CHAPTER X.

OF BRINGING MINISTERS AND MEMBERS TO TRIAL, AND OF INSOLVENCIES, AND THE SETTLEMENT OF DISPutes.

SECTION I.

Of the trial of a Bishop.

Quest. 1. To whom is a Bishop amenable for his conduct?

Answ. To the General Conference, who have power to expel him for improper conduct, if they see it necessary.

Quest. 2. What provision shall be made for the trial of a Bishop, if he should be accused of immorality in the interval of the General Conference?

Answ. If a Bishop be accused of immorality, three Travelling Elders shall call upon him, and examine him on the subject; and if the three Elders verily believe that the Bishop is guilty of the crime, they shall call to their aid two Presiding Elders from two districts in the neighborhood of that where the crime was committed, each of which Presiding Elders shall bring with him two Elders, or an Elder and a Deacon. The above-mentioned nine persons shall form a Conference, to examine into the charge brought against the Bishop: and if two-thirds of them verily believe him to be guilty of the crime laid to his charge, they shall have authority to suspend the Bishop till the ensuing General Conference, and the districts

shall be regulated in the mean time as is provided in ch. iii, § 3, and ch. iv, §§ 1, 2; but no accusation shall be received against a Bishop except it be delivered in writing, signed by those who are to prove the crime; and a copy of the accusation shall be given to the accused Bishop.

SECTION II.

Of the Method of Proceeding against accused Travelling Ministers or Preachers.

Quest. 1. What shall be done when an Elder, Deacon, or preacher, is under report of being guilty of some crime expressly forbidden in the word of God, as an unchristian practice, sufficient to exclude a person from the kingdom of grace and glory?

If

Answ. 1. In the interval of the Annual Conference, let the Presiding Elder, in the absence of a Bishop, call as many travelling ministers as he shall think fit, at least three; and, if possible, bring the accused and the accuser face to face: and cause a correct record of the investigation to be kept and transmitted to the Annual Conference. the person be clearly convicted, he shall be suspended from all ministerial services and Church privileges until the ensuing Annual Conference, at which his case shall be fully considered and determined. But if the accused be a Presiding Elder, the preachers must call in the Presiding Elder of the neighbouring district, who is required to attend and preside at the trial.

If the accused and accuser cannot be brought face to face, but the supposed delinquent flees from trial, it shall be received as a presumptive proof of guilt; and out of the mouth of two or three witnesses he shall be condemned. Nevertheless, even in that case, the Annual Conference shall reconsider and determine the whole matter.

And if the accused be a superannuated preacher, living out of the bounds of the Conference of which he is a member, he shall be held responsible to the Annual Conference within whose bounds he may reside, who shall have power to try, acquit, suspend, locate, or expel him, in the same manner as if he were a member of said Conference.

2. If the charge be preferred at the Conference, the case may be referred to a committee, in the presence of a Presiding Elder, or a member appointed by the Bishop in his stead. who shall cause a faithful record of the proceedings and testimony to be laid before the Conference; on which, with such other evidence as may be admitted, the case shall be decided.

Quest. 2. What shall be done in cases of improper tempers, words, or actions.

Answ. The person so offending shall be reprehended by his senior in office. Should a second transgression take place, one, two, or three ministers or preachers, are to be taken as witnesses. If he be not then cured, he shall be tried at the next Annual Conference, and, if found guilty and impenitent,

shall be expelled from the connexion, and his name so returned in the Minutes of the Conference.

Quest. 3. What shall be done when a member of an Annual Conference fails in business, or contracts debts which he is not able to pay ?

Answ. Let the Presiding Elder appoint three judicious members of the Church to inspect the accounts, contracts, and circumstances of the supposed delinquent, and if, in their opinion, he has behaved dishonestly, or contracted debts without the probability of paying, let the case be disposed of according to the answer of question one of this section.

Quest. 4. What shall be done with those ministers or preachers who hold and disseminate, publicly or privately, doctrines which are contrary to our articles of religion?

Answ. Let the same process be observed as in case of gross immorality: but if the minister or preacher so offending do solemnly engage not to disseminate such erroneous doctrines in public or in private, he shall be borne with, till his case be laid before the next Annual Conference, which shall determine the matter.

Quest. 5. What shall be done when a travelling minister is accused of being so unacceptable, inefficient, or secular, as to be no longer useful in his work?

Answ. The Conference shall investigate the case, and if it appear that the complaint is well founded, and the accused will not

voluntarily retire, the Conference may locate him without his consent.

But should the Conference, having jurisdiction in any of the foregoing cases, judge it expedient to try the accused by a select number, it may appoint not less than nine, nor more than fifteen of its members for that purpose, who, in the presence of a bishop or a chairman, which the President of the Conference shall appoint, and one or more of the Secretaries of the Conference, shall have full power to consider and determine the case according to the rules which govern annual conferences in such proceedings, and they shall make a faithful report of all their doings to the Secretary of the Conference in writing, and deliver up to him the bill of charges, the evidence taken, and the decision rendered, with all other documents brought into the trial.

Provided, nevertheless, that in all the above-mentioned cases of trial and conviction, an appeal to the ensuing General Conference shall be allowed, if the condemned person signify his intention to appeal, at the time of his condemnation, or at any time thereafter when he is informed thereof.

In all the above-mentioned cases it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Annual Conference carefully to preserve the minutes of the trial, whether taken before a committee or before the Conference, and all the documents relating to the case, together with the charge or charges, and the specification or specifications; which minutes and docu