ntook place by which we were known as the Methodist Episcopal Church in\nthe United States; and when the division took place, in 1844, which we\nregard as a legal and constitutional division of the Church, we formed a\npart of that division called the Methodist Episcopal Church, South,\nwhich relation we continued to sustain until the organization of our\nChurch took place at the General Conference held at Jackson, Tenn.,\nwhich began its session December 15, 1870. The day was spent in prayer\nand supplication to the Almighty that his blessings might rest upon us;\nand on the following day the regular business of the session began,\nBishop Robert Paine, D. D., of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in\nthe chair.\n\nThe circumstances which led to our separate and distinct organization\nwere as follows:\n\nWhen the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South,\nmet in New Orleans, April, 1866, the Conference found that, by\nrevolution and the fortunes of war, a change had taken place in our\npolitical and social relation, which made it necessary that a change\nshould also be made in our ecclesiastical relations, and provision was\nmade for our organization into separate congregations, Districts, and\nAnnual Conferences, if we desired it; and that when two or more Annual\nConferences should be formed, if it was our wish, and met the\napprobation of the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, we\nshould have a General Conference organization like that of the Methodist\nEpiscopal Church, South, and that our preachers should receive\nordination according to the regulations and requirements of the\nMethodist Episcopal Church, South, as Deacons and Elders; and should a\nGeneral Conference be organized, and suitable men be elected to the\noffice of Bishops, that the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church,\nSouth, would ordain and set them apart as Chief Pastors among us. At the\nGeneral Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, at Memphis,\nTennessee, May, 1870, it was found that five Annual Conferences had been\nformed among us, and that an almost universal desire had been expressed\non our part that we might be organized into a separate and distinct\nChurch, which was acquiesced in by the Bishops of the Methodist\nEpiscopal Church, South, and recommended to said Conference in their\naddress; whereupon, by our request, the Bishops of the Methodist\nEpiscopal Church, South, together with A. L. P. Green, Samuel Watson,\nEdmund W. Sehon, Thomas Whitehead, R. J. Morgan, and Thomas Taylor, were\nappointed by said Conference to aid in organizing our General Conference\nat the time and place above specified. At the succeeding sessions of our\nAnnual Conferences, delegates were elected to attend our General\nConference, in accordance with the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal\nChurch, South.\n\nIt was further determined by the acts of the General Conference of the\nMethodist Episcopal Church, South, 1866, that should the time arrive\nwhen we should be formed into a separate and distinct organization, that\nall property which was intended for the use and benefit of people of\ncolor, held by the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South,\nshould be transferred to Trustees appointed by us, to be held forever\nfor our use and benefit.\n\nIt will be seen from the facts in the case that our record is clear, and\nthat we have descended regularly from the very father of Methodism, and\nthat our organization is both legal and constitutional.\n\nWe remain your very affectionate brethren and pastors, who labor night\nand day, both in public and in private, for your good.\n\n LUCIUS H. HOLSEY,\n ISAAC LANE,\n ROBERT S. WILLIAMS,\n ELIAS COTTRELL.\n\n\n\n\nCONTENTS\n\n\n 1. Episcopal Address.\n\n\n PART I. Pages 15-33\n\n Articles of Religion                                              15-29\n\n General Rules                                                     29-33\n\n\n PART II. Pages 37-66\n\n CONFERENCES\n\n I. GENERAL CONFERENCE\n\n How composed, 37:1; delegates, clerical and lay, 37:1-2; voting, 38:3;\n time and place of meeting, 38:4; quorum, 39:8; special session,\n 38-39:5-6; presiding officer, 39:9; power and restrictions, 40-42;\n unconstitutional laws, 42.\n\n II. ANNUAL CONFERENCE\n\n How composed, 43:1-2; rights and duties of members, 43-44:3-4; number\n and boundaries\u2014how determined, 44:5; time and place, 45:6-7; presiding\n officer, 45:8; order of business, 46-49; character and administration\n of preachers, 49-50:1-5; other business of, 51-53:1-7; committee of\n examination, 51-52; general minutes, 53:8; statistics, 53:10.\n\n III. DISTRICT CONFERENCE\n\n Time and place of meeting, 54:1; how composed, 55:2; officers, 55:3-4;\n order of business, 55-56:1-4; lay delegates, 56:3.\n\n IV. QUARTERLY CONFERENCE\n\n How composed, 57:1; time and place of meeting, 57:2; duties and powers\n of, 58-60:1-8; divorce, 59:6; order of business, 60-63.\n\n V. CHURCH CONFERENCE\n\n How composed, 63:1; secretary, 64:2; order of business, 64-66:4-6.\n\n\n PART III Pages 69-93.\n\n THE MINISTRY\n\n I. BISHOPS\n\n How constituted, 69:1-2; duties, 69-74:1-14; retirement of, 74:15;\n restrictions, 75:16-18; veto of, 42.\n\n II. PRESIDING ELDERS\n\n Duties and powers of                                              75-78\n\n III. PASTORS\n\n Duties of, 78-82; location of preachers, 101:3; supernumerary, 89;\n superannuated, 90.\n\n IV. THE MINISTER AND THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE\n\n Reception on trial, 82-83; admitting into full membership, 83-86;\n ministers from other churches, 91-93.\n\n V. DEACONS\n\n How constituted, 86:1; qualification, 86:2; duties of, 87:1-3; local\n preachers as, 99:2; ordination of, 317-324.\n\n VI. ELDERS\n\n How constituted, 87:1; qualification, 88:1; probation, 88:2; duties of,\n 89:1-2; local preachers as, 99-100:3; ordination of, 324-339.\n\n\n PART IV. Pages 97-111\n\n LOCAL PREACHERS, EXHORTERS AND OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH\n\n I. THE CALL TO PREACH                                             97-98\n\n II. LOCAL PREACHERS & EXHORTERS\n\n How made, 98:1; qualification, 98-99:2; deacon, 99:2; Elder, 99-100:3;\n duties of, 100-101:1; certificate of removal, 102:4.\n\n III. EXHORTERS\n\n How made, 102:1 duties of, 103:2; further directions, 103:1-3.\n\n IV. CLASS LEADERS\n\n How made, 104:1-2; duties, 103-104:3.\n\n V. STEWARDS\n\n How made, 105:1; qualification, 106:2; duties of, 106-107:2-3; number\n 108:4; junior stewards, 108:5; recording stewards, 109:6.\n\n VI. STEWARDESSES\n\n Number and mode of election, 109:7; duties of, 109:7:3; junior,\n 109:7:2.\n\n VII. TRUSTEES\n\n How made, 110:1; regulations concerning, 110:2; number, 111:3;\n amenability, 111:4.\n\n\n PART V.\n\n CHURCH MEMBERSHIP, ORDER OF WORSHIP; MEANS OF GRACE, ETC.\n\n I. HOW TO RECEIVE MEMBERS                                           115\n\n II. ORDER OF PUBLIC WORSHIP                                   116-117:1\n\n Special directions, 117-118:2-6; prayer meeting, 118.\n\n III. CLASS MEETINGS                                             119-120\n\n Division of membership, 119:1; meetings, 119:2; general class, 120:3.\n\n IV. LOVE FEASTS\n\n When, and by whom held, 120:1; order of service, 120:2; strangers, 121.\n\n V. CHILDREN\n\n Dedication, 121:1; pastoral instruction, 121:2; members of church,\n 122:3; catechism and doctrine, 122:4.\n\n VI. SUNDAY SCHOOL\n\n How formed, 123; board of managers, 124:2; superintendent of, 124:5;\n department of, 223-228.\n\n\n PART VI.\n\n JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION, Pages 129-159\n\n I. TRIAL OF A BISHOP\n\n Investigation, 129; 132:4; suspension, 130; Court of Appeals,\n 131-132:3; accusation raised at General Conference, 133:4; trial, 133.\n\n II. TRIAL OF A TRAVELING PREACHER.\n\n Amenability, 141:1; investigation, 141-142; trial, 137; improper\n tempers, words, or actions, 137-138:3; erroneous doctrines, 138:4;\n inefficiency, 138:5; refusing to attend work, 139:6.\n\n III. TRIAL OF A PREACHER ON TRIAL                                140:1.\n\n IV. TRIAL OF A LOCAL PREACHER\n\n Amenability, 141:1; investigation, 141-142:1-3; trial, 142:4; improper\n tempers, words, or actions, 142-143:3; erroneous doctrine, 143:4;\n inefficiency, 143:5.\n\n V. TRIAL OF A MEMBER\n\n Investigation, 145:a; trial, 145: b, c, d, e; neglect of duty, sinful\n tempers, dancing, etc., 147:2; sowing dissension, 147:3; arbitration,\n 148-149.\n\n VI. MINISTERIAL COURT OF APPEALS\n\n How composed, 150:1-4; the right of appeal, 151:5; challenge, 151:7;\n further procedure, 152:9.\n\n VII. APPEAL TO THE GENERAL CONFERENCE\n\n Appeal carried up, 153:2; trial, 153-154:2-3-4.\n\n VIII. APPEAL OF A LOCAL PREACHER\n\n Committee, 155:12; the evidence, 155:3; procedure, 156:4.\n\n IX. APPEAL OF A MEMBER.\n\n The evidence, 156-157:2; procedure 157:4.\n\n X. RESTORATION OF CREDENTIALS\n\n Traveling Elders and Deacons, 158:1-2; local elders and deacons, 159.\n\n\n PART VII. Pages 163-174\n\n SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY, BUILDING CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES, SECURING AND\n TRANSFERRING CHURCH PROPERTY\n\n I. SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY\n\n Support of pastors, 163:1; of superannuated preachers, 231:IV:1-3;\n support of presiding elders, 163:2; 185:d; support of Bishops, 164:3;\n 179:IV:1; retired Bishops, 164:3; 179:V-2; widows of Bishops, 165:6;\n 179:IV:3.\n\n II. SUPPORT OF GENERAL OFFICERS\n\n Book Agent and Editor of Christian Index, 191:V:2; secretaries of;\n Missions, 197:5; Church Extension, 205:IV:7; Education, 219:8; Epworth\n League, 213:IV:4; Ministerial Aid, 230, II:6; Sunday School, 225:4; not\n otherwise provided for, 165:4.\n\n III. CHURCH PROPERTY\n\n Charitable institutions, 166:1; building churches, 166-168:II; building\n parsonages, 169:III.\n\n IV. BUYING AND SELLING CHURCH PROPERTY\n\n Securing churches and lots, 170-171:1; securing parsonages and lots,\n 171-172:2; sale of church property, authority of, 172:II:2; relief of\n trustees, 173:3.\n\n\n PART VIII. Pages 177-258.\n\n BOARDS AND DEPARTMENTS\n\n I. FINANCIAL PLAN\n\n General Assessment, 177:1:1; Board of Equalization, 177:II:1-2; Book\n Agent, 178-182:III:V:VII.\n\n II. JOINT BOARD OF FINANCE\n\n How constituted, 184:2; duties of, 185-186:3:a-g; right of Annual\n Conference, 186:5.\n\n III. Publishing Department                                      187-193\n\n IV. Gen. Missionary Department                                  193-199\n\n V. Woman's H. Miss. Society                                     199-201\n\n VI. Woman's Gen. Miss. Board                                    375-376\n\n VII. Church Extension Board                                     201-209\n\n VIII. Epworth League Board                                      209-214\n\n IX. Board of Education                                          214-223\n\n X. Sunday School Board                                          223-228\n\n XI. Superannuated Preachers, Widows and Orphans Board           228-233\n\n XII.  MISCELLANEOUS\n\n Children's Day, 233-234; General Missionary Day, 234; Official Meeting,\n 235; The Western Index, 236; the Eastern Index, 237.\n\n XIII. Schools and Colleges                                      237-245\n\n XIV. Founder's Day                                              245-246\n\n XV. Names and Boundaries of conferences                         247-258\n\n\nPART IX. Pages 261-353\n\nTHE RITUAL\n\n I. The Lord's Supper                                            261-273\n\n II. Baptism of Infants                                          273-278\n\n III. Baptism of Adults                                          278-285\n\n IV. Reception of Members                                        285-290\n\n V. Matrimony                                                    290-295\n\n VI. Burial of the Dead                                          295-304\n\n VII. CORNER STONE and DEDICATION\n\n Form for laying Corner Stone of Church, 305-310; form for dedication of\n church, 311-317.\n\n VIII. ORDINATION\n\n Form of ordaining deacons, 317; 324; of elders, 324-339; of\n consecrating Bishops, 339-353.\n\n\n APPENDIX\n\n PART X. Pages 355-377\n\n I. Addresses of Bishops and General Officers                    355-356\n\n II. Commissions and Boards                                      357-359\n\n III. COURSE OF STUDY FOR PREACHERS.\n\n Local preachers, 361-362; traveling preachers, 362-364.\n\n IV. Rules for Organization and Conduct of General Conference    365-374\n\n V. Woman's General Missionary Society                           375-377\n\n\n\n\n =PART I=\n THE CONSTITUTION\n\n CHAPTER I.\n ARTICLES OF RELIGION\n\n\nI. OF FAITH IN THE HOLY TRINITY.\n\nThere is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or\nparts; of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver\nof all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead,\nthere are three persons of one substance, power, and eternity\u2014the\nFather, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.\n\n\nII. OF THE WORD, OR SON OF GOD WHO WAS MADE VERY MAN.\n\nThe Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one\nsubstance with the Father, took man's nature in the womb of the blessed\nVirgin; so that two whole and perfect natures\u2014that is to say, the\nGodhead and manhood\u2014were joined together in one person, never to be\ndivided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man, who truly\nsuffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us,\nand to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for actual\nsins of men.\n\n\nIII. OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST\n\nChrist did truly rise again from the dead, and took again his body, with\nall things appertaining to the perfection of man's nature, wherewith he\nascended into heaven, and there sitteth until he return to judge all men\nat the last day.\n\n\nIV. OF THE HOLY GHOST.\n\nThe Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one\nsubstance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and\neternal God.\n\n\nV. THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION\n\nThe Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation; so that\nwhatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be\nrequired of any man, that it should be believed as an article of faith,\nor be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the\nHoly Scripture, we do understand those canonical books of the Old and\nNew Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.\n\n\nTHE NAMES OF THE CANONICAL BOOKS\n\nGenesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth,\nThe First Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel, The First Book of\nKings, The Second Book of Kings, The First Book of Chronicles, The\nSecond Book of Chronicles, The Book of Ezra, The Book of Nehemiah, The\nBook of Esther, The Book of Job, The Psalms, The Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,\nor the Preacher, Cantica, or Songs of Solomon, Four Prophets the\ngreater, Twelve Prophets the less. All the books of the New Testament,\nas they are commonly received, we do receive and account canonical.\n\n\nVI. OF THE OLD TESTAMENT\n\nThe Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and\nNew Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is\nthe only Mediator between God and man, being God and man. Wherefore,\nthey are not to be heard who feign that the old fathers did look only\nfor transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses, as\ntouching ceremonies and rites, doth not bind Christians, nor ought the\ncivil precepts thereof of necessity to be received in any Commonwealth,\nyet, notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience\nof the commandments which are called moral.\n\n\nVII. OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH-SIN\n\nOriginal Sin standeth not in the following of Adam, (as the Pelagians do\nvainly talk,) but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that\nnaturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very\nfar gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to\nevil, and that continually.\n\n\nVIII. OF FREE-WILL\n\nThe condition of man after the fall of Adam is such that he can not turn\nand prepare himself, by his own natural strength and works, to faith and\ncalling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant\nand acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us,\nthat we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that\ngood will.\n\n\nIX. OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN\n\nWe are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord\nand Savior Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or\ndeservings; wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most\nwholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.\n\n\nX. OF GOOD WORKS\n\nAlthough good works, which are the fruits of faith and follow after\njustification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of\nGod's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ,\nand spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a\nlively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by its fruit.\n\n\nXI. OF WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION\n\nVoluntary works, besides over and above God's commandments, which are\ncalled works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogancy and\nimpiety. For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto\nGod as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake\nthan of bounded duty is required; whereas Christ saith plainly, When ye\nhave done all that is commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants.\n\n\nXII. OF SIN AFTER JUSTIFICATION\n\nNot every sin willingly committed after justification, is the sin\nagainst the Holy Ghost, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of\nrepentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after\njustification. After we have received the Holy Ghost, we may depart from\ngrace given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise again and\namend our lives. And, therefore, they are to be condemned who say they\ncan no more sin as long as they live here, or deny the place of\nforgiveness to such as truly repent.\n\n\nXIII. OF THE CHURCH\n\nThe visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful men, in which\nthe pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly administered,\naccording to Christ's ordinance, in all those things that of necessity\nare requisite to the same.\n\n\nXIV. OF PURGATORY\n\nThe Romanish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardons, worshiping, and\nadoration, as well of images as of relics, and also invocation of\nsaints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant\nof Scripture, but repugnant to the word of God.\n\n\nXV. OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE AS THE PEOPLE\nUNDERSTAND\n\nIt is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God and the custom of the\nPrimitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church or to minister the\nsacraments in a tongue not understood by the people.\n\n\nXVI. OF THE SACRAMENTS\n\nSacraments, ordained of Christ, are not only badges or tokens of\nChristian men's profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace,\nand God's good will toward us, by the which he doth work invisibly in\nus, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our faith\nin him.\n\nThere are two sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel; that\nis to say, Baptism and the Supper of the Lord.\n\nThose five commonly called sacraments\u2014that is to say, Confirmation,\nPenance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction\u2014are not to be counted\nfor sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have partly grown out of the\n=corrupt= following of the apostles, and partly are states of life\nallowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of Baptism\nand the Lord's Supper, because they have not any visible sign or\nceremony ordained of God.\n\nThe sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be\ncarried about; but that we should duly use them. And in such only as\nworthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation;\nbut they that receive them unworthily purchase to themselves\ncondemnation, as St.\u00a0Paul saith, 1 Cor. xi. 29.\n\n\nXVII. OF BAPTISM\n\nBaptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby\nChristians are distinguished from others that are not baptized; but it\nis also a sign of regeneration, or the new birth. The baptism of young\nchildren is to be retained in the Church.\n\n\nXVIII. OF THE LORD'S SUPPER\n\nThe Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians\nought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a sacrament\nof our redemption by Christ's death; insomuch that, to such as rightly,\nworthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a\npartaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a\npartaking of the blood of Christ.\n\nTransubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and wine in\nthe Supper of the Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is repugnant\nto the plain words of Scripture, overthroweth the nature of a sacrament,\nand hath given occasion to many superstitions.\n\nThe body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after\na heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means whereby the body of\nChrist is received and eaten in the Supper, is faith.\n\nThe sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance\nreserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshiped.\n\n\nXIX. OF BOTH KINDS\n\nThe cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people; for both the\nparts of the Lord's Supper, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought\nto be administered to all Christians alike.\n\n\nXX. OF THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST, FINISHED UPON THE CROSS\n\nThe offering of Christ once made, is that perfect redemption,\npropitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both\noriginal and actual; and there is none other satisfaction for sin but\nthat alone. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses, in the which it is\ncommonly said that the priest doth offer Christ for the quick and the\ndead, to have remission of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable and\ndangerous deceit.\n\n\nXXI. OF THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTERS\n\nThe ministers of Christ are not commanded by God's law either to vow the\nestate of single life or to abstain from marriage; therefore it is\nlawful to marry at their own discretion, as for them, as for all other\nChristians, they shall judge the same to serve best to Godliness.\n\n\nXXII. OF THE RITES AND CEREMONIES OF CHURCHES\n\nIt is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be\nthe same, or exactly alike; for they have been always different, and may\nbe changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men's\nmanners, so that nothing be ordained against God's word. Whosoever,\nthrough his private judgment, willingly and purposely, doth openly break\nthe rites and ceremonies of the Church to which he belongs, which are\nnot repugnant to the word of God, and are ordained and approved by\ncommon authority, ought to be rebuked openly, that others may fear to do\nthe like, as one that offendeth against the common order of the Church,\nand woundeth the consciences of weak brethren.\n\nEvery particular Church may ordain, change, or abolish rights and\nceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification.\n\n\nXXIII. OF THE RULERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA\n\nThe president, the congress, the general assemblies, the governors, and\nthe councils of state, =as the delegates of the people= are the rulers\nof the United States of America, according to the division of power made\nto them by the constitution of the United States, and by the\nconstitution of their respective States. And the said States are a\nsovereign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject to any\nforeign jurisdiction.[1]\n\n\nXXIV. OF CHRISTIAN MEN'S GOODS\n\nThe riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching the\nright, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast.\nNotwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth,\nliberally to give alms to the poor according to his ability.\n\n\nXXV. OF A CHRISTIAN MAN'S OATH\n\nAs we confess that vain and rash by our Lord Jesus Christ and James, his\napostle, so we judge that the Christian religion doth not prohibit, but\nthat a man may swear when the magistrate requireth, in a cause of faith\nswearing is forbidden Christian men and charity, so it be done according\nto the prophet's teaching, in justice judgment, and truth.\n\n[Footnote 1: As far as it respects civil affairs, we believe it the duty\nof Christians and especially all Christian ministers, to be subject to\nthe supreme authority of the country where they reside, and to use all\nlaudable means to enjoin obedience to the powers that be; and,\ntherefore, it is expected that all our preachers and people, who may be\nunder any foreign government, will behave themselves as peaceable and\norderly subjects.]\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER II.\n THE GENERAL RULES\n\n\nThe General Rules of \"The United Societies\" organized by Mr. Wesley in\n1739, are as follows:\n\nThere is only one condition previously required of those who desire\nadmission into these societies, a \"desire to flee from the wrath to\ncome, and to be saved from their sins.\" But wherever this is really\nfixed in the soul, it will be shown by its fruits. It is therefore\nexpected of all who continue therein that they shall evidence their\ndesire of salvation\u2014\n\nFirst, by doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that\nwhich is most generally practiced; such as:\n\nThe taking of the name of God in vain;\n\nThe profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work\ntherein, or by buying or selling;\n\nDrunkenness, or drinking spirituous liquors unless in cases of\nnecessity;\n\n=Fighting=, quarreling, brawling, brother =going to law= with brother,\nreturning evil for evil, or railing for railing; the =using many words=\nin buying or selling.\n\nThe =buying or selling goods that have not paid the duty=;\n\nThe =giving or taking things on usury=, i.e., unlawful interest;\n\n=Uncharitable or unprofitable= conversation, particularly, speaking evil\nof magistrates or of ministers;\n\nDoing to others as we would not they should do unto us;\n\nDoing what we know is not for the glory of God: as,\n\nThe =putting on of gold and costly apparel=;\n\nThe =taking such diversions= as can not be used in the name of the Lord\nJesus;\n\nThe =singing= those =songs=, or =reading= those =books=, which do not\ntend to the knowledge or love of God;\n\nSoftness or needless self-indulgence;\n\nLaying up treasure upon earth;\n\nBorrowing without a probability of paying, or taking up goods without a\nprobability of paying for them.\n\nIt is expected of all who continue in these societies, that they should\ncontinue to evidence their desire of salvation\u2014\n\nSecondly, by doing good, by being in every kind merciful after their\npower, as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and\nas far as possible, to all men;\n\nTo their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the\nhungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick\nor in prison;\n\nTo their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any\nintercourse with, trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine that\nwe are not to do good unless =our hearts be free to do it=.\n\nBy doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith, or\ngroaning so to be, employing them preferably to others, buying one of\nanother, helping each other in business; and so much the more because\nthe world will love its own, and them =only=.\n\nBy all possible diligence and =frugality=, that the gospel be not\nblamed. By running with patience the race which is set before them,\n=denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily=; submitting to\nbear the reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and off-scouring of the\nworld; and looking that men should say =all manner of evil of them\nfalsely for the Lord's sake=.\n\nIt is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies that\nthey should continue to evidence their desire of salvation\u2014\n\nThirdly, by attending upon all the ordinances of God, such as;\n\nThe public worship of God;\n\nThe ministry of the word, either read =or= expounded;\n\nThe Supper of the Lord;\n\nFamily and private prayer;\n\nSearching the Scriptures, and\n\nFasting or abstinence.\n\nThese are the General Rules of our societies; all of which we are taught\nof God to observe, even in his written word, which is the only rule, and\nthe sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. And all these we\nknow his Spirit writes on truly awakened hearts. If there be any among\nus who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, let it be\nknown unto them who watch over that soul, as they who must give an\naccount. We will admonish him of the error of his ways; we will bear\nwith him for a season; but if then he repent not, he hath no more place\namong us; we have delivered our own souls.\n\n\n\n\n =PART II.=\n THE CONFERENCES\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER III.\n GENERAL CONFERENCE\n\n\nQues. 1. Who shall compose the General Conference, and what are the\nregulations and powers belonging to it?\n\nAns. 1. The General Conference shall be composed of one clerical member\nfor every twenty-eight members of each Annual Conference, and one lay\nmember (who may be a local preacher) for each Annual Conference, to be\nappointed as follows:\n\nThe clerical representatives shall be elected by the clerical members of\nthe Annual Conference: =provided= that such representatives shall have\ntraveled at least four calendar years from the time they were received\non trial, and are in full connection at the time of holding the\nConference. The lay representatives shall be elected by the lay members\nof the Annual Conference: =provided= that such representatives be\ntwenty-five years of age, and shall have been members of the Church for\nat least six years at the time of holding the Conference.\n\n2. An Annual Conference, entitled under the second Restrictive Rule to\ntwo ministerial delegates, shall not be denied the privilege of two lay\ndelegates also.\n\n3. The ministers and laymen shall deliberate in one body; but upon a\ncall of one-fifth of the members of the Conference, the lay and clerical\nmembers shall vote separately, and no measure shall be passed without\nthe concurrence of a majority of both classes of representatives.\n\n4. The General Conference shall meet in the month of May, once in four\nyears perpetually, in such place or places as shall be fixed on by the\nGeneral Conference from time to time.\n\n5. The Bishops, or a majority of all the Annual Conferences shall have\nauthority to call a General Conference, if they judge it necessary, at\nany time.\n\n6. When a General Conference is called, it shall be constituted of the\ndelegates elected to the preceding General Conference, except when an\nAnnual Conference shall prefer to have a new election. The place of\nholding a called session of the General Conference shall be that fixed\nby the preceding General Conference.\n\n7. The Bishops shall have authority, when they judge it necessary, to\nchange the place appointed for the meeting of the General Conference.\n\n8. At all times when the General Conference is met, it shall take a\nmajority of the representatives of all the Annual Conferences to make a\nquorum for transacting business.\n\n9. One of the general superintendents shall preside in the General\nConference; but in case no general superintendent be present, the\nGeneral Conference shall choose a president =pro tem=.\n\n10. The General Conference shall have full powers to make rules and\nregulations for our Church under the following limitations and\nrestrictions, viz:\n\n (1) The General Conference shall not revoke, alter, or change our\n Articles of Religion, or establish any new standards or rule of\n doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards of\n doctrine.\n\n (2) They shall not allow of more than one representative for every\n fourteen members of the Annual Conference, nor allow of a less number\n than one for every thirty; =provided=, nevertheless, that when there\n shall be in any Annual Conference a fraction of two-thirds the number\n which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Annual\n Conference shall be entitled to an additional delegate for such\n fraction; and =provided=, also, that no Conference shall be denied the\n privilege of two delegates.\n\n (3) They shall not change or alter any part or rule of our government,\n so as to do away with episcopacy, or destroy the plan of our itinerant\n general superintendency.\n\n (4) They shall not revoke or change the General Rules of the United\n Societies.\n\n (5) They shall not do away with the privilege of our ministers or\n preachers of trial by a committee and of an appeal; neither shall they\n do away with the privileges of our members of trial before the Church\n or by a committee, and of an appeal.\n\n=Provided=, nevertheless, that upon the concurrent recommendation of\nthree-fourths of all the members of the several Annual Conferences, who\nshall be present and vote on such recommendation, then a majority of\ntwo-thirds of the General Conference succeeding shall suffice to alter\nany of the above restrictions, excepting the first article; and also,\nwhenever such alterations shall have been first recommended by\ntwo-thirds of the General Conference, so soon as three-fourths of the\nmembers of all the Annual Conferences shall have concurred as aforesaid,\nsuch alteration or alterations shall take effect.\n\n=Provided=, that when any rule or regulation is adopted by the General\nConference, which, in the opinion of the Bishops, is unconstitutional,\nthe Bishops may present to the Conference which passed said rule or\nregulation, their objections thereto, with their reasons, in writing;\nand if then the General Conference shall, by a two-thirds vote, adhere\nto its action on said rule or regulation, it shall then take the course\nprescribed for altering a restrictive rule, and thus passed upon\naffirmatively, the Bishops shall announce that such rule or regulation\ntakes effect from that time.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER IV.\n ANNUAL CONFERENCES.\n\n\nQues. 1. Who shall compose an Annual Conference, and what are the\nregulations and powers belonging to it?\n\nAns. 1. All the traveling preachers in full connection with it, and four\nlay representatives\u2014one of whom may be a local preacher\u2014from each\nPresiding Elder's District.\n\n2. The lay members shall be chosen annually by the District Conferences;\n=provided= that no one shall be a representative who is not twenty-five\nyears of age, and who has not been for six years, next preceding his\nelection, a member of the Church.\n\n3. The lay members shall participate in all the business of the\nConference, except such as involves ministerial character.\n\n4. It shall be the duty of all the members of the Conference to attend\nits sessions, unless providentially hindered. All the preachers on\ntrial, and those to be admitted on trial, shall also attend the\nsessions, but they shall not vote on any question, nor speak unless by\nconsent of the Conference.\n\nQues. 2. Who shall determine the number and boundaries of the Annual\nConferences?\n\nAns. The General Conference.\n\n=Provided=, however, that the Annual Conference or Conferences shall\nhave the right to create other conferences in the interval of the\nGeneral Conferences. The Conference or Conferences desiring to create a\nnew Conference shall appoint a Commission for the purpose of arranging\nthe boundary line of such Conference and giving it a suitable name. The\nCommission shall submit its report to the ensuing Conference or\nConferences for ratification or rejection. In all cases the report of\nthe Commission to become effective must be adopted by the Conference or\nConferences which appointed the Commission.\n\nQues. 3. Who shall appoint the times of holding the Annual Conferences?\n\nAns. The Bishops; but they shall allow every Annual Conference to sit a\nweek at least.\n\nQues. 4. Who shall appoint the places of holding the Annual Conferences?\n\nAns. Each Annual Conference shall appoint the place of its own sitting;\nbut should it become necessary from any unforeseen cause to change the\nplace after it has been fixed by the Conference, a majority of the\nPresiding Elders, with the consent of the Bishop who is to preside,\nshall have power to make such change.\n\nQues. 5. Who shall preside in the Annual Conferences?\n\nAns. The Bishops. In the absence of a Bishop, the Conference shall elect\nthe president by ballot, without debate, from among the traveling\nelders. The president thus elected shall discharge all the duties of a\nBishop except ordination.\n\nQues. 6. What is the method of proceeding in an Annual Conference?\n\nAns. The following questions shall be asked:\n\n 1. Are all the preachers blameless in their life and official\n administration?\n\n 2. Who are admitted on trial?\n\n 3. Who remain on trial?\n\n 4. Who are discontinued?\n\n 5. Who are admitted into full connection?\n\n 6. Who are re-admitted?\n\n 7. Who are received by transfer from other Conferences?\n\n 8. Who are the deacons of one year?\n\n 9. What traveling preachers are elected deacons?\n\n 10. What traveling preachers are ordained deacons?\n\n 11. What local preachers are elected deacons?\n\n 12. What local preachers are ordained deacons?\n\n 13. What traveling preachers are elected elders?\n\n 14. What traveling preachers are ordained elders?\n\n 15. What local preachers are elected elders?\n\n 16. What local preachers are ordained elders?\n\n 17. Who are located this year?\n\n 18. Who are supernumerary?\n\n 19. Who are superannuated this year?[2]\n\n20. What preachers have died during the year?\n\n 21. What is the number of traveling preachers in this Conference?\n\n 22. What is the number of local preachers in this Conference?\n\n 23. What is the number of lay members in this Conference?\n\n 24. How many infants have been baptized during the year?\n\n 25. How many adults have been baptized during the year?\n\n 26. What is the number of Sunday-schools?\n\n 27. What is the number of Sunday-school teachers?\n\n 28. What is the number of Sunday-school scholars?\n\n 29. What is the number of Epworth League Chapters?\n\n 30. What is the number of Epworth League members?\n\n 31. What amount has been raised for superannuated preachers, widows,\n and orphans of preachers? (a) from General Funds? (b) from five cents\n assessment? (c) from per capita collection at the Annual Conference?\n\n 32. What amount has been received by claimants in this Conference?[3]\n\n 33. What was contributed for missions on General Missionary Day?\n\n 34. What amount was contributed for education on Children's Day?\n\n 35. What amount has been contributed for Church Extension?\n\n 36. What amount was apportioned in this Conference for General Funds?\n\n 37. What amount has been raised on General Funds this year?\n\n 38. What amount was apportioned in this Conference for Annual\n Conference Contingent Fund?\n\n 39. What has been raised on Annual Conference Contingent Fund?\n\n 40. Where shall the next session of the conference be held?\n\n 41. Where are the preachers stationed this year?\n\nQues. 7. What method is recommended in the examination of the life and\nofficial administration of the preachers?\n\nAns. 1. Let none be present except members of the Conference, and others\nwho may be in attendance on Conference business, unless the Conference\nby vote shall order otherwise.\n\n2. Let the name of every preacher be called, and let his Presiding\nElder, or some other member of the Conference, state whether or not\nthere be any complaint against him. If there be none, he may retire, and\nthe Conference may make further inquiry concerning him, and pass his\ncharacter without vote.\n\n3. If there be a complaint, and the preacher has been advised of it, let\nit be stated to the Conference, and let the accused have the privilege\nof replying. He shall then retire, and the Conference shall determine by\nvote whether or not his character shall pass.\n\n4. If a trial be necessary, it shall be conducted according to the\nprovisions of Chapter XXIV.\n\n5. The names of any who may be expelled or suspended, or who may have\nwithdrawn from the Church, shall be stated in the minutes.\n\nQues. 8. What other business shall be done in the Annual Conference?\n\nAns. 1. Let every Annual Conference inquire into the state and character\nof all the institutions of learning that may be under its care, and the\nbest means of promoting their interests, and, if necessary, of\nincreasing their number. =Provided=, no member of the C. M. E. Church,\nbishop, presiding elder, or preacher shall establish a school in the\nname of the C. M. E. Church without first getting the consent of the\nQuarterly or Annual Conference within whose bounds said school may be\nlocated.\n\n2. Let every Annual Conference take account of all the church buildings,\nparsonages, and other church property within its bounds, and see that\nsame be legally secured to the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church,\naccording to the provisions of the Discipline.\n\n3. In each Annual Conference, the bishop presiding shall appoint a\ncommittee of examination on the course of study provided for candidates\nfor the ministry. The committee of examination shall consist of not less\nthan three (3) nor more than eleven (11) of the most competent members\nof the conference. The committee shall serve four years, provided they\nare appointed at the first session of the conference following the\nGeneral Conference. The Bishop may appoint one or more of the committee\nas often as he thinks the interests of the work require it.