immediately, without debate; and if the pending question shall be an amendment or a substitute, and shall be rejected, the President shall then put the main question, and the vote shall be taken on that, without debate. The Rules of Order of the last united General Conference in 1844, were adopted by the first General Conference of this Church in 1846, and in 1850, and in 1854. In 1858, after an attempt to amend the fourth rule had failed, the same rules were adopted. May 11, the Conference added a new rule-the seventeenth—as it now counts; a motion to amend it by substituting "two-thirds" for "a majority" was lost. The rules of 1858 were adopted in 1866. The proviso to the seventh has been added since 1850. Frequent changes have been made in the first, as to the times of meeting and adjourning. In 1870 the Rules were reädopted, with a change of "two-thirds" for a "majority," in the last rule. CHAPTER X. FORMS OF OFFICIAL PAPERS. THE following Forms are prepared for those who may find it convenient to use them. NO. I.-CERTIFICATE OF A MEMBER. The bearer hereof, A- B-, has been an acceptable member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in C Station, [Circuit, or Mission,] GConference. J. E. EPreacher in Charge. Columbus, Ga., Jan. 2, 187—. NO. II. CERTIFICATE OF AN EXHORTER OR LOCAL PREACHER. The bearer hereof, NM, has been an authorized exhorter [or local preacher, or deacon, or elder] of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in R——— Station, [Circuit, or Mission,] G―― District, T— Conference. R. A—, P. E., or, L. M. L Galveston, Texas, Jan. 3, 187-. NO. III.—EXHORTER'S LICENSE. The bearer hereof, J. T―, having been duly recommended, and having been examined by the Quarterly Conference of Circuit, [Station, or Mission,] of · District, of odist Episcopal Church, South, is hereby authorized to exhort, according to the rules and regulations of said Church. Annual Conference of the Meth Signed, in behalf of said Quarterly Conference, Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 1, 187-. NO. IV. LOCAL PREACHER'S LICENSE. The bearer hereof, J. H—, having been duly recommended, and having been examined, as the Discipline directs, by the Quarterly Conference of Circuit, [Station, or Mission,] of District, of Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, is hereby authorized to preach the gospel, according to the rules and regulations of said Church. Signed, in behalf of said Quarterly Conference, T. P, Sec. St. Louis, Mo., June 1, 187-. The license, upon inquiry into the gifts, grace, and usefulness of the bearer, may be annually renewed. Upon the renewal, a new paper may be issued, or the old one indorsed after this manner: "Renewed, by order of the Quarterly Conference, Dec. 2, 187-. P. E." The Discipline requires that all votes to license preachers shall be taken by ballot. Whenever any elder, deacon, or licentiate shall remove from one circuit or station to another, he shall procure from the Presiding Elder of the District, or from the preacher having charge, a certificate of his official standing in the Church at the time of his removal, without which he shall not be received as a local preacher in other places. (Discipline.) ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, to be DEAR FATHERS AND BRETHREN: J. W. B—, having been for years consecutively a local preacher, and having been duly examined by the Quarterly ConferCircuit, [Station, or Mission,] of ence of trict, of -Dis Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, is hereby recommended as a suitable person to be ordained deacon. Signed, in behalf of said Quarterly Conference, W. H. F, Sec. New Orleans, La., Oct. 4, 187-. J. C. K, P. E. The Discipline requires that all votes to recommend preachers for deacon's orders shall be taken by ballot. "To recommend suitable candidates to the Annual Conferences for deacon's or elder's orders, in the local connection." Nor shall any one be recommended "for ordination without first being examined in the Quarterly Conference on the subject of doctrines and discipline, and giving satisfactory evidence of his knowledge of the ordinary branches of an English education." (Duties of Quarterly Conferences.) ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, to be held at Dec. 8, 187-. DEAR FATHERS AND BRETHREN: H. P. L—, having been a local preacher years consecutively from the time he was ordained deacon, and having been duly examined by the Quarterly Conference of Circuit, [Station, or Mission,] of District, of Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, is hereby recommended as a suitable person, and qualified by talents and usefulness, and his knowledge of doctrine and discipline, to be ordained elder. Signed, in behalf of said Quarterly Conference, J. W. H—————, Sec. Richmond, Va., Nov. 2, 187-. To the above should be appended a certificate to the follow ing effect: "This certifies that I believe in the doctrine and discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. "Signed, "Richmond, Va., Nov. 2, 187-." H. P. L. The Discipline directs that the local deacon shall, if he cannot attend, send to the Annual Conference, along with his recommendation, "a note certifying his belief in the doctrine and discipline of our Church-the whole being examined by the Annual Conference." It is recommended, for obvious rea sons, that in all cases his signature be appended to a note like the above, whether he expects to attend or not. The Discipline requires that all votes to recommend preschers for elder's orders shall be taken by ballot. |