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the Church has been expelled contrary to the Discipline, such act of the Conference does not restore him to good standing in the Church, but simply restores him to membership in the Church; and when so restored he is placed in the position he occupied before he was tried-that is, he is an accused Member; and hence the Preacher is not at liberty to give him a Certificate of Membership.-Journal, 1860, p. 298.

§3. Irregularity in the Reception of a Member is not a bar to trial. Journal, 1860, p. 298.

§ 4. If an expelled Member shall gain membership elsewhere without confession, contrition, and satisfactory reformation, his membership is null and void, and any Certificate of such membership should not be received.-Journal, 1884, p. 378.

¶ 25. Appeals.

§ 1. When an expelled Member has by neglect or otherwise forfeited his right to Appeal, a subsequent Quarterly Conference may not hear his Appeal.-Journal, 1860, p. 298.

§ 2. If a Member of an Annual Conference should die pending his Appeal to a Judicial Conference his death does not affect the Appeal, which may still be prosecuted by his heirs or legal representatives.-Journal, 1884, p. 375.

§3. No new testimony is admissible in case of Appeal.— Journal, 1848, p. 127.

§ 4. If on Appeal a case has been remanded to an Annual Conference for a New Trial, the Conference may suffer the Appellant to withdraw before the New Trial.—Journal, 1848, p. 129.

26. Vote by Orders.

§ 1. The separate vote of either Order can be called only by a Member of that Order.-Journal, 1872, p. 148.

§ 2. On the call for a separate vote discussion is not in order.-Journal, 1872, p. 291.

§3. The meaning of the words "One third of either Order" is, one third of the Members of the Order present in the Conference when the call is made, and not one third of all the Members of the Order elected and returned.—Journal, 1892, p. 435.

§ 4. On a proposition recommending to the Annual Conferences a change in the Restrictive Rules, the vote was taken by Orders, and both Orders having concurred in the recommendation by a majority vote, and two thirds of the General Conference having voted in favor of the recommendation, it was declared to have been legally and constitutionally made.— Journal, 1892, p. 492.

127. Members of Annual Conferences.

§ 1. The Episcopacy of the Methodist Episcopal Church is a unit, and our economy assumes harmony of action. But Bishops are many, and in the division of the work into different Conferences presided over by different Bishops a Bishop can, in accordance with the Discipline and usages of the Church, transfer an effective Preacher, with or without his desire, into a Conference under the jurisdiction of another Bishop without at the same time himself giving him an appointment. But every effective Preacher is entitled to an appointment within the Conference of which he is a member. His transfer to another Conference carries with it this right, and should not therefore be made without at the same time making adequate provision in a regular manner for his protection. Nevertheless, if a Preacher requests such a transfer to a Conference not to meet for some time after his transfer he cannot complain if he does not receive work till the next ensuing session of the Conference after such transfer.-Journal, 1884, p. 372.

§ 2. An action of the General Conference changing the boundaries of an Annual Conference does not of itself affect the Membership of Supernumerary and Superannuated Preachers, their Membership remaining as before such action till adjusted by mutual agreement of the Conferences affected by such change of boundaries.-Journal, 1884, p. 374.

§3. The examination (¶ 151) before the Annual Conference of candidates for admission to Full Membership should precede the vote for admission.-Journal, 1868, p. 224.

§ 4. Absentees from the session of an Annual Conference may not vote in the election of Delegates to the General Conference, nor upon proposed amendments to the Constitution. --Journal, 1896.

28. On Orders.

§ 1. The question of electing a Preacher to Orders who has not passed an examination on the Course of Study prescribed for Preachers applying for Orders may not be submitted to a vote of the Conference. A Bishop may not submit to the vote of an Annual Conference the question of obedience to a law of the Church.-Journal, 1884, p. 376.

§ 2. The Orders of a Roman Catholic Priest may not be recognized by an Annual Conference.-Journal, 1884, p. 373.

¶29. Who Are "Laymen."