\n\n4. The committee of examination shall assemble one day in advance of the\nConference, and at the same place, to hold examination for all\ncandidates. As far as practicable, all examinations shall be conducted\nin writing and at least ten (10) questions shall be proposed in each\nbranch of study.\n\n5. All applicants for admission on trial, into full connection and for\nordination, and all local preachers seeking ordination as deacons or\nelders, must be examined in the course of study provided by the bishops\nand approved by the General Conference. All applicants must meet the\ncommittee one day before the opening of the Annual Conference.\n\n6. The standard of examination shall be one hundred (100), but in no\ncase shall an applicant be promoted or ordained who falls below seventy\n(70) in examination, provided, nevertheless the provisions for ordaining\nMissionaries be not changed.\n\n7. Let every Annual Conference have a record of its proceedings, kept by\na secretary chosen for that purpose; said record shall be signed by the\nPresident and the Secretary, and a copy of the same be sent to the\nGeneral Conference at its next ensuing session.\n\n8. The Secretary of each Annual Conference shall forward to the Editor\nof the =Christian Index= or Book Agent full and correct answers to the\nforegoing forty-one questions, for insertion into the General Minutes,\naccording to the form therein adopted.\n\n9. The Joint Board of Finance shall fix the salary and traveling\nexpenses of the Presiding Elders, and apportion the same in and to the\nseveral charges within the District.\n\n10. SECRETARY OF STATISTICS\n\n (a) The Secretary of Statistics shall keep a record of the number of\n itinerant ministers and lay members, the number of churches and\n parsonages, the value of the same by Annual Conferences; all moneys\n raised for general and local purposes shall be tabulated by Annual\n Conferences, and published in pamphlet form annually. The pamphlet\n containing such information shall be known as \"The Year Book of the C.\n M. E. Church,\" and shall be printed by the Book Agent.\n\n (b) The Secretary of each Annual Conference shall, as soon as the\n conference closes, send to the Secretary of Statistics an accurate\n return from the Statistical Secretary and Joint Board of Finance, all\n figures necessary to be used in making up said \"Year Book.\"\n\n[Footnote 2: NOTE: Let the answer to this question embrace the names of\nall superannuated with the date of their superannuation.]\n\n[Footnote 3: Let answer embrace amount paid to each claimant in the\nconference.]\n\n\n CHAPTER V.\n DISTRICT CONFERENCES\n\n\nQues. 1. What directions are given concerning District Conferences?\n\nAns. 1. There shall be held annually, in each presiding elder's\nDistrict, a District Conference. The time shall be fixed by the\nPresiding Elder, and the place by the conference.\n\n2. The District Conference shall be composed of all the preachers, in\nthe District, both traveling and local, and of laymen, the number of\nwhom, and their mode of appointment, each Annual Conference may\ndetermine for itself.\n\n3. The Presiding Elder shall preside. In his absence, the Conference\nshall elect a president.\n\n4. The Conference shall elect a secretary, who shall keep a record of\nall its proceedings.\n\n1. It shall be the duty of the Conference to examine Quarterly\nConference Journals, and to inquire particularly into the condition of\nthe several charges in the District:\u2014\n\n (a) As to their spiritual state, and\n\n (b) As to missions within the District, where new ones should be\n established, or what missions should be raised to circuits or stations.\n\n (c) As to the Sunday-schools, and the manner of conducting them, and as\n to education generally.\n\n (d) As to the financial system, the contributions to church purposes,\n and the condition of houses of worship and parsonages.\n\n (e) As to the mission work and Church Extension; the amount raised for\n each.\n\n (f) As to the Epworth League chapters and the manner of conducting\n them.\n\n2. (a) Hearing reports from Special Committees.\n\n (b) Reading and discussion of papers.\n\n3. The District Conference shall elect annually, by ballot, from the\nDistrict, four delegates to the ensuing Annual Conference; =provided=,\nno member of the Annual Conference shall vote in said election.\n\n4. At these conferences prominence shall be given to religious\nexercises, such as preaching, prayer meetings, love feast, and the\nadministration of the sacraments.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER VI.\n QUARTERLY CONFERENCES.\n\n\nQues. 1. Who shall compose a Quarterly Conference?\n\nAns. All the traveling and local preachers, exhorters, stewards (senior\nand junior), stewardesses (senior and junior), trustees of church\nproperty, class leaders, presidents of Epworth League chapters,\nPresidents of Woman's Missionary Societies, Superintendents of Sunday\nSchools, Secretaries of Church Conferences, and choristers, who are\nmembers of the church, and none else.\n\nQues. 2. When and where shall each Quarterly Conference meet?\n\nAns. Four times a year, at such place as the Conference may appoint, and\nat such time as the Presiding Elder may designate.\n\nQues. 3. Who shall preside in a Quarterly Conference?\n\nAns. The Presiding Elder, or, in his absence, the preacher in charge.\n\nQues. 4. What is the regular business of a Quarterly Conference?\n\nAns. 1. To receive and try appeals, to hear complaints, and examine\nChurch Records and Registers.\n\n2. To superintend the interests of Sunday-schools and the instruction of\nchildren.\n\n3. To take cognizance of all the local preachers and exhorters in the\ncircuits, stations, or missions, and to inquire annually into the gifts,\nlabors, and usefulness of each by name.\n\n4. To try, suspend, expel, or acquit any local preacher in the circuit,\nstation, or mission, against whom charges may be brought.\n\n5. To license proper persons to exhort and to preach; =provided= that no\nperson shall thus be licensed to either preach or exhort who, for any\ncause, marries a divorced woman; to renew their license annually, when,\nin its judgment, their gifts, grace, and usefulness will warrant a\nrenewal. All votes to license preachers shall be taken by ballot.\n\n6. To recommend suitable candidates to the Annual Conference for\ndeacon's or elder's orders in the local connection, and for admission on\ntrial and re-admission into the traveling connection: =Provided= (a)\nthat no one shall be admitted or allowed to remain in the traveling\nconnection who marries a divorced woman: =Provided= (b) that no person\nshall be recommended to the Annual Conference for admission on trial, or\nfor ordination, without first being examined in the Quarterly Conference\non the subject of doctrine and discipline, and giving satisfactory\nevidence of his ability to read the word of God. All votes to recommend\npreachers for admission on trial, or re-admission into the traveling\nconnection, or for deacon's or elder's orders shall be taken by ballot.\n\n7. To elect trustees, stewards, and stewardesses, superintendents of\nSunday-schools, according to the discipline, for the circuit, station,\nor mission, and of the stewards, to appoint one a Recording Steward.\n\n8. To see that all its proceedings be faithfully recorded, by a\nsecretary chosen for the purpose, in a book to be kept by the Recording\nSteward; the records of each session being signed by the President and\nSecretary.\n\nQues. 5. What order of business shall be observed in the Quarterly\nConference?\n\nAns. After religious service, let the roll be called, and the following\ninquiries be made\u2014\n\n1. Are there any appeals?\n\n2. Are there any complaints?\n\n3. Is there a written report from\u2014\n\n (a) The Pastor as to the number and state of the church?\n\n (b) The Superintendent as to the number and state of the Sunday School?\n\n (c) Senior and Junior Stewards?\n\n (d) Senior and Junior Stewardesses?\n\n (e) Trustees of Church Property?\n\n (f) Woman's Missionary Society?\n\n (g) Epworth League?\n\n (h) Church Extension?\n\n (i) Chorister?\n\n4. What were the estimated claims, and what the final settlement of the\nsame, in the charge, during the past year?\n\n (1) The answer to this question will embrace the amount assessed and\n paid Presiding Elder, Pastor, General Funds, Church Extension,\n Missions, Education, Superannuated preachers, widows, and orphans of\n preachers and other items.\n\n5. What amount has been estimated by the Board of Stewards for the\nsupport of the preacher in charge, and his assistant, for the present\nyear? (1 or 2).\n\n6. What amount has been apportioned this charge by the Joint Board of\nFinance: 1, for Presiding Elder's salary and traveling expenses? 2, for\nGeneral Funds, Education, Missions and Church Extension? (1 or 2).\n\n7. Are there any applications\u2014\n\n (a) For license to exhort?\n\n (b) For license to preach?\n\n8. Who are elected to fill vacancies in the Board of Trustees?\n\n9. What amount was raised for education on Children's Day? (3 or 4.)\n\n10. Have the General Rules been read?\n\n11. Is there a Church Register, and a Record of Church Conferences for\neach church on the charge, and have they been faithfully kept?\n\n12. Have the exhorters and local preachers passed an examination of\ncharacter, and have their license been renewed? (3 or 4.)\n\n13. Are there any applications to the Annual Conference to be admitted\non trial into the traveling connection, or for re-admission? (4).\n\n14. What local preachers are recommended to the Annual Conference for\nordination? (4.)\n\n15. Who are elected Senior and Junior Stewards, and Senior and Junior\nStewardesses for the ensuing conference year?\n\n16. Who is elected Recording Steward? (4.)\n\n17. Who are elected Sunday School Superintendents? (4.)\n\n18. What amount was raised for Missions on General Missionary Day? (3\nor 4.)\n\n19. What are the statistics to be reported to the Annual Conference?\n(4.)\n\n20. Is there any miscellaneous business?\n\n21. Where shall the next Quarterly Conference be held?\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER VII.\n CHURCH CONFERENCES\n\n\nQues. 1. What directions are given concerning Church Conferences?\n\nAns. 1. All the members of the Church, and resident members of the\nAnnual Conference shall come together once a month, or on circuits at\nleast every three months, at every appointment, to hold a Church\nConference, over which the preacher in charge shall preside. It may be\nheld at any time most convenient for assembling the greatest number of\nmembers; but if on the Sabbath, it should not interfere with the morning\npublic worship.\n\n2. A secretary shall be elected annually, at the first meeting after the\nsession of the Annual Conference. He shall make a record of the\nproceedings, and shall keep in a book, and return to the Quarterly\nConference, all statistics which the Discipline requires to be reported\nto an Annual Conference.\n\n3. The roll of members shall be called at every meeting, unless\notherwise ordered, and the Conference may strike off the names of any\nwho, on account of removal or other causes, have been lost sight of for\ntwelve months; =provided=, however, that if such member appears and\nclaims membership, he may be restored by a vote of the meeting.\n\n4. The following is suggested as the general order of business:\n\n1. Receive reports\u2014\n\n (a) From the preachers, of their labors since the last meeting.\n\n (b) From the class leaders.\n\n (c) From the Sunday-schools.\n\n (d) From the stewards and stewardesses of that Church.\n\n2. The Conference shall inquire\u2014\n\n (a) What is the number of the poor of the Church?\n\n (b) Have they been provided for?\n\n (c) Is the church here doing its duty for the cause of missions and\n other Church enterprises, and for the collections ordered by the Annual\n Conference?\n\n (d) Is our religious literature circulated and read?\n\n (e) Can the Church extend its work by establishing additional prayer\n meetings, Sunday-schools or in any other way?\n\n (f) Can anything more be done to strengthen and build up the Church in\n the community, and to advance the cause of Christ?\n\n5. If the observance of this order of business is likely to protract the\nsession beyond a reasonable limit, the president may, from time to time,\nselect the most important matters and bring them forward.\n\n6. Let the Church Conference be opened and closed with religious\nservice, and conducted in a devout and prayerful spirit.\n\n\n\n\n =PART III.=\n THE MINISTER\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER VIII.\n THE ELECTION AND CONSECRATION OF BISHOPS AND THEIR DUTIES\n\n\nQues. 1. How is a Bishop to be constituted?\n\nAns. By the election of the General Conference, and the laying on of\nhands of three Bishops, or at least of one Bishop and two Elders.\n\nQues. 2. If by death, expulsion, or otherwise, there be no Bishop\nremaining in our church, what shall we do?\n\nAns. The General Conference shall elect a Bishop; and the Elders, or any\nthree of them, who shall be appointed by the General Conference for that\npurpose, shall ordain him according to our form of ordination.\n\nQues. 3. What are the duties of a Bishop?\n\nAns. 1 (a) To preside in the General and Annual Conferences.\n\n (b) To fix the appointments of the preachers in the Annual Conferences;\n =provided=, he shall not allow any preacher to remain in the same\n circuit, station or mission more than six years successively, except\n where the presiding Bishop thinks a longer term of service will promote\n the welfare of the charge. The Book Agent, Editor of the Christian\n Index, the Secretaries of Missions, Church Extension and Epworth\n Leagues, superannuated and supernumerary preachers, Missionaries in\n foreign stations, Chaplains to military posts, preachers who may be\n appointed to labor for seamen and the American Bible Society and the\n presidents, principals or other teachers of seminaries and other\n institutions of learning under our superintendence are exceptions to\n the =time limit= as above indicated,\n \n (c) When requested by an annual conference, the Bishop may appoint a\n preacher for a term of years to any seminary or institution of learning\n not under our supervision and care.\n  \n (d) He shall have authority when requested by the Annual Conference to\n appoint an agent, who shall travel throughout the bounds of such\n conference for the purpose of organizing Sunday Schools, aiding needy\n ones, and distributing tracts. (e) When requested by any annual\n conference, he shall have authority to appoint an agent or agents who\n shall travel and work in the interest of our literary institutions.\n\nSec. 2. To choose the Presiding Elders, fix their stations, and to\nchange them when he judges it necessary, provided, however, that no\nElder shall preside longer than six years consecutively, nor shall be\nreappointed to a district until he has served, at least, two years, in\nthe pastorate or otherwise. (Mission fields excepted.)\n\n3. To change, receive, and suspend preachers in the intervals of the\nConferences, as necessity may require, and as the Discipline directs.\n\n4. To ordain bishops, elders, and deacons; and to see that the names of\nthe persons ordained by him be entered on the journals of the\nConference.\n\n5. To decide all questions of law coming before him in the regular\nbusiness of an Annual Conference: =provided=, such questions be\npresented in writing, and with his decisions be recorded on the journals\nof the Conference. When the Bishop shall have decided a question of law,\nthe Conference shall have the right to determine how far the law thus\ndecided or interpreted is applicable to the case then pending. An Annual\nConference shall have a right to appeal from such decision to the\nCollege of Bishops, whose decision in such cases shall be final. And no\nEpiscopal decision shall be authoritative except in the case pending,\nnor shall any such be published until it shall have been approved by the\nCollege of Bishops. And each Bishop shall report in writing to the\nEpiscopal College, at an annual meeting to be held by them, such\ndecisions as he has made subsequently to the last preceding meeting; and\nall such decisions, when approved by the College of Bishops, shall be\nrecorded in a permanent form, and published in such manner as the\nBishops shall agree to adopt; and when so approved, recorded, and\npublished, they shall be authoritative interpretations or constructions\nof the law.\n\n6. To hear and decide appeals of the Quarterly Conferences on questions\nof law, when he shall be presiding in any Annual Conference; and the\nquestion contained in the appeal, together with the Bishop's decision,\nshall be recorded on the journal of the Annual Conference.\n\n7. To see that the Districts be formed according to his judgment;\n=provided=, that no District shall contain more than eighteen\nappointments.\n\n8. To unite two or more circuits stations or missions together, for\nQuarterly Conference purposes, allowing the financial interests and\npastoral duties of each to remain separate and independent; and to\ndivide a circuit, station, or mission into two or more, when he judges\nit necessary.\n\n9. To spend at least six months annually from charge to charge, through\nout his Episcopal District, in order to preach, and to oversee the\nspiritual and temporal affairs of the Church.\n\n10. To organize Annual Conferences in the interval of the General\nConference, when in his judgment it seems wise to do so; and to see that\none clerical and one lay delegate be elected from such Conference to the\nGeneral Conference, according to the provision of the second\n\"Restrictive Rule.\"\n\n11. To appoint one of their number to preach the quadrennial sermon\nbefore the General Conference on the day of its opening.\n\n12. They shall divide the entire Church into Districts, according to the\nnumber of active Bishops.\n\n13. The Bishops shall choose their own work.\n\n14. They shall change their Districts at least every four years.\n\n15. Any Bishop elected since 1873 shall be automatically retired at the\nGeneral Conference nearest his seventieth birthday.\n\n16. No Bishop shall be treasurer or custodian of an Educational or\nGeneral Church moneys.\n\n17. A Bishop shall not raise or cause to be raised, collect or cause to\nbe collected, or receive any public donations from any Annual Conference\nor Conferences in the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church.\n\n18. The Bishop shall be President of the Board of Trustees of all\nschools and colleges located in his district.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER IX.\n PRESIDING ELDERS\n\n\nQues. 1. What are the duties of a Presiding Elder?\n\nAns. 1. To travel through his appointed District, in order to preach and\nsuperintend the spiritual and temporal affairs of the Church.\n\n2. In the absence of the Bishop, to take charge of all the traveling and\nlocal preachers, and exhorters, in his District.\n\n3. To change, receive, and suspend preachers in his District during the\nintervals of the Conferences, and in the absence of the Bishop, as the\nDiscipline directs.\n\n4. To be present, as far as practicable, at all the quarterly meetings,\nand call together the members of the Quarterly Conference, over which he\nshall also preside.\n\n5. To decide all questions of law which may come up in the regular\nbusiness of the Quarterly or District Conferences, when submitted to him\nin writing, subject to an appeal to the President of the next Annual\nConference; but in all cases the application of law shall be with the\nQuarterly or District Conferences, which shall record in its journal all\nsuch questions and decisions.\n\n6. To take care that every part of the Discipline be enforced in his\nDistrict; to promote, by all proper means, the cause of the Epworth\nLeague, Church Extension, missions and Sunday-schools, and the\npublication, at our own press, of tracts and Sunday school books; to\ninquire carefully at each Quarterly Conference, whether the rules\nrespecting the instruction of children have been faithfully observed;\nand to report to the Annual Conference the names of all delinquent\ntraveling preachers within his District.\n\n7. To attend the Bishops when present in his District; and to give them,\nwhen absent, all necessary information by letter, of the state of his\nDistrict.\n\n8. To direct the candidates for the ministry to those studies\nrecommended for them by the Bishops.\n\n9. To procure at the fourth Quarterly Conference full statistics from\nevery charge, to be reported at the Annual Conference, in case the\npreacher in charge fails to make his report.\n\n10. If any preacher absents himself from his circuit, the Presiding\nElder shall, as far as possible, fill his place with another preacher.\n\nQues. 2. Shall the Presiding Elder have the power to employ a preacher\nwho has been rejected at the previous Annual Conference?\n\nAns. He shall not, unless the Conference should give him liberty under\ncertain conditions.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER X.\n PASTORS AND THEIR DUTIES\n\n\nQues. 1. What are the duties of a preacher who has the charge of a\ncircuit, station, or mission?\n\nAns. 1. To receive, try, and expel members, according to the provisions\nof the Discipline, and to subscribe for the Christian Index. Any\nminister failing to subscribe for the same shall be guilty of neglect of\nduty.\n\n2. To appoint all the leaders, and change them when he sees it\nnecessary.\n\n3. To see that all the ordinances and regulations of the Church be duly\nobserved, and that the General Rules be read at least once a year in\nevery congregation.\n\n4. To see that a fast be held in every congregation within his charge on\nthe Friday preceding every quarterly meeting, and that suitable services\nbe held on the occasion, wherever practicable.\n\n5. To hold Quarterly Conferences in the absence of the Presiding Elder.\n\n6. To hold a meeting of the leaders and stewards of his charge once a\nweek, if practicable, to receive their reports.\n\n7. To report at each Quarterly Conference the names of all who have been\nreceived into the Church, and of all who have died, removed, withdrawn,\nor been excluded from it during the preceding quarter, and give a\nstatement of the general condition of his station, circuit, or mission.\n\n8. To give an account of his charge every quarter to his Presiding\nElder.\n\n9. To see that all the people within the bounds of his charge be duly\nsupplied with our books and periodicals.\n\n10. To keep a directory, in which the residence of all the members shall\nbe noted, wherever it may be necessary to facilitate pastoral\nvisitation.\n\n11. To leave his successor a particular account of his charge including\nan account of the subscribers for our periodicals.\n\n12. To see that a permanent record be kept of all the baptisms and\nmarriages within the bounds of his charge.\n\n13. To see that a register be kept, in which shall be noted the names,\nwith the time and manner of the reception and disposal of every person\nbelonging to the Church in his station, circuit, or mission,\ndistinguishing between local elders, deacons and preachers, and lay\nmembers; and to report to the Annual Conference the number of each that\nmay be under his charge at the time of its session.\n\n14. To promote all the interests of the Sunday School, Epworth League,\nChurch Extension, Board of Missions, Superannuated Preachers, Widows,\nand Orphans of Preachers Society, and the Tract Society of our Church in\nsuch a way as the Discipline and Annual Conference may direct, and to\nreport to the Annual Conference the amount raised in his charge during\nthe year for these several claims.\n\n15. To see that reports are made at each session of the Quarterly\nConference of the number and state of the Sunday School, Epworth League,\nand Woman's Missionary Society, and that the report of the work for the\nyear in the above named departments be sent to the fourth Quarterly\nConference and the Annual Conference.\n\n16. To furnish every one removing from his charge with a certificate in\nthe following form:\n\n CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER\n\n The bearer hereof................\n is an acceptable member of the Colored\n Methodist Episcopal Church....\n .........station ........... Annual\n Conference, and is hereby cheerfully\n recommended to the fellowship of any\n body of Christian believers with whom\n ...............may cast.........lot.\n\n ............Pastor.\n ............Sec'ty of Church.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XI.\n ADMITTING ON TRIAL AND INTO FULL CONNECTION.\n ELECTION TO DEACON'S AND ELDER'S ORDERS.\n\n\nI. ADMITTING PREACHERS ON TRIAL\n\nQues. How is a preacher to be admitted on trial into the traveling\nconnection?\n\nAns. 1. By the Annual Conference. In the interval of the Conference, he\nmay be received and employed in the work by a Bishop, or the Presiding\nElder of the District, until the sitting of the Conference.\n\n2. No one shall be admitted on trial unless he procures a recommendation\nfrom the Quarterly Conference; nor shall a vote be taken upon the\nadmission of any candidate who shall not have passed an approved\nexamination upon the course of study prescribed by the Bishops, before a\ncommittee appointed by the Bishop for the purpose.\n\n3. The Annual Conference may then admit him as a probationer by a vote\nof the majority. Observe taking on trial is entirely different from\nadmitting a preacher into full connection. One on trial may be, either\nadmitted or rejected without doing him any wrong; otherwise it would be\nno trial at all.\n\n\nII. ADMITTING PREACHERS INTO FULL CONNECTION\n\nQues. Who shall be admitted into the Conference in full connection?\n\nAns. 1. No one except a preacher who has been employed two successive\nyears in the regular itinerant work, (which is to commence from his\nbeing admitted on trial at the Annual Conference,) and who is approved\nby the Annual Conference.\n\n2. Before any preacher is admitted into full connection, he shall have\npassed an approved examination upon the Course of Study prescribed by\nthe Bishops for candidates for the ministry; and in no case shall a vote\nbe taken to admit any one until he is recommended by the examining\ncommittee.\n\n3. A missionary employed on a foreign mission may be admitted into full\nconnection, if recommended by the superintendent of the mission where he\nlabors, without being present at the Annual Conference for examination.\n\nQues. 2. What method do we use in admitting a preacher into full\nconnection at the Conference?\n\nAns. After solemn fasting and prayer, every person proposed shall then\nbe asked before the Conference the following questions, (with any,\nothers which may be thought necessary), namely: Have you faith in\nChrist? Are you going on to perfection? Are you groaning after it? Are\nyou resolved to devote yourself wholly to God and his work? Are you\nwilling to conform to the Discipline of the Church? Will you diligently\ninstruct the children in every place? Will you visit from house to\nhouse? Will you recommend fasting, or abstinence, both by precept and\nexample? Will you especially observe the following directions?\u2014\n\n 1. Be diligent. Never be unemployed. Never be triflingly employed.\n Never trifle away time; neither spend any more time at any place than\n is strictly necessary.\n\n 2. Be punctual. Do every thing exactly at the time. And do not mend our\n rules, but keep them; not for wrath, but conscience's sake.\n\n 3. Act in all things not according to your own will, but as a son in\n the gospel. It is therefore your duty to employ your time in the manner\n which we direct; in preaching, meeting the classes, visiting from house\n to house, and especially visiting the sick; in reading, meditation and\n prayer. Above all, if you labor with us in the Lord's vineyard, it is\n needful you should do that part of the work which we advise at those\n times and places which we judge best for his glory.\n\n If he gives satisfactory answers to these questions, the Conference, by\n a vote of the majority, may admit him into full connection.\n\n\nIII. ELECTION TO DEACON'S ORDERS\n\nQues. 1. How is a deacon constituted?\n\nAns. 1. By the election of a majority of the Annual Conference, and the\nlaying on of the hands of a Bishop.\n\n2. Before any traveling preacher is ordained deacon, he shall have\npassed an approved examination upon the Course of Study prescribed by\nthe Bishops for candidates for the ministry; and in no case shall a vote\nbe taken to elect any one to deacon's orders until he is recommended by\nthe examining committee.\n\nQues. 2. What shall be the time of probation of a traveling preacher for\nthe office of a deacon?\n\nAns. No one shall be so elected and ordained who has not been one year\nin the regular itinerant work, except such as may be selected by the\nBishop for missionary work, when the Annual Conference shall have\nauthority to elect to the deacon's office sooner, if the Conference\njudge it expedient.\n\nQues. 3. What are the duties of a Traveling Deacon?\n\nAns. 1. To administer baptism and to perform the office of matrimony, in\nthe absence of the Elder.\n\n2. To assist the Elder in administering the Lord's Supper.\n\n3. To do all the duties of a traveling preacher.\n\n\nIV. ELECTION OF DEACONS TO ELDER'S ORDERS.\n\nQues. 1. How is an Elder constituted?\n\nAns. 1. By the election of a majority of the Annual Conference, and the\nlaying on of the hands of a Bishop and some of the Elders that are\npresent.\n\n2. Before any traveling preacher is ordained Elder, he shall have passed\nan approved examination upon the Course of Study prescribed by the\nBishops for candidates for all the ministry; and in no case shall a vote\nbe taken to elect any one to Elder's Orders until he is recommended by\nthe examining committee.\n\nQues. 2. What shall be the time of probation of a traveling deacon for\nthe office of an Elder?\n\nAns. Every traveling deacon shall exercise that office for two years,\nbefore he is eligible to the office of Elder; except in the case of\nmissionaries, when the Annual Conference shall have authority to elect\nto the Elder's office sooner, if the Conference judge it expedient;\n\n=Provided=, always, that when a preacher has passed his examination, and\nbeen elected to deacon's orders, but fails of his ordination through the\nabsence of a Bishop, his eligibility to the office of Elder shall run\nfrom the time of his election to the office of Deacon.\n\nQues. 3. What are the duties of a traveling Elder?\n\nAns. 1. To administer baptism and the Lord's Supper and to perform the\nrite of matrimony, and conduct all parts of Divine worship.\n\n2. To do all the duties of a traveling preacher.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XII.\n SUPERNUMERARY AND SUPERANNUATED PREACHERS\u2014\n PREACHERS FROM OTHER CHURCHES\n\n\nI. SUPERNUMERARY PREACHERS\n\nQues. What is a supernumerary preacher?\n\nAns. 1. A supernumerary preacher is one who is so disabled by affliction\nas to be unable to preach constantly, but is willing to do any work in\nthe ministry which the Bishop may direct, and he may be able to perform.\n\n2. A supernumerary preacher who refuses to attend to the work assigned\nhim, unless in case of sickness or other unavoidable cause or causes,\nshall not be allowed to exercise the functions of his office, nor even\nto preach among us; nevertheless, the final determination of the case\nshall be with the Annual Conference of which he is a member, which shall\nhave power to acquit, suspend, locate, or expel him, as the case may be.\n\n\nII. SUPERANNUATED PREACHERS.\n\nQues. What is a superannuated preacher?\n\nAns. 1. A superannuated preacher is one who is worn out in the itinerant\nservice.\n\n2. A superannuated preacher, living out of the bounds of the Conference\nof which he is a member, shall be held responsible to the Annual\nConference within whose bounds he may reside, which shall have power to\ntry, acquit, suspend or expel him, in the same manner as if he were a\nmember of said Conference.\n\n\nIII. RECEIVING PREACHERS FROM OTHER CHURCHES\n\nQues. 1. How shall we receive those ministers who may offer to unite\nwith us from other Christian Churches?\n\nAns. 1. Ministers of other Churches who may desire to unite with us as\nlocal preachers, may be received by a Quarterly Conference, upon giving\nsatisfaction that they are suitable persons; but they shall not exercise\nthe peculiar functions of deacons or elders until their orders are\nrecognized by the Annual Conference:\n\n=Provided=, no one who has been expelled from the ministry and\nmembership of another Church shall be permitted to enter our itinerancy\nunder five years from date of said expulsion.\n\n=Provided=, that the Bishop may, at his discretion, allow ministers thus\nreceived to exercise their functions as Deacons or Elders until the\nsession of the Annual Conference.\n\n2. After such reception, and a recommendation by the Quarterly\nConference, the Annual Conference, if satisfied of their being in order,\nand of their agreement with us in doctrine and discipline, and also of\ntheir gifts, graces and usefulness, may recognize them accordingly,\nwithout the re-imposition of hands, on condition of their taking upon\nthem our ordination vows. If they cannot attend the Annual Conference,\nthey shall send up a certified subscription to our doctrines and\ndiscipline, and to our ordination vows.\n\n3. Ministers of other Churches, duly accredited as Deacons or Elders,\nwho may desire to unite with us as traveling preachers, may be admitted\nas Deacons or Elders in full connection, after they shall have been\nmembers of the Quarterly Conference at least one year, and procuring a\nrecommendation from the Quarterly Conference: =provided=, the Conference\nis satisfied with their gifts, graces and usefulness, and their\nagreement with us in doctrine and discipline, on condition of their\ntaking upon them our ordination vows, without the re-imposition of\nhands.\n\n4. When a minister has been received and recognized in orders, he shall\nbe furnished with a certificate, signed by one of our Bishops, in the\nfollowing words, viz:\n\n This is to certify that..............\n has been admitted into...............\n Conference as a traveling preacher (or\n has been received as a local preacher\n on........................Circuit),\n he having been ordained to the office\n of a deacon, (or elder, as the case\n may be,) according to the usages of\n the.................Church, of which\n he has been a member and minister;\n and he is hereby authorized to exercise\n the functions pertaining to his office\n in the Colored Methodist Episcopal\n Church in America so long as his\n life and conversation are such as become\n the gospel of Christ.\n\n Given under my hand and seal, at\n ......this..........day of........in\n the year of our Lord.........\n\n\n\n\n =PART IV.=\n LOCAL PREACHERS, EXHORTERS, AND OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XIII.\n THE CALL TO PREACH\n\n\nQues. 1. How shall we try those who profess to be moved by the Holy\nGhost to preach?\n\nAns. Let the following questions be asked, namely:\n\n1. Do they know God as a pardoning God? Have they the love of God\nabiding in them? Do they desire nothing but God? And are they holy in\nall manner of conversation?\n\n2. Have they gifts (as well as graces) for the work? Have they (in some\ntolerable degree) a clear, sound understanding, a right judgment in the\nthings of God, a just conception of salvation by faith? Do they speak\njustly, readily, clearly?\n\n3. Have they fruit? Are any truly convinced of sin and converted to God\nby their preaching?\n\nAs long as these three marks concur in any one, we believe he is called\nof God to preach. These we receive as sufficient proof that he is moved\nby the Holy Ghost.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XIV.\n LOCAL PREACHERS AND EXHORTERS\n\n\nI. LOCAL PREACHERS\n\nQues. 1. What directions are given concerning the licensing of persons\nto preach?\n\nAns. 1. The Quarterly Conference shall have authority to license proper\npersons to preach, and to renew their license annually, when, in its\njudgment, their gifts, graces and usefulness will warrant it.\n\n2. No person shall be licensed to preach without the recommendation of\nthe Church of which he or she is a member, or of the Leaders' Meeting of\nthe charge to which he or she belongs. Nor shall any one be licensed to\npreach without first being examined in the Quarterly Conference on the\nsubject of doctrines and discipline, and giving satisfactory evidence of\nhis or her ability to read the word of God; nor shall any license be\nvalid unless signed by the President and Secretary of the Conference.\n\nQues. 2. What shall be the time of probation of a local preacher for the\noffice of a deacon?\n\nAns. A local preacher shall be eligible to the office of a deacon after\nhe has preached four years from the time he received a regular license,\nand has obtained a recommendation from the Quarterly Conference, on a\nproper examination, signed by the President and Secretary, and after his\ncharacter has passed, and he has obtained the approbation of the Annual\nConference.\n\nQues. 3. What shall be the time of probation of a local deacon for the\noffice of an elder?\n\nAns. A local deacon shall be eligible to the office of an elder after he\nhas preached four years from the time he was ordained a deacon, and has\nobtained a recommendation from the Quarterly Conference, on a proper\nexamination, certifying his qualifications in doctrine, discipline,\ntalents and usefulness, signed by the President and Secretary. He shall\npresent to the Annual Conference such recommendation, with a note\ncertifying his belief in the doctrine and discipline of our Church\u2014the\nwhole being examined by the Annual Conference; and if approved, he may\nbe ordained.\n\nQues. 4. What further directions are given concerning local preachers?\n\nAns. 1. It shall be the duty of local preachers to aid the preacher in\ncharge of the circuit, station, or mission to which they belong in\nsupplying the people with the ministry of the word. They shall subscribe\nannually for the Christian Index, and their license shall not be renewed\nby the Quarterly Conference until they shall have subscribed for the\nsame. They shall accordingly be applied to by the preacher in charge as\nsoon as he enters his work, to state what amount of service they are\nable and willing to perform; he may then draw up a plan by which their\nlabors shall be regulated. They shall be authorized to form new\ncongregations, to take a list of the names of all candidates for Church\nmembership, and, if expedient, receive them into the Church;\n=provided=, that all such congregations, candidates, and members be\nreported as soon as possible to the preacher in charge, in order that\nthey may be placed immediately under his pastoral care.\n\n2. Every local elder, deacon, and licentiate shall have his name\nrecorded on the Journal of the Quarterly Conference of which he is a\nmember.\n\n3. When any traveling preacher is located he shall be amenable to the\nQuarterly Conference of the charge last filled by him, until he presents\nhis certificate of location to some other Quarterly Conference.\n\n4. When a local elder, deacon or licentiate removes from one circuit,\nstation or mission, to another, he shall procure from the Presiding\nElder of the District or from the Preacher having charge, a certificate\nof his official standing in the Church at the time of his removal;\nwithout which he shall not be received as a local preacher in other\nplaces.\n\n\nII. EXHORTERS\n\nQues. 1. What directions are given concerning the licensing of persons\nto exhort?\n\nAns. 1. The Quarterly Conference shall have authority to license proper\npersons to exhort, and to renew their license annually, when, in its\njudgment, their gifts, graces and usefulness will warrant it.\n\n2. No person shall be licensed to exhort without the recommendation of\nthe Church of which he is a member, or of the Leaders' Meeting of the\ncharge to which he belongs; nor shall any license be valid unless signed\nby the President of the Conference.\n\nQues. 2. What are the duties of an exhorter?\n\nAns. To hold meetings for prayer and exhortation whenever opportunity is\nafforded, subject to the direction of the preacher in charge.\n\nQues. 3. What further directions are given concerning exhorters?\n\nAns. 1. Let every exhorter diligently exercise the functions of his\noffice without assuming those of a preacher.\n\n2. Every exhorter, by virtue of his office, shall be a member of the\nQuarterly Conference of the charge to which he belongs; but in all other\nrespects he shall be dealt with as a private member of the Church.\n\n3. When an exhorter removes from one circuit, station or mission to\nanother, he shall not be recognized as such unless he obtains a\ncertificate of his official character from the Presiding Elder of the\nDistrict, or the preacher to whose charge he belongs at the time of his\nremoval.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XV.\n CLASS LEADERS\n\n\nQues. 1. How are the class leaders to be appointed?\n\nAns. By the preacher in charge, who shall appoint one person in each\nclass to be the leader thereof.\n\nQues. 2. What are the regulations concerning the class leaders?\n\nAns. 1. Let them be men of sound judgment and truly devoted to God.\n\n2. Let every one of them be carefully examined by the preacher in charge\nat least once a quarter, concerning his method of leading his class.\n\n3. It is the leader's duty\u2014\n\n (1) To see each person in his class once a week, at least, in order to\n inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort, or\n exhort, as occasion may require; to receive what they are willing to\n give toward the support of the preacher in charge and for the relief of\n the poor.[4]\n\n (2) To meet the ministers and the stewards of the society once a week\n in order\u2014\n\n  To inform the minister of any that are sick, or of any that walk\n  disorderly and will not be reproved.\n\n  To pay the stewards what they have received of their several classes\n  in the week preceding =provided=, the leaders collect from each member\n  5c per week, class dues.