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The Election and Consecration of Bishops, and their Duty.

Quest. 1. How is a Bishop to be constituted?

Answ. By the election of the General Conference, and the laying on of the hands of three Bishops, or at least of one Bishop and two Elders. But the General Conference may authorize the election of a Missionary Bishop in the interim of the General Conference.

Quest. 2. If by death, expulsion, or otherwise, there be no Bishop remaining in our Church, what shall we do?

Answ. The General Conference shall elect a Bishop, and the elders, or any three of them, who shall be appointed by the General Conference for that purpose, shall ordain him according to our form of ordination.

Quest. 3. What are the duties of Bishop?

Answ. 1. To preside in our Conferences. 2. To form the districts according to his judgment.

3. To fix the appointments of the Preachers, provided he shall not allow any Preacher to remain in the same station more than two years successively; except the Presiding Elders, the Corresponding Secretary and Assistant Corresponding Secretary of the Missionary Society, the Editors and Agents at New York and Cincinnati; the Editors at Auburn, Pittsburgh, Chicago, St. Louis, Portland, and San Francisco; the Superannuated, and Worn-out Preachers; missionaries among the Indians, Welsh, Swedes, Norwegians, and other missionaries among foreigners, (not including the Germans,) where supplies are difficult to be obtained; missionaries to our people of color and on foreign stations; chaplains to state prisons and in the army or navy; those Preachers who may be appointed to labor for the special benefit of seamen, and for the American Bible Society, or for any State Bible Society auxiliary thereto; the presidents, principals, or teachers of seminaries of learning, which are, or may be under our superintendence; or the Preacher stationed at Five Points Mission

in New York, or at the American Chapel in Paris; and also, when requested by an Annual Conference, to appoint a Preacher for a longer time than two years to any seminary of learning not under our care: provided, also, that, with the exceptions above named, he shall not continue a preacher in the same appointment more than two years in six. He shall have authority, when requested by an Annual Conference, to appoint an agent, whose duty it shall be to travel throughout the bounds of such Conference, for the purpose of establishing and aiding Sabbath-schools, and distributing Tracts, and also to appoint an agent or agents for the benefit of our literary institutions, and an agent for the German publishing fund.

4. In the intervals of the Conferences, to change, receive, and suspend Preachers, as necessity may require, and as the Disci pline directs.

5. To travel through the connection at large.

6. To oversee the spiritual and temporal business of our Church.

7. To ordain Bishops, Elders, and Dea

cons.

8. To decide all questions of law in any

Annual Conference, subject to an appeal to the General Conference; but in all cases the application of law shall be with the Conference.

9. To prescribe a Course of Study in English literature and in science, upon which those applying for admission upon trial in the Annual Conferences shall be examined and approved before such admission; and also to prescribe a course of reading and study proper to be pursued by candidates for the ministry for the term of four years.

10. A Bishop may, when he judges it necessary, unite two or more circuits or stations for Quarterly Conference purposes, without affecting their separate financial interests or pastoral duties.

Quest. 4. If a Bishop cease from traveling at large among the people, shall he still exercise his episcopal office among us in any degree?

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Answ. If he cease from traveling without the consent of the General Conference, he shall not thereafter exercise the episcopal office in our Church.

Quest. 5. What shall be done when there is no Bishop to travel at large?

Answ. In case there be no Bishop to travel through the districts and exercise the

episcopal office, on account of death, or otherwise, the districts shall be regulated in every respect by the Annual Conferences and the Presiding Elders in the interval of General Conference, ordination excepted.

SECTION II.

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, tliree Traveling 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.

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