Quest. 4. 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. 5. 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 neighbourhood 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 the third and fifth sections; 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.

Quest. 6. If a bishop cease from travelling at large among the people, shall he still exercise his episcopal office among us in any degree?

Answ. If he cease from travelling without the consent of the general conference, he shall not thereafter exercise the episcopal office in our church.

SECTION V.

Of the Presiding Elders, and of their Duty. Quest. 1. By whom are the presiding elders to be chosen?

Answ. By the bishops.

Quest. 2. What are the duties of a presiding elder?

Answ. 1. To travel through his appointed district.

2. In the absence of the bishop, to take charge of all the elders, and deacons, travelling and iocal preachers, and exhorters in his district.

3. To change, receive, and suspend preachers in his district during the intervals of the conferences, and in the absence of the bishop, as the discipline directs.

4. In the absence of a bishop, to preside in the conference; but in case there are two or more presiding elders belonging to one conference, the bishop or bishops may by letter or otherwise appoint the president; but if no appointment be made, or if the presiding elder appointed do not attend, the conference shall in either of these cases elect the president by ballot, without a debate, from among the presiding elders.

5. To be present, as far as practicable, at all the quarterly meetings; and to call together at each quarterly meeting, a quarterly meeting conference, consisting of all the travelling and local preachers, exhorters, stewards, and leaders of the circuit, and none else, to hear complaints, and to receive and try appeals. The quarterly meeting 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. 6. To oversee the spiritual and temporal business of the church in his district.

7. To take care that every part of our discipline be enforced in his district.

8. To attend the bishops when present in his district; and to give them, when absent, all necessary information, by letter, of the state of his district.

Quest. 3. By whom are the presiding elders to be stationed and changed? Answ. By the bishops.

Quest. 4. How long may the bishops allow an elder to preside in the same district? Answ. For any term not exceeding four years successively.

Quest. 5. Shall the presiding elder have power to employ a preacher who has been rejected at the previous annual conference?

Answ. He shall not, unless the conference should give him liberty under certain conditions.

Quest. 6. How shall the presiding elders be supported?

Answ. If there be a surplus of the public money in one or more circuits in his district, he shall receive such surplus; provided, he do not receive more than his annual allowance. In case of a deficiency in his allowance, after such surplus is paid him, or if there be no surplus, he shall share with the preachers of his district in proportion with what they have respectively received, so that he receives no more than the amount of his allowance upon the whole: he shall be accountable to the annual conference, for what he receives as his allowance.

SECTION VI.

Of the Election and Ordination of travelling Elders, and of their Duty.

Quest. 1. How is an elder constituted? Answ. By the election of a majority of the yearly conference and by the laying on of the hards of a bishop, and some of the elders that are present.

Quest. 2. What is the duty of a travelling elder?

Answ. 1. To administer baptism and the Lord's Supper, and to perform the office of matrimony, and all parts of divine worship.

2. To do all the duties of a travelling preacher.

No elder that ceases to travel, without the consent of the yearly conference, certified under the hand of the president of the conference, except in case of sickness, debility, or other unavoidable circumstance, shall, on any account, exercise the peculiar functions of his office, or even be allowed to preach among us: nevertheless the final determination in all such cases is with the yearly conference.