\n\n[Footnote 4: This part refers to towns and cities where the poor are\ngenerally numerous and Church expenses considerable.]\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XVI.\n STEWARDS AND STEWARDESSES\n\n\nQues. 1. How are Stewards and Junior Stewards to be appointed?\n\nAns. The preacher in charge shall have the right of nomination, subject\nto the confirmation or rejection of the Quarterly Conference.\n\nQues. 2. What are the regulations concerning Stewards and Junior\nStewards?\n\nAns. 1. Let them be men of solid piety, who both know and love the\nMethodist doctrine and discipline, and of good natural and acquired\nability to transact temporal business of the Church.\n\n2. It shall be the duty of the Stewards to make estimates of expenses\nand provision for the support of the gospel; to take an exact account of\nall moneys collected or other provisions made for the support of the\nministry; expenditure of money, whether for the support of the ministry\nor the relief of the sick, or the poor; to seek the needy and distressed\nin order to relieve and comfort them; to inform the preachers of any\nsick or disorderly persons; to tell the preachers what they think wrong\nin them; to attend the official meetings and the quarterly meetings; to\ngive advice, if asked, in planning the circuit; to attend committees for\nthe application of money to churches; to give counsel in matters of\narbitration; to provide elements for the Lord's Supper; to appoint some\none, whenever necessary, to receive contributions for the support of the\nministry and other purposes, and to obtain from each collector thus\nappointed the money received by him, that it may be reported to the\nQuarterly Conference; to take up collections quarterly in every\ncongregation, if it be necessary, and to write circular letters to the\nsocieties to be more liberal, if need be; and to let them know, when\noccasion requires, the financial state of the Church, as reported at the\nQuarterly Conference. They shall elect their own chairman, secretary and\ntreasurer.\n\n3. The Stewards of each circuit and station shall be a standing\ncommittee (where there is no parsonage) to provide houses for the\nfamilies of married preachers, or to assist the preachers to obtain\nhouses for themselves when they are appointed to labor among them.\n\nQues. 3. To whom are Stewards accountable for the faithful performance\nof their duties?\n\nAns. To the Quarterly Conference, which shall have power to remove them\nfrom office.\n\nQues. 4. What shall be the number of Stewards in each circuit or\nstation?\n\nAns. 1. Every pastoral charge shall be entitled to one Steward for every\nthirty members, to be elected annually: =provided=, nevertheless, that\neach society in a circuit shall have one Steward, and each circuit or\nstation may have at least seven.\n\n2. When two or more circuits or stations are united, the Stewards shall\nhold office till the first Quarterly Conference elects a new Board.\n\nQues. 5. What directions are given concerning Junior Stewards?\n\nAns. They shall be auxiliary to Stewards and their number and manner of\nelection shall be the same.\n\nQues. 6. What are the duties of a Recording Steward?\n\nAns. To preserve the records of the Quarterly Conference, and to report\nto the Joint Board of Finance of the Annual Conference a full account of\nthe acts of his Board of Stewards the preceding year.\n\nQues. 7. What are the regulations concerning Stewardesses and Junior\nStewardesses?\n\nAns. There shall be a Board of Stewardesses and Junior Stewardesses in\neach circuit, station or mission, whose number and mode of election\nshall be the same as Stewards.\n\n2. Junior Stewardesses shall be auxiliary to Stewardesses.\n\n3. It shall be the duty of the Stewardesses to serve the table of the\nLord, the table of the poor, and the table of the ministry; to assist in\nthe collection of the General Funds, Presiding Elder's and Pastor's\nsalary, and to do any other work that may be assigned to them by the\npastor in charge or Board of Stewards of the Church.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XVII.\n TRUSTEES OF CHURCH PROPERTY\n\n\nQues. 1. How are Trustees to be appointed?\n\nAns. Except where the laws of the State or Territory provide\ndifferently, the Preacher in Charge, or, in his absence, the Presiding\nElder, shall have the right of nomination, subject to the confirmation\nor rejection of the Quarterly Conference.\n\nQues. 2. What are the regulations concerning the Trustees?\n\nAns. 1. No person shall be eligible as a Trustee of any of our\nparsonages or churches who is not a member of our Church, and at least\ntwenty-one years of age.\n\n2. All vacancies in the Board of Trustees, occasioned by death,\nresignation, or otherwise, shall be filled without delay.\n\n3. Let nine Trustees be appointed for holding Church property, when\nproper persons can be procured, otherwise, seven, five, or three, who\nshall elect their own chairman, secretary, and treasurer.\n\n4. The Board or Boards of Trustees of every circuit, station, or\nmission, shall be members of, and responsible to, the Quarterly\nConference of the same, which shall have power to dismiss any of them\nfrom office; and shall be required to present a report of their acts, at\nleast once a year, to the Quarterly Conference.\n\n5. No person who is a Trustee shall be ejected while he is in joint\nsecurity for money, unless such relief be given him as is demanded, or\nthe creditor will accept.\n\n\n\n\n =PART V.=\n CHURCH MEMBERSHIP, ORDER OF WORSHIP, MEANS OF GRACE,\n CHILDREN, AND SUNDAY-SCHOOL\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XVIII.\n HOW TO RECEIVE MEMBERS.\n\n\nQues. How shall members be received into the Church?\n\nAns. 1. When persons offer themselves for Church-membership, let the\npreacher in charge inquire into their spiritual condition, and receive\nthem into the Church when they have given satisfactory assurances of\ntheir desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their\nsins; and also, of the genuineness of their faith, and of their\nwillingness to keep the rules of the Church.\n\n2. When satisfied on these points, let the minister bring the candidates\nbefore the congregation, whenever practicable, and receive them\naccording to the prescribed form.\n\n3. If a member in good standing in any other Church shall desire to\nunite with us, such applicant may, by giving satisfactory answers to the\nusual inquiries be received without these formalities.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XIX.\n ORDER AND DIRECTIONS FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP\n\n\nQues. 1. What directions are given for uniformity in public worship?\n\nAns. 1. The morning service shall be conducted in the following order:\n\nORDER OF PUBLIC WORSHIP\n\n 1. Organ voluntary or song.\n\n 2. Singing, congregation standing.\n\n 3. Repeating \"Apostles' Creed.\"\n\n 4. Prayer\u2014closing with Lord's prayer, repeated or chanted.\n\n 5. Singing\u2014anthem or hymn.\n\n 6. Reading lessons out of the Old and the New Testament\u2014with chant by\n choir or suitable song between the lessons.\n\n 7. Announcements and notices.\n\n 8. Singing\u2014congregation sitting.\n\n 9. Preaching.\n\n 10. Singing\u2014congregation standing.\n\n 11. Prayer.\n\n 12. Doxology and benediction.\n\n2. The afternoon and evening services shall be the same as the morning,\nexcept that one of the lessons, or both, may be omitted, at the\ndiscretion of the minister.\n\n3. The Lord's Supper shall be administered monthly, in every\ncongregation, wherever it is practicable; and where it is not, at every\nquarterly meeting. Let the service preceding the administration be so\nproportioned as to admit of due time for this solemn ordinance.\n\n4. Let the Lord's Prayer be used on all occasions of public worship, in\nconcluding the first morning prayer, the congregation repeating after\nthe minister; and the apostolic benediction (2 Cor. xiii. 14) in\ndismissing the congregation.\n\n5. The Ritual shall be invariably used in all the offices for which it\nis prescribed.\n\nQues. 2. How shall we guard against formality in singing?\n\nAns. 1. By choosing such hymns as are proper for the occasion.\n\n2. By not singing too much at once; seldom more than five or six verses.\n\n3. By suiting the tune to the words.\n\n4. By often stopping short, when the words are given out, and asking the\npeople: \"Now, do you know what you said last? Did you speak no more than\nyou felt?\"\n\n5. In all our congregations let the people learn to sing, and use our\nown Hymn and Tune Books.\n\n6. Exhort every person in the congregation to sing.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XX.\n OTHER MEETINGS OF THE CHURCH\n\n\nI. PRAYER MEETINGS\n\nQues. What directions are given concerning our prayer meetings?\n\nAns. Let the pastor hold prayer-meetings, weekly, in every church where\nit is practicable; and when he cannot himself attend, let him engage\nlocal preachers, exhorters, class-leaders, and others, to hold them.\n\n2. Let prayer-meetings be held also at other places where there is a\nprobability of their doing good.\n\n\nII. CLASS MEETINGS\n\nQues. 1. What directions are given concerning class-meetings?\n\nAns. 1. Let the membership of every church, wherever it is practicable,\nbe divided into smaller companies, called classes, according to their\nrespective places of abode; and let the members be exhorted to attend\nthe meetings of the same.\n\n2. Two or more classes may meet at the same time and place, at their own\noption, and their leaders may alternate in conducting the exercises.\n\n3. The pastor shall visit every class once a quarter, and report its\ncondition to the Quarterly Conference; and let him hold general\nclass-meetings as often as he shall find it expedient.\n\nQues. 2. Can any thing be done in order to make the class-meetings more\nprofitable?\n\nAns. 1. Change improper leaders.\n\n2. Let the leaders frequently meet each other's classes.\n\n3. Let us observe which leaders are the most useful; and let these meet\nthe other classes as often as possible.\n\n\nIII. LOVE-FEASTS\n\nQues. 1. What directions are given concerning love-feasts?\n\nAns. 1. Love-feasts shall be held quarterly, or at such other times as\nthe preacher in charge may consider expedient, with closed doors, to\nwhich, besides Church members, other serious persons may be admitted by\nhim.\n\n2. In conducting the love-feast, after singing and prayer, the preacher\nmay make a short address, setting forth the nature and design of this\ninstitution; every one present then partakes of a little bread and water\nin token of brotherly love; the members then give brief details of their\nreligious experience; and the meeting is closed with singing and prayer.\n\nQues. 2. How often shall we permit strangers to be present at our\nlove-feasts?\n\nAns. Let them be admitted with the utmost caution; and the same person\non no account above twice or thrice.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXI.\n CHILDREN OF THE CHURCH\n\n\nQues. What directions are given concerning the children of the Church?\n\nAns. 1. Let the minister diligently instruct and exhort all parents to\ndedicate their children to the Lord in baptism as early as convenient.\n\n2. In his pastoral visitations let him pay special attention to the\nchildren; speak to them personally and kindly on experimental and\npractical godliness, according to their capacity; pray earnestly for\nthem, and cause them to be faithfully instructed in the nature, design,\nprivileges, and obligations of their baptism.\n\n3. As soon as they comprehend the responsibilities involved in a public\nprofession of faith in Christ, and give evidence of a sincere and\nearnest determination to discharge the same, see that they be duly\nrecognized as members of the Church, agreeably to the provisions of the\nDiscipline.\n\n4. Let our Catechisms be used as extensively as possible, both in our\nSunday-schools and families; and let the preachers faithfully enforce\nupon parents and Sunday-school teachers the great importance of\ninstructing children in the doctrines and duties of our holy religion.\n\n5. It shall be the special duty of the preachers to form Bible-classes\nwherever they can, for the instruction of larger children and youth; and\nwhere they cannot superintend them personally, to appoint suitable\nleaders for that purpose.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXII.\n THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL\n\n\nQues. What directions are given concerning Sunday-schools?\n\nAns. 1. Let Sunday-schools be formed in all our congregations, where ten\nchildren can be collected for that purpose. And it shall be the especial\nduty of preachers having charge of circuits and stations, with the aid\nof the other preachers, to see that this be done; to engage the\nco-operation of as many of our members as they can; to visit the schools\nas often as practicable; to preach on the subject of Sunday-schools and\nreligious instruction in each congregation; to have the Superintendents\nlay before the Quarterly Conference, at each quarterly meeting, to be\nentered on its journal, a written statement of the number and state of\nthe Sunday-schools within their respective circuits and stations, and to\nmake a report of the same to their several Annual Conferences.\n\n2. Each Quarterly Conference shall be deemed a Board of Managers, having\nsupervision of all the Sunday-school Societies within its limits.\n\n3. It is recommended that each Annual Conference, where the general\nstate of the work will allow, request the appointment of a special\nagent, to travel throughout its bounds, for the purpose of promoting the\ninterests of Sunday-schools and his expenses shall be paid out of\ncollections which he shall be directed to make, or otherwise, as shall\nbe ordered by the Conference.\n\n4. Let our Catechisms be used as extensively as possible in our\nSunday-schools; and let the preachers faithfully enforce upon\nSunday-school teachers the great importance of instructing children in\nthe doctrines and duties of our holy religion.\n\n5. The Superintendent of the Sunday-school shall be nominated by the\npreacher in charge, subject to the confirmation or rejection of the\nQuarterly Conference.\n\n\n\n\n =PART VI.=\n JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXIII.\n TRIAL CODE OF A BISHOP\n\n\nQues. 1. To whom is a Bishop amenable for his conduct?\n\nAns. 1. To the General Conference which has power to try him for\nimproper conduct and to acquit, suspend, reprimand, retire with or\nwithout salary or expel him.\n\nQues. 2. What provision is made for the trial of a Bishop if he be\naccused of immorality in the interval of the General Conference?\n\nAns 2. When a bishop shall be under a report or be accused of\nimmorality, three traveling elders shall, after notice to him, carefully\ninquire into the case and if they believe an investigation necessary,\nthey shall report the matter to another bishop\u2014and it shall be his duty\nto call together at some convenient place not fewer than twelve (12)\ntraveling elders\u2014 and also the witnesses by whom the accusation is\nexpected to be established, and the said elders shall be a committee for\nthe investigation of the charge against the Bishop.\n\nIf the majority of them believe a trial necessary, they shall suspend\nhim until the next General Conference.\n\nThe presiding Bishop shall cause an exact record of the investigation,\nsigned by the president and secretary, to be transmitted to the General\nConference. By this record and such other testimony as may be obtained,\nthe case shall be considered and determined by the General Conference\nwithout the intervention of another committee. But in no case shall the\ninquiring elders be recognized as the accusers, but the three elders\nafore-mentioned must act wholly upon rumors and not personal knowledge,\nand shall not take any further part in the case.\n\nQues. 3. What provision is made for the appeal of a Bishop who may be\nsuspended during the interval of the General Conference?\n\nAns. 3. There shall be a court of appeals composed of fifteen (15)\npersons appointed as follows: Two by each Bishop and one by the fourteen\n(14) appointed by the Bishops\u2014one of the Bishops shall be ex-officio\npresident of said court. The number composing said court shall be\nincreased at the same ratio as the number of Bishops may be increased\nuntil the number composing the court shall reach twenty-five (25), to\nwhich all appeals shall be made by the accused who may have been\nsuspended in the interval of the General Conference; said court shall\nhave the power to sustain the action of the investigating committee,\nreverse and remand, or reverse and dismiss. In all cases their decisions\nshall be final except when the action of the investigating committee is\nsustained by it.\n\nIn said excepted case, the suspension remains until the ensuing General\nConference.\n\nThe Bishop appointed to preside over said court is hereby authorized,\nupon the receipt of an appeal, from the decision of any committee of\ninvestigation, to cause to be appointed the fifteen (15) members as\nabove stated, which said number will sit as an appellate court as before\nstated at a place most convenient to all parties concerned.\n\nBut should an appeal reach the Bishop within three months of the sitting\nof the General Conference, the court shall not be convened\u2014but the case\ntakes its regular course.\n\nQues. 4. What provision is made for the trial of a Bishop if he should\nbe accused during the session of the General Conference?\n\nAns. 1. An accusation preferred during the session of the General\nConference shall be referred for investigation to a committee of\ntwenty-five (25) members of the General Conference to be selected by the\npresident. Of this number, the accused shall have the right of challenge\nfor fifteen (15) of the twenty-five (25) appointed by the Bishop or\npresident\u2014and the committee shall report to the General Conference\nwhether or not a trial is necessary.\n\nIf the committee of investigation decides that a trial is necessary,\nthey shall formulate charges and specifications conforming them with the\ngrade of offense involved in the accusation and shall appoint one or\nmore of their number to prosecute the case.\n\nThe bill of charges and specifications shall be a part of the report of\nthe committee to the General Conference. Every case to be tried under\nthis process, shall, upon finding of a bill of charges, be referred to\nthe Committee on Episcopacy, who shall have full power to try the case\nand whose decision shall be final save as to the right of appeal.\n\nThe said committee shall make a written report to the General Conference\nand deliver to the secretary the whole record of the case with the\ndecision rendered.\n\n2. A Bishop who shall be found guilty by the committee on Episcopacy\nshall have the right to appeal to the General Conference then in session\nwhich shall finally determine the case.\n\n3. No charge against a Bishop shall be tried unless it be made in\nwriting with specifications signed by the accusers\u2014and a copy of the\ncharge with the specifications shall be delivered to the accused in\nsufficient time before the trial to enable him to make all necessary\npreparation for his defense.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXIV.\n TRIAL OF A TRAVELING PREACHER\n\n\nQues. 1. To whom is a traveling preacher amenable for his conduct?\n\nAns. To the Annual Conference, which shall have power to try, acquit, or\nexpel him.\n\nQues. 2. What shall be done when a traveling preacher is accused of\nimmorality?\n\nAns. 1. When a traveling elder or deacon is under report of being guilty\nof some crime expressly forbidden in the Word of God, if it be in the\ninterval of the Annual Conference, let the Presiding Elder, in the\nabsence of the Bishop, call as many traveling preachers as he shall\nthink fit\u2014at least three\u2014and, if possible, bring the accused and the\naccuser face to face. If the accused be clearly convicted, he shall be\nsuspended till the ensuing Annual Conference. The Presiding Elder shall\ncause an exact record of the investigation, signed by the President and\nSecretary, to be transmitted to the Annual Conference, by which his case\nshall be fully considered and determined.\n\nIf the accused be a Presiding Elder, any three traveling Elders or\nDeacons of his District may inquire into the case, and if they judge it\nnecessary report to the Bishop, who shall appoint a committee of at\nleast three Elders, from within the bounds of the Annual Conference of\nwhich the accused is a member; he shall also preside at the\ninvestigation, or some traveling Elder appointed by him; and the\naccused, if guilty, shall be suspended.\n\nIf the accused and the accuser cannot be brought face to face, but the\nsupposed delinquent evades an investigation, it shall be received as a\npresumptive proof of guilt; and out of the mouth of two or three\nwitnesses he shall be condemned, and be accordingly suspended.\nNevertheless, even in that case, the Annual Conference shall consider\nand determine the whole matter.\n\n2. When the accusation is preferred during the session of the Annual\nConference, it shall first be referred to a committee of three traveling\nElders for investigation, who shall report to the Conference whether or\nnot they judge a trial necessary. If the Conference differ in judgment\nfrom the committee, a new committee may be appointed to inquire into the\nfacts and report.\n\nThe committee of investigation reporting a case for trial, shall bring\nforward the bill of charges in proper form and appoint one or more of\ntheir number to prosecute it.\n\nEvery case to be tried shall be referred to a committee of not less than\nnine, nor more than thirteen, who, in the presence of a Bishop or a\nchairman, whom the President of the Conference shall appoint, and one or\nmore of the Secretaries of the Conference, shall have full power to try\nthe case, and their decision shall be final, save as to the right of\nappeal: =provided=, that the accused shall, upon good grounds\nalleged, be allowed to challenge five in a committee of nine, or seven\nin a committee of thirteen, and in the same ratio for any other number.\nAnd the said committee shall make a faithful report to the Conference,\nin writing, and deliver up to the Secretary the whole record of the\ncase, with the decision rendered.\n\n\nQues. 3. What shall be done in cases of improper tempers, words, or\nactions?\n\nAns. The person so offending shall be reprehended by his senior in\noffice. Should a second transgression take place, one, two, or three\nministers or preachers are to be taken as witnesses. If he be not then\ncured, accusation shall be preferred at the next Annual Conference, and\nthe accused shall be dealt with as in a case of immorality.\n\nQues. 4. What shall be done with those ministers or preachers who hold\nand disseminate, publicly or privately doctrines which are contrary to\nour Articles of Religion?\n\nAns. Let the same process be observed as in case of immorality; but if\nthe minister or preacher so offending do solemnly engage not to\ndisseminate such erroneous doctrines in public or in private, he shall\nbe borne with till his case be laid before the next Annual Conference,\nwhich shall determine the matter.\n\nQues. 5. What shall be done when a traveling preacher is complained of\nas being so unacceptable, inefficient, or secular, as to be no longer\nuseful in his work?\n\nAns. 1. The Conference to which he belongs shall investigate the case,\nand if it appears that the complaint is well founded, and he does not\ngive the Conference satisfaction that he will amend or voluntarily\nretire, it may locate him without his consent.\n\n2. He shall be at liberty to defend himself before the Conference in\nperson, or by his representative; and if he be located in his absence,\nwithout having been previously notified of an intention thus to proceed\nagainst him, he may apply to the Conference, at its next session, to be\nheard in his defense, and the matter shall be reconsidered for that\npurpose.\n\nQues. 6. What shall be done in the case of a preacher who refuses to\nattend to the work assigned him?\n\nAns. No Deacon or Elder who ceases to travel without the consent of the\nAnnual Conference, certified under the hand of the President of the\nConference, except in case of sickness, debility or other unavoidable\ncircumstances, shall, on any account, exercise the peculiar functions of\nhis office, or even be allowed to preach among us; but the final\ndetermination in all such cases is with the Annual Conference.\n\nNevertheless, in all the above mentioned cases of trial and conviction,\nan appeal to the Ministerial Court of Appeals shall be allowed, if the\ncondemned person signifies to the President or the Secretary of the\nConference his intention to appeal at the time of his condemnation; or\nat any time within two months thereafter.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXV.\n TRIAL OF PROBATIONERS AND LOCAL PREACHERS.\n\n\nI. TRIAL OF A PROBATIONER\n\nQues. What shall be done with a preacher on trial who is accused of\nimmorality?\n\nAns. He shall be accountable to the Quarterly Conference of the circuit\non which he travels. The Presiding Elder shall call a committee of\ninvestigation, and the course of Discipline shall be pursued that is\nmade and provided for a Local Preacher under a like accusation.\n\n\nII. TRIAL OF A LOCAL PREACHER\n\nQues. 1. To whom is a Local Preacher amenable for his conduct?\n\nAns. To the Quarterly Conference, which shall have power to try, acquit,\nor expel him.\n\nQues. 2. What shall be done when a Local Preacher is accused of\nimmorality?\n\nAns. 1. When a Local Preacher is under report of being guilty of some\ncrime expressly forbidden in the Word of God, the preacher in charge\nshall appoint a committee of three Local Preachers to investigate the\nreport; and if they judge a trial to be necessary, they shall appoint\none or more of their number to prepare a bill of charges and\nspecifications, and present it before the ensuing Quarterly Conference.\n\n2. The Committee of Investigation shall, in every case, make a report to\nthe Quarterly Conference; and if the Conference differs in judgment, a\nnew committee may be appointed to inquire into the facts and to report.\n\n3. A Local Preacher who has been notified by the Presiding Elder, or\npreacher in charge, of a bill of charges and specifications thus found\nagainst him, shall not be allowed to exercise the functions of his\noffice until the case has been presented to, and determined by, the\nQuarterly Conference.\n\n4. The President of the Quarterly Conference, shall at the commencement\nof the trial, appoint a Secretary, who shall take down regular minutes\nof the evidence and proceedings. The minutes, when read and approved,\nshall be signed by the President, and also by the members who are\npresent, or a majority of them, and the sentence of the Quarterly\nConference shall be pronounced by the President.\n\nQues. 3. What shall be done in cases of improper tempers, words, or\nactions?\n\nAns. The person so offending shall be reprehended by the preacher having\ncharge. Should a second transgression take place, one, two, or three\nfaithful friends are to be taken as witnesses. If he be not then cured,\nhe shall be dealt with as in a case of immorality; and if found guilty\nand impenitent, he shall be expelled from the Church.\n\nQues. 4. What shall be done with those Local Preachers who hold and\ndisseminate, publicly or privately, doctrines which are contrary to our\nArticles of Religion?\n\nAns. Let the same process be observed as in a case of immorality.\n\nQues. 5. What shall be done when a Local Elder or Deacon is complained\nof as being so unacceptable or inefficient as to be no longer useful in\nhis work, and the Quarterly Conference refuses to pass his character on\nthat ground?\n\nAns. The Quarterly Conference next succeeding shall proceed to\ninvestigate the case; and if it appears that the complaint is well\nfounded, and he does not give the Conference satisfaction that he will\namend or voluntarily retire, the Conference may depose him from the\nministry. He shall be at liberty to defend himself before the Conference\nin person, or by his representative. The President of the Quarterly\nConference shall have regular minutes of the investigation taken which\non being read and approved, shall be signed by himself and a majority of\nthe members of the Conference.\n\nNevertheless, in all the above mentioned cases of trial and conviction,\nan appeal to the ensuing Annual Conference shall be allowed, if the\ncondemned person signifies his intention to appeal at the time of his\ncondemnation, or at any time thereafter when he is informed thereof.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXVI.\n TRIAL OF A MEMBER\n\n\nQues. 1. How shall an accused member be brought to trial?\n\nAns. 1. Before the church of which he is a member, or a select number of\nthem, in the presence of a Bishop, Elder, Deacon or Preacher, in the\nfollowing manner:\n\n (a) When a member of the Church is under report of being guilty of some\n crime expressly forbidden in the Word of God, the preacher having\n charge shall appoint a committee of three discreet members, who shall\n investigate the report, and if they judge a trial to be necessary, they\n shall appoint one of their number to prepare a bill of charges and\n specifications, and also to prosecute the case.\n\n (b) Upon the presentation of such bill of charges, the preacher shall\n appoint a committee of not less than five, nor more than thirteen,\n before whom the accused shall be duly cited to appear, who shall have\n full power to try the case; and if the accused be found guilty by a\n majority of the committee, let the preacher declare him suspended or\n expelled. Nevertheless, the preacher may, at his discretion, bring the\n case before the whole Church for trial.\n\n (c) A copy of the charge and specifications shall be delivered to the\n accused a sufficient length of time before the trial, to enable him to\n make all necessary preparations for his defense; and in case of trial\n before a committee, he shall be allowed, upon good reasons alleged, to\n challenge two in a committee of five, and in like ratio for any other\n number.\n\n (d) The preacher in charge shall preside at the trial, and decide all\n questions of law appertaining to or growing out of the case. He shall,\n at the commencement of the trial, appoint a secretary, who shall take\n down regular minutes of the evidence and proceedings, which minutes,\n when read and approved, shall be signed by the president and the\n secretary.\n\n (e) If the accused person evades a trial by absenting himself after\n sufficient notice given him, and the circumstances of the accusation be\n strong and presumptive, let him be esteemed as guilty, and be\n accordingly suspended or expelled. Witnesses from without shall not be\n rejected.\n\n2. But in case of neglect of duties of any kind\u2014imprudent conduct,\nindulging sinful tempers or words, dancing, or disobedience to the order\nand the Discipline of the Church; First, let private reproof be given by\na preacher or leader; and if there be an acknowledgement of the fault\nand proper humiliation, the person may be borne with. On a second\noffense, the preacher or leader may take one or two faithful friends. On\na third offense, let the case be brought before the Church, or a select\nnumber; and if there be no sign of real humiliation, the offender must\nbe cut off.\n\n3. If a member of our Church endeavor to sow dissension in any of our\nsocieties, by inveighing against either our doctrines or Discipline,\nsuch person so offending shall be first reproved by the senior minister\nor preacher of his circuit; and if he persist in such pernicious\npractices, he shall be expelled from the Church.\n\nQues. 2. What shall be done in case of disputes between members of the\nChurch?\n\nAns. 1. On any dispute between two or more members of our Church,\nconcerning the payment of debts or otherwise, which cannot be settled by\nthe parties concerned, the preacher in charge shall inquire into the\ncircumstances of the case; and shall recommend to the contending parties\na reference, consisting of one arbiter chosen by the plaintiff, and\nanother chosen by the defendant; which two arbiters so chosen shall\nnominate the third\u2014the three arbiters being members of our Church.\n\n2. But if one of the parties be dissatisfied with the judgment given,\nsuch party may apply to the ensuing Quarterly Conference for a second\narbitration; and if the Quarterly Conference see sufficient reason, they\nshall grant a =second= arbitration, in which case each party shall\nchoose two arbiters, and the four arbiters shall choose a fifth, the\njudgment of the majority of whom shall be final; and any person refusing\nto abide by such judgment shall be excluded from the Church.\n\n3. And if any member of our Church shall refuse, in cases of debt or\nother disputes, to refer the matter to arbitration, when recommended by\nhim who has the charge of the circuit, or shall enter into a lawsuit\nwith another member before these measures are taken, he shall be\nexpelled, unless the case be of such a nature as to require and justify\na process of law.\n\nNevertheless, in all the above mentioned cases of trial and expulsion,\nan appeal to the ensuing Quarterly Conference shall be allowed, if the\ncondemned person signifies to the pastor his intention to appeal at the\ntime of his condemnation, or at any time thereafter when he is informed\nthereof.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXVII.\n MINISTERIAL COURT OF APPEALS.\n\n\n1. Each Annual Conference shall elect every two years beginning with its\nfirst session after the General Conference, three Elders, who shall be\nmen of experience, judgment and information touching the law of the\nChurch, to be known as Triers of Appeals.\n\n2. The Ministerial Court of Appeals shall consist of a President, who\nshall be a Bishop, and the Triers of Appeals from three Conferences\nadjacent to that of which the appellant was a member.\n\n3. The President of the Ministerial Court shall be appointed by the\nHouse of Bishops; but in no case shall they appoint the Bishop who\npresided in the Annual Conference which tried the appellant.\n\n4. Should any member of the Ministerial Court of Appeals, become an\nappellant to the Court of Appeals, he shall be disqualified to sit as a\nmember of the said Court; his place declared vacant and another\nappointed in his stead.\n\n5. Any member of any Annual Conference who has been tried and convicted\nshall have the right to appeal to the Ministerial Court; =provided=, he\nsignifies to the Bishop of the Conference, his intention so to do within\ntwo months after the action of the Annual Conference.\n\n6. The Secretary of the Annual Conference shall carefully preserve the\nrecord of the proceedings of the trial, all charges and specifications\nand documents relating thereto, and shall forward the same to the\nPresident of the Ministerial Court of Appeals as soon as he has been\nappointed.\n\n7. The right of peremptory challenge shall not be denied an appellant,\n=provided=, the exercise of such challenge does not reduce the members\nof the Court below five, which number shall constitute a quorum.\n\n8. The Ministerial Court of Appeals shall elect a Secretary from its own\nmembers to keep a record of its proceedings. In all cases the\nproceedings and findings of the Court shall be subject to review by the\nGeneral Conference.\n\n9. The appellant or his representative shall state the grounds of his\nappeal, and the representative of the lower court shall then be heard.\nThe charges and specifications and all documents bearing on the case,\ntogether with the minutes of the lower Court, shall be read. The\nappellant is then heard in his defense and reply is made by the\nrepresentative of the lower Court. When the representatives of the\nappellant and the Court below have been heard, they retire and the Court\nof Appeals deliberates and decides the case.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXVIII.\n APPEAL OF A TRAVELING PREACHER TO THE GENERAL CONFERENCE\n\n\n1. In all cases, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Annual\nConference to preserve the documents relating to the trial of members,\nwhich documents only, in an appeal from the decision of an Annual\nConference, shall be presented to the Ministerial Court of Appeals in\nevidence on the case.\n\n2. When an appeal is made from the Ministerial Court of Appeals, and\nallowed by the General Conference, there shall be a committee appointed\nconsisting of one delegate from each Annual Conference, who, in the\npresence of a Bishop and one or more of the Secretaries of the General\nConference, shall have full power to try the case; and their decision\nshall be final. And the said committee shall make a faithful report to\nthe General Conference, in writing, and deliver up to the Secretary the\nwhole record of the case with the decision rendered.\n\n3. No member shall be appointed to serve on any appeal when he has been\na member of the committee that first tried the case.\n\n4. The appellant shall state, either personally or by his representative,\n(who shall be a member of the Conference,) the grounds of his appeal,\nshowing cause why he appeals, and he shall be permitted to make his\ndefense without interruption. After which the representatives of the\nMinisterial Court of Appeals from whose decision the appeal is made\nshall be permitted to respond in presence of the appellant, who shall be\nat privilege of replying, which shall close the pleadings on both sides.\nThis done, the appellant shall withdraw and the committee shall decide.\n\n5. No minister, after such form of trial and expulsion, shall be\nrestored to the communion of the Church without giving satisfactory\nevidence of repentance, unless the Annual Conference shall become\nconvinced that he was innocent of the crime for which he was expelled;\nin which case the Conference may restore him to his previous standing.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXIX.\n APPEAL OF A LOCAL PREACHER.\n\n\n1. When an appeal of a Local Preacher is made and allowed by the Annual\nConference, the President shall appoint a committee of not less than\nnine nor more than thirteen, who shall have full power to try the case;\nand their decision shall be final.\n\n2. No member of the Quarterly Conference that first tried the case shall\nbe appointed on this committee.\n\n3. The minutes of the trial in the Quarterly Conference shall be laid\nbefore this committee, which documents only shall be in evidence; and\nthe said committee shall make a faithful report to the Annual Conference\nin writing, and deliver up to the Secretary the whole record of the case\nwith the decision rendered.\n\n4. The appellant shall state, either personally or by his representative\n(who shall be a member of the Conference), the grounds of his appeal,\nshowing cause why he appeals, and he shall be permitted to make his\ndefense without interruption. After which the representatives of the\nQuarterly Conference from whose decision the appeal is made, shall be\npermitted to respond in presence of the appellant, who shall have\nprivilege of replying, which shall close the pleadings on both sides.\nThis done, the appellant shall withdraw and the committee shall decide.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXX.\n APPEAL OF A MEMBER.\n\n\n1. If there be a murmur or complaint from any excluded person, that\njustice has not been done in the trial before the Church or committee,\nhe shall be allowed an appeal to the next Quarterly Conference.\n\n2. The appeal being made and allowed, the preacher in charge shall\npresent the minutes of the trial to the Quarterly Conference, from which\nminutes the case shall finally be determined.\n\n3. No member of the committee for trial shall vote on the appeal.\n\n4. The appellant shall state, either personally or by his representative,\n(who shall be a member of the church) the grounds of his appeal, showing\ncause why he appeals, and he shall be permitted to make his defense,\nwithout interruption. After which the representatives of the society or\ncommittee from whose decision the appeal is made, shall be permitted to\nrespond in presence of the appellant, who shall have privilege of\nreplying, which shall close the pleadings on both sides. This done, the\nappellant shall withdraw, and the majority of the members of the\nQuarterly Conference present shall finally determine the case.\n\n5. No member, after such form of trial and expulsion, shall be restored\nto the communion of the Church without giving satisfactory evidence of\nrepentance, unless the Quarterly Conference shall become convinced that\nhe was innocent of the crime for which he was expelled; in which case he\nmay be restored.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXI.\n RESTORATION OF CREDENTIALS\n\n\nI. TRAVELING ELDERS AND DEACONS.\n\n1. When any traveling Elder or Deacon is deprived of his credentials of\nordination by expulsion or otherwise, they shall be filed with the\npapers of the Annual Conference of which he was a member.\n\n2. Should he, at any future time, give satisfactory evidence to said\nConference of his amendment or innocence, and procure a certificate of\nthe Quarterly Conference of the circuit or station where he resides, or\nof the Annual Conference which may have admitted him on trial,\nrecommending him to the Annual Conference, of which he was formerly a\nmember, the restoration of his credentials, the said Conference may\nrestore them.\n\n\nII. LOCAL ELDERS OR DEACONS.\n\n1. When any local Elder or Deacon is deprived of his credentials of\nordination by expulsion or otherwise, it shall be the duty of the\nPresiding Elder to require them of him, and to file them with the papers\nof the Annual Conference within the limits of which the said Local\nPreacher resides.\n\n2. Should he, at any future time, produce to the Annual Conference a\ncertificate of his restoration by the Quarterly Conference, signed by\nthe President and Secretary thereof, his credentials may be restored to\nhim.