to elect for the Elder's office sooner, if they judge it expedient. ¶ 173. When a Preacher shall have passed his examination, and been admitted into Full Connection, and elected to the office of a Deacon, but fails of his ordination through the absence of the Bishop, his eligibility to the office of Elder shall run from the time of his election to the office of a Deacon. The Election of Traveling Deacons and their Duty. ¶ 174. A Traveling Deacon is constituted by the election of a majority of the Annual Conference, and the laying on of the hands of a Bishop. ¶ 175. The duty of a Traveling Deacon is-1. To administer Baptism and to solemnize Matrimony. 2. To assist the Elder in administering the Lord's Supper. 3. To do all the duties of a Traveling Preacher. ¶ 176. Whenever a Preacher on Trial shall be appointed by a Bishop to a mission, or a chaplaincy in the army or navy, or in reformatory, sanitary, or charitable institutions, or prisons, he may, if elected by an Annual Conference, with the approbation of a Bishop, be ordained by him before his probation ends. T 177. No Deacon who ceases to travel without the consent of the Annual Conference, certified under the hand of the President of the Conference, except in cases of sickness, debility, or other unavoidable circumstances, shall on any ac count exercise the peculiar functions of his office, or even be allowed to preach, among us: nevertheless, the final determination in all such cases is with the Annual Conference. The Duties of those who have the Charge of Circuits or Stations. ¶ 178. The duties of the Elder, Deacon, or Preacher who has the special charge of a Circuit, are, § 1. To have the oversight of the other Preachers in his Circuit or Station. § 2. To renew the tickets for the admission of members into Love-feasts quarterly. §3. To appoint all the Leaders, to change them when he sees it necessary, and to examine each of them, with all possible exactness, at least once a quar ter, concerning his method of meeting a class. § 4. To receive, try, and expel members, according to the Form of Discipline. § 5. To hold Watch-nights and Love feasts. § 6. To hold Quarterly Meetings in the absence of the Presiding Elder, and to see that the Stewards provide unfermented wine for use in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper whenever practicable. § 7. To take care that every Society be duly supplied with books and Methodist literature. § 8. To hold a meeting of all the Leaders and Stewards of the Charge, to be denominated the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting, as often as practicable, in order to inquire, 1. Are there any sick? 2. Are there any requiring temporal relief? 3. Are there any who walk disorderly and will not be reproved? 4. Are there any who willfully neglect the means of grace? 5. Are any changes to be made in the classes? 6. Are there any probationers to be recommended for reception into full connection? 7. Are there any to be recom mended for license to exhort or to preach? 8. What amount has been received for the support of the Pastor or Pastors? 9. Is there any miscellaneous business? § 9. To catechise the children publicly in the Sunday-school and at special incetings appointed for that purpose. It shall also be the duty of each Preacher, in his report to each Quarterly Conference, to state to what extent he has publicly or privately catechised the children of his Charge. § 10. To form classes for the instruction of the larger children, youth, and adults in the word of God, and to attend to all the duties prescribed for the training of children. § 11. To give an account of his Circuit every quarter to his Presiding Elder. 12. To make a written report at each Quarterly Conference, as follows, namely: QUARTERLY REPORT Of the Preacher in Charge of the -Quarterly Conference, held at 18-. Number of Sunday - schools within the bounds of the Charge.... ....... State of Sunday-schools within the bounds of the Charge.. Average attendance.... Number of scholars fifteen years of age and over...... Average attendance.. I have preachedcatechised them times to the children, and times during the quarter. Classes of Children formed for Religious Instruction... Received into Full Membership. Excluded from the Church Received by Letter.. Dismissed by Letter.. Deceased during the Quarter.. Withdrawn from the Church.. The following Pastoral labor has been bestowed: ...... Benevolent Collections during the quarter, as follows: Missionary.... Church Extension. Tract...... Sunday-school..... Other objects, namely. |