The General Conference holds that, in all matters connected with the election of Lay Delegates, the word "Laymen " must be understood to include all the Members of the Church who are not Members of the Annual Conferences.—Journal, 1872, p. 442.

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¶ 30. The Pronouns " He,” “ His," " Him."

The pronouns he, his, and him, when used in the Discipline with reference to Stewards, Class Leaders, and Sunday School Superintendents, shall not be so construed as to exclude women from such offices.-Journal, 1880, p. 339.

¶ 31. On Licensing and Ordaining Women. § 1. The Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church does not provide for nor contemplate the licensing of women as Local Preachers; and therefore the action of a Quarterly Conference, and of a Presiding Elder as the President thereof, in granting such license is without authority of law, is not in accordance with the Discipline as it is, and with the uniform administration under it.-Journal, 1880, pp. 353, 354.

§ 2. The law of the Church does not authorize the ordination of women to the Ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church; and a Bishop is not at liberty to submit to the vote of the Conference the question of electing women to Orders.-Journal, 1880, p. 353.

§ 3. The General Conference judges it inexpedient to take any action on the subject of licensing women to exhort or to preach; and that it is also inexpedient to take any action on the subject of ordaining women to the Ministry.—Journal, 1884, p. 317.

¶ 32. The Quarterly Conferences.

§ 1. The Quarterly Conference may remove Trustees at any time for cause, where statutes of the State do not prevent, subject, however, to the provisions of ¶ 303 of the Discipline.— Journal, 1892, p. 490.

§ 2. Supernumerary and Superannuated Ministers residing out of the bounds of their Annual Conferences are members of the Quarterly Conferences where they reside, and are entitled to vote therein.-Journal, 1892, p. 490.

¶ 33. Elections by the Book Committee.

Your Committee has considered the matter embraced in the following preamble and resolution passed by the General Conference, to wit:

"Whereas, The right of the Bishops to take part in the deliberations of the Book Committee, pending the election of an editor or agent, has been questioned; and, whereas, several members of the Book Committee of the last quadrennium have filed a petition (see page 15 of the report of the Book Committee) asking the General Conference to define the duties and the rights of our General Superintendents in the election of an editor or agent by the Book Committee: therefore,

"Resolved, That this question be referred to the Committee on Judiciary with instructions to consider it and report their conclusions to this body."

And it respectfully reports:

While the language of the Discipline bearing upon the question involved (¶ 421) is obscure, and its meaning is not easily determined, the Committee is of the opinion that when vacan cies are to be filled the General Superintendents are not present as part of a joint committee, nor for the purpose of joint action in any particular with the Book Committee, but they

are present as a separate body to hear the action of the Book Committee, and their only function is to concur or to refuse to concur in that action, and they may take part in any discussion had by the Book Committee only by virtue of its request or permission.-Journal, 1892, p. 487.

CHAPTER IV.

THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.

I. Proposed Amendments to Constitution.

34. Equal Ministerial and Lay Representation. Resolved, 1. That the General Conference hereby submits the following proposition to the Annual Conferences to be held in 1896 and 1897, to wit: To amend § 2, ¶ 67, of the Discipline so that the section shall read as follows: The General Conference shall not allow of more than one ministerial representative for every fourteen members of an Annual Conference, nor of a less number than one for every forty-five; provided, nevertheless, that when there shall be in any Annual Conference a fraction of two thirds the number which shall be fixed for the ratio of representation, such Annual Conference shall be entitled to an additional delegate for such fraction; and provided, also, that there shall be from each Annual Conference lay delegates equal in number to the ministerial delegates; and provided, further, that no Conference shall be denied the privilege of one ministerial and one lay delegate.

2. That if the General Conference shall recommend this by a two-thirds vote, and it shall also receive the necessary recommendation of three fourths of the members of the several Annual Conferences present and voting, then the Electoral Conferences of 1899 and 1900 may elect representatives in equal numbers with the ministerial, and the General Conference of 1900 may provide for their admission.

3. That the Secretary of this General Conference send to the Secretaries of the Annual Conferences blank forms for certifi

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