\n\n\n\n\n =PART VII.=\n SUPPORT OF THE MINISTRY, BUILDING CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES\u2014\n SECURING AND TRANSFERRING CHURCH PROPERTY\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XXXII.\n\n\nI. SUPPORT OF PASTORS\n\n1. Every minister, who by the rules and usages of the Church is a\nclaimant on its funds, shall, as far as practicable, have his claim\nestimated by those who are to pay it, or by an agent authorized to act\nfor them.\n\n2. The salary and traveling expenses of preachers on circuits and\nstations shall be estimated by their respective Boards of Stewards.\n\n3. The Stewards shall report to each Church meeting the whole amount to\nbe raised, and that part of it which each congregation is expected to\npay. The Church Conference shall adopt its own method of raising this\nmoney.\n\n\nII. SUPPORT OF PRESIDING ELDERS\n\n1. The salary and traveling expenses of Presiding Elders shall be\nestimated by the Joint Board of Finance.\n\n2. The Joint Board of Finance shall apportion the amount allowed among\nthe different pastoral charges of the District, whose Boards of Stewards\nshall add the sum, thus apportioned, to the amounts agreed on to be\nraised for their preachers, and its collection shall be provided for in\nthe same way.\n\n\nIII. SUPPORT OF BISHOPS\n\nThe Bishops shall be supported according to the following plan:\n\n1. The allowance of the Bishops for salary and traveling expenses shall\nbe estimated by the Committee on Finance of the General Conference and\nthe sum thus allowed shall be paid out of the General Fund by the Book\nAgent.\n\n2. The Book Agent shall pay each Bishop one fourth of the sum allowed\nper annum, quarterly, according to the provision in the Financial Plan.\n\n3. The Bishops who shall have been placed on the retired list, shall be\npaid the sum of six hundred ($600.00) dollars per annum, to be paid\nquarterly as other Bishops.\n\n4. Those Bishops who are unable to do full work shall be paid the same\namount and in the same way as those who are efficient and actively\nengaged in the work.\n\n5. In case of the death of a retired Bishop, the remainder of his\nallowance for that year shall be paid to his widow.\n\n6. The Book Agent shall pay to the widows of deceased Bishops twenty\n($20.00) dollars per month, to be paid quarterly as long as she remains\na widow in good standing in the C. M. E. Church. If she should die\nbefore her children, they shall receive the same allowance until they\nbecome fourteen years of age.\n\n\nIV. SUPPORT OF THOSE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR\n\nAll officers appointed by the General Conference, and not otherwise\nprovided for by law, shall have their salaries fixed by the Joint Board\nof Finance of the Conference of which they are members, or within the\nbounds of which the work assigned them by the General Conference lies;\nand be paid from the proceeds of their office, or by such other means as\nthe Conference may devise.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXIII.\n CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES\n\n\nI. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS\n\nAny church or churches in any Annual Conference of the Colored Methodist\nEpiscopal Church in America, shall have the right to establish an OLD\nFOLKS' Home, ORPHAN ASYLUM, HOSPITAL, or other charitable institutions\nin conformity to the laws of the State or Territory in which they are\nlocated. The Trustees of all such institutions shall be members of the\nColored M. E. Church, and shall have authority to found, maintain and\noperate such institutions in the name of the C. M. E. Church in America.\n\n\nII. BUILDING CHURCHES\n\nQues. Is anything advisable in regard to building churches?\n\nAns. 1. Let all our churches be plain and decent, and with free seats,\nas far as practicable; and they shall in no wise be used for political\npurposes or assemblages.\n\n2. In order more effectually to prevent our people from contracting\ndebts which they are not able to discharge, it shall be the duty of the\nQuarterly Conference of every circuit and station where it is\ncontemplated to build a house of worship to secure the ground or lot on\nwhich such house or houses are to be built, according to our deed of\nsettlement, which deed must be legally executed; and also said Quarterly\nConference shall appoint a judicious committee of at least three members\nof our church, who shall form an estimate of the amount necessary to\nbuild; and three-fourths of the money, according to such estimate, shall\nbe secured or subscribed before any such building shall be commenced.\n\n3. In all cases where debts for building houses of worship have been or\nmay be incurred contrary to, or in disregard of, the above recommendation,\nour members and friends are requested to discountenance by declining\npecuniary aid to all agents who shall travel abroad beyond their own\ncircuits or districts for the collection of funds for the discharge of\nsuch debts, except in such peculiar cases as may be approved by an\nAnnual Conference.\n\n4. In future, we will admit no charter, deed, or conveyance for any\nhouse of worship to be used by us, unless it be provided in such\ncharter, deed, or conveyance, that the Trustees of said house shall at\nall times permit such ministers and preachers, belonging to the Colored\nMethodist Episcopal Church in America, as shall from time to time be\nduly authorized by the General Conference of our Church, or by the\nAnnual Conferences, to preach and expound God's holy Word, and to\nexecute the Discipline of the Church, and to administer the sacraments\ntherein, according to the true meaning and purport of our deed of\nsettlement.\n\n\nIII. BUILDING PARSONAGES\n\nQues. What advice or direction is given concerning the building of\ndwelling houses for the use of the married traveling preachers?\n\nAns. 1. It is recommended to our friends in general, to purchase a lot\nof ground in each pastoral charge, and to build a preacher's house\nthereon, and to furnish it with at least heavy furniture, and to settle\nthe same on trustees appointed by the Quarterly Conference, according to\nour deed of settlement.\n\n2. It shall be the duty of the Presiding Elders and preachers to use\ntheir influence to carry the above rules respecting building houses, for\nthe accommodation of preachers and their families, into effect. In order\nto do this, each Quarterly Conference shall appoint a committee, (unless\nother measures have been adopted), who, with the advice and aid of the\npreachers and Presiding Elder, shall devise such means as may seem fit\nto raise money for that purpose. And it is recommended to the Annual\nConferences to make a special inquiry of their members respecting this\npart of their duty.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXIV.\n SECURING, SELLING, OR TRANSFERRING CHURCH PROPERTY.\n\n\n1. SECURING CHURCHES AND PARSONAGES\n\nQues. What shall be done for the security of our preaching houses and\nparsonages, and other Church property, and the premises belonging\nthereto?\n\nAns. 1. Each Annual Conference is authorized to make such modification\nin the deeds as they may find the different usages and customs of law\nrequire in the different States and Territories, so as to secure the\nproperty firmly by deed, and permanently =in fee simple=, to the Colored\nMethodist Episcopal Church in America; but in all conveyances of ground\nfor the building of houses of worship, or upon which they may have been\nalready built, let the following clause be inserted at the proper place:\n\"In trust, that said premises shall be used, kept, maintained, and\ndisposed of as a place of Divine Worship for the use of the ministry and\nmembership of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America; subject\nto the Discipline, usage, and ministerial appointments of said Church,\nas from time to time authorized and declared by the General Conference\nof said Church, and the Annual Conference within whose bounds the said\npremises are situated.\"\n\n2. Likewise, in all conveyances of ground for the building of dwelling\nhouses for the use of the preachers, or upon which they may have been\nalready built, let the following clause be inserted at the proper place:\n\"In trust, that said premises shall be held, kept, and maintained and\ndisposed of as a place of residence for the use and occupancy of the\npreachers of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America, who may\nfrom time to time be appointed in said place; subject to the usage and\nDiscipline of said Church, as from time to time authorized and declared\nby the General Conference of said Church, and by the Annual Conference\nwithin whose bounds the said premises are situated.\"\n\n\nII. DIVISION, TRANSFER, OR SALE OF CHURCH PROPERTY\n\n1. When any circuit, station, or mission shall be divided into two or\nmore charges, each separate charge may constitute a new Board or Boards\nof Trustees; and the Church property held by the Trustees of the\noriginal charge shall be conveyed to the new Boards thus created, and\nthe former Board or Boards shall be freed from all pecuniary\nliabilities, such being transferred to the new Boards respectively.\n\n2. The Trustees, with the consent of the preacher in charge and the\nQuarterly Conference, shall have power to sell any church or parsonage\nproperty, which has gone out of use or should be removed to another\nplace, the proceeds of which shall be under the direction of the\nQuarterly Conference.\n\n3. If the said Trustees, or any of them, or their successors, have\nadvanced, or shall advance, any sum or sums of money, or shall be\nresponsible for any sum or sums of money, on account of Church property,\nand they, the said Trustees, or their successors, be obliged to pay the\nsaid sum or sums of money, they, or a majority of them, shall be\nauthorized to raise the said sum or sums of money by a mortgage on the\nsaid property, or by selling the said property, after notice given to\nthe preacher in charge, or the Presiding Elder of the District, if the\nmoney due be not paid to the said Trustees, or their successors, within\none year after such notice has been given; =provided=, that in no case\nshall any such trustees sell or mortgage any Church property unless they\nare authorized by the Quarterly Conference, the Presiding Elder being\npresent in person. Any sale or mortgage made without the authority of\nthe Quarterly Conference is hereby declared NULL and VOID; and if such\nsale takes place, the said Trustees, or their successors, after paying\nthe debt and other expenses which are due from the money arising from\nsuch sale, shall pay over the remainder of the money produced by the\nsaid sale to the Steward, or Stewards, of the circuit, station, or\nmission; which surplus of the produce of said sale shall be forwarded by\nthe said Steward, or Stewards, to the Quarterly Conference within whose\nbounds it is situated, at its next session; which said Quarterly\nConference shall dispose of the said money, by a vote of the majority\nfor the use of the said circuit, station or mission.\n\n\n\n\n =PART VIII.=\n BOARDS AND DEPARTMENTS FINANCIAL PLAN\n\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXV.\n FINANCIAL PLAN\n\n\nArticle I. (1) The General Funds of the Colored M. E. Church in America\nshall be one hundred thousand ($100,000) dollars per annum; =provided=,\nthe assessment in any Conference or charge shall not exceed 50c per\ncapita.\n\n2. Said amount shall be divided as follows:\n\n (a) Bishops' salary                                         25 per cent\n (b) Education                                               22 per cent\n (c) General Missions                                        22 per cent\n (d) Publishing Int.                                         10 per cent\n (e) Building Fund                                            5 per cent\n (f) Conf. Claimants                                         10 per cent\n (g) Contingent Fund                                          6 per cent\n\nArticle II. (1) There shall be a Board of Equalization consisting of one\nBishop, the Book Agent, and the Auditing Committee.\n\n2. The Board of Equalization shall apportion to each Annual Conference\naccording to its numerical strength, its pro rata of the General\nAssessment.\n\n3. The Joint Board of Finance of each Annual Conference shall apportion,\nand adjust the same in and to all the charges according to the number of\nministers and members reported in the first Annual Conference after the\nGeneral Conference. Such assessment must stand unchanged for four years.\n\nArt. III. (1) The General Funds shall be collected quarterly by the\npastor in charge, and paid to the Presiding Elder each quarterly visit.\n\n2. The Presiding Elder shall forward the amount collected from the\nseveral charges in his district quarterly to the Agent, and take his\nreceipt for the same. The receipt for each quarterly remittance shall be\nkept by the Presiding Elder and turned over to the Joint Board of\nFinance at the Annual Conference.\n\n3. The Joint Board of Finance shall forward the receipts with the\nbalance of the money, that may be reported in the Annual Conference to\nthe Book Agent and take his receipt for the whole amount of General\nFunds paid by said Conference during the year.\n\nArt. IV. (1) The salary and traveling expenses of the Bishops shall be\ntwo thousand two hundred and fifty ($2250.00) dollars each per annum,\none fourth of which shall be paid quarterly.\n\n2. The salary of retired Bishops shall be six hundred ($600) dollars\neach per annum, one fourth of which shall be paid quarterly.\n\n3. The allowance to widows of deceased Bishops shall be two hundred and\nforty ($240.00) dollars each per annum.\n\nArt. V. The Book Agent shall receive all the General Funds, and shall\nkeep an itemized account of the same. He shall report to the Publishing\nBoard annually, the amount received from each Annual Conference in the\nconnection; and to the General Conference, the whole amount received\nduring the quadrennium.\n\nArt. VI. The eight-four (84) per cent. of the General Funds handled by\nthe Book Agent shall be apportioned by him according to the following\nplan.\n\n (a) The Bishops shall be paid quarterly, each                   $562.50\n (b) The retired Bishops shall be paid quarterly, each            150.00\n\n2. Should a sufficient amount not be realized from the 25 per cent.\ncollected quarterly to enable the active Bishops to travel through their\nEpiscopal Fields, the Agent shall draw on the whole amount of General\nFunds, to make up the deficiency.\n\n3. The twenty-two per cent. collected under the provision of Article I\nfor Missions shall be paid to the Book Agent who shall turn over 50 per\ncent of the above amount to the Secretary of Missions to be used for\nMissions and missionaries on the fields.\n\nArt. VII. (1) All money raised for Education under the provision of\nArticle I shall be apportioned to the Institutions of learning,\nrecognized by the General Conference and Board of Education.\n\n2. The Annual Conference, within whose bounds said money is raised,\nshall have the right to designate the school to which its money shall be\npaid.\n\n3. Every Annual Conference shall have the right to direct that one half\nof its money be held by the Secretary for Education of a minister, or\nministers on trial, and to designate the school to be attended by said\nminister, or ministers; provided, however that the student be required\nto return three-fourths at least of said money used for his expenses to\nthe school\u2014one fourth each year until the full amount shall have been\npaid.\n\n4. No one shall be recommended to our schools to be supported by the\nconference unless it be proven that he is unable to pay his own\nexpenses.\n\n5. A student recommended for support to secure an education, shall give\nhis personal note to the conference covering the amount to be received\nby him before he enters school.\n\n6. The Joint Board of Finance shall send a statement to the Agent,\nnaming the school to which its money shall be paid.\n\n7. Money for Education from the General Funds shall go to the Secretary\nof Education. The Book Agent shall send 50 per cent. of this amount in\nquarterly installments, and the remainder shall be turned over after the\nannual meeting of the Publishing Board.\n\nArt. VIII. (1) The ten per cent. collected under provision of Article II\nfor Publishing Fund shall be retained by the Agent, subject to the order\nof the Publishing Board.\n\n2. The Publishing Board, after paying the salaries of the Book Agent,\nEditor of the Christian Index, Editor of the Eastern and Western Index,\nshall use the balance of the money in purchasing ground, erecting\nbuildings, and, in any other way necessary for the advancement of\nPublishing Interests.\n\n3. The five per cent. raised for building fund shall be retained by the\nAgent for said purposes.\n\nArt. IX. Should there be a surplus accruing from the twenty-five per\ncent., for Bishops' salary, it shall be kept as a contingent fund on\nBishops' salary.\n\nArt. X. (1) The ten per cent. collected under Article I for Conference\nClaimants shall be forwarded by the Joint Board of Finance to the\nSecretary of the Department for Superannuated Preachers, widows and\norphans of preachers, to be applied according to the constitution of\nsaid department.\n\n2. The six per cent. for Annual Conference Contingent Fund shall be\nretained by the Joint Board of Finance to be used as the Conference may\ndirect.\n\nArt. XI. It is the duty of every pastor to raise the full assessment,\nlaid against his charge by the Joint Board of Finance. The Presiding\nElder shall use his influence to help raise the same.\n\nArt. XII. All laws in conflict with the above plan are hereby repealed.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXVI.\n THE JOINT BOARD OF FINANCE\n\n\n1. Each Annual Conference shall have a Joint Board of Finance, appointed\nby the President of the Conference, (unless otherwise ordered,) at the\nclose of its annual session, to hold their office until the close of the\nnext ensuing Annual Conference session.\n\n2. Said Board shall consist of one clerical member of the Conference and\none layman for each Presiding Elder's District. They shall elect their\nown Chairman and Secretary, and the Board shall fill all vacancies that\nmay occur in the body; =provided=, they do so by keeping up an equal\nnumber of clerical and lay members.\n\n3. It shall be the duty of the Joint Board of Finance\u2014\n\n (a) To receive all moneys collected as Annual Conference collections or\n otherwise, and to forward the amount collected for superannuated\n preachers, widows, and orphans to the Secretary of that fund.\n\n (b) To estimate the amount necessary to meet the claims of the\n superannuated preachers, widows, and orphans of preachers, and send a\n list of these claimants to the Secretary of that department, together\n with the number of years each superannuate has served in the active\n itinerant ministry and the age of each child.\n\n (c) To adjust and apportion the General and Contingent Funds in and to\n all the charges of the Annual Conference, according to the number of\n ministers and members reported at each session of the Conference.\n\n (d) To fix the salary and traveling expenses of Presiding Elders and\n apportion the same in and to the several charges within the District.\n\n (e) To decide all issues that may arise between stewards and Presiding\n Elders, or between stewards and preachers in charge, with regard to\n salary. The decision of the Joint Board shall be final, but in no case,\n shall any preacher hold a claim against any charge after his removal.\n\n (f) To carefully consider and report to the conference upon all\n financial interests referred to it. All financial matters of the\n conference shall be referred to this Board.\n\n (g) To make a full report of all its proceedings to the conference,\n which shall have power to amend, approve, or re-commit.\n\n4. The Recording Steward of each circuit or station shall report to the\nJoint Board of Finance a full account of the transactions of the Board\nof Stewards of the preceding year.\n\n5. Each Annual Conference shall adopt its own method of raising money\nfor its legal claimants and its own expenses, provided such methods are\nin harmony with the General laws and do not interfere with the rights of\nthe church conference to adopt its own method of raising money to meet\nits expenses.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXVII.\n THE PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT\n\n\n\nArt. 1. (1) There shall be and is a Publishing Department of the C. M.\nE. Church in America.\n\n2. The Publishing House shall be located in Nashville, Tenn.\n\n3. The Publishing Department was established for the object and purpose\nof spreading the Christian religion by the publication, sale and\ndissemination of moral and religious literature, the promotion of\nChristian education, and for publishing books, book-making, book selling\nand for the transaction of such other business as is legitimately\nconnected with a Publishing Department.\n\n4. This department shall publish weekly the Christian Index, as the\nOfficial Organ of the church, and shall supervise the publication of the\nEastern Index and the Western Index, which shall also be published\nweekly. Subscription to the Christian Index shall be $1.50 per year; of\nthe Eastern Index and the Western Index, $1.00 each, per year.\n\n5. The interests of the Publishing Department and the publication of the\nChristian Index shall be under the management of the Book Agent, who,\nwith the Editor, shall be elected by the General Conference.\n\n6. The editors of the Eastern Index and Western Index shall be elected\nby the General Conference and shall co-operate with the Agent in\nfurthering the interests of the Publishing House.\n\nArticle II. (1) The Publishing Board shall have general supervision and\ndirection of all the publishing interests of the church.\n\n2. The officers of the Board shall be a chairman, who shall be one of\nthe Bishops of the Church, a secretary and such other officers as may be\nnecessary.\n\n3. The annual meeting of the Publishing Board shall be held on the first\nWednesday in May of each year, or at such other times and places as the\nBoard may appoint or as the chairman may direct. At all meetings of the\nBoard, a majority shall, constitute a quorum.\n\n4. The Publishing Board shall keep a correct record of all its\nproceedings and shall examine carefully into the affairs of the\nPublishing Department.\n\nArticle III. (1) There shall be an Auditing Committee elected by the\nGeneral Conference consisting of three members, one of whom shall be a\nlayman, and two clerical (members), who shall live in proximity to the\nPublishing Department. The auditors shall meet annually, at least a week\nbefore the regular meeting of the Board, to audit the accounts of the\nAgent, inspect the entire business of the Publishing Department, and to\nsee that all complaints about the management of the Book House in\nneglecting to fill orders for publications, including the Index are\nproperly adjusted. The expenses of said committee shall be borne by the\nPublishing Department.\n\n2. The General Conference shall elect quadrennially a Book Agent who\nunder the direction of the Publishing Board, shall have authority to\nregulate the production and distribution of our publications and to\nconduct the affairs of the Publishing Department.\n\n3. It shall be the duty of the Book Agent to publish, purchase, sell and\ndistribute such books, periodicals and publications as are authorized by\nthe General Conference or the Publishing Board.\n\n4. The Book Agent shall keep the account of the Publishing Department by\nsuch uniform system as he may think best or as directed by the Auditing\nCommittee.\n\n5. The Book Agent shall receive all General Funds, keep an itemized\naccount of the same, and report to the Publishing Board the whole amount\nof General Funds received from each Annual Conference, and finally at\nthe General Conference report all moneys received during the\nquadrennium.\n\n6. He shall pay the Bishops their salaries and traveling expenses\nquarterly, and shall give his entire time to promote the success of the\nPublishing Department and faithfully perform all duties which properly\nbelong to his office.\n\nArticle V. (1) The editor of the Christian Index shall faithfully\nperform all duties which properly belong to the editorial office and\nco-operate with the Agent in doing whatever he can to build up the\ninterests of the Publishing Department.\n\n2. The salary of the Book Agent shall be fifteen hundred ($1500.00)\ndollars per annum and the salary of the editor of the Christian Index\nshall be fifteen hundred ($1500.00) dollars per annum.\n\n3. The editors of the Eastern and Western Index shall receive $600 per\nannum each to be applied to publication of the respective papers and in\npart payment on salary. They shall serve a charge for balance of\nsupport.\n\n3. The Publishing Board by a two-third vote shall have power to suspend\nthe Agent or Editor for immoral conduct or inefficiency in office during\nthe interval of the General Conference. In such cases, if an\ninvestigation is found necessary, the accused shall be given due notice,\nand one of the Bishops shall be appointed to preside at the\ninvestigation. If the accused shall be judged guilty, he shall be\nsuspended from office, and the Annual Conference to which he belongs\nshall proceed to try him as provided by the book of Discipline.\n\nArticle VI. (1) The proceeds of the Publishing House after a sufficient\namount with which to carry on its affairs has been retained, shall be\nregularly applied to the benefit of the traveling, supernumerary and\nretired preachers, their widows and children.\n\n2. All laws in conflict with this constitution are hereby repealed.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXVIII.\n THE GENERAL MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT.\n\n\nArt. 1. There shall be a Mission Board of the Colored Methodist\nEpiscopal Church, chartered according to the laws of the State of\nTennessee. The Mission Board shall have general supervision of all\nMissionary operations of the church.\n\nArt. 2. The members of this Board shall be a Bishop, who shall be\nPresident, the Secretary of Missions, and one representative from each\nEpiscopal District. The Secretary of Missions and the members from\nEpiscopal Districts, shall be elected by the =General Conference=.\n\nArt. 3. The Mission Board shall regulate its own operations, appropriate\nmoney for its expenses, provide for Missions not provided for by Annual\nConferences, and contribute to the support of preachers in Mission\nFields. It shall assist in building houses of worship, provide such\nliterature as may be necessary for the advancement of the work and\nco-operate with other Methodist Bodies in similar work, whenever it may\nbe necessary and mutually agreeable.\n\nArt. 4. (1) The revenue of the Mission Board shall be derived from\ncollections on General Missionary Day, Sunday Schools, Epworth Leagues,\nSunday School Conventions, District and Annual Conferences, collections\ntaken by the Secretary and the Bishops, 50 per cent. of the Mission\nmoney accruing from the General Funds, and 20 per cent. of all money\nraised by the Missionary Societies of Annual Conferences.\n\n2. Twenty per cent. of all money raised by the Annual Conference Board\nof Missions, shall be directed to the Secretary of Missions and his\nreceipt taken for same. The Bishops shall present the receipt of the\nSecretary with their reports, to the Mission Board.\n\nArt. 5. (1) The Second Sunday in August of each year shall be General\nMissionary Day. This day shall be strictly observed by all Presiding\nElders, pastors and congregations throughout the connection. Presiding\nElders and pastors will preach at one service, on the subject of\nMissions, and may provide a program bearing on the same subject for\nanother service. Care and study shall be given to teach the people the\nplace and importance of Missionary work in the church.\n\n2. Each member of the church is requested to pay five cents for Missions\non General Missionary Day, and each congregation will be expected to\nreport a sum equal to five cents per capita at the Annual Conference.\n\n3. Each pastor will forward the amount raised on General Missionary Day\nat once to his Presiding Elder, and the Presiding Elder will remit the\nsame at once to the Secretary of Missions and take his receipt, which\nreceipt will be counted in the settlement of the District at the Annual\nConference.\n\nArt. VI. (1) The Secretary shall be a minister of the Gospel, but may be\na member of any Annual Conference. He shall keep a permanent record of\nthe operations of the Department, publish a synopsis of his work\nquarterly in one of the papers of the church, attend to all legal\nbusiness relating to the work, travel throughout the church in interest\nof the work, and report annually, to the Board, or as often as they deem\nit necessary.\n\n2. The Secretary of Missions shall devise plans and co-operate with all\nAnnual Conference Missionaries in holding such institutes, conventions,\nand Missionary Meetings, as will advance the interest of the church. In\nall cases, the Missionary Department shall share in the money raised by\nsuch devices and meetings.\n\n3. The Secretary shall distribute literature for all Missionaries\nthroughout the Church, which literature, shall be uniform.\n\n4. The Secretary of Missions is authorized to organize Missionary\nSocieties wherever he finds it necessary, and to publish a Missionary\npaper, monthly, provided, it shall not cost the church more than $200\nper annum.\n\n5. The salary and traveling expenses of the Secretary shall be $1500 per\nannum, to be paid quarterly by the Book Agent from the Mission fund.\n\nArt. 7. The Bishops shall report annually to the Mission Board, the\nnumber of Missionaries employed, the amount of support allowed each, the\nnumber of Missions established, the number of members, and the cost of\nmaintaining each point. Their reports shall be written and shall embrace\na statement of the condition and prospect of each Mission.\n\nArt. 8. The funds of the Mission Board shall be deposited in bank in the\nname of the Board of Missions of the C. M. E. Church, subject to checks\ndrawn by the Secretary and signed by the President.\n\nArt. 9. Any Annual or District Conference, church, Sunday School,\nEpworth League Chapter, or individual, may assume in part or in whole,\nthe support of a Missionary, Mission, or Mission School, which may be\nestablished or approved by the Mission Board, provided, that in all\ncases, the money be sent to the Mission Board For application.\n\nArt. 10. Presiding Elders shall see that each pastor organize a\nMissionary Society or Societies, in his charge encourage the idea and\nspirit of Missions among the people, see that each society is supplied\nwith literature, and preach a sermon on Missions in every charge in his\nDistrict at least once a year.\n\nArt. 11. The Mission Board shall form an auditing committee from its own\nmembership, which committee shall audit the books of the Secretary and\nsee that they are properly kept.\n\nArt. 12. All laws in conflict herewith, are repealed.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XXXIX.\n WOMAN'S MISSIONARY BOARD\n\n\nArt. 1. This Society shall be known as the Woman's Home Missionary\nSociety of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America.\n\nArt. II. The object of this Society shall be to enlist the members of\nour Church in the work of giving aid to mission points and mission\npreachers in all our conferences; to help to build parsonages and\nsuitable houses of worship; to foster the cause of religious instruction\namong the neglected poor, and to otherwise aid the cause of the blessed\nMaster.\n\nArt. III. This Society shall be controlled by the Annual Conference in\nwhose bounds it may operate, which shall elect its own officers and\nregulate its own affairs, provided it does not interfere with any of the\nwork that may be planned by the Mission Board.\n\nArt. IV. The officers of the Woman's Home Missionary Society shall be\nelected annually, and shall consist of a President, Vice-President,\nSecretary-Treasurer, and five managers, who shall be an Executive Board\nfor the Annual Conference, controlling all the missions that may be\nunder the supervision of the Annual Conference.\n\nArt. V. The funds of the Society shall be derived from membership fees,\nmite boxes, contributions, card devices, donations, and such other means\nas may be adopted by the Annual Conference.\n\nArt. VI. Each Annual Conference shall have full control of all money\nthat may be raised by the Woman's Home Missionary Society, and shall\nretain the same to be used as the Conference may see fit.\n\nArt. VII. The Annual Conference Boards shall arrange constitutions and\nby-laws governing the Woman's Home Missionary Society within their\nbounds, and shall also arrange for Juvenile Societies to be formed among\nthe children, and they shall send a report of their work each year to\nthe Secretary of Missions for publication.\n\nArt. VIII. There shall be held in each District a Missionary Convention\nof the Woman's Home Missionary Society, which shall be under the\nsupervision of the Presiding Elder, and composed of the preachers in\ncharge of circuits, stations and missions, and one representative from\neach society formed in the District. The time for holding this\nConvention shall be fixed by the Presiding Elder, and the place by the\nConvention.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XL.\n THE CHURCH EXTENSION DEPARTMENT\n\n\nArt. I. There shall be a Board of Church Extension of the Colored\nMethodist Episcopal Church in America, which shall be conducted as a\nbody corporate under such laws and regulations as the General Conference\nmay, from time to time, adopt.\n\nArt. II (1) The Board shall consist of a Bishop, who shall be President,\na Vice-President, the General Secretary, a Treasurer, and nine managers,\nwho shall be elected by the General Conference. All Bishops, except the\nPresident, shall be ex-officio members of the Board.\n\n2. The Board shall meet annually. Seven members shall constitute a\nquorum.\n\n3. The location or headquarters of the Board shall be fixed by the\nGeneral Conference at Louisville, Ky.\n\n4. The Board shall have authority to fill all vacancies which may occur\nin the interval of the General Conference, regulate its own proceedings,\nappropriate money to meet its own expenses, determine what amount may be\ndonated or loaned to each applicant, and do such other business as may\nbe regular and legitimate, provided however, that no money shall be\nappropriated in the general work for other purposes than purchasing and\nsecuring church lots and securing or erecting church buildings, paying\nthe General Secretary, and meeting such other expenses as are necessary\nto carry on the work of the Board.\n\nArt. III. (1) There shall be an Executive Committee to consist of five\nmembers. The members of this committee shall be appointed by the Board\nof Church Extension.\n\n2. The Executive Committee shall meet quarterly, unless otherwise\nordered by the Board. Three members shall constitute a quorum.\n\n3. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to carry out the\ninstructions of the Board given them from time to time.\n\nArt. IV. (1) The General Secretary shall be a minister of the Gospel,\nbut may be a member of any Annual Conference.\n\n2. He shall be subject to the authority and control of the Board and\nshall conduct the correspondence under its direction.\n\n3. He shall have access to all conferences and congregations of the\nconnection, and be permitted to take collections in any and all of them\nfor the Department.\n\n4. He shall make a quarterly report to the Executive Committee of all\nmoneys received and paid out, and to whom; this report to be signed by\nthe President and Treasurer of the Board.\n\n5. He shall, when called upon, go to any part of the church, in order to\nhelp Presiding Elders and pastors buy lands and build suitable churches\nand parsonages thereon.\n\n6. In every case where the General Secretary helps a mission, circuit,\nor station, in raising money, one half of the money raised must be given\nto the mission, circuit, or station, and the other half must go to the\nDepartment, but, where a mission has no lot, upon which to build, it\nshall retain and use all money raised, but shall give a note for one\nhalf of this amount to the General Secretary, said note to be paid in\none to seven years.\n\n7. The General Secretary shall receive for salary $1500 per annum and\nwhatever the Board of Church Extension may allow for traveling expenses.\n\nArt. V. (1) The revenue of the Board shall be derived from an assessment\nof 5c per capita on the membership of the Church, special collections by\nthe Secretary and Bishops, devices of the Secretary, and gifts and\nbequests.\n\n2. In all cases, the moneys raised by the General Secretary shall be\nsent to the Treasurer of the Board, who shall in turn, pay out money on\nthe order of the President and Secretary of the Board, provided the\norder shall be in accord with the action of the Board.\n\n3. The General Secretary shall not charge more than 6 per cent. interest\non money loaned any church; he may, wherever conditions require, and\nability permits, charge less.\n\n4. All orders for money on the Treasurer of the Board shall be signed by\nthe President and Secretary of said Board, and, in the absence of the\nPresident, by the Vice-President.\n\nArt. VI. (1) The Church Extension Board shall have authority to\nnegotiate loans, furnish security for the payment of same, and to\nforeclose any mortgage and secure the property in =fee simple= to this\nDepartment, provided, that in no case, shall any fore-closure dispossess\na congregation of the rightful use of the property. In case the\nmembership should abandon the use of any property by moving away or\njoining other churches, both the title and possession of such property\nshall revert to the Board.\n\n2. In no case, shall any loan be made on church property unless it is\nsecured by a first mortgage.\n\nArt. VII. All applications for aid shall set forth:\n\n 1. A description of the building for which aid is asked.\n\n 2. An estimate on probable cost to complete building.\n\n 3. Amount of cash and reliable subscription on hand.\n\n 4. The nature of the title, its validity, and whether held in trust for\n the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America.\n\n 5. The name of the Board of Trustees.\n\n 6. Number of church members, number of Sunday School scholars, and\n population of the town or city.\n\n 7. The leading industry of the town or city.\n\n 8. Any additional information that may be deemed necessary or useful to\n the Board.\n\nArt. VIII. (1) Each Annual Conference shall organize a conference Board\nof Church Extension, which shall be auxiliary to the parent board. It\nshall have charge of all the interests and work of Church Extension\nwithin its conference. The Secretary and Treasurer of each Annual\nConference Board shall make a report to the parent board at such times,\nand subject to such rules and regulations as may be provided by the\nparent board; shall forward all moneys raised by said board to the\nGeneral Secretary without delay, but may retain 25 per cent. to be used\nwithin the bounds of said Annual Conference.\n\n2. No one shall be authorized to organize any local auxiliary at any\ntime.\n\nArt. IX. (1) Presiding Elders shall call for a report of Church\nExtension from each charge in the District Conference, which report\nshall be recorded as a part of the business of the District Conference.\n\n2. They shall bring the interests of Church Extension prominently before\ntheir Quarterly Conferences, and collect at least one fourth of the 5c\nper capita assessment from each charge and forward same quarterly to the\nGeneral Secretary.\n\nArt. X. The books of the Church Extension Department shall be kept open\nfor inspection by any member of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church.\n\nArt. XI. These laws may be amended at any session of the General\nConference.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLI.\n THE EPWORTH LEAGUE SOCIETY\n\n\nArt. I. There shall be and is an Epworth League Society of the Colored\nMethodist Episcopal Church.\n\nArt. II. The object of the Epworth League Society shall be to promote\npiety and loyalty in the young people and friends of the church; to\nbring into deeper sympathy, closer union, and mutual co-operation, the\nthree stages of life, youth, middle, and old age; to stimulate the study\nof the Holy Scriptures; to deepen and intensify the desire for purity of\nheart, consecration of life, and growth in grace, and to train its\nmembers for true service to Christ and the Church.\n\nArt. III. (1) The Epworth League Society shall consist of four general\ndepartments; The General Conference Chapter, the Annual Conference\nChapter, the District Conference Chapter, and the Local Chapter.\n\n2. Each Chapter shall have seven departmental sections or committees as\nfollows: (1) Devotional or Spiritual; (2) Literary and Social; (3) Mercy\nand Help; (4) Correspondence; (5) Missions and Care for the Aged; (6)\nFinance; and, (7) Music.\n\nArt. IV. (1) The General Conference Chapter shall have a Board composed\nof one Bishop, who shall be President, a General Secretary, who shall be\nfourth vice-president, and six other members, all elected by the General\nConference.\n\n2. The Epworth League Board shall hold its meetings annually at such\ntime and place as the President may determine. It shall hear, audit, and\npass on the report of the Secretary, select proper literature for use in\nall the Leagues, supervise and direct the work of the Secretary, and see\nthat the Department meets the object of its organization, as set forth\nin Article II.\n\nArt. V. (1) Each Annual and District Conference and Local Chapter shall\nhave its president and a vice-president for each department. All\nofficers shall be elected annually.