to be laid before the district conference, where it shall be the duty of the accused to appear. And the president of the said district conference shall, at the commencement of the trial, appoint a secretary, who shall take down regular minutes of the evidence, and proceedings of the trial; which minutes, when read and approved, shall be signed by the said president, and also by the members of the said district conference, or by a majority of them.

And in case of condemnation, the local preacher, deacon, or elder, condemned, shall be allowed an appeal to the next annual con ference, provided that he signify to the said district conference, his determination to appeal; in which case the said president shall lay the minutes of the trial above mentioned before the said annual conference, at which the local preacher, deacon, or elder, so appealing, may appear: and the said annual conference shall judge and finally determine from the minutes of the said trial, so laid before them.

5. When a local elder or deacon shall be expelled, the president of the conference shall require of him the credentials of his ordination, to be filed with the papers of the annual conference, within the limits of which the expulsion has taken place. And should he

at any future time produce to the annual con ference, a certificate of his restoration, signed by the president and countersigned by the secretary of the district conference, his credentials shall be restored to him.

6. A licensed local preacher shall be eligible to the office of a deacon, after he has preached for four years from the time he received a regular license, and has obtained a testimonial from the district conference to which he belongs, after proper examination, signed by the president, and countersigned by the secretary, and his character has passed in examination before, and he has obtained the approbation of the annual conference.

7. A local deacon shall be eligible to the office of an elder, after he has preached four years from the time he was ordained a deacon, and has obtained a recommendation from the district conference of which he is a member certifying his qualifications in doctrine, discipline, talents, and usefulness, signed by the president, and countersigned by the secre tary. He shall, if he cannot attend, send to the annual conference such recommendation, and a note certifying his belief in the doctrine and discipline of our church: the whole being examined by the annual conference, and if approved he may be ordained; provided nevertheless, no slave holder shall be eligible

to the office of an elder or deacon, where the laws will admit of emancipation, and permit the liberated slave to enjoy freedom.

8. Every local elder, deacon, and preacher, shall have his name recorded on the journal of the quarterly meeting conference of which he is a member. And every licensed local preacher shall have his name enrolled on a class paper, and meet in class, if the distance of his place of residence from any class be not too great; or in neglect thereof, the district conference, if they judge it proper, may deprive him of his ministerial office.

Whenever a local preacher shall remove from one circuit to another, he shall procure from the presiding elder of the district, or the preacher having the charge of the circuit, a certificate of his official standing in the church at the time of his removal, without which he shall not be received as a local preacher in other places.

No preacher among us shall distil or retail spirituous liquors, without forfeiting his official standing.

SECTION XXI.

Of Baptism.

1. Let every adult person, and the parents of every child to be baptized, have the choice either of immersion, sprinkling, & pouring.

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2. We will on no account whatever make a charge for administering baptism, or for burying the dead.

SECTION XXII.

Of the Lord's Supper."

Quest. Are there any directions to be given concerning the administration of the Lord's Supper?

Answ. 1. Let those who have scruples concerning the receiving of it kneeling, be permitted to receive it either standing or sitting.

2. Let no person that is not a member of our church be admitted to the communion, without examination, and some token given by an elder or deacon.

3. No person shall be admitted to the Lord's Supper among us, who is guilty of any practice for which we would exclude a mem ber of our church.

SECTION XXIII.

Of Public Worship.

Quest. What directions shall be given for the establishment of uniformity in public worship among us, on the Lord's day?

Answ. 1. Let the morning service consist

of singing, prayer, the reading of a chapter out of the Old Testament, and another out of the New, and preaching.

2. Let the afternoon service consist of singing, prayer, the reading of one or two chapters out of the Bible, and preaching.

3. Let the evening service consist of singing, prayer, and preaching.

4. But on the days of administering the Lord's supper, the two chapters in the mornng service may be omitted.

5. In administering the ordinances, and in the burial of the dead, let the form of discipline invariably be used. Let the Lord's prayer also be used on all occasions of public worship in concluding the first prayer, and the apostolic benediction in dismissing the congregation.

6. Let the society be met, wherever it is practicable, on the sabbath day.

SECTION XXIV.

Of the Spirit and Truth of Singing. Quest. How shall we guard against formality in singing?

Ansu. 1. By choosing such hymns as are proper for the congregation.

2. By not singing too much at once; sel dom more than five or six verses.