constitute a quorum. The fiscal year of the Board shall close on March 31.

¶342. The Board shall have authority to regulate its own proceedings; to determine what amount the General Conference shall be asked to assess the Church annually for the General Superannuate Endowment Fund, and for distribution to the superannuates and widows of preachers and for the expenses of the Board, and the collections on the annual assessment authorized by the General Conference for said purpose shall be remitted by the respective Annual Conference Treasurers direct to the Board of Finance at its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, in accordance with the law of the Church concerning the remittance of collections on assessments for connectional or general work; to appropriate money to pay incidental expenses; to determine the amount to distribute to the several claimants on this Fund, as may hereinafter be provided; and to do such other business as may be legitimate and proper for it to do: provided, however, that no money shall be appropriated for other purposes than the support of Conference claimants, and that no part of the capital of the endowment funds of the Board shall ever be spent or appropriated for any purpose.

¶343. The Board shall have authority to raise or receive from the Board of Trustees of the

Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and from other proper sources, funds and properties for the Superannuate Endowment Fund; to receive and hold in trust, in the interest of the superannuated preachers and the widows of preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, real or personal property, and to sell and convey it for the use herein declared; to receive from any Annual Conference or Annual Conference Board of Finance, or Board of Trustees for superannuated preachers, or from any other person, body, or organization, any funds belonging to or constituting Superannuate Endowment Funds, and to hold, invest, administer, and disburse these funds upon the same terms and conditions as were applicable to them in the hands of the person, Conference, body, or organization originally holding them; to invest funds, on adequate security to be determined by the Board, the interest from which shall be paid annually under the rules of the Board to the superannuated preachers and widows of preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. These provisions shall apply to all Superannuate Endowment Funds now in the hands of the Board of Trustees or other bodies herein above specified, or which shall hereafter come into their hands.

¶344. It shall be lawful for the Board to accept contributions to its funds from any person

or persons capable of making them, subject to annuities, payable to the order of the person or persons making such donations; but all amounts so received shall be loaned on adequate security or securities, and the aggregate amount of the annuities that the Board shall assume to pay shall never be allowed to exceed one-half of the interest receivable by said Board.

$345. The Board shall have authority to establish coöperative, participating, annuity, or other plans, for the use of traveling preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, looking to better provision for their old age and for their families: provided, that it shall not place in jeopardy the permanent or endowment funds of the Board.

¶346. Funds available for appropriation annually by this Board shall be distributed to the claimants of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as follows:

1. To the superannuated preachers, on the basis of years of service.

2. To the widows of deceased preachers, on the basis of the number of years that they have been the wives of effective traveling preachers; and the amount shall be two-thirds of that paid to the superannuated preachers for a like number of effective years of service. (¶¶734, 735.) ¶347. This Board shall be authorized to receive from Conference Boards of Finance funds

and properties, to invest them, and to pay the income therefrom to these Boards in the interest of their claimants.

$348. The Secretary of each Annual Conference shall certify to the Secretary of this Board the names and years of active service of the superannuated preachers and of the widows of preachers of the Annual Conference.

SECTION II

CONFERENCE BOARD OF FINANCE

$349. Each Annual Conference shall organize a Conference Board of Finance, composed of one lay member from each District, and an equal number of clerical members, which shall be auxiliary to the Board of Finance and shall have charge of all the interests and work of providing for the Conference claimants, except as provided for by the General Board. (¶¶681, 682, 726.) The Conference Board of Finance shall annually estimate the amount that will probably be necessary to provide a reasonable support for the ensuing year for the superannuated preachers, and the widows and orphaned children of deceased members of the Conference, and recommend this amount for assessment upon the Conference, as other funds are assessed upon the Annual Conference. (¶¶729, 733737.)

¶350. The Conference Board of Finance shall distribute the moneys received on assessment and otherwise to the superannuated preachers, and widows and orphans of deceased members of the Conference, according to their several necessities (730): provided, however, that in case of equal necessity the Board may take into account the time of active service rendered by the claimants; and provided, further, that when a preacher breaks down in the work, and is placed on the superannuate list, his claim shall begin from the time at which he ceased to receive any support from his last charge. (¶¶727, 728.)

4351. The members of the Conference Board of Finance shall collect such authentic information in regard to the financial circumstances of the claimants on the Board as will facilitate the business of the Board at its annual meeting.

¶352. The Conference Board of Finance shall decide all issues that may exist between the stewards and the presiding elders, or any of the preachers, in regard to salaries, and its decision shall be final; but in no case shall it allow any preacher to have a claim on the Church he has served, as of debt, after his pastoral connection has ceased. (¶¶749, 750.)

¶353. The Conference Board shall make an annual report to the Annual Conference, giving the names, addresses, and years of active service