\n\n2. Each vice-president of Annual and District Conferences and Local\nChapters, shall choose three (3) persons, who, with the vice-president,\nshall constitute an Executive Committee of his Department.\n\n3. Officers of the Local Chapters shall be nominated by the League, and\nconfirmed by the Quarterly Conference.\n\n4. Annual Conference Chapters shall meet annually, separate and apart\nfrom the Annual Conference at such time as may be appointed by the\nConference President, and at such place as the League may choose. The\nPresident shall notify the General Secretary of the time and place of\nsuch meeting.\n\n5. District Chapters shall meet once a year, at such time and place as\nthe Presiding Elder may select. The District Conference Chapter shall be\ncomposed of representatives of each Local League in the District.\n\n6. Local Chapters should meet weekly, or as often as circumstances will\npermit, and shall be under the supervision of the pastor, who shall\norganize a chapter or chapters in his charge, and see that they are\nconducted in accordance with the \"Guide.\"\n\n7. A City League Chapter may be organized in any town or city where two\nor more local leagues exist. This League shall meet quarterly. The\nPresident of the League of the first church shall conduct these meetings\nin the same manner as meetings of Local Leagues.\n\nArt. VI. (1) The Secretary, who may be a preacher or a layman, shall be\nelected by ballot by the General Conference for a term of four years.\n\n2. He shall have supervision of the Annual and District Conference, and\nLocal Chapters, shall conduct the correspondence of the Department, and\ntravel throughout the Church in interest of the League. He shall keep a\nrecord of the Annual and District Conference and Local Chapters, with\nthe number of members and work accomplished by each.\n\n3. He shall report annually, to the Board the general state and\ncondition of the League, the number of members and the amount of money\nreceived from each Annual Conference, and by special efforts, and\nquadrennially, to the General Conference.\n\n4. The salary and traveling expenses of the General Secretary shall be\n$1500 annually, to be paid out of the revenue of the Department.\n\nArt VII. (1) The revenue of the Department shall be derived from one\nhalf of the money raised by conference leagues, $1.00 from each pastoral\ncharge or League Chapter to be paid by pastor at the Annual Conference,\nand from the activities of the Secretary on the field.\n\n2. Each member of the Annual Conference League shall pay 25c at its\nAnnual meeting, the same to be applied to the revenue of the General\nDepartment.\n\nArt. VIII. All Presiding Elders, pastors, local preachers, and officers\nof Local Chapters shall be members of the Annual Conference League.\n\nArt. IX. The business of the League shall be conducted in accordance\nwith the Epworth League \"Guide.\"\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLII.\n THE BOARD OF EDUCATION\n\n\nArt. 1. The educational operations of the Colored Methodist Episcopal\nChurch shall be conducted under the following provisions and\nregulations.\n\nArt. 2. There shall be a Board of Education of the Colored Methodist\nEpiscopal Church to be known as the \"General Conference Board of\nEducation,\" to consist of nine members including a Bishop and the\nSecretary of Education, one from each Episcopal District, the Bishop and\nthe Secretary being at large.\n\nArt. 3. (1) This Board shall have an advisory relation to the schools of\nthe Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, shall devise ways and means to\naid our institutions, shall receive and disburse such funds as shall be\ncommitted to it from time to time. It shall serve as a Board of\nReference or Arbitration, and when necessary may take measures to\nprotect the property interests of our Educational Institutions. It shall\nseek to promote general, industrial, theological and Bible training, and\nit shall seek to promote the cause of Education throughout the church by\ncollecting and publishing statistics by giving counsel with regard to\nthe location and organization of our educational institutions. It shall\nalso serve as a general agency for communications between teachers\ndesiring employment and institutions needing their service.\n\n2. The further objects of this Board shall be (1) to recommend\ninstitutions for connectional relations; (2) to classify the Educational\nInstitutions of the Church; (3) to decide upon uniform entrance\nrequirements for College and Normal courses in our Institutions; (4) to\ndecide upon a uniform course of study for our College work as to credits\nrequired for meritorious degrees; (5) to assist in raising endowment\nfunds and holding Educational rallies and mass meetings in large\ncenters; (6) to prorate equitably money coming to the Board; (7) to work\nin every way practical to advance the cause of Education for our Church;\n(8) to promote Correspondence courses and Ministerial Preparation.\n\nArt. 4. (1) The General Conference Board of Education shall meet\nannually at such time and place as it may appoint, and in special\nsession when called by the President upon request of the Secretary of\nEducation or when requested in writing by five members. Five members\nshall constitute a quorum for a regular and four members for a call\nmeeting.\n\n2. The members of the Board shall be elected by the General Conference\nupon nomination by the Committee on Education. The term of office shall\nbe four years, but they \"hold over\" until their successors are duly\nelected. Vacancies occurring in the Board in the interval of the General\nConference shall be filled by the Board and such member or members shall\nserve until the General Conference shall fill the place.\n\nArt. 5. The work of the Board of Education shall be conducted under such\nrules and regulations as may be prescribed by the General Conference\nfrom time to time. The operations of the Board shall be conducted under\ncharter secured by the Board according to the laws of the State of \u2014\u2014\u2014.\nThe Board shall have authority to receive and apply donations, devices,\nbequests, to own, buy and sell real estate, to do all other things\nprovided for in said charter, or subject to and under the provisions of\nthe charter under which said Board shall operate.\n\n2. The Board shall have authority to regulate its own proceedings, to\nprovide quarters for the work of the Secretary of Education and such\nnecessary aid as the Board shall deem advisable. The Board shall further\nhave the authority to fix and pay the salary of a Director of a\nCorrespondence School whenever Funds may be given to the Board to do\nsuch work; to determine annually what schools and educational\nenterprises shall receive aid; to appropriate money for necessary\nexpense of maintaining the office; provided, however, that no\nappropriation shall be made for building except from funds contributed\nfor that purpose, to secure and distribute aid to students preparing for\nthe mission field or for providing aid to needy students especially the\nchildren of our itinerant preachers.\n\nArt. 6. The Board shall have authority to raise an Endowment and Loan\nFund. These shall be separate funds raised for general distribution. The\nBoard shall have the authority to receive and hold in trust for the C.\nM. E. Church any real or personal property and to sell and convey same\nfor uses and objects herein declared. Only the interest on this fund\n(except when the donor directs otherwise) shall be used, the principal\nremaining as a permanent fund.\n\nArt. 7. The Board shall gather statistics and other educational and\nreligious information and shall prepare, publish and distribute\npamphlets and leaflets suitable to advance the cause of Christian\neducation in our homes and schools among our people.\n\nArt. 8. The Secretary of Education who shall be elected by the General\nConference at the time of electing the other general officers for a term\nof four years, shall be the executive officer of the Board of Education.\nHe shall, as corresponding secretary of the Board, receive all moneys\nand turn same over to the treasurer of the Board. The salary of the\nSecretary of Education shall be fixed by the General Conference at\nfifteen hundred dollars, which shall be paid out of the General\nEducation money monthly.\n\nAll moneys of public and special collections by the Secretary shall be\nplaced in the treasury and his traveling expenses shall be paid on his\norder to the treasurer.\n\nArt. 9. The revenue of the Board of Education shall be from the\neducation money out of the General Fund, 80 per cent. of which shall be\nforwarded by the Book Agent to the Secretary of Education as collected\nquarterly; from special collections by the Secretary of Education, the\nBishops and others; and from gifts, devices, bequests and appropriations\nfrom other Boards. The Secretary of Education shall be bonded in the sum\nof $3,000.\n\nArt. 10. It shall be the duty of each Annual Conference to organize\nwithin its bounds an Annual Conference Board of Education which shall\nhave charge of all educational work within its bounds, literary and\nreligious. The Annual Conference Board shall be auxiliary to the General\nConference Board of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church; they shall\nconduct their work in harmony with the educational policy of the church\nas set forth in this constitution and other acts of the General\nConference; they shall co-operate with the Board of Education in\npromoting both general and local educational work. The Annual Conference\nBoard of Education shall provide for an Educational Anniversary during\nthe Annual Conference session and shall co-operate with the Secretary of\nEducation in providing a suitable program for such meetings. This Annual\nConference Board shall hold at least one meeting annually for the\nconsideration and promotion within the bounds of the Annual Conference\nof the general and local interests of literary and religious education.\n\nArt. 11. The Board may establish a teachers' Bureau for the purpose of\nbringing graduates of our Church institutions and other competent\npersons desiring to teach into communication with institutions seeking\nteachers.\n\nArt. 12. There shall be a Commission on Educational standards, of six\npractical educators appointed with the Secretary of Education to arrange\nand protect the standards of our Church institutions. They shall\nprescribe the minimum requirements to be demanded in the several courses\ngiven in our schools. The Commission shall carefully work out a plan for\nthe classification of our schools and shall report within one year to\nthe Board of Education, its work. It shall then be the duty of the\nGeneral Conference Board of Education through its Secretary to inspect\nthe financial condition and equipment, the amount and quality of work\ndone in all educational institutions, of the church, to classify them as\nGrammar School, High School, Academy, Junior College, College,\nTheological Seminary according to the relation of its equipment and the\nwork done by it to the standards established by the commission on\neducation. The Commission on Educational Standards shall be elected by\nthe General Conference on nomination by the Bishops and Secretary of\nEducation.\n\nArt. 13. The Board shall meet immediately after its election upon call\nof the Corresponding Secretary of Education and elect a President,\nVice-President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer.\n\nArt. 14. All laws and parts of laws in our Discipline in conflict with\nthis enactment are hereby repealed.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLIII.\n THE SUNDAY SCHOOL DEPARTMENT\n\n\nIn order to perfect Bible knowledge for the moral and religious training\nof the children of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America;\nthe General Conference of the C. M. E. Church directs that there shall\nbe a Sunday School Department which shall be under the general\nsupervision of a General Sunday School Board, to be authorized by the\nGeneral Conference, whose chief officer shall be that of Editor, and\nsaid department shall be located in the Publishing House, wherever\nsettled, etc.\n\n1. The Sunday School Department shall include all of the Sunday-schools\nin the C. M. E. Church, and shall be subject to such rules and\nregulations as The General Sunday School Board and the General\nConference may from time to time direct.\n\n2. The purpose of said Department shall be to educate our young people\nin all of the phases of Sunday School training and service, to give\ncourse and impetus to a systematic study of the Holy Bible, and to\nsupply the Sunday Schools with the proper literature including\nCatechisms and tracts, and to assist needy Sunday Schools whenever\npractical.\n\n3. The General Conference shall elect an Editor for the Sunday School\nDepartment, whose term of office shall be four years, and until his\nsuccessor is elected. The Editor shall be the executive officer of the\nSunday School Department, and shall edit all Sunday School literature\ncomprising Lessons, Leaves, Books, Tracts, Magazines, Lithographs and\netc. It shall be the duty of the Editor to approve or disapprove of\nwhatever Sunday School helps that may be suggested by the General Sunday\nSchool Board for use in our Sunday Schools.\n\n4. His salary shall be fixed by the General Sunday School Board per\nannum plus his necessary traveling expenses. The General Sunday School\nBoard shall fix a salary or wage for a stenographer, or other necessary\nhelp of the Department.\n\n5. The Editor shall render an annual report to the General Sunday School\nBoard, and an annual report to each Annual Conference in the connection\nas to the amount of literature used, and number of Sunday Schools using\nthe Sunday School supplies of our own Church, within its bounds, and a\nquadrennial report to the General Conference.\n\n6. The Editor of the Sunday School Department shall be amenable for his\nofficial conduct to the General Sunday School Board and to the General\nConference who shall have right and power for cause sufficient to them\nto remove him from office; the General Board having the right to suspend\nand to fill the vacancy until the ensuing General Conference.\n\n7. All of the Sunday Schools of the C. M. E. Church shall be under the\nmanagement of the Sunday School Department, the regulations of which\nshall be as follows: There shall be a Sunday School Board in every\nAnnual Conference and District Conference, and District Sunday School\nConvention, and Quarterly Conference. It shall be the duty of the Annual\nConference Sunday School Board to inquire into the reports read by the\npastors, as to the kind and amount of literature each Sunday School\nuses, and to make full reports to the Annual Conference in session on\nour Sunday School work, with the recommendations. This report must be\nprinted annually in the Minutes.\n\nAs in the order above, the District Conference and District Sunday\nSchool Convention shall confine their reports and recommendations to the\nSunday School work of the District. The Quarterly Conference Sunday\nSchool Board shall be composed of the pastor and superintendents,\nofficers and teachers of a station, circuit or mission; whose duty shall\nbe to extend the circulation and influence of our Sunday School\nliterature into every possible local precinct, and to make report with\nrecommendation of the progress of Sunday School work, to the quarterly\nconference and church conference and to the district conference and\nSunday School Convention. A Sunday School Board, like a committee, may\nconsist of from three to forty-nine.\n\n8. An Annual Conference Sunday School Board shall be appointed by the\nPresiding Bishop and shall continue their work for four years. All of\nthe district and quarterly conference Boards shall be affected and\nreorganized by the appointments of a Presiding Elder and pastor.\n\n9. It shall also be the duty of the Sunday School Editor to assist the\nBook Agent by supplying our Sunday Schools (including needy schools)\nwith our own literature. Suggested order of business for a local Sunday\nSchool Board.\n\n (a) Devotion.\n\n (b) Reading Minutes of previous meeting.\n\n (c) Unfinished business.\n\n (d) Report and recommendation of Superintendent.\n\n (e) Treasurer's report.\n\n (f) Librarian's report.\n\n (g) New business.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLIV.\n SUPERANNUATED PREACHERS,' WIDOWS,' AND ORPHANS' FUND.\n\n\nArt. I. (1) There shall be and is a department known as the\nSuperannuated Preachers,' Widows,' and Orphans' Fund of the Colored M.\nE. Church.\n\n2. The object of this department is to provide a fund for Superannuated\nPreachers, Widows and Orphans of deceased preachers.\n\n3. This department shall be under the management of a Board of Directors\nconsisting of a Bishop, the Secretary-treasurer and five ministers\nelected by the General Conference.\n\n4. The Board of Directors shall meet annually at such time and place as\nthe President of the Board shall determine.\n\n5. The Board of Directors shall supervise the work of the department,\nhear and audit the report of the Secretary-Treasurer, and co-operate\nwith him in every possible way to build up the department.\n\nArt. II. (1) The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive all moneys of this\ndepartment and give his receipt for the same. He shall keep an accurate\naccount of all moneys received and paid out to claimants by Annual\nConferences. He shall report annually to the Board of Directors and\nquadrennially to the General Conference.\n\n2. He shall keep a record of the Superannuated preachers, widows and\norphans in each Annual Conference, showing the time each superannuate\nhas served in the active ministry, the number and age of the orphans of\neach minister's family, and the time served in active work by every\nminister, whose widow is a claimant on this fund.\n\n3. He shall pay claims only on the recommendation of the Annual\nConference, endorsed by the Presiding Bishop and the President of the\nJoint Board of Finance.\n\n4. He shall make settlement with all claimants on or about January 1st\nof each year in order to get reports from all conferences.\n\n5. The Secretary-Treasurer is authorized to devise plans to raise money\nto meet payments when it becomes necessary.\n\n6. The Secretary-Treasurer shall furnish such bond as the Board of\nDirectors may deem necessary for protection of the funds of the\ndepartment. He shall receive for salary $1200 per annum.\n\n7. The books of the department shall be open for inspection at any time\non request of the Board.\n\nArt. III. (1) The funds of this department shall accrue from the 10 per\ncent. of the General Funds for Superannuated preachers, widows and\norphans, from a per capita of one dollar on all active preachers and\nlaymen of every Annual Conference and from plans and devices of the\nSecretary-Treasurer.\n\n2. Should there be an insufficient amount in the treasury to pay the\nminimum pension, the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the Board and, in\ncase they cannot make provision to raise the shortage, he shall pay each\nclaimant in proportion to the amount of his pension.\n\nArt. IV. (1) Superannuated preachers who have served in the itinerancy\nfor ten or more years, shall receive a pension of not more than $250.00\nnor less than $150.00.\n\n2. Superannuated preachers who have served in the itinerancy from five\nto ten years, shall receive a pension of not more than $150, nor less\nthan $100.\n\n3. Superannuated preachers who have served from one to five years in the\nitinerancy shall receive not more than $100, nor less than $65.\n\nArt. V. (1) The widow of an itinerant or superannuated preacher with\nchildren, under fourteen years of age, shall receive the same pension as\nher husband until the children are fourteen years old.\n\n2. The widow of an active or superannuated preacher without children\nshall receive one half the pension allowed her husband so long as she\nremains in good standing in the C. M. E. Church.\n\n3. When the father and mother of children under fifteen years of age\ndie, the children shall receive the same pension allowed widows under\nsection 2.\n\nArt. VI. The Bishop presiding shall appoint a representative in each\nAnnual Conference, who shall collect and send to the Secretary-Treasurer,\nthe following items:\n\n (1) The name of each Superannuated preacher, his age and term of active\n service in the ministry.\n\n (2) Name of each widow, number and age of children; time the husband of\n each widow served in the active service.\n\n (3) Name and age of children whose father and mother are dead; time\n father served in active ministry.\n\n (4) The name, time of service, name of widow, and number of children of\n each preacher whose death is reported at each session of the Annual\n Conference.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLV.\n MISCELLANEOUS\n\n\nCHILDREN'S DAY.\n\nQues. What directions are given concerning Children's Day?\n\nAns. 1. There shall be held annually throughout the Church, a day to be\nknown as Children's Day.\n\n2. The exercises of this day shall consist of appropriate services held\nin all our congregations for the especial benefit of the children.\n\n3. The first collection at every service on that day shall be for the\ncause of education.\n\n4. Each Annual Conference shall decide as to which of the recognized\nconnectional schools the money raised for education on this day shall be\nappropriated.\n\n5. Each Annual Conference shall reserve the right to fix its Children's\nDay.\n\n\nII. GENERAL MISSIONARY DAY\n\nThe second Sunday in August of each year shall be observed in every\npastoral charge throughout the connection as General Missionary Day. On\nsaid day the congregation should be asked to make an offering for the\nextension of our Church. Presiding Elders and pastors in charge should\nput forth every effort to make this day a success.\n\n\nIII. OFFICIAL OR LEADERS' MEETING\n\nQues. 1. What directions are given concerning Official or Leaders'\nMeetings?\n\nAns. 1. They shall be held weekly in every pastoral charge wherever\npracticable.\n\n2. The Official Meeting shall be composed of the pastor in charge, all\nthe Stewards, Class-leaders and Local Preachers of the circuits,\nstations or mission, over which the pastor or some one appointed by him\nshall preside.\n\n3. The following shall be the general order of business:\n\n (a) Are there any sick?\n\n (b) Are there any who require temporal relief?\n\n (c) Are there any who walk disorderly and will not be reproved?\n\n (d) Are there any who wilfully neglect the means of grace?\n\n (e) Are there any to be recommended for license to exhort?\n\n (f) What amount has been raised for the pastor in charge?\n\n (g) What amount has been raised for the Presiding Elder?\n\n (h) Is there any other business?\n\n\nIV. THE WESTERN INDEX\n\n1. The Western Index shall be published weekly at such place as the\nEditor and a special committee may determine. The subscription price\nshall be one ($1.00) dollar per annum. The Editor shall be elected by\nthe General Conference, and the special committee shall be composed of\none member selected by each Annual Conference West of the Mississippi\nRiver.\n\n2. The paper shall be under the management of the General Committee or\nPublishing Interest and the Editor.\n\n3. The Editor shall serve an appointment, and the General Committee\nshall supplement the salary received from such appointment by paying him\nsix hundred ($600.00) dollars per annum.\n\n4. All expenses incurred in running the Western Index shall be paid out\nof subscriptions to, and advertisements in, the paper.\n\n5. The Editor shall keep an account of the receipts and expenditures of\nthe paper and report the same to the General Committee. He shall\npurchase no property nor printing presses unless authorized by the\nGeneral Committee in its regular meeting. Any such contract or\nobligation made without authority of the Committee shall be on the\nEditor's personal responsibility, and the Committee shall in no case be\nresponsible for any such obligation.\n\n\nV. THE EASTERN INDEX\n\nThe Eastern Index shall be under similar management and subject to the\nsame rules and regulations as the Western Index.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLVI.\n SCHOOLS, COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES\n\n\n1. The General Conference or any Annual Conference or Conferences of the\nColored Methodist Episcopal Church in America shall have the right to\nestablish and maintain, Schools, Colleges or Universities for\neducational purposes, which shall at all times be under control and\nsubject to the Discipline, usage and ministerial appointments of this\nChurch as now exist, or as from time to time authorized and declared by\nsaid General, or Annual Conference or Conferences, providing no\nadditional schools, colleges or university shall be created without the\nconsent of the Educational Board after June first, 1914.\n\n2. The Schools, Colleges or Universities established, or maintained by\nthe General, or Annual Conference or Conferences of the Colored\nMethodist Episcopal Church in America shall be managed, operated or\nconducted by a Board of Trustees of which the Bishop of this Church in\ncharge of the Annual Conference in whose bounds the same is located\nshall be President; which Board shall consist of not less than three nor\nmore than \u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014; who shall be ministers of the Gospel or laymen of this\nChurch in good standing and who shall, at all times, be amenable to and\nsubject to removal by the General, Annual Conference or Conferences\nappointing them; said Trustees to be elected and held in accordance with\nthe laws of the State or Territory in which the School, College or\nUniversity, for which they were elected, is located in case of such\nlaws, but if none then in accordance with such rules as may be\nprescribed by the General or Annual Conference, or Conferences\nappointing them.\n\n3. The Trustees of any school, college or university may, or shall, when\nauthorized or directed by the General, or Annual Conference or\nConferences of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America\nestablishing or maintaining the same or appointing them, incorporate\nunder the laws of the State or Territory in which it may be located,\nsuch corporation, however, to be under control of said Church and the\nTrustees thereof, of either, officers to be elected, to be appointed or\nelected by the General or Annual Conference in whose bounds any school\nor college is located. The President to be subject or amenable thereto\nat all times and may be removed by the same at any time.\n\n4. The Board of Trustees, of which the Bishop in charge of the Annual\nConference is located is President, shall appoint or elect such officers\nand teachers for same as are necessary and proper and as are usually had\nby like institutions, such officers, however, to be subject to rejection\nor removal by the General or Annual Conference or Conferences,\nestablishing or maintaining such Schools, Colleges or Universities.\n\n5. The Board of Trustees of which the Bishop in charge of the Annual\nConference in which any school, college or university is located shall\nbe President, conducting or operating any school, college or university\nestablished or maintained by the General or Annual Conference or\nConferences of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America shall\nmake all necessary and proper rules and regulations for governing the\nsame, subject, however, to the rejection or revision of such General or\nAnnual Conference or Conferences at any time, and may grant diplomas to\nstudents thereof who have pursued the prescribed course of study and\nconfer degrees of every nature as are usually conferred by like\ninstitutions.\n\n6. The Board of Trustees may acquire by purchase or gift, necessary land\nand erect necessary buildings thereon and purchase the necessary\nequipment for any School, College or University, operated by them for\nthe General or Annual Conference or Conferences, and to this end\ncontract indebtedness and borrow money and pledge or mortgage any\nproperty held by them for the use of or benefit of the General\nConference or Annual Conference or Conferences establishing and\nmaintaining such, provided, however, that no property held by said\ntrustees, shall be pledged or mortgaged without the indorsement in\nwriting on the instrument pledging or mortgaging the same, of the Bishop\nin charge of the Annual Conference in whose bounds such School, College\nor University is located, which shall be witnessed or acknowledged by\nhim in accordance with the law of the State or Territory in which said\nproperty is located.\n\n7. The Trustees of any School, College, or University established or\nmaintained by the General, Annual Conference or Conferences of the\nColored Methodist Episcopal Church in America may acquire by purchase\nand hold, or receive by gift or bequest and hold real, mixed or personal\nproperty and hold in action for the use and benefit of said Church for\neducational purposes in connection with and for the benefits of such\nSchool, College, or University as an endowment or for any legitimate\npurposes of the same.\n\n8. All deeds of conveyance or any property conveyed for the General or\nAnnual Conference or Conferences of the Colored Methodist Church in\nAmerica for educational purposes shall have the following clause\ninserted in the proper place \"In trust that said premises shall be used,\nkept, maintained and disposed of for educational purposes for the\nColored Methodist Episcopal Church in America; subject to the usage, and\nministerial appointments of said Church, as from time to time authorized\nand declared by the General Conference of said Church and the Annual\nConference or Conferences operating and maintaining such school, College\nor University.\"\n\n9. The Trustees of any property belonging to any school, College or\nUniversity of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America, with\nthe consent of any Bishop of this Church in charge of the Annual\nConference in whose bounds such property is located, which is to be\nindorsed upon the deed of conveyance in writing and acknowledged as\ndeeds are acknowledged in the State or Territory in which such property\nis located shall have power to sell or dispose of the same when it is no\nlonger necessary for such purposes or when it is deemed best or\nexpedient but shall hold and use the proceeds thereof for such School,\nCollege or University, or of the General or Annual Conference or\nConferences establishing or maintaining the same to be turned over to\nsuch whenever directed.\n\n10. The Treasurer or Custodian of any money or negotiable instruments\nbelonging to any School, College or University operated or maintained by\nthe General Conference or Annual Conference or Conferences shall be\nrequired by the Trustees thereof to give adequate bond for the faithful\nperformance of his duties as such and for the proper accounting for and\ndeliverance or payment to the persons authorized to be paid by said\nTrustees of all such money or negotiable instruments so held.\n\n11. All Schools, Colleges or Universities established, or which are now\nbeing maintained and operated, by the General Conference or any Annual\nConference or Conferences of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in\nAmerica and all property held for the use and benefit of, or subject to\nthe Discipline, usage and ministerial appointments of said Church, come\nunder the operation hereof and shall be governed hereby and the Trustees\nthereof shall have all the authority and powers herein conferred, except\nwhere the same may be restricted, by law, or by Charter, or by\ninstrument conveying property so as to prevent this chapter from\nbecoming effective, and all Trustees of such, wherever it can reasonably\nbe done are hereby directed, required, authorized and empowered to take\nsuch steps and adopt such measure as is necessary to bring into effect\nthis Chapter.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLVII.\n FOUNDERS DAY\n\n\nBe it resolved, first, That we set apart the Sunday nearest the\nsixteenth of September each year, as Founder's Day, to be observed in\nthe Sunday-schools, Epworth Leagues, and by the Pastors and\nCongregations throughout the Connection.\n\nSecond, That programs be arranged and suitable services held in every\ncharge throughout the connection. In every service effort should be\ndirected to acquaint the public with the history of our Church, and to\ninspire the youth with its hope and prospects of the future.\n\nThird, That the collections raised in the Sunday Schools and Epworth\nLeagues, shall be used for suffering churches in populous centers\u2014as\nKansas City, Savannah, Ga., Miles Memorial, Jacksonville, Fa., Israel\nMetropolitan and Berkeley, Cal.\n\nFourth, That the money from the Leagues and Sunday Schools shall be sent\nto the Book Agent, subject to the Bishop of the district, and reported\nby him at the mid-winter meeting. It shall then be subjected to the\nPublishing Board to be applied to the churches above listed in\nproportions to the amount due on each and its importance to the\nConnection.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLVIII.\n NAMES AND BOUNDARIES OF CONFERENCES.\n\n\nAlabama Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the Southern Railroad,\nrunning from Meridian, Miss., to Selma, Ala., and thence on a straight\nline to Georgia; on the East by Georgia; on the West by Mississippi, and\non the South by the Gulf of Mexico and Florida.\n\nArkansas Conference.\u2014Bounded by the State lines North of the Arkansas\nRiver, with an imaginary line running to the Indian Territory and to\nPerry County. The Arkansas Conference includes all territory in the\nNortheastern part of the state not included in the Little Rock\nConference.\n\nCentral Alabama Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the Mobile and Ohio\nRailroad from the line of Mississippi to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, thence\nalong the Alabama Great Southern Railroad to Birmingham, thence along\nthe Southern Railroad to the State line of Georgia; on the East by\nGeorgia; on the West by Mississippi, and on the South by the Alabama\nConference; Northport to be included in the Central Alabama Conference.\n\nCentral Georgia Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the southern\nboundary line of the Georgia Conference; East by the State line; West by\nFlint River; South by the South Georgia Conference.\n\nCentral Texas Conference.\u2014Beginning at the Northeast corner of Rockwall\nCounty, running thence East on parallel 33, across Hunt County, thence\nSoutheast to the M. K. & T. H. R. R. (including South Greenville and\nLone Oak in the Central Texas Conference) down to the T. & P. R. R.,\nthence East on the T. & P. R. R. to the 95th meridian, then South to\nTroupe leaving out the Winona Circuit. Thence North from Troupe, up the\nI. & G. N. railroad to Longview, thence Southeast down to Tenaha,\nleaving Beckville Circuit, Carthage Circuit and Post Oak in the East\nTexas Conference; thence East to the Louisiana state line, beginning\nfrom Logansport, La., running West along the Northern boundary lines of\nthe Shelby and Nacogdoches counties and an imaginary line running across\nChewokee County to the Naches river (including Lynflat Circuit) thence\nup to the Naches river to the I. & G. N. R. R., thence South on the I.\nG. & N. R. R. to Galveston (Houston, Galveston, Trinity and Sunnyside\nCircuit not included in the Central Texas Conference.) The Southern\nboundary shall be the Gulf of Mexico and the Rio Grande. The Western\nboundary of the Central Texas Conference begins at the Northeast corner\nof Rockwall County and follows the Eastern boundary of the West Texas\nConference to Corsicana, thence along the Southern boundary of the West\nTexas Conference to the Rio Grande River.\n\nEast Texas Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by Oklahoma; East by\nArkansas and Louisiana to the H. E. & W. T. Railroad; West by the H. E.\n& W. T. Railroad to Lufkin, thence West by an imaginary line to the East\nboundary line of Anderson County to Trinity River. Texarkana is not\nincluded in the East Texas Conference. The H. E. & W. T. Railroad shall\nnot include any part of Timpson circuit.\n\nEast Florida Conference.\u2014Bounded on the West by the Aucilla River, and\nincluding all that part of the State East of said river.\n\nEl Paso-Pacific Mission Conference shall include the following territory\nto wit: The Pacific Slope from Canada to Mexico, Nevada, New Mexico,\nArizona and such portions of Texas as lies West of the line beginning at\nthe northeast boundary of Winkler County, and extending East on the\neastern boundary line of Ward, Reems, Jeff Davis and Presadion counties\nto the Rio Grande River.\n\nFlorida Conference.\u2014Includes all that part of the State of Florida West\nof the Aucilla River.\n\nGeorgia Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North, East and West by the State\nline; South by the southern boundary line of the following counties:\nRichmond, Warren, Hancock (except Sparta), Putnam, Jasper, Butts,\nSpalding, Coweta and Heard.\n\nIllinois Conference includes that part of Missouri South of St.\u00a0Louis,\nthe State of Illinois and Lake County, Tennessee.\n\nKentucky and Ohio Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the northern\nboundary line of the State of Ohio; West by the L. & N. Railroad,\nrunning from Bowling Green to Elizabethtown, thence to the I. C.\nRailroad to Cecilia, thence to the I. C. Railroad to Louisville; East\nand South of the State line.\n\nLouisiana Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by Arkansas; on the East by\nthe Mississippi River; on the West by Texas; on the South by an\nimaginary line beginning at the mouth of Red River and running West\nacross the State.\n\nLittle Rock Conference.\u2014Bounded by all that part of Arkansas South of\nthe Arkansas River, with an imaginary line running to Oklahoma and to\nPerry County; also including the city of Texarkana. Little Rock\nConference embraces all other territory of the state not included in the\nArkansas and Southwest Arkansas Conferences.\n\nMemphis-Jackson Conference.\u2014Bounded on the East by the Tennessee River;\non the South by the State of Mississippi; on the West by the Miss.\nRiver; on the North by a straight line running parallel with the general\ncourse of the L. & N. R. R. to the Tennessee River.\n\nMissouri and Kansas Conference.\u2014Bounded on the East by the Southeast\nMissouri and Illinois Conference; West by the western boundary line of\nthe State of Colorado; North by Wyoming; South by Oklahoma; said\nConference to include the State of Colorado.\n\nMississippi Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by 34th parallel of North\nlatitude and North Mississippi Conference; on the East by Alabama; on\nthe South by the line beginning at the southwest corner of Kemper County\nand running between Lauderdale between Neshoba, Newton, Leake, Scott,\nand North between Scott and Leake to Pearl River; then Pearl River due\nwest to the town of Canton, then west with the south corporation line to\nthe Black River, then northeast with Black River between Madison and\nYazoo Counties to Holmes County, then on the line between Yazoo and\nHolmes to Washington County, then on a line between Washington and Yazoo\ncounties to Sharkey County, then with the line between Sharkey and Yazoo\ncounties to Issaquena and Sharkey to the southwest corner of Sharkey,\ndue west to the post office or town of Arcadia.\n\nMississippi Mission Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the Mississippi\nConference; on the East by Alabama; South by the Gulf of Mexico and\nLouisiana; on the West by Louisiana and the Mississippi River.\n\nMuskogee Conference.\u2014Bounded on the East by Arkansas; on the North by\nthe State line of Kansas so as to include Coffeyville; on the West by\nTexas, and on the South by Oklahoma Conference; Spiro to be included.\n\nNew Orleans Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the Louisiana\nConference; on the East by the Mississippi River; on the West by Texas;\non the South by the Gulf of Mexico.\n\nNorth Alabama Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by Tennessee; on the East\nby Georgia; on the West by Mississippi, and on the South by the Central\nAlabama Conference; and includes all that portion of the State of\nAlabama not included in the Alabama and Central Alabama Conferences.\n\nNorth Carolina Conference includes the State of North Carolina.\n\nN. Mississippi Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by Tennessee; on the\nEast by Alabama; on the South by the 34th parallel of north latitude,\nwhich runs with the south line of the corporation of the town of Okolona\nin the county of Chickashaw, and between Charleston on the North and\nTillatoba on the South. The former in Tallahatchie and the latter in\nYallabusha, with Sumner in the Mississippi Conference and Dublin in the\nNorth Mississippi Conference to the Mississippi River, and on the West\nby the Mississippi River.\n\nOklahoma Conference.\u2014Bounded on the East by Arkansas; on the South by\nRed River; West by Texas, and North by a line beginning at Harrington\nand running East to Okafushee to south line of Muskogee Conference.\n\nSouth Carolina Conference includes the State of South Carolina.\n\nSouthwest Arkansas Conference begins at the Northwestern boundary of\nHoward County and runs eastward along the Northern boundary of Howard\nCounty to Hot Springs County; thence South along the Eastern boundary of\nClark County to Dallas County; thence across the Northern boundary of\nDallas County to the Saline River; thence Southward along the river to\nthe Louisiana state line; thence West to the line of Texas.\n\nSouth Georgia Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North and East by the northern\nboundary line of Troupe and Merriwether Counties to Flint River, running\nSouth to Dooly County along northern boundary line of Dooly County to\nOconee River; down the Oconee River to the Altamaha River, along this\nriver to the State line; South by Florida; West by Alabama.