18. What is the number of Church mem- Number of deaths the past year? Number of adults baptized the past Number of children baptized the past year? Number of churches? Their probable value? Amount collected for superannuated Amount collected for the Missionary Amount collected for the Tract Society? Amount collected for the Sunday-School Number of Sunday schools? Number of officers and teachers? Number of scholars? Number of volumes in library? 14. What amounts are necessary for the superannuated preachers, and the widows and orphans of preachers, and to make up the deficiencies of those who have not obtained their regular allowance on the circuits? 15. What has been collected on the foregoing accounts, and how has it been ap 16. Where are the preachers stationed this year? 17. Where and when shall our next Conference be held ? Quest. 6. Is there any other business to be done in the Annual Conferences? Answ. 1. The electing and ordaining of Deacons and Elders. 2. It shall be the duty of each Annual Conference to examine strictly into the state of the domestic missions within its bounds, and to allow none to remain on the list of its missions which, in the judgment of the Conference, is able to support itself. Quest. 7. Are there any other directions to be given concerning the Annual Confer ences? Answ. There shall be forty-seven Conferences in the year. (See part iii, ch. i, page 158.) A record of the proceedings of each Annual Conference shall be kept by a Secre tary, chosen for the purpose, and shall be signed by the President and Secretary; and let a copy of the said record be sent to the General Conference. For other special duties of the Annual Conference, with reference to Missions, Sunday schools, and Tracts, see pages 194, 84, and 85. SECTION IV. Of the Quarterly Conferences. Quest. 1. Of whom shall the Quarterly Conferences be composed? Oned Confer ness t ing now! state mds st of the Answ. Of all the travelling and local preachers, exhorters, stewards, and classleaders of the circuit or station, and the first male superintendents of our Sunday schools, being members of our Church, and approved by the Quarterly Conference, and none else. The Missionary Committee (part iii, ch. iv, page 195) shall have a right to a seat during the action of the Conference on the subject of Missions, but at no other time. Quest. 2. Who shall preside in the Quarterly Conferences ? Answ. The Presiding Elder, and in his absence the preacher in charge. Quest. 3. How shall the minutes of the Quarterly Conference be kept? Answ. The Quarterly Conference shall appoint a Secretary to take down the proceedings thereof, in a book kept by one of the Stewards of the circuit for that purpose. Quest. 4. What shall be the regular business of the Quarterly Conference? Answ. 1. To hear complaints, and to receive and try appeals. 2. To appoint a committee to make an estimate of the amount necessary to furnish fuel and table expenses for the family or families of the preacher or preachers of the circuit or station, which estimate shall be subject to the action of the Quarterly Con⚫ference. (See part iii, ch. iii, § 2, art. 6, page 183.) 3. To take cognizance of all the local preachers in the circuit or station, and to inquire into the gifts, labours, and usefulness, of each preacher by name; to license proper persons to preach, and renew their license annually, when in the judgment of said Conference their gifts, grace, and usefulness, will warrant such renewal; to recommend to the Annual Conference suitable candidates in the local connexion for Deacons' or Elders' orders, and for admission on trial in the travelling connexion; and to try, suspend, expel, or acquit any local preacher in the circuit or station against whom charges may be brought. Provided, that no person shall be licensed to preach without the recommendation of the society of which he is a member, or of a Leaders' Meeting; nor shall any one be licensed to preach, or recommended to the Annual Conference to travel, or for ordination, without first being examined in the Quarterly Conference on the subject of doctrines and discipline. (See § 6, p. 53, and § 18, p. 78.) 4. To appoint Stewards, the preacher in charge having a right to nominate, (see part iii, ch. iii, § 4, quest. 2, p. 186, and quest. 4, p. 187;) and to examine the characters of exhorters annually, and recommend them, if approved, for renewal of license. (See part i, ch. iv, § 11, quest. 2, answ. 11, p. 66.) 5. To appoint District Stewards as provided for in part iii, ch. iii, § 2, ans. 2, p. 184, and a Parsonage Committee, if necessary. (See part iii, ch. iii, § 6, answ. 3, p. 193.) 6. To appoint a Missionary Committee, as provided for in part iii, ch. iv, art. 4, p. 194. 7. To receive the annual reports of Trustees, as provided for in part iii, ch. ii, § 3, art 6, p. 181. 8. Each Quarterly Conference shall have supervision of all the Sunday schools and Sunday-School Societies within its bounds, which schools and societies shall be auxiliary to the Sunday-School Union of the Methodist Episcopal Church; and each Annual Conference shall report to said Union the number of auxiliaries within its bounds, together with other facts presented in the annual reports of the preachers as above directed. CHAPTER IV. OF THE MINISTERS. SECTION I. Of the Election and Consecration of Bishops, and of their Duty. Quest. 1. How is a Bishop to be constituted? Answ. By the election of the General Conference, and the laying on of the hands of three Bishops, or at least of one Bishop and two Elders. But the General Conference may authorize the election of a missionary Bishop in the interim of the General Conference. Quest. 2. If by death, expulsion, or other wise, there be no Bishop remaining in our Church, what shall we do? |