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.

When a member of an Annual Conference is accused of crime in the interval of his Conference sessions, and is suspended by a committee, and subsequently convicted by his Conference, and expelled, his claim upon the funds of the Conference shall cease from the time of his suspension.

2. If the charge be preferred at the Con ference, 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 асtions?

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 connection, 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 traveling 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 de

termine 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 documents only, in case of an appeal from the decision of an Annual Conference, shall be presented to the General Conference in evidence on the case. in all cases, when an appeal is made, and admitted by the General Conference, the

And

appellant shall either state personally, or by his representative, (who shall be a member of the Conference,) the grounds of his appeal, showing cause why he appeals, and he shall be allowed to make his defense without interruption. After which, the representatives of the Annual Conference from whose decision the appeal is made, shall be permitted to respond in presence of the appellant, who shall have the privilege of replying to such representatives, which shall close the pleadings on both sides. This done, the appellant shall withdraw, and the Conference or Committee on the case shall decide. And after such form of trial and expulsion, the person so expelled shall have no privileges of society or sacraments in our Church, without confession, contrition, and satisfactory reformation.

A Preacher on trial who may be accused of crime shall be accountable to the Quarterly Conference of the circuit on which he travels. The Presiding Elder shall call a committee of three Local Preachers, who may suspend him; and the Quarterly Conference may expel him: nevertheless, he shall have a right to an appeal to the next Annual Conference.