§ 2. All property for Homes and other Deaconess institutions that may hereafter be acquired shall be held in trust for the Methodist Episcopal Church by any of the Disciplinary societies of the Church or a Local Board of Trustees elected by the society with which the institution is connected.

§ 3. The provisions of this chapter shall not disturb existing Homes or institutions now being operated for Deaconess work; nor exclude any societies or associations now engaged in Deaconess work, but authorizes any of these to employ Deaconesses and establish and operate Homes and institutions for the Deaconess work of the Methodist Episcopal Church according to the provisions of this chapter.

¶ 211. All Deaconesses and all who employ Deaconesses or hold Deaconess property shall regularly report to the Conference Board one month before the meeting of the Annual Conference, according to such form and including such information as the Board shall direct.

212. The foregoing provisions shall relate to Annual Conferences, and also to Mission Conferences and Missions, except in those parts of Europe in which the Deaconess work exists as a legal corporation with an Inspector appointed by the Annual Conference; but where Missionary Bishops have coordinate authority, they shall exercise the same powers as are committed to the General Board of Deaconesses,

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PART VL

JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION.

I. THE TRIAL AND APPEAL OF A BISHOP.

II. THE TRIAL OF A MEMBER OF CONFERENCE. III. PROCEEDINGS AGAINST A PREACHER ON

TRIAL.

IV. THE TRIAL OF A LOCAL PREACHER.

V. THE TRIAL OF AN ACCUSED MEMBER.

VI. THE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE.

VII. APPEALS OF MINISTERS.

VIII. APPEALS OF LOCAL PREACHERS.

IX. APPEALS OF MEMBERS.

X. RESTORATION OF CREDENTIALS.

CHAPTER I.

THE TRIAL AND APPEAL OF A BISHOP.

¶ 213. A Bishop is answerable for his conduct to the General Conference, which shall have power to order the manner of his trial.

¶ 214. When a Bishop is accused of immoral conduct, the Presiding Elder within whose District said immorality is alleged to have been committed shall call to his aid four Traveling Elders, which five Ministers shall carefully inquire into the case; and if, in their judgment, there is reasonable ground for such accusation, they, or a majority of them, shall prepare and sign the proper charge in the case, and shall send a copy thereof, so signed, to the accused. and shall give notice thereof to one of the Bishops. Said Bishop, so notified, shall convene a Judicial Conference, to be composed of the Triers of Appeals, appointed as hereinafter provided, in five neighboring Conferences. And the said Judicial Conference shall have full power to try the accused Bishop, and to suspend him from the functions of his Office, depose him from the Ministry, or expel him from the Church, as they may deem his offense requires. One of the Bishops shall preside at his trial.

215. The accused shall have the right of peremptory challenge, yet not so as to reduce the number of the Judicial Conference below twenty-one.

216. The President of such Judicial Conference shall, at the commencement of the trial, appoint a Secretary, who shall make a correct record of the

proceedings, and of all the evidence in the case, which, when read and approved, shall be signed by the President and Secretary.

¶ 217. In case of imprudent conduct, the Presiding Elder within whose District the alleged offense occurred shall take with him two Traveling Elders, and shall admonish the Bishop so offending. In case of a second offense, one of the Bishops, together with three Traveling Elders, shall call upon him, and reprehend and admonish him. If he still persist in his imprudence, he shall then be tried in the manner ordered in ¶¶ 214-216.

¶ 218. When it is alleged that an immorality or imprudence has been committed without the bounds of any District, the Presiding Elder within the bounds of whose District the Bishop resides shall proceed as hereinbefore specified.

¶ 219. When a Bishop disseminates, publicly or privately, doctrines which are contrary to our Articles of Religion or established standards of doctrine, the same process shall be observed as is prescribed in ¶¶ 214-216.

¶ 220. A Bishop shall have the right of Appeal to the ensuing General Conference, if he signify his intention to appeal within three months of the time when he is informed of his conviction. And in case of an Appeal, the record of the trial and all the documents relating to the case, including the charges and specifications, shall be transmitted to the ensuing General Conference, which record and documents only shall be used in evidence in the trial of the Appeal. The General Conference may, at its discretion, hear the Appeal by a Judicial Committee of its own number.