III. Neglect of the Means of Grace.

¶ 249. When a Member of our Church habitually neglects the means of grace, such as the Public Worship of God, the Supper of the Lord, family and private Prayer, searching the Scriptures, Class Meetings and Prayer Meetings

§ 1. Let the Preacher in Charge, whenever it is practicable, visit him and explain to him the consequence if he continue to neglect.

§ 2. If he do not amend, let the Preacher in Charge bring his case before a Committee of not less than five, who are not members of the Quarterly Conference, before which he shall be cited to appear. And if he be found guilty of willful neglect by the decision of a majority of the Members before whom the case is brought, let him be excluded.

IV. Causing Dissension.

¶ 250. If a Member of our Church shall be accused of endeavoring to sow dissension in any of our Societies, by inveighing against either our Doctrines or Discipline, the person so offending shall first be re-, proved by the Preacher in Charge; and if he persist in such pernicious practice, he shall be brought to trial, and, if found guilty, shall be expelled.

V. Disagreement in Business-Arbitration.

¶ 251. On any disagreement between two or more Members of our Church concerning business transactions, which cannot be settled by the parties, the Preacher in Charge shall inquire into the circum

stances of the case, and shall recommend to the parties a reference, consisting of two arbiters chosen by one party, and two chosen by the other party, which four arbiters so chosen shall choose a fifth; the five arbiters being Members of our Church. The Preacher in Charge shall preside, and the Disciplinary forms of trial shall be observed.

¶ 252. If either party refuse to abide by the judgment of the arbiters, he shall be brought to trial, and if he fail to show sufficient cause for such refusal, he shall be expelled.

¶ 253. If any Member of our Church shall refuse, in case of debt or other dispute, to refer the matter to arbitration when recommended so to do by the Preacher in Charge, or shall enter into a lawsuit with another Member before these measures are taken, he shall be brought to trial, and if he fail to show that the case is of such a nature as to require and justify a process at law, he shall be expelled.

¶ 254. If, in the case of debt or dispute, one of the parties is a Minister, the duties laid on the Preacher in Charge in the foregoing paragraph shall be performed by the Presiding Elder of the Minister concerned. If both are Ministers, the Presiding Elder of either may act in the case.

VI. Insolvency.

255. The Preachers in Charge are required to execute all our Rules fully and strenuously against all frauds, and particularly against dishonest insolvencies, suffering none to remain in our Church on any account who are found guilty of any fraud.

¶ 256. To prevent scandal, when any Member of

the Church fails in business, or contracts debts which he is not able to pay, let two or three judicious Members of the Church inspect the accounts, contracts, and circumstances of the supposed delinquent; and if they judge that he has behaved dishonestly, or borrowed money without a probability of paying, let him be brought to trial, and, if found guilty, expelled.

VII. General Directions Concerning Trials.

¶ 257. In all cases of trial of Members let all witnesses for the Church be duly notified by the Preacher in Charge. The order concerning absent witnesses and witnesses from without shall be the same as that observed in the trial of Ministers. The accused shall have the right to call to his assistance as counsel any Member or Minister in good and regular standing in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

¶ 258. When the Quarterly Conference, sitting to hear Appeals, remands a case for a new trial, the Preacher in Charge shall proceed to try the accused Member again unless the charges are withdrawn.

¶ 259. In all cases requiring the accused Member to be expelled the Preacher in Charge shall pronounce the sentence of expulsion.

¶ 260. An expelled person shall have no privileges of Society or of the Sacraments in our Church without confession, contrition, and satisfactory reformation.

¶ 261. In all cases of trial and appeal it is improper for the Presiding Officer to deliver a charge to the Committee explaining the evidence and setting forth the merits of the case.

CHAPTER VI.

THE JUDICIAL CONFERENCE.

¶ 262. The several Annual Conferences shall, at each session, select seven Elders, men of experience and sound judgment in the affairs of the Church, who shall be known as Triers of Appeals.

¶ 263. When notice of Appeal is given to the President of an Annual Conference, he shall proceed, with due regard to the wishes and rights of the Appellant, to designate three Conferences conveniently near to that from which the Appeal is taken, whose Triers of Appeals shall constitute a Judicial Conference, and to fix the time and place of its session; he shall also give notice thereof to all concerned. When said Conference shall have assembled, it shall be competent to try Appeals which may be presented to it from any Conference conveniently near, due notice having been given to all concerned.

¶ 264. The Appellant shall have the right of peremptory challenge, yet so that the Triers of Appeals present, and ready to proceed with the hearing, shall not fall below thirteen, which number shall be required for a quorum.

¶ 265. A Bishop shall preside in the Judicial Conference, and shall decide all Questions of Law arising in its proceedings, subject to an appeal to the General Conference. The Conference shall appoint a Secretary, who shall keep a faithful record of all the proceedings, and shall, at the close of the trial, trans

mit the records made and the papers submitted in the case, or certified copies thereof, to the Secretary of the preceding General Conference, to be filed for review at the next General Conference. ¶ 271. But in all cases the papers submitted shall be returned by the Secretary of the Committee on Judiciary in the next General Conference to the Annual Conference of which the accused is a Member.

CHAPTER VII.

APPEALS OF MINISTERS.

¶ 266. In all cases of trial and conviction of Members of the Annual Conferences, an Appeal shall be allowed to a Judicial Conference, constituted as hereinbefore provided, if the condemned person signify his intention to appeal within three months of the time when he is informed of his conviction.

¶ 267. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Annual Conference carefully to preserve the minutes of the trial, whether before a Select Number or be fore the Conference, and all the documents relating to the case, together with the charge or charges, and the specification or specifications, which minutes and documents only, in case of an Appeal from the decision of an Annual Conference, shall be presented to the Judicial Conference in evidence in the case.

¶ 268. In all cases where an Appeal is made, and admitted by the Judicial Conference, the Appellant shall state, either personally or by his representative, the grounds of his Appeal, showing the reason why he appeals, and he shall be allowed to make his Appeal without interruption. After which the Repre