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 part ii, ch. i, § 3, and part ii, ch. iv, § 1; 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.

SECTION III.

The support of Bishops, and the Families of Deceased Bishops.

Quest. What provision shall be made for the support of our Bishops, and the widows and children of deceased Bishops?

Answ. It shall be the duty of each Anmual Conference within whose bounds a Bishop, or the widow or child of a deceased Bishop may reside, to appoint a committee. whose duty it shall be to make an estimate of the amount necessary to furnish a com

fortable support to such Bishop, considering the number and condition of his family, and the amount necessary to assist such widow or child in obtaining a comfortable support, which estimates shall be subject to the action of the Conference, and the bishops are authorized to draw on the funds of the Book Concern for said amount allowed them, and also for the amount of their traveling expenses.

The Bishop presiding at an Annual Conference where an estimate is made for the widow or orphan of a deceased Bishop, shall be authorized to draw on the Book Concern for such amount.

7

CHAPTER IV.

PRESIDING ELDERS.

SECTION I.

Presiding Elders and their Duty.

Quest. 1. By whom are the Presiding Elders to be chosen?

Answ. By the Bishops.

Quest. 2. By whom are the Presiding Elders to be stationed and changed? Answ. By the Bishops.

Quest. 3. How long may a Bishop allow an Elder to preside in the same district?

Answ. For any term not exceeding four years; after which he shall not be appointed to the same district for six years.

Quest. 4. 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, Traveling and Local 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.*

5. To be present at, as far as practicable, and to hold all the quarterly meetings; and to call together at each quarterly meeting a Quarterly Conference, consisting of all the Traveling and Local Preachers, exhorters, stewards, and leaders of the circuit or station, and the first male superintendent of our Sunday-schools, being members of our Church, and approved by the Quarterly Conference, and none else, to hear complaints, and to receive and try appeals, and to transact such other business as is provided for in part ii, ch. i, § 4.

6. To oversee the spiritual and temporal business of the Church in his district, and to promote, by all proper means, the cause of Missionst and Sunday-schools, and the publication, at our own press, of Bibles, Tracts, and Sunday-school Books; and carefully to inquire, at each Quarterly Conference, whether the rules respecting the instruction of children have been faithfully

See pt. ü, ch. i, § 8. + See pt. iv, § 2, it. 13.

observed; and to report to the Annua Conference the names of all Traveling Preachers within his district who shall neglect to observe these rules.

7. To take care that every part of our Discipline be enforced in his district; and to decide all questions of law in a Quarterly Conference, subject to an appeal to the President of the next Annual Conference; but in all cases the application of law shall be with the Conference.

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.

9. To direct the candidates who are admitted on trial to those studies which have been recommended by the Bishops.

10. To explain to those Preachers who are on trial, as well as to those who are in future to be proposed for trial, that they may be either admitted or rejected without doing them any wrong.

11. If any Preacher absent himself from his circuit, the Presiding Elder shall, as far as possible, fill his place with another Preacher, who shall be paid for his labors out of the allowance of the absent Preacher, in proportion to his usual allowance.