2. The Bishop may appoint an Elder as a Commissioner to take the evidence in the case, in whole or in part; and said Commissioner shall cause a correct record of the proceedings before him, and of the evidence signed by the witnesses respectively, to be laid before the Conference, upon which evidence, and such other as may be admitted, the case shall be determined.

3. Or, the Conference may appoint from its Members a Select Number of not less than nine nor more than fifteen, to try the accused, who shall have the right to challenge for cause; which Select Number, in the presence of a Bishop, or of a Chairman whom the President of the Conference shall have appointed, 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 in writing of all their proceedings, duly subscribed by the President and Secretary of the Select Number, to the Secretary of the Conference, and deliver up to him therewith the bill of charges, the evidence taken, and the decision rendered, with all other documents brought into the trial.

But the Annual Conference may, when a case cannot be tried during the session for want of testimony, refer it to one of the Presiding Elders, who shall proIceed as directed in ¶ 222, § 1; and the Conference shall determine whether the case seems to be of such gravity as to require that the Minister be left without appointment until the investigation shall be held. 231. When a Minister is tried on a charge of immorality, and the Conference or the Select Number

shall find that this charge is not sustained by the evidence, but that the Minister has been proven guilty of "high imprudence and unministerial conduct," it may declare this fact, and subject the offender to reproof, suspension, or deprivation of Ministerial Office and Credentials.

¶ 232. In no case, of either an investigation or the trial of a Member of an Annual Conference, shall any person act as Counsel who is not a Member of an Annual Conference.

¶ 233. In case any Member of an Annual Conference be deposed from the Ministry without being expelled from the Church, he shall have his Membership in the Church where he resided at the time of his deposition.

¶ 234. After a Minister shall have been regularly tried and expelled he shall have no privileges of Society or Sacraments in our Church, without contrition, reformation, and confession, satisfactory to the Conference from which he was expelled.

¶ 235. When a Traveling Preacher is accused of immorality and desires to withdraw from the Church, the Annual Conference may permit him to withdraw, in which case the record shall be, "Withdrawn under complaints." If formal charges of immorality have been presented, he may be permitted to withdraw, in which case the record shall be, "Withdrawn under charges:" and if thus withdrawn under "complaints," or under "charges," the relation to the Church of the Preacher thus withdrawn shall be the same as if he had been expelled.

157

CHAPTER III.

PROCEEDINGS AGAINST A PREACHER ON TRIAL.

236. A Preacher on Trial in an Annual Conference is, in reference to Amenability and Appeal, considered as a Local Preacher; but in his case the Presiding Elder shall perform the duties which are prescribed to the Preacher in Charge in the case of an accused Local Preacher.

CHAPTER IV.

THE TRIAL OF A LOCAL PREACHER.

¶ 237. When a Local Preacher (ordained or unordained) is reported to be guilty of some crime expressly forbidden in the word of God, sufficient to exclude a person from the kingdom of grace and glory, the Preacher in Charge shall call a Committee of investigation, consisting of three or more Local Preachers, before which it shall be the duty of the accused to appear, and by which, if the charge is sustained, he shall be suspended from all Ministerial services and Church privileges until the next District ar Quarterly Conference. If the accused refuse or neglect to appear before said Committee, the investigation may proceed in his absence. And the Preacher in Charge shall cause exact minutes of the charges, testimony, and proceedings in the investigation, together with the decision of the Committee, to be laid

before the District or Quarterly Conference, where it shall be the duty of the accused to appear for trial.

¶ 238. Should the Conference order a trial, its President shall appoint a Secretary, who shall make a correct record of the proceedings and evidence in the case, and if the accused be found guilty, the Conference shall affix a penalty to the offense, according to ¶ 197.

¶ 239. Should the District Conference having jurisdiction in the case of an accused Local Preacher judge it expedient to try him by a Select Number, it may appoint not less than nine nor more than fifteen of its members for the purpose, the accused having the right to challenge for cause; which Select Number, in the presence of a Bishop or an Elder whom the President of the District Conference may appoint, and with a Secretary appointed by the District Conference, shall have full power to consider and determine the case according to the rules which govern District Conferences in such cases: and the Secretary shall make a faithful report in writing of all the proceedings and evidence to the Secretary of the District Conference, and shall deliver up to him all the papers in the case.

¶ 240, § 1. In case of improper tempers, words, or actions, the Local Preacher so offending shall be admonished by the Preacher in Charge. Should a second transgression take place, one, two, or three Members of the Church are to be taken as witnesses. If he continue to offend, he shall be tried at the next District or Quarterly Conference, and, if found guilty and impenitent, he shall be expelled from the Church. § 2. If a Local Preacher be found, on due trial by the District or Quarterly Conference, neglectful of his

duties as a Local Preacher or unacceptable in his ministry, it may deprive him of his ministerial office. NOTE. For holding religious services within a Charge against the will of its Pastor, see ¶ 223.

241. When a Local Preacher disseminates, publicly or privately, doctrines which are contrary to our Articles of Religion or established standards of doctrine, let the same process be observed as is directed in ¶¶ 237, 238.

242. When a Local Preacher fails in business, or contracts debts which he is not able to pay, let the Preacher in Charge 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 ¶¶ 237, 238.

¶ 243. When, in the judgment of the Presiding Elder, a fair and impartial trial cannot be had in the Quarterly Conference where the accused holds his membership, the Presiding Elder may refer the case some other Quarterly Conference within the bounds of his District for trial.

to

CHAPTER V.

THE TRIAL OF AN ACCUSED MEMBER.

I. Immoral Conduct.

244. A Member of the Church accused of immorality shall be brought to trial before a Committee