\n\nSouthwest Georgia Conference includes all the territory of the state not\nincluded in the Georgia, Central Georgia and South Georgia Conferences.\n\nTennessee Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the State line; on the\nSouth by Alabama; on the West by the West Tennessee Conference; on the\nEast by the State line.\n\nTexas Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the northern boundary lines of\nthe counties of Shelby and Nacogdoches, and an imaginary line running\nacross Cherokee County to the Naches River, including Woodville and Alto\ncircuits, then up the Naches River to the I. & G. N. Railroad; East by\nthe State line so as to take in Palestine and Wells; South by the Gulf\nof Mexico; West by the Colorado River. Simpson circuit included in the\nTexas Conference.\n\nWashington and Philadelphia Conference includes the states of Virginia,\nWest Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York\nand District of Columbia.\n\nW. Tennessee Conference is bounded on the North by the Ohio River and\nKentucky; on the South by the general course of the L. & N. R. R.; on\nthe East by the Tennessee River and on the West by the Mississippi\nRiver.\n\nW. Kentucky Conference.\u2014Bounded on the North by the Ohio River; West by\nthe Mississippi River; East by the Kentucky and Ohio Conference; South\nby the State line.\n\nWest Texas Conference.\u2014Bounded on the East by Grayson, Collins, Rockwell\nand Dallas counties, down to the southern boundary line of Dallas County\nto Trinity River, down to Cotton Belt Railroad; South by the East\nboundary line of Navara and Freestone Counties to the I. & G. N.\nRailroad to San Antonia and Austin (San Antonia to be included in the\nWest Texas Conference), on the Southern Pacific to Rio Grande River;\nNorth by Red River to northern corner of Grayson County.\n\n\n\n\n =PART IX.=\n THE RITUAL\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XLIX.\n THE ORDER FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER\n\n\n+The Elder shall read one or more of these sentences, during the reading\nof which the stewards shall take up the collection for the poor:+\n\nLet your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works\nand glorify your Father which is in Heaven.\u2014Matt. v. 16.\n\nLay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth\ncorrupt, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for\nyourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth\ncorrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.\u2014Matt. vi. 19,\n20.\n\nWhatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them;\nfor this is the law and the prophets.\u2014Matt. vii. 12.\n\nNot every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the\nkingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in\nheaven.\u2014Matt. vii. 21.\n\nZaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my\ngoods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by\nfalse accusation, I restore him four-fold.\u2014Luke xix. 8.\n\nHe which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly; and he which soweth\nbountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man as he purposeth in\nhis heart, so let him give not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God\nloveth a cheerful giver.\u20142 Cor. ix. 6, 7.\n\nAs we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,\nespecially unto them who are of the household of faith.\u2014Gal. vi. 10.\n\nGodliness with contentment is great gain; for we brought nothing into\nthis world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.\u20141 Tim. vi. 6, 7.\n\nCharge them that are rich in this world, that they be ready to\ndistribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a\ngood foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on\neternal life. 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19.\n\nGod is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye\nhave showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints,\nand do minister.\u2014Heb. vi. 10.\n\nTo do good, and to communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God\nis well pleased.\u2014Heb. xiii. 16.\n\nWhoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and\nshutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of\nGod in him?\u20141 John iii. 17.\n\nHe that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and that which\nhe hath given will he pay him again.\u2014Prov. xix. 17.\n\nBlessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in\ntime of trouble.\u2014Psalm xli. 1.\n\n+Then shall the elder read this invitation+\n\nYe that do truly and earnestly repent of your sins, and are in love and\ncharity with your neighbors, and intend to lead a new life, following\nthe commandments of God, and walking from henceforth in his holy ways,\ndraw near with faith, and take this holy sacrament to your comfort, and\nmake your humble confession to Almighty God, meekly kneeling upon your\nknees.\n\n+Then shall the general confession be made by the minister, in the name\nof all those who are minded to receive the holy communion, both he and\nall the people kneeling humbly upon their knees and saying:+\n\nAlmighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things,\nJudge of all men, we acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and\nwickedness, which we from time to time most grievously have committed,\nby thought, word and deed, against thy Divine Majesty, provoking most\njustly thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and\nare heartily sorry for these our misdoings; the remembrance of them is\ngrievous unto us. Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful\nFather: for thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ's sake forgive us all that is\npast, and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please thee in\nnewness of life, to the honor and glory of thy name, through Jesus\nChrist our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the Elder say:+\n\nO Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, who of thy great mercy hast\npromised forgiveness of sins to all them that with hearty repentance and\ntrue faith turn to thee; have mercy upon us; pardon and deliver us from\nall our sins, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to\neverlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n\nTHE COLLECT\n\nAlmighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from\nwhom no secrets are hid; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the\ninspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and\nworthily magnify thy holy name, through Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the Elder say:+\n\nIt is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, that we should at all\ntimes, and in all places, give thanks unto thee, O Lord, Holy Father,\nAlmighty, Everlasting God.\n\nTherefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of\nheaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name, evermore praising thee,\nand saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, God of hosts, heaven and earth are\nfull of thy glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord most high.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the Elder say:+\n\nWe do not presume to come to this thy table, O merciful Lord, trusting\nin our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are\nnot worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table. But thou\nart the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy; Grant us,\ntherefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus\nChrist, and to drink his blood that our sinful souls and bodies may be\nmade clean by his death, and washed through his most precious blood, and\nthat we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then the Elder shall say the prayer of consecration as followeth:+\n\nAlmighty God, our Heavenly Father, who of thy tender mercy didst give\nthine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our\nredemption; who made there (by his oblation of himself once offered) a\nfull, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for\nthe sins of the whole world; and did institute, and in his holy Gospel\ncommand us to continue, a perpetual memory of that his precious death\nuntil his coming again: hear us, O merciful Father, we most humbly\nbeseech thee, and grant that we, receiving these thy creatures of bread\nand wine, according to thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's holy\ninstitution, in remembrance of his death and passion, may be partakers\nof his most blessed body and blood; who in the same night that he was\nbetrayed took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave\nit to his disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my body which is given\nfor you: do this in remembrance of me. Likewise after supper he took the\ncup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, Drink ye\nall of this; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed\nfor you and for many, for the remission of sins; do this, as oft as ye\nshall drink it, in remembrance of me.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the minister first receive the communion in both kinds\nhimself, and then proceed to deliver the same to the other minister in\nlike manner, if any be present. Then shall he say the Lord's Prayer, the\npeople still kneeling and repeating after him every petition:+\n\nOur Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;\nthy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven; give us this day our\ndaily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who\ntrespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us\nfrom evil; for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,\nforever and ever.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then a hymn may be sung, and the communicants shall be invited to the\ntable. The minister shall deliver both kinds to the people unto their\nhands. When he delivereth the bread he shall say:+\n\nThe body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for =thee=, preserve\n=thy soul= and =body= unto everlasting life. Take and eat this in\nremembrance that Christ died for =thee=, and feed on him in =thy heart=\nby faith with thanksgiving.\n\n+And the minister that delivereth the cup shall say:+\n\nThe blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for =thee=, preserve\n=thy soul= and =body= unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance\nthat Christ's blood was shed for thee, and be thankful.\n\n+When all have communed, the minister shall return to the Lord's table,\nand place upon it what remaineth of the consecrated elements, covering\nthe same with a fair linen cloth.+\n\n+The minister may then say as followeth:+\n\nO Lord and Heavenly Father, we thy humble servants desire thy fatherly\ngoodness mercifully to accept this our sacrifice of praise and\nthanksgiving, most humbly beseeching thee to grant that, by the merits\nand death of thy Son Jesus Christ, and through faith in his blood, we\nand thy whole Church may obtain remission of our sins. And here we offer\nand present unto thee, O Lord, ourselves, our souls and bodies, to be a\nreasonable, holy and lively sacrifice unto thee; humbly beseeching thee\nthat all we who are partakers of this holy communion may be filled with\nthy grace and heavenly benediction. And although we be unworthy, through\nour manifold sins, to offer unto thee any sacrifice, yet we beseech thee\nto accept this our bounden duty and service; not weighing our merits,\nbut pardoning our offenses, through Jesus Christ our Lord: by whom, and\nwith whom, in the unity of the Holy Ghost all honor and glory be unto\nthee, O Father Almighty, world without end.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then may be said:+\n\nGlory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good-will toward men. We\npraise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give\nthanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the\nFather Almighty.\n\nO Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ: O Lord God, Lamb of God,\nSon of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy\nupon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon\nus. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.\nThou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon\nus.\n\nFor thou only art holy: thou only art the Lord: thou only, O Christ,\nwith the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then the Elder, if he see it expedient, may put up an extemporaneous\nprayer; and afterwards shall let the people depart with this blessing:+\n\nMay the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts\nand minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ\nour Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the\nHoly Ghost, be among you, and remain with you always.\n\nAmen.\n\n+If the Elder be straitened for time, he may omit any part of the\nservice except the prayer of consecration.+\n\n+If the consecrated bread or wine be all spent before all have\ncommuned, the Elder may consecrate more, by repeating the prayer of\nconsecration.+\n\n+Let those who have scruples concerning the receiving of the communion\nkneeling, be permitted to receive it either standing or sitting; but no\nperson shall be admitted to the Lord's Supper among us who is guilty of\nany practice for which we would exclude a member of our Church.+\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER L.\n THE MINISTRATION OF BAPTISM TO INFANTS.\n\n\n+The minister, coming to the font, which is to be filled with pure\nwater, shall use the following, or some other suitable exhortation:+\n\nDearly beloved, forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin, and\nthat our Saviour Christ saith, Except a man be born of water and of the\nSpirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God: I beseech you to call\nupon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that of his\nbounteous mercy he will grant to this =child= that which by nature =he=\ncannot have; that =he= may be baptized with water and the Holy Ghost,\nand received into Christ's holy Church, and be made a lively member of\nthe same.\n\n+Then shall the minister say, Let us pray:+\n\nAlmighty and everlasting God, we beseech thee for thine infinite\nmercies, that thou wilt look upon =this child=; wash =him= and sanctify\n=him= with the Holy Ghost that =he=, being delivered from thy wrath, may\nbe received into the ark of Christ's Church, and being steadfast in\nfaith, joyful through hope, and rooted in love, may so pass the waves of\nthis troublesome world, that finally =he= may come to the land of\neverlasting life, there to reign with thee, world without end, through\nJesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\nO merciful God, grant that the old Adam in =this child= may be so\nburied, that the new man may be raised up in =him=.\n\nAmen.\n\nGrant that all carnal affections may die in =him=, and that all things\nbelonging to the Spirit may live and grow in =him=.\n\nAmen.\n\nGrant that =he= may have power and strength to have victory, and to\ntriumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh.\n\nAmen.\n\nGrant that whosoever is dedicated to thee by our office and ministry may\nalso be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded through\nthy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live and govern all things,\nworld without end.\n\nAmen.\n\nAlmighty, ever-living God, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ,\nfor the forgiveness of our sins did shed out of his most precious side\nboth water and blood, and gave commandment to his disciples that they\nshould go teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father,\nand of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: regard, we beseech thee, the\nsupplications of thy congregation; and grant that =this child=, now to\nbe baptized, may receive the fullness of thy grace, and ever remain in\nthe number of thy faithful and elect children, through Jesus Christ our\nLord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the people stand up, and the minister shall say:+\n\nHear the words of the Gospel written by St.\u00a0Mark in the tenth chapter,\nat the thirteenth verse.\n\nThey brought young children to Christ, that he should touch them. And\nhis disciples rebuked those that brought them; but when Jesus saw it, he\nwas much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to\ncome unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.\nVerily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as\na little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his\narms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.\n\n+Then the minister, addressing the parents or others presenting the\nchild, shall say:+\n\nIn causing =this child= to be brought by baptism into the Church of\nChrist, it is your duty to teach =him= to renounce the devil and all his\nworks, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires\nof the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that =he= may not\nfollow or be led by them; to believe all the articles of the Christian\nfaith; and to obediently keep God's holy will and commandments all the\ndays of =his= life.\n\n+Then the minister shall take the child into his hands, if convenient,\nand say to the friends of the child:+\n\nNAME THIS CHILD\n\nN., I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the\nHoly Ghost.\n\nAmen.\n\n+The minister may, at his discretion, lay hands on the subject,\naccompanying the act with a suitable invocation, and then, all kneeling,\nclose with extemporaneous devotions and the Lord's Prayer:+\n\nOur Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;\nthy will be done on earth, as it is heaven; give us this day our daily\nbread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass\nagainst us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.\n\nAmen.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER LI.\n THE MINISTRATION OF BAPTISM TO SUCH AS ARE OF RIPER YEARS.\n\n\n+The minister, coming to the font, which is to be filled with pure\nwater, shall use the following, or some other suitable exhortation:+\n\nDearly beloved, forasmuch as all men are conceived and born in sin, (and\nthat which is born of the flesh is flesh, and they that are in the flesh\ncannot please God, but live in sin, committing many actual\ntransgressions,) and that our Saviour Christ saith, Except a man be born\nof water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God; I\nbeseech you to call upon God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ,\nthat of his bounteous goodness he will grant to =these persons= that\nwhich by nature =they= cannot have: that =they= may be baptized with\nwater and the Holy Ghost, and received into Christ's holy Church, and be\nmade lively =members= of the same.\n\n+Then shall the minister say:+\n\nAlmighty and immortal God, the aid of all that need, the helper of all\nthat flee to thee for succor, the life of them that believe, and the\nresurrection of the dead: we call upon thee for =these persons= now to\nbe baptized. Receive =them=, O Lord, as thou hast promised by thy\nwell-beloved Son, saying, Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall\nfind; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: so give now unto us that\nask; let us that seek find; open the gate unto us that knock; that\n=these persons= may enjoy the everlasting benediction of thy heavenly\nwashing, and may come to the eternal kingdom which thou hast promised by\nChrist our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the people stand up, and the minister shall say:+\n\nHear the words of the Gospel, written by St.\u00a0John in the third chapter,\nbeginning at the first verse.\n\nThere was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.\nThe same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that\nthou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that\nthou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him,\nVerily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot\nsee the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born\nwhen he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and\nbe born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man\nbe born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of\nGod. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of\nthe Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born\nagain. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound\nthereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so\nis every one that is born of the Spirit.\n\n+Then the minister shall speak to the persons to be baptized on this\nwise:+\n\nWell-beloved, who are come hither, desiring to receive holy baptism, =ye\nhave= heard how the congregation hath prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ,\nwould vouchsafe to receive =you=, and bless =you=, to release =you= of\nyour sins, to give =you= the kingdom of heaven, and everlasting life.\nAnd our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his holy word to grant all\nthose things that we have prayed for; which promise he for his part will\nmost surely keep and perform.\n\nWherefore after this promise made by Christ, =ye= must also faithfully,\nfor =your= part, promise, in the presence of this whole congregation,\nthat =ye= will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly\nbelieve God's holy word, and obediently keep his commandments.\n\n+Then shall the minister demand of each of the persons to be baptized,\nseverally:+\n\nQues. Doth thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and\nglory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the\ncarnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow or be led by\nthem?\n\nAns. I renounce them all.\n\nQues. Dost thou believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and\nearth? and in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord? and that he\nwas conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary? that he\nsuffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried? that he\nrose again the third day? that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at\nthe right hand of God the Father Almighty, and from thence shall come\nagain at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the dead?\n\nAnd dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost, the Church of God, the\ncommunion of saints, the remission of sins, the resurrection of the\nbody, and everlasting life after death?\n\nAns. All this I steadfastly believe.\n\nQues. Wilt thou be baptized in this faith?\n\nAns. This is my desire.\n\nQues. Wilt thou then obediently keep God's holy will and commandments,\nand walk in the same all the days of thy life?\n\nAns. I will endeavor so to do, God being my helper.\n\n+Then shall the minister say:+\n\nO merciful God, grant that the old Adam in =these= persons may be so\nburied, that the new man may be raised up in =them=.\n\nAmen.\n\nGrant that all carnal affections may die in =them=, and that all things\nbelonging to the Spirit may live and grow in =them=.\n\nAmen.\n\nGrant that =they= may have power and strength to have victory, and to\ntriumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh.\n\nAmen.\n\nGrant that =they=, being here dedicated to thee by our office and\nministry, may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly\nrewarded, through thy mercy, O blessed Lord God, who dost live and\ngovern all things, world without end.\n\nAmen.\n\nAlmighty, ever-living God, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ\nfor the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side\nboth water and blood; and gave commandment to his disciples, that they\nshould go teach all nations, and baptize them in the name of the Father,\nand of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: regard, we beseech thee, the\nsupplications of this congregation; and grant that the =persons= now to\nbe baptized may receive the fullness of thy grace, and ever remain in\nthe number of thy faithful and elect children, through Jesus Christ our\nLord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the minister take each person to be baptized by the right\nhand; and placing him conveniently by the font, according to his\ndiscretion, shall ask the name; and then shall sprinkle or pour water\nupon him, (or, if he shall desire it, shall immerse him in water),\nsaying:+\n\nN., I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the\nHoly Ghost.\n\nAmen.\n\n+The minister may, at his discretion, lay hands on the subject,\naccompanying the act with a suitable invocation.+\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER LII.\n FORM OF THE RECEPTION AND RECOGNITION OF CHURCH MEMBERS.\n\n\n+The minister shall cause the candidates to be placed before the\ncongregation, and after baptizing any who may not have been previously\nbaptized he shall say:+\n\nBrethren, the Church is of God, and will be preserved to the end of\ntime, for the promotion of his worship and the due administration of his\nword and ordinances\u2014the maintenance of Christian fellowship and\ndiscipline\u2014the edification of believers, and the conversion of the\nworld. All, of every age and station, stand in need of the means of\ngrace which it alone supplies; and it invites all alike to become\nfellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God. But as none\nwho have arrived at years of discretion can remain within its pales or\nbe admitted to its communion, without assuming its obligations, it is my\nduty to demand of these persons present whether they are resolved to\nassume the same.\n\n+Then shall the minister address the candidates, as follows:+\n\nDearly beloved, you profess to have a desire to flee from the wrath to\ncome and to be saved from your sins; you seek the fellowship of the\npeople of God, to assist you in working out your salvation; I therefore\ndemand of you:\n\nDo you solemnly, in the presence of God and this congregation, ratify\nand confirm the promise and vow of repentance, faith, and obedience,\ncontained in the baptismal convent?\n\nAns. I do, God being my helper.\n\nWill you be subject to the discipline of the Church, attend upon its\nordinances, and support its institutions?\n\nAns. I will endeavor so to do, by the help of God.\n\n+The minister shall then say to the candidates:+\n\nWe rejoice to recognize you as members of the Church of Christ, and bid\nyou welcome to all its privileges; and in token of our brotherly love,\nwe give you the right hand of fellowship, and pray that you may be both\nnumbered with his people here, and with his saints in glory everlasting.\n\n+The minister shall then say to the congregation:+\n\nBrethren, I commend to your love and care these persons whom we this day\nrecognize as members of the Church of Christ. Do all in your power to\nincrease their faith, confirm their hope, and perfect them in love.\n\n+Then may follow a hymn suitable to the occasion (as 881-889), and the\nminister shall say:+\n\nLet us pray.\n\nAlmighty God, we thank thee for founding thy Church, and promising that\nthe gates of hell shall not prevail against it. We bless thee for\ncalling us to the fellowship of thy people, and for numbering us with\nthe sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. We especially praise thy\nname for enabling these thy servants to avouch the Lord to be their God.\nHelp them to perform the promise and vow which they have made; to\nrenounce the devil, the world, and the flesh; to believe the record\nwhich thou hast given of thy Son; and to walk in all thy commandments\nand ordinances blameless, to the end of their lives. May their communion\nwith thy people be sanctified to their growth in grace and in the\nknowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, being nourished and knit\ntogether, increasing with the increase of God. May thy people do them\ngood, and may they prove a blessing to thy people. And grant, O Lord,\nthat all who are here members of thy militant Church, through thy mercy,\nthe merit of thy Son, and the grace of thy Spirit, may finally be made\nmembers of thy triumphant Church in heaven.\n\nAmen.\n\nAlmighty and everlasting God, Heavenly Father, we give thee humble\nthanks, for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy\ngrace, and faith in thee; increase this knowledge and confirm this faith\nin us evermore. Give thy Holy Spirit to these persons, that they, being\nborn again, may be made heirs of everlasting salvation, through our Lord\nJesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now\nand forever.\n\nAmen.\n\nOur Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;\nthy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily\nbread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass\nagainst us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.\n\nAmen.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER LIII.\n THE FORM OF SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY.\n\n\n+At the day and time appointed for the solemnization of matrimony, the\npersons to be married (having been qualified according to law) standing\ntogether, the man on the right hand and the woman on the left, the\nminister shall say:+\n\nDearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and\nin the presence of these witnesses, to join together this man and this\nwoman in holy matrimony; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God\nin the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union\nthat is between Christ and his Church; which holy estate Christ adorned\nand beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought in\nCana of Galilee, and is commended of St.\u00a0Paul to be honorable among all\nmen; and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, or taken in hand\nunadvisedly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, and in the fear of\nGod.\n\nInto which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined.\nTherefore if any can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be\njoined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his\npeace.\n\n+And also speaking unto the persons that are to be married, he shall\nsay:+\n\nI require and charge you both, (as ye will answer at the dreadful day of\njudgment, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed) that if\neither of you know any impediment why ye may not be lawfully joined\ntogether in matrimony, ye do now confess it; for be ye well assured,\nthat so many as are coupled together otherwise than God's word doth\nallow, are not joined together by God, neither is their matrimony\nlawful.\n\n+If no impediment be alleged, then shall the minister say unto the man:+\n\nM., Wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together\nafter God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou love\nher, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and,\nforsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall\nlive?\n\n+The man shall answer,+\n\nI WILL.\n\n+Then shall the minister say unto the woman:+\n\nN., Wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to live together\nafter God's ordinance, in the holy estate of matrimony? Wilt thou obey\nhim, serve him, love, honor, and keep him, in sickness and in health;\nand, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both\nshall live?\n\n+The woman shall answer,+\n\nI WILL.\n\n\n+When the parties so desire, the man shall give unto the woman a ring;\nand the minister taking the ring shall deliver it unto the man to put it\nupon the fourth finger of the woman's left hand; and the man, holding\nthe ring there, and taught by the minister, shall say:+\n\nWith this ring I thee wed, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow;\nin the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the minister say:+\n\nLet us pray.\n\nOur Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;\nthy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven; give us this day our\ndaily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who\ntrespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us\nfrom evil; for thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory,\nforever and ever.\n\nAmen.\n\nO eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all\nspiritual grace, the Author of everlasting life, send thy blessing upon\nthese thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name;\nthat as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together, so these persons\nmay surely perform and keep the vow and covenant between them made, and\nmay ever remain in perfect love and peace together and live according to\nthy laws, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the minister join their right hands together, and say:+\n\nThose whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.\n\nForasmuch as M. and N. have consented together in holy wedlock, and have\nwitnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have pledged\ntheir faith either to other, and have declared the same by joining\nhands, I pronounce that they are man and wife together, in the name of\nthe Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.\n\nAmen.\n\n+And the minister shall add this blessing:+\n\nGod the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and\nkeep you; the Lord mercifully with his favor look upon you; and so fill\nyou with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live\ntogether in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life\neverlasting.\n\nAmen.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER LIV.\n THE ORDER OF THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD\n\n\n+The minister meeting the corpse, and going before it, shall say:+\n\nI am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he\nwere dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me,\nshall never die.\u2014John xi. 25, 26.\n\nI know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter\nday upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body,\nyet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine\neyes shall behold, and not another.\u2014Job. xix. 25-27.\n\nWe brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry\nnothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the\nname of the Lord.\u20141 Tim. vi. 7; Job. i. 21.\n\n+After they are come into the church or home shall be read Psalm xc.+\n\nLord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.\n\nBefore the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the\nearth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.\n\nThou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.\n\nFor a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past,\nand as a watch in the night.\n\nThou carriest them away as with a flood: they are as a sleep; in the\nmorning they are like grass which groweth up.\n\nIn the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut\ndown, and withereth.\n\nFor we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.\n\nThou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light\nof thy countenance.\n\nFor all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a\ntale that is told.\n\nThe days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of\nstrength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and\nsorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.\n\nWho knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is\nthy wrath.\n\nSo teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto\nwisdom.\n\nReturn, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy\nservants.\n\nO satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all\nour days.\n\nMake us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and\nthe years wherein we have seen evil.\n\nLet thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their\nchildren.\n\nAnd let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish thou\nthe work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou\nit.\n\n+Then shall follow the Lesson, 1 Cor. xv. 20-58, or the following\nabridgement:+\n\nNow is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them\nthat slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the\nresurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ\nshall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the\nfirst-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then\ncometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even\nthe Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and\npower. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.\nThe last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all\nthings under his feet\u2014But some man will say, How are the dead raised up?\nand with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is\nnot quickened except it die: and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not\nthat body that shall be, but bare grain; it may chance of wheat, or of\nsome other grain; but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and\nto every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh; but there\nis one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes,\nand another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies\nterrestrial; but the glory of the terrestrial is one and the glory of\nthe celestial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another\nglory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star\ndiffereth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the\ndead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown\nin dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised\nin power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual\nbody.\u2014Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall\nall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last\ntrump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised\nincorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on\nincorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this\ncorruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have\nput on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is\nwritten, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting?\nO grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the\nstrength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the\nvictory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren,\nbe ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,\nforasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.\n\n+Here may follow a suitable hymn, a sermon or exhortation, and an\nextemporary prayer.+\n\n+At the grave, when the corpse is laid in the earth, the minister shall\nsay:+\n\nMan that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He\ncometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow,\nand continueth not.\n\nIn the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succor,\nbut of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased?\n\nYet, O Lord God most holy, O Lord most mighty, O holy and most merciful\nSaviour, deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.\n\nThou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts: shut not thy merciful\nears to our prayers, but spare us, O holy and merciful Saviour, thou\nmost worthy Judge eternal, suffer us not at our last hour for any pains\nof death to fall from thee.\n\n+Then the minister may say:+\n\nForasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, in his wise providence, to\ntake out of this world the soul of our deceased =brother=, we therefore\ncommit =his= body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to\ndust; looking for the general resurrection in the last day, and the life\nof the world to come, through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose second\ncoming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the earth and the sea\nshall give up their dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep\nin him shall be changed, and made like unto his own glorious body,\naccording to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things\nunto himself.\n\n+Then shall be said:+\n\nI heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead\nwhich die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they\nmay rest from their labors.\n\n+A suitable hymn may here be sung; and then shall the minister say:+\n\nOur Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come;\nthy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven; give us this day our\ndaily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who\ntrespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us\nfrom evil.\n\nAmen.\n\n\nTHE COLLECT.\n\nO merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the\nresurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth shall live,\nthough he die; and whosoever liveth and believeth in him, shall not die\neternally: we meekly beseech thee, O Father, to raise us from the death\nof sin unto the life of righteousness; that when we shall depart this\nlife we may rest in him and at the general resurrection on the last day\nmay be found acceptable in thy sight, and receive that blessing which\nthy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear\nthee, saying, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom\nprepared for you from the foundation of the world. Grant this, we\nbeseech thee, O merciful Father, through Jesus Christ our Mediator and\nRedeemer.\n\nAmen.\n\nThe grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the\ncommunion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.\n\nAmen.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER LV.\n FORM OF LAYING THE CORNER STONE OF A CHURCH\n\n\n+At the time and place of laying the corner stone, let the minister\ncause a suitable hymn to be sung (e. g. 780, 781, or 782). Then shall\nthe minister say:+\n\n+Let us pray.