having charge. Should a second transgression take place, one, two, or three members of the Church are to be taken as witnesses. If he be not then cured, he shall be tried at the next District or Quarterly Conference, and, if found guilty and impenitent, he shall be expelled from the Church.

T 222. When a Local Elder, Deacon, or Preacher fails in business, or contracts debts which he is not able to pay, let the Preacher in Charge appoint three judicious members of the Church to inspect the accounts, contracts, and circumstances of the supposed delinquent; and if, in their opinion, he has behaved dishonestly, or contracted debts without the probability of paying, let the case be disposed of according to ¶ 219.

Trial of an Accused Member.

I. FOR IMMORAL CONDUCT.

T223. An accused member shall be brought to trial before a Committee of not less than five, who shall not be members of the Quarterly Conference, (and, if the Preacher judge it necessary, he may

select the Committee from any part of the District,) in the presence of the Preacher in Charge, who shall preside in the trial, and cause exact minutes of the evidence and proceedings in the case to be taken. In the selection of the Committee the parties may challenge for cause.

¶ 224. If the accused person be found guilty, by the decision of a majority of the Committee, and the crime be such as is expressly forbidden by the word of God, sufficient to exclude a person from the kingdom of grace and glory, let the Preacher in Charge expel him.

T225. If the accused person, after sufficient notice given him, shall refuse or neglect to appear before the Committee, he may be tried in his absence, and if found guilty he shall be expelled.

II. IMPRUDENT AND UNCHRISTIAN CON

DUCT.

T 226. In cases of neglect of duties of any kind, imprudent conduct, indulging sinful tempers or words, the buying, selling, or using intoxicating liquors as a beverage, signing petitions in favor of granting license for the sale of intoxicating liquors, becoming bondsmen

for persons engaged in such traffic, renting property as the place in or on which to manufacture or sell intoxicating liquors, dancing, playing at games of chance, attending theaters, horse-races, circuses, dancing. parties, or patronizing dancing-schools, or taking such other amusements as are obviously of misleading or questionable moral tendency, or disobedience to the Order and Discipline of the Church; first, let private reproof be given by a Preacher or Leader, and if there be an acknowledgment of the fault, and proper humiliation, the person may be borne with. On a second offense, the Preacher or Leader may take one or two discreet members of the Church. On a third offense, let him be brought to trial, and if found guilty, and there be no sign of real humiliation, he shall be expelled.

III. NEGLECT OF THE MEANS OF GRACE.

1227. When members of our Church habitually neglect the means of grace, such as the public worship of God, the Supper of the Lord, family and private prayer, searching the Scriptures, classmeetings and prayer-meetings,—

§ 1. Let the Elder, Deacon, or one of the Preachers, visit them whenever it is practicable, and explain to them the consequence if they continue to neglect.

§ 2. If they do not amend, let him who has the charge of the Circuit or Station bring their case before the Society, or a Committee of not less than five, before which they shall have been cited to appear. And, if they be found guilty of willful neglect, by a decision of a majority of the members before whom the case is brought, let them be excluded.

IV. FOR DISSENSION.

T 228. 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 reproved by the Preacher in Charge, and if he persists in such pernicious practice he shall be brought to trial, and if found guilty, expelled.

V. DISAGREEMENT IN BUSINESS AND NONPAYMENT OF DEBTS.

¶ 229. On any disagreement between two or more members of our Church con

cerning business transactions, which cannot be settled by the parties, the Preacher in Charge shall inquire into the circumstances of the case, and shall recommend to the parties a reference, consisting of two arbiters chosen by the plaintiff and two chosen by the defendant, which four arbiters so chosen shall nominate a fifth; the five arbiters being members of our Church. The Preacher in Charge shall preside, and the forms of trial shall be observed.

¶ 230. If either party refuse to abide their judgment he shall be brought to trial, and if he fail to show sufficient cause for such refusal he shall be expelled.

¶ 231. If any member of our Church shall refuse, in case of debt or other disputes, to refer the matter to arbitration when recommended 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.