sions which may find joint deliberation desirable may organize a Central Conference based on race or language or territorial relationship.

974. Ans. 2. The Central Conference shall have supervision, in harmony with the regulations of the Discipline, of such general matters as may be agreed upon, and such special interests as may be referred to it by the constituent Conferences or Missions.

¶75. Ans. 3. At any time after May, 1927, steps may be taken to organize a Central Conference. (1) In Europe the constituent bodies shall be the Belgian Mission, the Polish-Danzig Mission, and the Czechoslovak Conference. (2) In Brazil the constituent bodies shall be the Brazil Conference, the Central Brazil Conference, and the South Brazil Conference. (3) In such other regions as in the judgment of the Board of Missions such Central Conferences may be desirable.

¶76. Ans. 4. The first meeting for organization shall be called by the Bishop in charge at such time and place and upon such basis of representation as he may decide after consultation with the Presiding Elders and Superintendents of the Conferences and Missions. In the first meeting the Conference shall consider such matters as it may elect and shall adopt a plan of permanent organization, all within the regulations of the Discipline.

SECTION IV

OF THE MISSIONS OF THE CHURCH

Question. What directions are given concerning Missions?

¶77. Ans. 1. In foreign fields and in sections of the Church at home where on account of race or language it may seem desirable, work that is under the care of the Board of Missions and is not sufficiently advanced to be erected into an Annual Conference may be organized as a Mission.

¶78. Ans. 2. The Mission shall meet annually, and shall be composed of all regularly appointed missionaries and native preachers, with lay members, the number of whom and the mode of their appointment each Mission shall determine for itself.

¶79. Ans. 3. A Bishop, or, in his absence, one of the Superintendents chosen by ballot by the Mission, shall preside in the annual meeting. This meeting shall exercise in a general way the functions of a District Conference. It shall have power to license suitable persons to preach and to pass upon the character of preachers not members of the Annual Conference, and to recommend them, when properly prepared, for ordination as deacons and elders. The Bishop or President shall at the annual meeting assign the missionaries and native workers to the

several charges for the ensuing year: provided, that no missionary shall be transferred to or from a Mission without previous consultation with the Board of Missions.

480. Ans. 4. The work of a Mission shall be divided, when necessary, into districts, over each of which a missionary shall be placed as Superintendent. It shall be the duty of the Superintendent, in the absence of a Bishop, to take general supervision of the work in his district with all its interests, and to report the state of that work and its needs to the Bishop in charge and to the Board of Missions.

481. Ans. 5. For the consideration of financial and other matters relative to the policies of the Board of Missions, and the work of the missionaries, the missionaries of each Mission field shall hold an annual Missionaries' Meeting and report their proceedings to the Board of Missions. In the absence of a Bishop one of the missionaries shall be elected by ballot to preside.

¶82. Ans. 6. At the annual meeting next preceding the General Conference the Mission shall elect to the General Conference one clerical delegate, who shall be a member of an Annual Conference: provided, that while he is not entitled to a vote in the General Conference or in the Standing Committees, he shall be accorded the privileges of the floor.

SECTION V

OF THE DISTRICT CONFERENCES

Question. What directions are given concerning the District Conferences?

983. Ans. 1. A District Conference shall be held annually in each Presiding Elder's District. The time shall be fixed by the Presiding Elder, and the place by the Conference; but should it become necessary to change the place after it has been fixed by the Conference, the Presiding Elder may make the change.

¶84. Ans. 2. The District Conference shall be composed of all the preachers in the District, traveling (¶¶687, 688) and local (¶¶697, 741), including superannuated preachers (whether resident without or within the limits of the Annual Conferences to which they belong), the District Lay Leader, the Charge Lay Leaders, the District Secretary of the Woman's Missionary Society, the District Secretary of the Epworth League, and other lay members, the number of whom and their mode of appointment (106 [36 (3)]) each Annual Conference may determine for itself.

¶85. Ans. 3. A Bishop, or, in his absence, the Presiding Elder, shall preside; and if both be absent, the Conference shall elect a President. (¶689.)

986. Ans. 4. The Conference shall elect a

Secretary, who shall keep a record of all its proceedings.

987. Ans. 5. The Conference shall inquire particularly into the condition of the several charges in the District: concerning—

(1) Their spiritual state, and the attendance upon the ordinances and social meetings of the Church.

(2) Missions within the District, where new ones should be established, and what missions should be raised to circuits or stations; and the condition of the work of the Woman's Missionary Society within the several charges in the District.

(3) Sunday schools, and the manner of conducting them, and education generally.

(4) The work done by the American Bible Society.

(5) Their financial systems, and contributions to Church purposes; the condition of houses of worship and parsonages, and the necessity for

new ones.

(6) The manner in which the records of the Quarterly Conferences have been kept.

(7) Epworth Leagues, their number and general condition.

(8) Ministerial supply and training, whether there be any candidates for the ministry and what is doing to aid them in their preparation. (9) Lay activities and what the Board of