+\n\nAlmighty and everlasting God, thou art infinite in all thy perfections,\nand marvelous in all thy works. Thou hast made the world and all things\ntherein; and seeing that thou art Lord of heaven and earth, thou\ndwellest not in temples made with hands; thou art a Spirit, and art\nworshiped in spirit and in truth, in all places of thy dominion; yet we\nthank thee that thou dost allow us to build houses for thy services,\nwherein thy people may attend upon thee without distraction. We bless\nthy holy name for putting it into the hearts of thy people to build a\nhouse, at this place, for thy worship. We beseech thee to inspire us\nwith zeal, that we may both have a mind to the work, and may\nsuccessfully accomplish the same. May neither adversary nor evil\noccurent hinder this work; but may the good hand of our God be upon us,\nthat in due time we may bring forth the headstone with joy and praise.\nMay this sanctuary, when completed, long remain a house of prayer for\nall people, where incense shall be offered unto thy name, and a pure\noffering, and thy word and ordinances by the influences of the Holy\nGhost. Here may multitudes be born again, and be nurtured in knowledge\nand piety; so that they may be prepared, in the kingdom of thy glory. We\nare unworthy, O Lord, through our manifold sins, to offer unto thee any\nsacrifice; yet we beseech thee to accept this our bounden duty and\nservice, not weighing our merits, but pardoning our offenses, through\nJesus Christ our Lord: by whom and with whom, in the unity of the Holy\nGhost all honor and glory be unto thee, Father Almighty, world without\nend.\n\nAmen.\n\nPrevent us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favor, and\nfurther us with thy continual help; that in all our works, begun,\ncontinued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and finally,\nby thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\nOur Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come;\nthy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven; give us this day our\ndaily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who\ntrespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us\nfrom evil.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then, shall the minister read, or cause to be read, the following\nsentences:+\n\nBlessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our Father, forever and ever.\n\nThine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the\nvictory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth\nis thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head\nabove all.\n\nBoth riches and honor come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in\nthine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great,\nand to give strength unto all.\n\nNow, therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.\n\nBut who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so\nwillingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own\nhave we given thee.\n\nFor we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our\nfathers; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none\nabiding.\n\nO Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee a\nhouse for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.\n\nI know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and has pleasure in\nuprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have\nwillingly offered all these things; and now have I seen with joy thy\npeople, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.\n\nExcept the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it;\nexcept the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.\n\nLet thy work appear unto thy servants, and the glory unto their\nchildren.\n\nAnd let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish thou\nthe work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou\nit.\n\nHis foundation is in the holy mountains.\n\nThe Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.\nFor the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.\n\nThis is my rest forever: here will I dwell: for I have desired it.\n\nI will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with\nbread.\n\nI will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall\nshout aloud for joy.\n\nThe stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone of the\ncorner.\n\nThis is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.\n\nFor other foundation can no man lay than is laid, which is Jesus Christ.\n\n+Then shall the minister, standing by the stone, announce the articles\nto be deposited therein. These may be a copy of the Bible, the Hymn\nBook, the Discipline, Church periodicals, a document setting forth the\nname of the Church, with the names of the pastor, trustees, and building\ncommittee, and such other articles as may be desired. The stone shall be\nlaid by the minister, or some one appointed by him; and placing his hand\nupon the stone, the minister shall say:+\n\nWe lay this corner stone of a house to be built and set apart, from all\nworldly uses, for divine worship, in the name of the Father, and of the\nSon, and of the Holy Ghost.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then may follow an address, the collection (if any) the Doxology, and\nBenediction.+\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER LVI.\n FORM OF THE DEDICATION OF A CHURCH\n\n\n+Let the service be conducted as on the other occasions of public\nworship\u2014only the hymns (e. g. 783-780,) prayer, lesson, and sermons,\nshould be adapted to the occasion. The lessons may be Gen. xxviii.\n10-22, and Heb. x. 19-25, or any other at the discretion of the\nminister.+\n\n\nFIRST LESSON. GEN. xxviii. 10-22.\n\nAnd Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted\nupon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was\nset; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his\npillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and\nbehold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to\nheaven; and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it.\nAnd behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of\nAbraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou liest,\nto thee will I give it, and to thy seed. And thy seed shall be as the\ndust of the earth; and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the\neast, and to the north, and to the south; and in thee and in thy seed\nshall all the families of the earth be blessed. And behold, I am with\nthee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will\nbring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have\ndone that which I have spoken to thee of. And Jacob, awaked out of his\nsleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.\nAnd he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none\nother but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob\nrose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his\npillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.\nAnd he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city\nwas called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will\nbe with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me\nbread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's\nhouse in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: and this stone, which I\nhave set for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that thou shalt\ngive me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.\n\n\nSECOND LESSON. HEB. x. 19-25.\n\nHaving therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the\nblood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for\nus, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; having an high-priest\nover the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart, in full\nassurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,\nand our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the\nprofession of our faith without wavering: for he is faithful that\npromised: and let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to\ngood works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the\nmanner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as\nye see the day approaching.\n\n+The Collection (if any) may follow the sermon. The officers of the\nChurch shall then address the minister in the following language:+\n\nWe present to you this house, to be set apart from all unhallowed or\ncommon uses, for the worship of Almighty God.\n\n+Then shall the minister request the congregation to stand, while he\npronounces the following Sentence of Dedication:+\n\n\nSENTENCE OF DEDICATION\n\nForasmuch as God has put it into the hearts of his people to build this\nhouse for his worship, and has blessed them in their undertaking, we\nsolemnly dedicate it to his service, for the reading and expounding of\nhis holy word, the administration of his ordinances, and for all other\nacts of religious worship. That he may graciously accept this labor of\nour hands, let us devoutly pray.\n\n+Then shall be said, all kneeling:+\n\nAlmighty and everlasting God, the heaven, and the heaven of heavens,\ncannot contain thee, much less this house which we have built; yet thou\ndost humble thyself to behold the inhabitants of the earth, and dost\npromise that in all places where thou dost record thy name thou wilt\nmeet with thy people, and bless them. Let thy name be recorded in this\nplace, and here let thine honor dwell. Preserve this house, which we set\napart to thy service, from injury and desecration. Accept the worship\nwhich shall be here offered to thy name. Let thy Holy Spirit accompany\nthy word and ordinances, which shall be here administered, so that they\nmay prove means of grace to all who shall receive the same. May many\nsons and daughters be here born to the Lord Almighty. Let thy people be\nabundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and make them drink\nof the river of thy pleasures. Let their children be here fed with food\nconvenient for them, and be brought up in the nurture and admonition of\nthe Lord. Let living waters go forth from this sanctuary, carrying life\nand joy to all around. Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy\nglory unto their children, and let the beauty of the Lord our God be\nupon us; and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea the work\nof our hands establish thou it. Now, therefore arise, O Lord God, into\nthy resting place, thou and the ark of thy strength; let thy ministers\nbe clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. We\nbeseech thee, O Lord, to overlook our unworthiness, forgive our sins,\nand make us a habitation of God through the Spirit. We offer all our\nofferings through the ever-blessed name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus\nChrist, to whom, with thee, and the Holy Spirit, be glory and majesty,\ndominion and power, both now and ever.\n\nAmen.\n\n+The service may then be concluded with the Doxology and Benediction.+\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER LI.\n THE FORM AND MANNER OF ORDAINING  DEACONS\n\n\n+When the day appointed by the Bishop is come, after a suitable sermon\nor exhortation, one of the Elders shall present unto the Bishop all them\nthat are to be ordained, and say:+\n\nI present unto you these persons present, to be ordained Deacons.\n\n+Then their names being read aloud, the Bishop shall say unto the\npeople:+\n\nBrethren, if there be any of you who knoweth any impediment or crime in\nany of these persons presented to be ordained Deacons; for the which he\nought not to be admitted to that office, let him come forth in the name\nof God and show what the crime or impediment is.\n\n+If any crime or impediment be objected, the Bishop shall surcease from\nordaining that person unto such time as the party accused shall be found\nclear of that crime. Then shall be read the following collect.+\n\n\nTHE COLLECT.\n\nAlmighty God, who by thy divine providence hast appointed divers orders\nof ministers in thy Church, and didst inspire thy apostles to choose\ninto the order of Deacons thy first martyr, St.\u00a0Stephen, with others:\nmercifully behold these thy servants, now called to the like office and\nadministration; replenish them so with the truth of thy doctrine, and\nadorn them with innocency of life, that both by word and good example\nthey may faithfully serve thee in this office, to the glory of thy name,\nand the edification of thy Church, through the merits of our Saviour\nJesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now\nand forever.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then the Bishop or one of the Elders appointed by him, shall read the\nEpistle.+\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE.   1 TIM. iii. 8-13.\n\nLikewise must the Deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to\nmuch wine, not greedy of filthy lucre: holding the mystery of the faith\nin a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them\nuse the office of a Deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their\nwives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the\nDeacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own\nhouses well. For they that have used the office of a Deacon well,\npurchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith\nwhich is in Christ Jesus.\n\n+Then shall the Bishop examine every one of those who are to be\nordained, in the press of the people, after this manner following:+\n\nDo you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon\nyou the office of the ministry in the Church of Christ, to serve God for\nthe promoting of his glory and the edifying of his people?\n\nAns. I trust so.\n\nThe Bishop. Do you unfeignedly believe all the canonical Scriptures of\nthe Old and New Testament.\n\nAns. I do believe them.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you diligently read or expound the same unto the people\nwhom you shall be appointed to serve?\n\nAns. I will.\n\nThe Bishop. It appertaineth to the office of a Deacon to assist the\nElder in Divine service, and especially when he ministereth the holy\ncommunion, to help him in the distribution thereof, and to read and\nexpound the Holy Scriptures: to instruct the youth; and in the absence\nof the Elder to baptize.\n\nAnd, furthermore, it is his office to search for the sick, poor, and\nimpotent, that they may be visited and relieved.\n\nWill you do this gladly and willingly?\n\nAns. I will do so, by the help of God.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you apply all your diligence to frame and fashion your\nown lives (and the lives of your families) according to the doctrine of\nChrist; and to make both yourselves, and them, as much as in you lieth,\nwholesome examples of the flock of Christ?\n\nAns. I will do so, the Lord being my helper.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you reverently obey them to whom the charge and\ngovernment over you is committed, following with a glad mind and will\ntheir godly admonitions?\n\nAns. I will endeavor so to do, the Lord being my helper.\n\n+Then the Bishop, laying his hands severally upon the head of every one\nof them, shall say:+\n\nTake thou authority to execute the office of a Deacon in the Church of\nGod; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall the Bishop deliver to every one of them the Holy Bible,\nsaying:+\n\nTake thou authority to read the Holy Scriptures in the Church of God,\nand to preach the same.\n\n+Then one of them appointed by the Bishop shall read the Gospel.+\n\n\nTHE GOSPEL. LUKE xii. 35-38.\n\nLet your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye\nyourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord, when he will return\nfrom the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto\nhim immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the lord when he cometh\nshall find watching. Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself\nand make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.\nAnd if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch,\nand find them so, blessed are those servants.\n\n+Immediately before the benediction shall be said these Collects\nfollowing:+\n\nAlmighty God, giver of all good things, who of thy great goodness hast\nvouchsafed to accept and take these thy servants into the office of\nDeacons in thy Church: make them, we beseech thee, O Lord, to be modest,\nhumble, and constant in their ministration, and to have a ready will to\nobserve all spiritual discipline; that they having always the testimony\nof a good conscience, and continuing ever stable and strong in thy Son\nChrist, may so well behave themselves in this inferior office, that they\nmay be found worthy to be called unto the higher ministries in thy\nChurch, through the same thy Son our Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom be\nglory and honor, world without end.\n\nAmen.\n\nPrevent us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favor, and\nfurther us with thy continual help; that in all our works, begun,\ncontinued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and finally,\nby thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n\nThe Benediction\n\nThe peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and\nminds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, our\nLord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the\nHoly Ghost, be among you, and remain with you always.\n\nAmen.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER LVIII.\n THE FORM AND MANNER OF ORDAINING ELDERS.\n\n\n+When the day appointed by the Bishop is come there shall be a sermon or\nexhortation, declaring the duty and office of such as come to be\nadmitted Elders; how necessary that order is in the Church of Christ,\nand also how the people ought to esteem them in their office. After\nwhich one of the Elders shall present unto the Bishop all them that are\nto be ordained, and say:+\n\nI present unto you these persons present, to be ordained Elders.\n\n+Then their names being read aloud, the Bishop shall say unto the\npeople:+\n\nBrethren, these are they whom we purpose, God willing, this day to\nordain Elders. For after due examination, we find not to the contrary,\nbut that they are lawfully called to this function and ministry, and\nthat they are persons meet for the same. But if there be any of you who\nknow any impediment or crime in any of them, for the which he ought not\nto be received into this holy ministry, let him come forth in the name\nof God, and show what the crime or impediment is.\n\n+If any crime or impediment be objected, the Bishop shall surcease from\nordaining that person, until such time as the party accused shall be\nfound clear of that crime.+\n\n+Then shall be said the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel as followeth:+\n\n\nTHE COLLECT.\n\nAlmighty God, giver of all good things, who by thy Holy Spirit hast\nappointed divers orders of ministers in thy Church, mercifully behold\nthese thy servants, now called to the office of Elder, and replenish\nthem so with the truth of thy doctrine, and adorn them with innocency of\nlife, that, both by word and good example, they may faithfully serve\nthee in this office, to the glory of thy name, and the edification of\nthy Church, through the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who liveth\nand reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, world without end.\n\nAmen.\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE. EPH. iv. 7-13.\n\nUnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift\nof Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led\ncaptivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what\nis it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the\nearth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all\nheavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and\nsome prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;\nfor the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the\nedifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the\nfaith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto\nthe measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.\n\n\nTHE GOSPEL. ST. JOHN x. 1-16.\n\nVerily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into\nthe sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a\nrobber. But he that entereth in by the door, is the shepherd of the\nsheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he\ncalleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth\nforth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for\nthey know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee\nfrom him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake\nJesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he\nspake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say\nunto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are\nthieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by\nme if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and\nfind pasture. The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to\ndestroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have\nit more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his\nlife for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd,\nwhose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the\nsheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.\nThe hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the\nsheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.\nAs the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my\nlife for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold:\nthem also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be\none fold, and one shepherd.\n\n+And that done, the Bishop shall say unto them as hereafter followeth:+\n\nYou have heard, brethren, as well in your private examination, (as in\nthe exhortation which was now made to you,) and in the holy lessons\ntaken out of the Gospel, and the writings of the apostles, of what\ndignity, and of how great importance, this office is, whereunto ye are\ncalled. And now again we exhort you, in the name of our Lord Jesus\nChrist, that you have in remembrance into how high a dignity, and to how\nweighty an office ye are called: that is to say, to be messengers,\nwatchmen, and stewards of the Lord; to teach, and to premonish, to feed\nand provide for the Lord's family; to seek for Christ's sheep that are\ndispersed abroad, and for his children who are in the midst of this evil\nworld, that they may be saved through Christ forever.\n\nWe have good hope that you have all weighed and pondered these things\nwith yourselves long before this time; and that you have clearly\ndetermined, by God's grace, to give yourselves wholly to this office,\nwhereunto it hath pleased God to call you: so that, as much as lieth in\nyou, you will apply yourselves wholly to this one thing, and draw all\nyour cares and studies this way, and that you will continually pray to\nGod the Father, through the mediation of our only Saviour Jesus Christ,\nfor the heavenly assistance of the Holy Ghost: that by daily reading and\nweighing of the Scriptures, ye may wax riper and stronger in your\nministry; and that ye may so endeavor yourselves from time to time to\nsanctify the lives of you and yours, and to fashion them after the rule\nand doctrine of Christ, that ye may be wholesome and godly examples and\npatterns for the people to follow.\n\nAnd now that this present congregation of Christ, here assembled, may\nalso understand your minds and wills in these things, and that this your\npromise may the more move you to do your duties, ye shall answer plainly\nto these things, which we, in the name of God and of his Church, shall\ndemand of you touching the same.\n\nDo you think in your heart that you are truly called, according to the\nwill of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the order of Elders?\n\nAns. I think so.\n\nThe Bishop. Are you persuaded that the Holy Scriptures contain\nsufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal salvation\nthrough faith in Jesus Christ? And are you determined, out of the said\nScriptures, to instruct the people committed to your charge, and to\nteach nothing, as required of necessity to eternal salvation, but that\nwhich you shall be persuaded may be concluded and proved by the\nScriptures?\n\nAns. I am so persuaded, and have so determined, by God's grace.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you then give your faithful diligence, always so to\nminister the doctrine and sacraments, and the discipline of Christ, as\nthe Lord hath commanded?\n\nAns. I will so do, by the help of the Lord.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and\ndrive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God's word;\nand to use both public and private monitions and exhortations, as well\nto the sick as to the whole within your charge, as need shall require,\nand occasion shall be given?\n\nAns. I will, the Lord being my helper.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you be diligent in prayers, and in reading of the Holy\nScriptures, and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same,\nlaying aside the study of the world and the flesh?\n\nAns. I will endeavor so to do, the Lord being my helper.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you be diligent to frame and fashion yourselves, and\nyour families, according to the doctrine of Christ; and to make both\nyourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples and\npatterns to the flock of Christ?\n\nAns. I shall apply myself thereto, the Lord being my helper.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you maintain and set forward, as much as lieth in you,\nquietness, peace, and love, among all Christian people, and especially\namong them that are or shall be committed to your charge?\n\nAns. I will so do, the Lord being my helper.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you reverently obey your chief ministers, unto whom is\ncommitted the charge and government over you; following with a glad mind\nand will their godly admonitions, submitting yourselves to their godly\njudgment?\n\nAns. I will so do, the Lord being my helper.\n\n+Then shall the Bishop, standing up, say:+\n\nAlmighty God, who hath given you this will to do all these things, grant\nalso unto you strength and power to perform the same; that he may\naccomplish his work which he hath begun in you, through Jesus Christ our\nLord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+After this the congregation shall be desired secretly in their prayers\nto make their humble supplications to God, for all these things: for\nwhich prayers there shall be silence kept for a space.+\n\n+After which shall be said by the Bishop, (the persons to be ordained\nElders all kneeling,) Veni, Creator, Spiritus: the Bishop beginning, and\nthe Elders and others that are present answering by verses, as\nfolloweth:+\n\n Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire.\n =And lighten with celestial fire.=\n Thou the anointing Spirit art,\n =Who dost thy seven-fold gifts impart.=\n Thy blessed unction from above\n =Is comfort, life, and fire of love=.\n Enable with perpetual light\n =The dullness of our blinded sight=.\n Anoint and cheer our soiled face\n =With the abundance of thy grace=\n Keep for our foes, give peace at home\n =Where thou art guide no ill can come=\n Teach us to know the Father, Son.\n =And thee of both, to be but one=\n That through the ages all along,\n =This may be our endless song=;\n Praise to thy eternal merit,\n =Father, Son and Holy Spirit=.\n\n+That done, the Bishop shall pray in this wise, and say, Let us pray+\n\nAlmighty God and Heavenly Father, who, of thine infinite love and\ngoodness toward us, hast given to us thy only and most dearly beloved\nSon Jesus Christ to be our Redeemer, and the author of everlasting life;\nwho, after he had made perfect our redemption by his death, and was\nascended into heaven, sent abroad into the world his apostles, prophets,\nevangelists, doctors and pastors; by whose labor and ministry he\ngathered together a great flock in all parts of the world, to set forth\nthe eternal praise of thy holy name; for these so great benefits of thy\neternal goodness, and for that thou hast vouchsafed to call these thy\nservants here present to the same office and ministry appointed for the\nsalvation of mankind, we render unto thee most hearty thanks: we praise\nand worship thee; and we humbly beseech thee, by the same thy blessed\nSon, to grant unto all who either here or elsewhere call upon thy holy\nname, that we may continue to show ourselves thankful unto thee for\nthese, and all other, thy benefits; and that we may daily increase and\ngo forward in the knowledge and faith of thee and thy Son, by the Holy\nSpirit: so that as well by these thy ministers, as by them over whom\nthey shall be appointed thy ministers, thy holy name may be forever\nglorified, and thy blessed kingdom enlarged, through the same thy Son\nJesus Christ our Lord: who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity\nof the same Holy Spirit, world without end.\n\nAmen.\n\n+When the prayer is done, the Bishop and the Elders present shall lay\ntheir hands severally upon the head of every one that receiveth the\nOrder of Elders, the receivers humbly kneeling upon their knees, and the\nBishop saying,+\n\nThe Lord pour upon thee the Holy Ghost, for the office and work of an\nElder in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the imposition of\nour hands. And be thou a faithful dispenser of the word of God, and of\nhis holy sacraments: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of\nthe Holy Ghost.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then the Bishop shall deliver to every one of them kneeling, the Bible,\ninto his hands, saying:+\n\nTake thou authority to preach the word of God, and to administer the\nholy sacraments in the congregation.\n\n+Then shall the Bishop say:+\n\nMost merciful Father, we beseech thee to send upon these thy servants\nthy heavenly blessing; that they may be clothed with righteousness, and\nthat thy word spoken by their mouths may have such success, that it may\nnever be spoken in vain. Grant also, that we may have grace to hear and\nreceive what they shall deliver out of thy most holy word, or agreeable\nto the same, as the means of our salvation; that in all our words and\ndeeds we may seek thy glory, and the increase of thy kingdom, through\nJesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\nPrevent us, O Lord, in all our doings, with thy most gracious favor, and\nfurther us with thy continual help; that in all our works, begun,\ncontinued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and finally,\nby thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n\nTHE BENEDICTION\n\nThe peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and\nminds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ, our\nLord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the\nHoly Ghost, be among you, and remain with you always.\n\nAmen.\n\n+If on the same day the Order of Deacons be given to some, and that of\nElders to others, the Deacons shall be first presented, and then the\nElders. The Collects shall both be used; first that for Deacons, then\nthat for Elders. The Epistle shall be Eph. iv. 7 to 13, as before in\nthis office. Immediately after which, they that are to be ordained\nDeacons shall be examined and ordained as is above prescribed. The one\nof them having read the Gospel which shall be St.\u00a0John x. 1-16, as\nbefore in this office, they that are to be ordained Elders shall\nlikewise be examined and ordained, as in this office before appointed.+\n\n\n\n\nTHE FORM OF CONSECRATING A BISHOP.\n\n\nTHE COLLECT.\n\nAlmighty God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to thy holy\napostles many excellent gifts, and didst charge them to feed thy flock:\ngive grace, we beseech thee, to all the ministers and pastors of thy\nChurch, that they may diligently preach thy word, and duly administer\nthe godly discipline thereof; and grant to the people, that they may\nobediently follow the same; that all may receive the crown of\neverlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall be read by one of the Elders.+\n\n\nTHE EPISTLE. ACTS xx. 17-35.\n\nFrom Miletus Paul sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church.\nAnd when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know from the\nfirst day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you\nat all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with\nmany tears and temptations, which befell me by the laying in wait of the\nJews: and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have\nshowed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,\ntestifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward\nGod, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I go bound\nin the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall\nme there: save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city saying, that\nbonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me,\nneither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my\ncourse with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord\nJesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I\nknow that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God,\nshall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that\nI am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare\nunto you all the counsel of God. Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves,\nand to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you\noverseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his\nown blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous\nwolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own\nselves shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples\nafter them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three\nyears I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now,\nbrethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is\nable to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them\nwhich are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or\napparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto\nmy necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all\nthings, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to\nremember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to\ngive than to receive.\n\n+Then another shall read+\n\n\nTHE GOSPEL. ST. JOHN xxi. 15-17.\n\nJesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than\nthese? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord: thou knowest that I love thee. He\nsaith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time,\nSimon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord: thou\nknowest that I love thee. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son\nof Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the\nthird time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all\nthings, thou knowest that I love thee, Jesus saith unto him, Feed my\nsheep.\n\n\nOR THIS. ST. MATT, xxviii. 18-21\n\nJesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in\nheaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing\nthem in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:\nteaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and\nlo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.\n\n+After the Gospel and sermon are ended, the elected person shall be\npresented by two Elders unto the Bishop, saying:+\n\nWe present unto you this holy man, to be ordained a Bishop.\n\n+Then the Bishop shall move the congregation to pray, saying thus to\nthem:+\n\nBrethren, it is written in the Gospel of St.\u00a0Luke, that our Saviour\nChrist continued the whole night in prayer, before he did choose and\nsend forth his twelve apostles. It is written also in the Acts of the\nApostles, that the disciples who were at Antioch did fast and pray,\nbefore they laid hands on Paul and Barnabas, and sent them forth. Let\nus, therefore, following the example of our Saviour Christ, and his\napostles, first fall to prayer, before we admit and send forth this\nperson presented unto us, to the work whereunto we trust the Holy Ghost\nhath called him.\n\n+Then shall be said this prayer following:+\n\nAlmighty God, giver of all good things, who by the Holy Spirit hast\nappointed divers orders of ministers in thy Church: mercifully behold\nthis thy servant, now called to the work and ministry of a Bishop; and\nreplenish him so with the truth of thy doctrine, and adorn him with\ninnocency of life, that, both by word and deed, he may faithfully serve\nthee in this office, to the glory of thy name, and the edifying and\nwell-governing of thy Church, through the merits of our Saviour Jesus\nChrist, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, world\nwithout end.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then the Bishop shall say to him that is to be ordained:+\n\nBrother, forasmuch as the Holy Scripture commands that we should not be\nhasty in laying on hands, and admitting any person to government in the\nChurch of Christ, which he hath purchased with no less price than the\neffusion of his own blood: before I admit you to this administration, I\nwill examine you on certain articles, to the end that the congregation\npresent may have a trial, and bear witness, how you are minded to behave\nyourself in the Church of God.\n\nAre you persuaded that you are truly called to this ministration,\naccording to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ?\n\nAns. I am so persuaded.\n\nThe Bishop. Are you persuaded that the Holy Scriptures contain\nsufficiently all doctrine required of necessity for eternal salvation,\nthrough faith in Jesus Christ? And are you determined, out of the same\nHoly Scriptures, to instruct the people committed to your charge; and to\nteach or maintain nothing as required of necessity to eternal salvation,\nbut that which you shall be persuaded may be concluded and proved by the\nsame?\n\nAns. I am so persuaded, and determined, by God's grace.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you then faithfully exercise yourself in the same Holy\nScriptures, and call upon God by prayer for the true understanding of\nthe same, so as you may be able by them to teach and exhort with\nwholesome doctrine, and to withstand and convince the gainsayers?\n\nAns. I will so do, by the help of God.\n\nThe Bishop. Are you ready with faithful diligence to banish and drive\naway all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to God's word, and\nboth privately and openly to call upon and encourage others to the same?\n\nAns. I am ready, the Lord being my helper.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live\nsoberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; that you may\nshow yourself in all things an example of good works unto others, that\nthe adversary may be ashamed, having nothing to say against you?\n\nAns. I will so do, the Lord being my helper.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you maintain and set forward, as much as shall lie in\nyou, quietness, love, and peace among all men: and such as shall be\nunquiet, disobedient, and criminal, within your district, correct and\npunish according to such authority as you have by God's word, and as\nshall be committed unto you?\n\nAns. I will so do, by the help of God.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you be faithful in ordaining, sending, or laying hands\nupon others?\n\nAns. I will so be, by the help of God.\n\nThe Bishop. Will you show yourself gentle, and be merciful, for Christ's\nsake, to poor and needy people, and to all strangers destitute of help?\n\nAns I will so show myself, by God's help.\n\n+Then the Bishop shall say:+\n\nAlmighty God, our Heavenly Father, who hath given you a good will to do\nall these things, grant also unto you strength and power to perform the\nsame; that, he accomplishing in you the good work which he hath begun,\nyou may be found perfect and irreprehensible at the last day, through\nJesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then shall Veni, Creator, Spiritus be said:+\n\n Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire.\n =And lighten with celestial fire.=\n Thou the anointing Spirit art,\n =Who dost thy seven-fold gifts impart.=\n Thy blessed unction from above\n =Is comfort, life and fire of love,=\n Enable with perpetual light\n =The dullness of our blinded sight.=\n Anoint and cheer our soiled face\n =With the abundance of thy grace.=\n Keep far our foes, give peace at home\n =Where thou art guide no ill can come.=\n Teach us to know the Father, Son,\n =And thee of both, to be but one=\n That through the ages all along,\n =This may be our endless song;=\n Praise to thy eternal merit,\n =Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.=\n\n+That ended, the Bishop shall say+\n\nLord, hear our prayer.\n\nAns. =And let our cry come unto thee.=\n\n+Bishop, let us pray.+\n\nAlmighty God and most merciful Father, who of thine infinite goodness\nhast given thine only and dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ to be our\nRedeemer, and the author of everlasting life; who, after that he had\nmade perfect our redemption by his death, and was ascended into heaven,\npoured down his gifts abundantly upon men, making some apostles, some\nprophets, some evangelists, some pastors and doctors to the edifying and\nmaking perfect his Church: grant, we beseech thee, to this thy servant,\nsuch grace that he may evermore be ready to spread abroad thy gospel,\nthe glad tidings of reconciliation with thee, and use the authority\ngiven him, not to destruction, but to salvation; not to hurt but to\nhelp; so that as a wise and faithful servant, giving to thy family their\nportion in due season, he may at last be received into everlasting joy,\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord, who, with thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth\nand reigneth, one God, world without end.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Then the Bishop and Elders present shall lay their hands upon the head\nof the elected person, kneeling before them upon his knees, the Bishop\nsaying:+\n\nThe Lord pour upon thee the Holy Ghost, for the office and work of a\nBishop in the Church of God now committed unto thee by the imposition of\nour hands; in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy\nGhost.\n\nAmen.\n\nAnd remember that thou stir up the grace of God which is given thee; for\nGod hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and\nsoberness.