THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH. T 92 CHAPTER I. THE CONFERENCES. SECTION I. The General Conference. 88. The General Conference shall be composed of an equal number of Ministerial and Lay delegates, elected as hereinafter provided, and shall meet quadrennially. 89. The General Conference shall elect from the ministers of the Church, by ballot, without debate, one or more Itinerant General Superintendents, in agreement with the Basis of Union. 90. Each General Conference shall elect, by ballot, without debate, from among its members, a Secretary, whose duty it shall be to keep a correct record of its proceedings, and to publish the Journals, under the direction of the General Conference. The Secretary so elected may nominate, and the Conference elect, an assistant or assistants. 91. Fifty members of the General Conference shall form a quorum for the transaction of business. 92. A General Superintendent shall preside over all sessions of the General Conference, and over all the Standing Committees of the same; but in case no General Superintendent be present, the General Conference or the Committees of the General Conference, shall elect, by ballot, without debate, a President, pro tem. Powers of the General Conference. 93. The General Conference only shall have full power to make Rules and Regulations for our Church, under the following limitations and restrictions, viz. : 1. It shall not revoke, alter or change any Article of Religion, nor establish any new standards or rules of doctrine contrary to our existing and established Standards of Doctrine. 2. It shall not destroy the plan of our Itinerant system. 3. It shall not do away with the privileges of our ministers or probationers for the ministry, of trial by a Committee, and of an appeal; neither shall it do away with the privileges of our members of trial before the Society, or by a Committee, and of an appeal. 4. It shall not make any change in the General Rules of our Society, except by a three-fourths majority; and if required by either order of ministry or laity, a two-thirds majority of each order, voting separately. 5. No change shall be made in the Basis of Union, affecting constitutional questions, or the rights and privileges of ministry or laity, except by a three-fourths majority of the General Conference; and if required by either ministry or laity, a two-thirds majority of each order, voting separately. 94. The General Conference, by a vote of two-thirds of its members, shall have power to increase or diminish the |