267. VI. In the case of the death or disability of a Chairman during the year, the Financial Secretary shall call a meeting of the members of the District, who shall elect, by ballot, one of their number, being a member of the Confer ence, as Chairman until the ensuing Conference.

SECTION IV.

Superintendents of Circuits and their Duties.

268. The Superintendent is the Minister on each Circuit and Mission, who is appointed from time to time to take charge of the Societies therein.

269. I. It is the duty of the Superintendent to take the oversight of all the Ministers and Probationers for the Ministry in his Circuit or Mission.

270. II. To renew the Tickets quarterly in the Classes; and to enquire, when necessary, at the renewal of Tickets, what each member can give for the support of the Ministry of the Circuit. To see that the rule in regard to weekly and quarterly contributions, and other financial regulations, are observed in all our Societies as far as possible; and that each Leader receives the weekly contribution from his Class. To see that all Public Collections in aid of the Circuit, or of the Connexional Funds, be regularly made in each Congregation of the Circuit. To appoint a person to receive the Quarterly Collection in the Classes, if necessary.

271. III. To hold Quarterly Meetings; to preside in all Official Meetings of the Circuit in the absence of the Chairman, and to make all nominations to office. It shall be considered as a principle in Methodist Discipline that no court shall be recognized as Methodistic in which the Superintendent of the Circuit or Mission, or his Colleague,

does not preside. To receive, try, and expel members, according to Discipline; and to give due notice to the Chairman of the District in all cases of appeal. To execute all our rules fully and strenuously against all frauds, and particularly against dishonest insolvencies, suffering none to remain in the Church on any account who are found guilty of any fraud. To explain and enforce the General Rules of the Church, which should be understood to prohibit our people from giving any countenance to card-playing or dancing. To enforce vigorously, but calmly, all the Rules of the Society.

272. IV. To meet the Stewards and Leaders regularly; and examine the accounts of all the Stewards. To appoint all the Leaders, and change them when he sees it necessary, but not contrary to the wish of the Class, or without consulting the Leaders' Meeting. To make strict inquiry in the Leaders' Meeting, before the Fourth Quarterly Official Meeting, and where there is no such meeting, then in the Fourth Quarterly Official Meeting, into the moral character of all the Leaders. To license such persons as he may think proper to officiate as Exhorters, provided no person shall be so licensed without consulting the Stewards' and Leaders Meeting, or Quarterly Official Meeting of the Circuit in which the person proposed resides. To make a plan of appointments for the Ministers, the Probationers for the Ministry, Local Preachers, and Exhorters on the Circuit, with the counsel of the Local Preachers' Meeting, or of the Quarterly Official Meeting where there is no Local Preachers' Meeting. To invite and earnestly urge the attendance and assistance of the Recording Stewards and other Lay Representatives at the District Meetings, according to rule.

273. V. To hold Watchnights and Lovefeasts; but no Lovefeast shall last longer than an hour and a half. To appoint

Prayer Meetings wherever he can in his Circuit, and to see that a Fast be observed in every Society on the Friday preceding every Quarterly Meeting. To see that the General Rules are read once a year in every congregation, and occasionally in each Society, by himself or his colleague; and that the Pastoral Address of the Annual Conference be read to all the Societies on his Circuit. To take care that every Society be duly supplied with books; and to urge upon all who are admitted into our Church to read attentively our General Rules, the Second Catechism, and other Methodist works.

274. VI. To transmit to the Chairman his Quarterly Schedule, with such remarks as will furnish a full account of the state of the work under his charge. To take an exact account of the number of members in Society, and report the same to the Fourth Quarterly Official Meeting; also report the same to the Annual District Meeting, with the number of members who have been received on trial, or by ticket, and of those who have removed, died, or ceased to be members, or have been separated from, or added to the Circuit by the alteration of its boundaries; also the Report of the Sabbath-schools of his Circuit, as required by the Discipline; and, if a Superintendent of a Mission, to prepare a report of the religious state of his Mission, and read it in the Annual District Meeting, subject to the revision of that Meeting. To leave for his successor a Circuit Book, containing a perfect list of all the official members, and also an exact list of the names of all the members in his Circuit, arranged in their classes, as found at the Fourth Quarterly Official Meeting of the year.

275. VII. To remind members, from time to time, that none are to remove from one Circuit to another without a a certificate of membership from the Superintendent of the

Circuit, and to warn them that without such certificate they will not be received into the Church in other places; and also to forward a duplicate copy of such certificate by mail to the Superintendent of the Circuit to which they may be removing.

276. VIII. To make application in the classes and to our friends on behalf of the Superannuation Fund, during the months of November and December, and to make a public collection for the same object in the months of November and December, paying the moneys thus received to the Financial Secretary, in time for transmission to the Treasurers of the Superannuation Fund on or before the first day of January.

To sce that collections are taken up for our Connexional Funds at the following times, viz. :

Contingent Fund, in the months of September and March. Educational Fund and Missionary Society, as arranged by the Financial District Meeting. General Conference Fund Collection, at such time as the Annual Conference may direct.

To carry out the arrangements made by the Financial District Meeting in regard to the Missionary and Educa tional work on his Circuit. To pay promptly to the appointed Treasurers all money collected for the several Funds at the times directed by Conference.

CHAPTER V.

THE MINISTRY.

SECTION I.

Of the Examination of those who think they are moved by the Holy Ghost to preach.

277. In order that we may try those who profess to be moved by the Holy Ghost to preach, let the following questions be asked, namely :—

278. I. Do they know God as a pardoning God? Have they the love of God abiding in them? Do they desire nothing but God? And are they holy in all manner of conversation?

279. II. Have they gifts as well as grace for the work? Have they a clear, sound understanding; a right judgment in the things of God; a just conception of salvation by faith? And has God given them an acceptable way speaking? Do they speak justly, readily, clearly

280. III. Have they fruit? Are any truly convinced of sin, and converted to God by their preaching?