\n\n+Then the Bishop shall deliver him the Bible, saying:+\n\nGive heed unto reading, exhortation, and doctrine. Think upon the things\ncontained in this book. Be diligent in them, that the increase coming\nthereby may be manifest unto all men. Take heed unto thyself, and to thy\ndoctrine; for by so doing thou shalt both save thyself and them that\nhear thee. Be to the flock of Christ a shepherd, not a wolf; feed them,\ndevour them not. Hold up the weak, heal the sick, bind up the broken,\nbring again the outcasts, seek the lost. Be so merciful, that you may\nnot be too remiss; so minister discipline, that you forget not mercy;\nthat when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you may receive the\nnever-fading crown of glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n+Immediately before the benediction shall be said the following prayer:+\n\nMost merciful Father, we beseech thee to send down upon this thy servant\nthy heavenly blessing; and so endue him with thy Holy Spirit, that he,\npreaching thy word, may not only be earnest to reprove, beseech, and\nrebuke with all patience and doctrine, but may also be to such as\nbelieve a wholesome example, in word, in conversation, in love, in\nfaith, in chastity, and in purity; that, faithfully fulfilling his\ncourse, at the latter day he may receive the crown of righteousness laid\nup by the Lord, the righteous Judge, who liveth and reigneth, one God\nwith the Father and the Holy Ghost, world without end.\n\nAmen.\n\nPrevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and\nfurther us with thy continual help; that in all our works, begun,\ncontinued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy name, and finally,\nby thy mercy, obtain everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.\n\nAmen.\n\n\nTHE BENEDICTION.\n\nThe peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and\nminds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our\nLord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the\nHoly Ghost, be among you, and remain with you always.\n\nAmen.\n\n\n\n\n=APPENDIX.=\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER I.\n BISHOPS AND GENERAL OFFICERS\n\n\nBISHOPS\n\nBishop L. H. Holsey, D. D., 335 Auburn Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia.\n\nBishop Isaac Lane, D. D., 422 LaConte\u00a0St., Jackson, Tennessee.\n\nBishop R. S. Williams, D. D., 912 Fifteenth Street, Augusta, Georgia.\n\nBishop E. Cottrell, D. D., Holly Springs, Mississippi.\n\nBishop C. H. Phillips, A. M., M. D., D. D., 123-14th Ave., Nashville,\nTennessee.\n\nBishop R. A. Carter, A. M., D. D., 398 Auburn Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia.\n\nBishop N. C. Cleaves, D. D., 633 S. Lauderdale\u00a0St., Memphis, Tennessee.\n\n\nGENERAL OFFICERS\n\nRev. J. A. Hamlett, A. B., Editor Christian Index, Jackson, Tennessee.\n\nRev. J. C. Martin, D. D., Agent, 109-11 Shannon\u00a0St., Jackson, Tennessee.\n\nRev. J. C. Stanton, D. D., Editor Eastern Index, Pittsboro, North\nCarolina.\n\nRev. J. R. Starks, D. D., Editor Western Index, Dallas, Texas.\n\nRev. R. S. Stout, D. D., LL. B., Secretary Church Extension, Pine Bluff,\nArk.\n\nRev. J. H. Moore, D. D., Secretary Missions, Holly Springs, Mississippi.\n\nRev. J. A. Bray, A. M., LL. D., D. D., Secretary Education, P. O. Box\n576, Birmingham, Alabama.\n\nRev. A. R. Calhoun, D. D., Secretary Epworth League, Pine Bluff,\nArkansas.\n\nRev. J. W. Gilbert, A. M., D. D., Secretary Sunday School Department,\nAugusta, Georgia.\n\nRev. T. H. Copeland, D. D., Secretary Superannuated Preachers, Widows\nand Orphans Department, Hopkinsville, Ky.\n\n\nCONNECTIONAL CONTRACTORS\n\nMr. Wm. Burrows, 1272 Keel Ave., Memphis, Tennessee.\n\nMr. J. W. Trotter, 436 South Liberty Street, Jackson, Tennessee.\n\nMr. H. Whitworth, Winston-Salem, N. C.\n\nMr. J. W. Golden, Kansas City, Mo.\n\n\nSECRETARIES OF GENERAL CONFERENCE\n\nRev. M. F. Brinson, D. D., Fort Valley, Ga.\n\nProf. Geo. S. Goodman, B. Sc., Holly Springs, Mississippi.\n\nRev. J. E. Raines, Denison, Texas.\n\nProf. W. M. Bobo, Cotton Plant, Ark.\n\n\nCOMMISSIONS\n\n\nUNIFICATION\n\nBishops R. S. Williams, R. A. Carter, N. C. Cleaves; Revs. J. A. Bray,\nJno. W. Gilbert, R. S. Stout; Drs. J. F. Lane, J. A. Lester and W. A.\nBell.\n\n\nSELECTING AND BUILDING BOOK HOUSE\n\nBishops C. H. Phillips, R. A. Carter, N. C. Cleaves; Revs. J. C. Martin,\nP. J. Coleman; Prof. G. F. Porter and Mr. G. W. Chandler.\n\n\nCOMPILATION AND CODIFYING DISCIPLINE\n\nBishops N. C. Cleaves, R. A. Carter, C. H. Phillips; Revs. J. C. Martin,\nJ. A. Bray, M. F. Brinson; Profs. G. S. Goodman, G. F. Porter, N. G.\nWalker.\n\n\nFEDERAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN AMERICA\n\nBishops C. H. Phillips, R. S. Williams, E. Cottrell; Reverends C. H.\nTobias, J. A. Hamlett, G. T. Long, J. A. Walker, J. W. Gilbert, Dr. J.\nT. Phillips, L. H. Brown, S. B. Wallace.\n\n\nBOARDS AND COMMITTEES\n\n\nPUBLISHING BOARD\n\nBishop R. S. Williams, Revs. J. C. Martin, J. A. Hamlett, G. T. Long, H.\nP. Porter, J. A. Ragan, C. W. Holsey, W. J. Turner; Profs. F. R. Baker,\nD. C. Potts, A. Hawk.\n\n\nMISSIONARY BOARD\n\nBishop N. C. Cleaves, Revs. J. H. Moore, G. L. Word, G. T. Long, W. Q.\nHunter, L. H. Brown, W. P. Pipkins, A. L. Jennings, W. M. Womack.\n\n\nCHURCH EXTENSION BOARD\n\nBishop R. A. Carter, Revs. R. S. Stout, W. D. Booker, G. W. Young, W. M.\nCrain, H. P. Porter, C. L. Howard, J. H. Howard, J. A. Ragan, G. T.\nLong, L. H. Brown, G. M. Noble; Profs. G. F. Porter, G. S. Goodman, Mr.\nC. H. Franklin.\n\n\nBOARD OF EDUCATION\n\nBishop R. A. Carter, Drs. J. A. Bray, C. L. Bonner, J. T. Speed, I. C.\nSnowden, C. H. Tobias, J. A. Lester; Profs. G. A. Payne, D. C. Fowler.\n\n\nEPWORTH LEAGUE BOARD\n\nBishop E. Cottrell, Revs. H. B. Leach, W. Q. Hunter, J. H. Coleman, A.\nR. Calhoun, J. H. Hudson, G. W. Young.\n\n\nBOARD OF SUPERANNUATED PREACHERS, WIDOWS AND ORPHANS FUND\n\nBishop N. C. Cleaves, Revs. T. H. Copeland, J. C. Martin, G. W. Stoner,\nN. L. Smith, I. P. Norman, C. M. Newell.\n\n\nSUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD\n\nBishop R. S. Williams, Revs. J. W. Gilbert, M. F. Brinson, C. H. Tobias,\nC. L. Bonner, W. Y. Bell, J. C. Stanton, J. A. Winters, J. A. Walker.\n\n\nEDUCATIONAL STANDARDS\n\nDrs. J. A. Bray, F. H. Rodgers, J. F. Lane, John W. Gilbert; Profs. G.\nA. Payne, W. R. Banks, A. M. D. Langrum.\n\n\nAUDITING COMMITTEE\n\nDrs. R. T. Brown, J. A. Lester, Prof. W. M. Bobo.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER II.\n COURSE OF STUDY FOR PREACHERS\n\n\nPREAMBLE TO THE COURSE OF STUDY\n\nAll candidates for the ministry are urged before entering the traveling\nconnection, to secure, if possible, as much training in literary and\nTheological studies as they can. Certificate of graduation from any\nsecondary school of good standing may be accepted by the examining\ncommittee in lieu of the English branches prescribed in the course for\ncandidates for admission on trial. A diploma from any college of our\nchurch or any other reputable college, may be accepted in lieu of any or\nall collegiate subjects prescribed for conference under-graduates, and a\ndiploma from any Theological seminary or Biblical Department of any\ncollege of standard repute, may be accepted in lieu of the Biblical and\nTheological subjects prescribed for candidates for admission, or for\nconference under-graduates.\n\n\nCOURSE OF STUDY FOR LOCAL PREACHERS\n\n\nFIRST YEAR\n\n 1. Bible with Granberry's Dictionary.\n 2. Theological Compend, Benny's.\n 3. Discipline and Holsey's Manual.\n 4. Hamilton's Hand Book and Plain Account.\n\nTo be read: Wesley's Notes. Bible Study Popularized\u2014Lee.\n\n\nSECOND YEAR\n\n 1. Wesley's Sermons Vol. 1.\n 2. Life of Wesley and History of Methodism,\u2014Williams.\n 3. Bible and Watson's Dictionary.\n 4. Discipline and Holsey's Manual.\n 5. Essay\u2014Repentance.\n\nTo be read: Life of Christ\u2014Stalker. Training for Service.\n\n\nTHIRD YEAR\n\n 1. Pope's Higher Catechism of Theology.\n 2. Plain Account of Christian Perfection\u2014Wesley.\n 3. Short History of the Christian Church.\n 4. Wesley's Sermons, Vol. 2.\n 5. Written Sermons\u2014Regeneration.\n\nTo be read: Life of St.\u00a0Paul\u2014Stalker.\n\n\nFOURTH YEAR\n\n 1. Introduction to the New Testament\u2014Dodd.\n 2. Methodist Polity\u2014Tigert.\n 3. Clark's Outline of Christian Theology.\n 4. The Bible and Watson's Dictionary.\n 5. New Testament Period and its Leaders\u2014Lee.\n 6. Written Sermon\u2014Christian Perfection.\n\nTo be read: Ethics\u2014Fairchild; Love Enthroned\u2014Steele.\n\n\nCOURSE OF STUDY FOR TRAVELING PREACHERS\n\n\nADMISSION ON TRIAL\n\n 1. History of United States; English Grammar; Reading; Spelling; Arithmetic.\n 2. Discipline and Holsey's Manual.\n 3. Hamilton's Plain Account.\n 4. Bible Geography; Bible Dictionary; Side Lights on the Bible.\n\nTo be read: Plain Account of Christian Perfection\u2014Wesley.\n\n\nFIRST YEAR\n\n 1. Outline of Bible History\u2014Dean.\n 2. Wesley's Sermons; Vol. I. Sermon 1-26.\n 3. Baptism\u2014Merrill.\n 4. History of the C. M. E. Church\u2014Phillips.\n 5. The Apostolic Age\u2014Purvis.\n 6. The Tongue of Fire\u2014Arthur.\n 7. Preparation and Delivery of Sermons\u2014Broadus.\n 8. Written Sermons\u2014Repentance.\n\nTo be read: Telford's Life of John Wesley.\n\n\nSECOND YEAR\n\n 1. Wesley's Sermons; 27-52.\n 2. System of Christian Doctrine; Parts 1, 2, and 3\u2014Sheldon.\n 3. New Testament Period and its Leaders\u2014Lee.\n 4. History of Methodism\u2014McTyre.\n 5. Preparation and Delivery of Sermon\u2014Broadus.\n 6. The Training of the Twelve\u2014Bruce.\n 7. Pastoral Theology\u2014Kidder.\n 8. Written Sermon\u2014Justification by Faith.\n\nTo be read: Doctrine of the Prophets; Kirkpatrick; History of the\nAmerican Negro\u2014Brawley.\n\n\nTHIRD YEAR\n\n 1. System of Christian Doctrine, Parts 4 and 5; Sheldon.\n 2. Elements of Psychology\u2014Davis.\n 3. History of Methodism\u2014Dubose.\n 4. Extemporaneous Preaching\u2014Buckley.\n 5. Ministry to the Congregation\u2014Kern.\n 7. Written Sermon\u2014Witness of the Spirit.\n\nTo be read: The Pastor and Modern Mission\u2014Mott; How to Conduct a Sunday\nSchool\u2014Lawrence; Life of Bishop A. W. Wilson.\n\n\nFOURTH YEAR\n\n 1. Grounds of Theistic and Christian Belief\u2014Fischer.\n 2. History of the Christian Church\u2014Fisher.\n 3. Elements of Logic\u2014Jevons.\n 4. Constitutional History of Methodism\u2014Tigret.\n 5. Life and the Epistles of St.\u00a0Paul\u2014Conybear & Howson.\n 6. Studies in Immortality\u2014Coburn.\n 7. Written Sermon\u2014Sanctification.\n\nTo be read: Francis Asbury, The Prophet of the Long Road\u2014Tipple.\n\nPlain Account of Christian Perfection\u2014Wesley. Morning Meditations and\nOther Selections\u2014Carter.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER III.\n RULES FOR THE CONDUCT OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE\n\n\nI. ORGANIZATION\n\n1. Upon the convening of the General Conference, and after religious\nexercises, the Secretary of the preceding General Conference shall call\nthe roll. If a quorum be found present, the General Conference shall\nelect a Secretary and as many assistant secretaries as may be necessary.\n\n2. The Presiding Bishop shall appoint a committee on Credentials,\nconsisting of one member from each Episcopal District.\n\n\nII. TIME OF MEETING AND ADJOURNMENT\n\nAfter the first day's session the time of the opening shall be 9 o'clock\na. m. and 1:30 p. m., respectively. However, these time limits may be\nchanged at the discretion of the General Conference. A ten minutes\nrecess shall be taken at 11:30.\n\n\nIII. THE PRESIDENT'S DUTIES\n\n1. At the appointed hour the President shall take the chair, and after\ndevotional exercises, a quorum being present, the minutes of the\npreceding session shall be read and approved. The President for the day\nshall then take up the business of the Conference in the regular order\naccording to these Rules of Order, and other rules and regulations\nadopted by the General Conference.\n\n2. The President shall decide all questions of order, and his decision\nshall be subject to an appeal to the General Conference. And when an\nappeal from his decision has been made, such appeal shall be decided\nwithout debate, provided the President shall be allowed to state the\ngrounds of his decision and the appellant the grounds of his dissent.\n\n3. Unless otherwise ordered by the Conference, the President shall\nappoint all committees.\n\n4. When the President accords the floor to a member, he shall distinctly\nannounce the name of said member and the Annual Conference he\nrepresents.\n\n\nIV. ORDER OF BUSINESS\n\nThe following shall be the Order of Business:\n\n1. Devotions.\n\n2. Reading the Journal of the previous session.\n\n3. The calling of the roll of Conferences in alphabetical order for the\npresentation of appeals, resolutions, and miscellaneous business for\nimmediate consideration. The member introducing a proposition under this\ncall may speak to it if it be seconded. If a motion to refer be made, it\nshall be entertained and decided without debate; or if the question of\nconsideration be raised immediately after the proposition has been\noffered, and immediately before the person who introduced the\nproposition has spoken, the question of consideration shall then be put\nwithout debate. If there be a two-third vote against consideration, the\nproposition will not be entertained.\n\n4. Reports of the standing committees, then those of special committees;\nprovided always, that each call shall have been completed before either\npreceding one shall be repeated.\n\n5. Miscellaneous business.\n\n\nV. DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERS\n\n1. When a member rises to speak or to present to the Conference any\nmatter he shall respectfully address the President, and shall not\nproceed until recognized by him. The member desiring to speak must\naddress the President from the place assigned the delegation of his\nAnnual Conference.\n\n2. The President may call to order any speaker who may be out of order.\nThere shall be no unwarranted interruption of the speaker by any other\nmember. However, any member may call the attention of the President when\nhe deems any speaker out of order. Also any member has the privilege of\nexplanation when he is misrepresented by the speaker.\n\n3. When a speaker raises a question of privilege it shall not be in\norder for him to speak to it until the President shall have decided it a\nquestion of privilege. The following are questions of privilege: matters\nrelating to the rights and welfare of the individual member or of the\nwhole body. Such matters must be imperative in character in order to\njustify the interruption of the regular order.\n\n4. No member shall speak more than twice on any question without the\nconsent of two-thirds of the members present; nor may he make a second\nspeech until every member choosing to speak thereto shall have spoken.\nIn no case shall any speech be more than five minutes in length unless\nby consent of the Conference, provided, however, that the chairman of a\ncommittee making a report or one of its members selected by the chairman\nor the committee shall in all cases be entitled to close the debate with\na five minutes speech, despite the motion to lay the report on the\ntable, or the call for the previous question. When a report consists of\ntwo or more propositions, the right of the committee, its chairman or\nits appointee, shall be the same as above defined, even though the\npropositions be debated and voted on separately.\n\n5. No member shall absent himself from the sessions of the Conference\nwithout leave unless he is sick or unable to attend.\n\n\nVI. MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS\n\n1. The mover of every resolution shall present it in writing and in\nduplicate. If the President, Secretary or any member request it, any\nmotion shall be reduced to writing.\n\n2. All written motions and communications to the Conference shall be\nread by a Secretary of the Conference.\n\n3. All motions and resolutions when properly introduced and seconded and\nall reports read by the Secretary to the Conference or stated by the\nPresident, shall be deemed the property of the Conference. But the mover\nof any resolution or motion may withdraw it at any time before amendment\nor decision.\n\n4. The following motions shall be undebatable: (a) To adjourn; (b) To\nsuspend the rules; (c) To lay on the table; (d) To take from the table;\n(e) The question of consideration; (f) The call for the previous\nquestion.\n\n5. Every motion or resolution must be disposed of before a new one can\nbe considered. Procedure in the order of motions shall be according to\nthe following table: (a) To fix the time to adjourn; (b) To adjourn; (c)\nTo take recess; (d) To lay on the table; (e) The previous question; (f)\nTo postpone to a given time; (g) To refer; (h) To substitute; (i)\nAmendment; (j) To postpone indefinitely.\n\n6. The motion for the previous question cannot be laid on the table.\n\n7. It shall be in order to move only one amendment to an amendment. But\nit shall be in order to move a substitute to the main question, and the\nsubstitute may be amended. If the substitute is accepted, it shall take\nthe place of the original question.\n\n8. The motion to adjourn is always in order except in five instances, to\nwit:\n\n (1) When a member has the floor.\n\n (2) When a question is about to be put or a vote is about to be taken,\n or final decision reached.\n\n (3) When a question is pending on sustaining the demand for the\n previous question.\n\n (4) When the previous question has been called and sustained and action\n is pending.\n\n (5) When a motion to adjourn has been voted down and no business or\n debate has intervened.\n\n9. Any member who in the first instance voted on a motion or resolution\nwith the prevailing side is entitled to make the motion for a\nreconsideration, but no one else shall.\n\n10. All resolutions contemplating verbal alterations of the Discipline\nshall state the language of the paragraph and the line to be altered,\nand also the language to be substituted. Two hours each day or such\namount of time as is necessary to deal with the disciplinary changes\noffered, shall be given to the revision of the Discipline, taking it\nchapter by chapter, and all amendments shall be offered while the\nsection is under consideration; and each section shall be amended and\npassed before proceeding to another.\n\n\nVII. VOTING\n\n1. Unless excused for special reasons by the Conference, every member\nwithin the bar of the Conference must vote upon every question submitted\nfor voting. Voting shall be done by standing, or by \"yeas\" and \"nays\"\nexcept that voting on all questions relating to the Episcopacy shall be\ndone by ballot.\n\n2. On a call for the \"yeas\" and \"nays\" by any member, the call shall be\nsustained by a one-third vote of the members present except on subjects\nrelating to the Episcopacy.\n\n\nVIII. MEMORIALS, RESOLUTIONS AND PAPERS FOR UNANIMOUS REFERENCE\n\n1. Memorials, resolutions and miscellaneous papers not presented for\nimmediate consideration, shall be placed in the hands of the Secretary\nwithout announcement. Such papers as above referred to must have written\nin plain hand on the back of them:\n\n (1) The name of the member presenting the paper.\n\n (2) The Conference to which he belongs.\n\n (3) Subject to which it relates.\n\n (4) Committee to which he desires it referred.\n\n2. On the call of Conferences for the presentation of resolutions,\npetitions, etcs., no Conference shall be allowed to offer more than\nthree resolutions, petitions or memorials before the call of Conferences\nhas gone through the entire list of Conferences.\n\n\nIX. COMMITTEES\n\nThe standing committees shall be:\n\n 1. Episcopacy.\n 2. Itinerancy.\n 3. Boundaries.\n 4. Revision.\n 5. Education.\n 6. Sunday School.\n 7. Church Extension.\n 8. Literature.\n 9. State of the Church.\n 10. Publishing Interests.\n 11. Temperance and Prohibition.\n 12. Missions.\n 13. Epworth League.\n 14. On Entertaining the next General Conference.\n 15. Finance.\n 16. State of Country.\n\nThe several Annual Conference delegations shall appoint one member for\neach committee.\n\nThe report of the General Officers shall be made in the following order:\n\n 1. The Quadrennial Address of the Bishops.\n 2. The Book Agent's Report.\n 3. The Secretary of Church Extension.\n 4. The Secretary of Missions.\n 5. The Secretary of Epworth League.\n 6. The Secretary of Education.\n 7. Ministerial Aid.\n 8. Superintendent of African Missions.\n\nThe reports shall be made during the first days of the General\nConference session, and shall be referred to the appropriate committees.\n\n\nX. MISCELLANEOUS\n\n1. No person shall be allowed to stand in the open spaces of the\nConference room.\n\n2. There shall be appointed a sufficient number of Orderlies to keep the\naisles clear, and none shall be admitted within the enclosure\nconstituting the bar of the Conference except delegates and visitors\ninvited therein by the Conference.\n\n3. The Conference shall be governed in all matters not herein provided\nfor by the common practices of parliamentary usage.\n\n4. These rules shall not be suspended except by a vote of two-thirds of\nthe members present and voting.\n\n J. A. BRAY, Chairman,\n C. H. TOBIAS, Secretary,\n R. S. STOUT,\n J. H. MOORE,\n N. L. SMITH,\n L. H. BROWN,\n E. W. WHITE.\n\n\n\n\nWOMAN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY\n\n\nI. NAME\n\nThis organization shall be called the Woman's Missionary Society of the\nColored Methodist Episcopal Church.\n\n\nII. OBJECT\n\nThe object of this society shall be to promote the welfare of women and\nchildren at home and abroad through educational and evangelistic work,\nto stimulate united prayer and study, to secure a fuller development of\nresources and to foster religious movements and community betterment.\n\n\nIII. BOARD OF MISSIONS\n\nThere shall be a Woman's Board of Missions with headquarters located in\nthe city of Nashville, Tennessee.\n\n\nIV. MEETINGS\n\n1. Annual meetings shall be held for conference and the transaction of\nbusiness and in such place and at such time as the Board shall\ndetermine.\n\n2. Special meetings may be called by the President and two other members\nor by the Executive Committee.\n\n\nV. OFFICERS\n\nThe officers of the Woman's Board of Missions shall be a President,\nVice-President, a Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer, a Superintendent\nof Young People's and Children's work, a Recording Secretary, and an\nOrganizer and such other officers as shall be found necessary. The\nofficers shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting.\n\n\nVI. MEMBERSHIP\n\nThese officers and the President and Corresponding Secretary of each\nconference Missionary Society shall constitute the membership of the\nBoard of Missions.\n\n\nVII. FUNDS\n\nThe funds of this organization shall be derived from membership dues,\nspecial contributions at meetings appointed in the interest of the\nsociety, mite boxes, donations, bequests, or by any other means approved\nby the Board.\n\n\nVIII. COMMITTEES\n\nThere shall be an Executive Committee, such Standing Committees and such\nSpecial Committees as shall be deemed necessary.\n\n\nIX. AMENDMENTS\n\nThis Constitution may be amended by a two-third vote at any annual\nmeeting. No change which was not submitted to the previous annual\nmeeting shall be voted on.\n\n\nNOTE.\n\nIn the Index, which follows, the first figures refer to page, and the\nsecond to Article or Section. An expression like this, 232:6, is read,\nPage 232, section 6. This expression, 210:IV:I, is read, Page 210,\nArticle 4, Section 1. This brief statement will serve as a key to the\nIndex given below.\n\n\n\n\nINDEX\n\n\nAbstinence, 33;78:4.\n\n=Admission of=, ministers on trial, 82;\n ministers into full connection, 83.\n\nAdults, baptism of, 278.\n\n=Agent=, book, see Book Agent;\n for Bible Society, 70:1:b;\n Sunday School, 70:d;\n literary institutions, 71:1:e.\n\nAmerican Bible Society, 70:1:b.\n\nAlms giving, Article, 28.\n\n=Annual Conference=, members of, 43:1-4;\n number and boundary of, 44;\n Enabling Act, 44;\n time and place of meeting, 45:3-4;\n presiding officer, 45:5;\n order of business, 46;\n preachers on trial, 82:1;\n discontinued, 83:3;\n in full membership, 83:2;\n located, 101:3;\n institutions of learning, 50; 214; 237;\n parsonages and churches, 51; 166;\n committees of examination, 51;\n candidates for the ministry, 52:5;\n examinations, standard of, 52:6;\n General Minutes, 53:8;\n Statistical secretary, 53.\n\nApparel, General Rule, 30.\n\n=Appeals=, right of, 41:5;\n of a member, 149:3; 156; 60;\n of a local preacher, 144; 155;\n of a traveling preacher, 140; 150;\n courts of, Quarterly Conference, 149;\n Annual Conference, 144;\n ministerial court of, 150;\n General Conference, 153:1-2.\n\n=Arbitration=, stewards on, 107:2;\n disputes between members, 148; 215:1.\n\n=Articles of Religion=, 15;\n not to be changed, 40.\n\nAuditing Committee, 189:3.\n\n\n=Baptism=, Article on, 23;\n administered to: infants, 273;\n to adults, 278;\n to be recorded by pastor, 80:12;\n administered by deacon, 87:3;\n elder, 89:3;\n a sacrament, 22.\n\nBaptized children, 121.\n\nBenediction, Apostolic, 117:4.\n\nBible Classes, 122:5.\n\nBible, only rule of faith and practice, 17; 33.\n\nBible Society, American, 70.\n\n=Bishops=, election and duties of, 69; 227:8; 232:6; 197:7;\n consecration of, 339;\n support of, 164:3; 179:IV:1;\n retirement of, 74:15;\n organize annual conferences, 74:10;\n president of boards, 75:18; 188:2; 202:II; 210:IV:1; 214:2; 229:3.\n\n=Boards=, Church Extension, Missions, Publishing, Education,\n  Sunday School, Superannuated Preachers, Widows and Orphans, Epworth\n  League, see departments of;\n of Finance, see Joint Board;\n directors, 229;\n Equalization, 177:II;\n General Departments, members of, 357.\n\n=Book Agent=, 53:8; 177:2; 178:2-3;\n duties of, 179; 180:5-6; 182:7; 190; 191:2-6;\n salary, 191:2; 197:2.\n\nBook House, 190:1.\n\nBooks and periodicals, 79:9; 187:3-5; 224:3.\n\nBooks, reading of, General Rule against, 30.\n\nBorrowing, rule, 31.\n\nBoundaries of Annual Conferences, 247.\n\nBuilding Churches and parsonages, 166.\n\nBurial of the dead, form of, 295.\n\nBuying and selling, General Rules, 30.\n\nBuying church property, 170.\n\n\nCall to preach, 97.\n\n=Candidates=, for the ministry, recommended by quarterly conference,\n  59:6; 62:13-14;\n directed to studies, 77:8;\n to be admitted, on trial, 82;\n into full connection, 83;\n for deacons, 86;\n for elders, 87;\n course of study, 361.\n\nCanonical Books, Article on, 17.\n\nCatechism, to be used, 122:4; 224:2.\n\nCeremonies, Article on, 26.\n\n=Certificate of membership=, 81;\n ministers from other churches, 93:4.\n\nChaplaincy, provision for, 70.\n\nCharitable institutions, 166:1.\n\nChildren, instruction of, 121.\n\nChildren's Day, 233.\n\n=Christian Index=, 187;\n Editor of, 188:5; 191:1-2;\n price of, 188.\n\n=Christian Man's Oath=, Article on, 28;\n goods, Article on, 28.\n\nChurch, Article on, 21.\n\nChurch Conference, 63.\n\n=Church Extension=, Board of, 358;\n members of, 202;\n authority of, 202:2-4;\n executive committee, 203:III:1-3;\n Secretary of, 203:IV:1-7;\n revenue, 205:5;\n form of application, 206:7;\n further authority of, 206:6;\n conference board of, 207:8;\n books, 208:10.\n\n=Church membership=, how secured, 115;\n baptism, form of, 278;\n reception, 285;\n how lost, 33; 144;\n record of, 80:13;\n members from other churches, 115.\n\n=Church=, laying corner stone of, 305;\n dedication of, 311;\n buying lots, 170;\n division or sale of church property, 172;\n building churches, 166;\n building parsonages, 169;\n trustees of, 110.\n\nCircuits, stations and missions, uniting and dividing, 73:8.\n\nCirculation of books and periodicals, 79:9; 187:3; 198:4; 224:3.\n\nClass Leaders, 104.\n\nClass Meetings, 119.\n\n=Collections=, Class, 104;\n General Funds, 178;\n missionary, 194:4; 205:5; 219; 231.\n\n=Commissions=, Unification; Book House; Federal Council; Churches of\n  Christ; Compilation of Discipline; Educational Standards, 357.\n\n=Committees=, of examination, 51;\n of investigation: of Bishops, 129;\n of presiding elders, 135;\n of traveling preachers, 134;\n of local preachers, 141;\n of members, 145:a.\n\nCommunion, see Lord's Supper.\n\nCommunity of goods, not enjoined, Article, 28.\n\nComplaints, 60;\n against a traveling preacher, 138:5.\n\n=Conferences=, General, 37;\n Annual, 43;\n District, 54;\n Quarterly, 57;\n Church, 63;\n records of: Church Conferences, 64:2;\n Quarterly Conferences, 60:8;\n District Conferences, 55:4;\n Annual Conferences, 57:3.\n\nConfirmation, not a sacrament, Article 22.\n\n=Constitutions=, Church Extension, Epworth League, Education,\n  Missions, Publishing, Sunday School, Superannuated Preachers, Widows\n  and Orphans; Woman's Missions, see departments of.\n\nConversation, uncharitable, General Rule, 30.\n\nCorner Stone laying, 305.\n\nCouncil, Federal, Churches of Christ in America, 357.\n\n=Course of Study=, local preachers, 361;\n traveling preachers, 362.\n\nCourt of Appeals, 150.\n\n=Credentials=, Elders and deacons, deprivation of, 158:1;\n restoration of, 158:2;\n local deacons and elders, deprivation of, 159:1;\n restoration of, 159:2.\n\nCross Bearing, General Rule, 32.\n\nCup of the Lord, Article, 24.\n\n\nDancing, 147:2.\n\nDay of the Lord, not to be profaned, General Rule, 30.\n\n=Deacons=, how constituted, 86:1;\n missionary rule, 87;\n qualifications, 82:2;\n duties of, 87:3;\n local preachers, 99:2;\n ritual of ordination, 317.\n\n=Decision=, Episcopal, 72;\n Presiding Elder, 76:5.\n\nDeed of settlement, 170.\n\n=Delegates=, General Conference, clerical and lay, 37;\n restrictive rule, 40-42;\n laymen to Annual Conference, 43:1-3; 56:3;\n laymen to District Conference, 55:2.\n\nDeprivation and restoration of Credentials, 158.\n\nDiligence and frugality, General Rule, 32.\n\nDirections to preachers, 84.\n\nDirectory, to be kept by pastors, 79:10.\n\nDisputes, how settled, 148.\n\nDissension, sowing of, 147:3.\n\nDistricts, Annual Conference, 73:7;\n General conference, 74:12.\n\nDivision, transfer, and sale of church property, 172.\n\nDivorced women, preachers not to marry, 59:6.\n\n=Doctrines of the church=, 15;\n contrary one not to be disseminated, 138:4; 143;4.\n\nDress, General Rule, 30.\n\nDrunkenness, General Rule, 30.\n\n\nEastern Index, 237.\n\n=Editors=, Christian Index, 188:5;\n duty of, 191:5;\n salary of, 191:2;\n Eastern & Western Index, 188:6;\n salary, 192:3.\n\n=Education=, Board of, 358;\n constitution of, 214;\n General Secretary, 218;\n salary, 219:8;\n meetings, 216:4;\n revenue, how derived, 220:9;\n vacancies in, 217:3;\n Annual Conference Board, 220:10;\n educational standards, 221.\n\n=Elders=, how constituted, 87:1;\n qualifications, 88;\n duties, 89:3;\n local, 99;\n restoration of credentials, 158:2; 159:2;\n ritual of ordination, 324.\n\n=Election of=, Bishops, 69:1;\n general officers, see constitutions of departments;\n delegates to General Conference, 37:1-2;\n to Annual Conference, 56:3;\n to Orders, 46; 47:9-16; 86.\n\nEnabling Act, 44.\n\nEpiscopacy: see Bishops.\n\nEpiscopal decisions, how guarded, 72.\n\n=Epworth League=, object of, 209:2;\n departments of, 209:3;\n boards of, 210:4;\n duties of secretary, 212;\n revenue of department, 213:7;\n Annual Conference, District Conference, and local, chapters, 210.\n\nEvil Speaking condemned, General Rule, 30.\n\n=Examination= of, preachers, 51; 82.\n\nExhorters, license, 102:1;\n duties, 103:2;\n further directions, 103:3.\n\nExtreme Unction, not a sacrament, 22.\n\n\nFamily and private prayer, 33.\n\nFasting and abstinence, 33; 78:4; 84:2.\n\nFighting, general rule, 30.\n\n=Finance=, Joint Board of, how constituted, 184:2;\n duties of, 185; 53:9;\n Recording Steward, 186.\n\n=Financial plan=, general assessment and division, 177:1-2;\n Board of Equalization, 177.\n\nFounder's Day, 245.\n\nFree Will, Article, 19.\n\nFrugality, General Rule, 32.\n\nFull Connection, 83.\n\n\n=General Conference=, how composed, 37:1-2;\n delegates, clerical and lay, 37;\n voting by Orders, 38:3;\n time and place of meeting, 38:4;\n special session and delegates, 38;\n quorum, 39:8;\n presiding officer, 39:9;\n restrictions: cannot change articles of religion, 40:1;\n restrictive rule for election of delegates, 40:2;\n Episcopacy, not to be destroyed, 41:3;\n General Rules, not to be revoked or changed, 41:4;\n right of appeals, not to be destroyed, 41:5;\n how to change restrictive rules, 41;\n unconstitutional laws, 42.\n\n=General Missionary Society=, members of, 193:2;\n authority of, 194:3;\n revenue, 194:4;\n General Missionary Day, 234:2; 195:5;\n the secretary and his duties, 196.\n\n=General Rules=, 29;\n must be read by pastors, 78:3.\n\nGhost, the Holy, Article, 16.\n\nGod, Article, 15.\n\nGold, putting on, General Rule, 31.\n\nGood doing, General Rule, 31.\n\nGood works, Article, 20.\n\nGoods, Christian man's, Article, 28.\n\nGoods, not paid for, General Rule, 30.\n\nGovernment, duty to, 27.\n\nGrace, means of, 32; 116; 235.\n\n\nHoly Ghost, Article, 16.\n\nHoly Scriptures, Article, 17.\n\nHospital, 166:1.\n\n\nIndex, Christian, 187:4;\n Editor of, 188:5; 191:5;\n price of, 188:4.\n\nIndex, Eastern, 237;\n Editor of, 188; 236.\n\nIndex, Western, 236;\n Editor of, 188; 236.\n\nInfant Baptism, Article on, 23;\n ritual for, 273.\n\n=Institutions=, of learning, provisions concerning, 50:8; 214; 237;\n charitable, 166:1.\n\nInvestigation, see committees of.\n\n\n=Joint Board of Finance=, how constituted, 184:2;\n duties of, 53:9; 185;\n recording Steward, 186.\n\nJunior Stewards, 108:5.\n\nJunior Stewardesses, 109:2.\n\nJournal of Conferences, 53:7; 60:8.\n\nJudicial administration, 129.\n\nJustification, Article, 19.\n\n\nLaw, Bishops' decisions on, and appeal from, 72:5.\n\nLaw, Presiding Elders' decisions on, and appeal from, 76:5.\n\nLaw, going to, Rule, 30.\n\nLaying Corner Stone, 305.\n\nLay delegates, 37:1; 43:2; 56:3.\n\nLeaders, Class, 104:1.\n\nLeaders' meeting, 235.\n\nLeague, Epworth, see Epworth League.\n\nLessens in Public Worship, 116:1.\n\nLocal Deacon, 99:2.\n\nLocal Elder, 99:3.\n\nLocal Preachers, 98.\n\nLocate preachers, 101:3.\n\nLord's Day, not to be profaned, General Rule, 30.\n\nLord's Prayer, in Public Worship, 116:1.\n\nLord's Supper, Article, 24;\n General Rule, 33.\n\nLove Feasts, 120.\n\n\nMagistrates, speaking evil of, 30.\n\nMarriage of ministers, Article, 26;\n not to marry divorced women, 59.\n\nMarriages to be recorded, 80:12.\n\nMarriage performed by: deacon, 87:3;\n elder, 89:3.\n\nMasses condemned, 25.\n\nMatrimony, not a sacrament, Article, 22;\n ritual, 290.\n\nMeans of Grace, 32; 116; 235.\n\nMeditation and prayer, 85:3.\n\n=Members of the Church=, how received, 115;\n ritual, 285;\n removal, 81;\n trial, 144;\n appeal, 156.\n\nMinisters of other churches, how received, 91.\n\n=Ministers of the Gospel=, (pastors and preachers), members of\n  annual conferences, 43:2;\n examination of, 51-52;\n duties of, 78-81; 121-122;\n deacons, 86;\n elders, 87;\n how appointed, 70:b;\n advice to, 84-86;\n trial of, 134;\n appeal of, 140; 150;\n unacceptable, 138;\n support of, 163;\n credentials, deprivation of, 158:1;\n restoration of, 158:2;\n ceasing to travel, 101:3.\n\nMinisterial Court of Appeals, 150.\n\nMinisterial Delegates, 37.\n\nMinisters, speaking evil of, 30.\n\nMinistry of the Word, 32.\n\n=Ministry=, support of, pastors, 163;\n presiding elders, 163;\n bishops, 164.\n\nMissionaries, provisions for, 197:7; 199:2.\n\nMissionary on foreign fields admitted in full connection, 84:3.\n\nMissionary Department, General, see General Missionary Department.\n\nMissionary Board, Woman's, see Woman's Missionary Board.\n\nMissionary Society, Woman's General, see Woman's General Missionary Society.\n\n\nNeglect means of grace, 235.\n\n\nOath, Christian man's, Article, 28.\n\nObedience to civil authority, Article, 27.\n\nOblation of Christ, Article, 25.\n\nOfficial Board, or Leaders' meeting, 235.\n\nOld Testament, Article, 18.\n\nOrder of Public Worship, 116.\n\nOrders, not a sacrament, 22.\n\n=Orders=, deacons, 86;\n local, 99;\n Elders, 87;\n local, 100;\n examination necessary, 86-88.\n\nOrders, voting by, 38.\n\n=Ordination Ritual=, Deacons, 317;\n Elders, 324;\n Bishops, 339.\n\nOriginal sin, Article, 18.\n\nOrphans and widows of ministers, provisions for, 228.\n\n\nParsonages, building, 169;\n securing, 170;\n sale, 172.\n\nPastors, see ministers.\n\nPastoral Visitation, 79:10; 85.\n\nPelagianism, 18.\n\nPenance, not a sacrament, 22.\n\nPeriodicals, 187:3; 224:3.\n\nPoor, collections for, 106:2.\n\nPost Office Addresses, 355.\n\n=Prayer=, family, 33;\n public, 116;\n Lord's Prayer to be used, 116.\n\nPrayer Meetings, 118.\n\nPreachers in charge, duties of, 78.\n\nPreachers, local, 98;\n on trial, 82:1.\n\nPreachers from other churches, 91.\n\n=Presiding Elders=, appointment, 71:2;\n duties, 75;\n support, 163;\n trial, 134.\n\nProbationers for the Ministry, 82.\n\nPublic Worship, enjoined, 32;\n how conducted, 116.\n\n=Publishing Department=, object of, 187:3;\n the Index, 188:4;\n management, 188:5;\n members of Board, 188:II;\n annual meeting, 189:II:3;\n Auditing Committee, 189:III;\n Agent, see Book Agent;\n editors, see Editors;\n publishing fund, 177; 182:7;\n surplus, 192:VI:1.\n\nPunctuality, enjoined, 85:2.\n\nPurgatory, 21.\n\n\n=Quarterly Conference=, how composed, 57:1;\n time and place, 57:2;\n presiding officer, 57:3;\n business, 58-60;\n order of business, 60-63.\n\nQuorum, 39:8; 189:3; 203:2.\n\n\nReadmission, to Annual Conference, 46; 59:6.\n\nReading the Scriptures, 33.\n\n=Reception= of members, into church, 115;\n on trial, 82:1;\n into ministry, 83.\n\n=Recommendation=, to Annual Conference for admission on trial, 82:2;\n local deacon, 99:2;\n local elder, 99:3.\n\nRecording Steward, 60; 109; 186:4.\n\n=Records of=, membership, 80:12-13;\n Church Conference, 64:2;\n Quarterly Conference, 60:8;\n District Conference, 55:4;\n Annual Conference, 53:7;\n investigation: of Bishops, 130;\n of preachers, 135;\n trial of, local preachers, 145:4;\n members, 146:d.\n\nRefusing to attend work, minister, 139:6.\n\nRepresentation in General Conference, ratio of, 37:1.\n\nReproach of Christ, General Rule, 32.\n\nRestoration of credentials, 158:2; 159:2.\n\nRestrictive Rules, 40.\n\nResurrection of Christ, Article, 16.\n\nRetired Bishops, 74:15;\n support of, 164:3; 179:2.\n\nRiches, laying up, General Rule, 31.\n\nRight of trial and appeal, 41.\n\nRites and ceremonies, Article, 26.\n\nRitual, 261.\n\nRulers of the United States, Article, 27.\n\n\nSabbath breaking, General Rule, 30.\n\nSacraments, 22.\n\nSaints, not to be envoked, 21.\n\n=Schools and Colleges=, 50:8; 214; 237;\n consent of conference necessary to build, 50:1.\n\n=Scriptures=, canonical, 17;\n duty of searching, 33;\n sufficiency of, Article, 17;\n Testament, the old, Article, 18.\n\nSecretary, general, see departments.\n\nSecuring churches and parsonages, 170.\n\nSelf denial and cross bearing, General Rule, 31.\n\nSelf indulgence, General Rule, 31.\n\nSick, visiting the, 85:3; 106:2; 320.\n\nSin original, Article, 18.\n\nSinging, directions concerning, 118.\n\nSlander forbidden, General Rule, 30.\n\nSocieties, see departments.\n\nSoftness, General Rule, 31.\n\nSongs, rule against, improper, General Rule, 30.\n\nSpeaking in strange tongues, Article, 22.\n\nSpecial or called session, General Conference, 39:6.\n\nSpirituous liquors, General Rule, 30.\n\n=Standing Committees=, Annual Conference, committees on Course of Study, 51.\n\nStatistics, 53; 77:9; 81:15; 47.\n\nStatistician, 53.\n\nStewards, 105;\n Junior, 108:5;\n Recording, 60; 109:6; 186:4.\n\nStewardesses, 109:7;\n Junior, 109:VII:2.\n\nStudy, Course of, 361.\n\n=Sunday School=, 123;\n department of, 223;\n superintendent of, 59:7; 60; 123;\n object, 224:2;\n editor, 224-225;\n Sunday School Boards in Annual, District and Quarterly Conferences, 226:7;\n appointment of boards, 227:8;\n order of business, 228.\n\nSuperannuated Preachers, 47; 90;\n provisions for, 228.\n\n=Superannuated Preachers, Widows and Orphans=, object of, 228:1:2;\n Board of Directors, 229:3-5;\n Secretary-Treasurer, 229-230;\n funds of, 231:III:1-2;\n payment of superannuates, 231;\n claims of widows and orphans, 232:V:1-3;\n report from Joint Boards, 185, a-b; 233:I:4.\n\nSupererogation, Article, 20.\n\nSupernumerary preachers, 89.\n\n=Support of ministry=: pastors, 163;\n presiding elders, 163;\n Bishops, 164.\n\n=Suspension=, by a Bishop, 71:3;\n of a Bishop, 130;\n of a traveling preacher, 136.\n\n\nTemper, improper, 147:2; 137:3.\n\nTemperance, General Rule, 30.\n\nTestament, the Old, see scriptures.\n\nTime, profitable employment of, 85.\n\nTongues, speaking in unknown, Article, 22.\n\nTracts, 77; 224:3.\n\nTransubstantiation, Article, 24.\n\nTraveling preachers, see minister.\n\nTreasure on earth, General Rule, 31.\n\nTrial of those who think they should preach, 97.\n\n=Trials=, right of guaranteed, 41:5;\n of a Bishop, 129;\n of a traveling preacher, 134;\n of a local preacher, 141;\n of a member, 145.\n\nTriers of appeals, 150.\n\nTrinity, Article 15.\n\nTrustees of church property, 110.\n\nTunes, directions concerning, 118.\n\n\nUnacceptable preachers, 138:5.\n\nUnction, extreme, 22.\n\nUnited Society, rise of, General Rule, 29.\n\nUsury, General Rule, 30.\n\n\nVacancies, Joint Board, 184:2;\n in departments, see constitutions of.\n\nVeto, 42.\n\nVisiting from house to house, 85.\n\nVoting, by orders, 38:3;\n two-third vote, 41.\n\n\n=Widows and Orphans= of: preachers, 48;\n provisions for, 232;\n bishops, 165:6; 179:3.\n\nWill, free, Article, 19.\n\nWitness, see trials of members, preachers, etc.\n\nWoman's General Missionary Society, 375.\n\n=Woman's Home Missionary Society=, constitution of, 199;\n object of, 199:2;\n controlled by Annual Conference, 199:3;\n officers, 200:4;\n revenue, 200:5.\n\nWord, the, Article, 15.\n\n=Works=, good, Article, 20;\n supererogation, Article, 20.\n\n=Worship=, attending, General Rule, 32;\n neglect of, 235;\n order of public, 116.\n\n\nYear Book, 54.","title":"The Doctrines and Discipline of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church: Revised Edition 1918","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":55700}