be determined by the Board, due notice thereof hav ing been given. This Board shall be incorporated, and shall elect all necessary officers and an executive committee. Said General Deaconess Board shall have control of all the Deaconesses in the Methodist Episcopal Church, but shall not disturb the property rights of any organization or local institution. The Board shall prescribe the Course of Study and shall have appellate authority on questions arising between institutions and individuals.

§ 3. The General Deaconess Board, with the consent of the Annual Conference, shall have power to authorize the establishment of any Deaconess Home or Institution in which Deaconesses are maintained or employed. During the interim between Annual Conference sessions, any such work may be commenced by the authority of the General Deaconess Board, with the consent of the Annual Conference Deaconess Board. The General Deaconess Board shall satisfy itself that there is evident need of the proposed institution in the locality designated; that it would not be likely to affect unfavorably any existing institution; that there is good prospect for its adequate support, and that its property, of whatever form, is not financially encumbered.

¶ 225, § 1. To increase the interest of the Preachers and people in the Deaconess Work, it is recommended that the General Deaconess Board publish in our Church papers each year a report or statement in behalf of this cause and a reference to the Relief Funds. This Board may also authorize conventions and other general meetings for the promotion of Deaconess Work.

§ 2. All questions of difference arising between

institutions or societies in the administration of Deaconess Work shall be presented in writing to the General Deaconess Board, at the earliest date practicable. The final determination shall be with the Board.

§ 3. The Deaconess being entitled to a suitable support, the General Deaconess Board shall fix the maximum allowance, and the support shall be as uniform as practicable throughout the Church.

§ 4. The General Deaconess Board shall have general supervision of all deaconess work throughout the Church, and shall approve general rules for the government of Deaconess Homes and other Deaconess institutions, and also for the government of all Deaconesses, however maintained or employed.

5. The General Deaconess Board shall adopt a distinctive garb to be worn by all Deaconesses throughout the Church for their designation and for the protection of themselves and the office. It also shall adopt a distinctive garb to be worn by candidates during their probation. This Board shall secure legal protection of this garb as the distinctive dress for Deaconesses of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

§ 6. Each form of Deaconess Administration shall be free to employ secretaries in the interest of Deaconess Work, and determine their duties.

7. The German Central Deaconess Board may appoint a Superintendent of the German Methodist Deaconess Work in America, provided that such appointment shall be made without expense or financial responsibility to the General Conference, and shall in no wise conflict with the provisions of this chapter.

IV. In Foreign Fields

¶ 226, § 1. In the foreign fields under the supervision of General Superintendents there may be a Board composed of the Superintendent in charge and four other members to be nominated by the Board of Bishops and elected quadrennially by the General Conference.

§ 2. In a mission field which is under the supervision of Missionary Bishops there may be a Board composed of the Missionary Bishops of that field and four other members, two at large and two from the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, to be nominated by the said Missionary Bishops and elected quadrennially by the General Conference.

§ 3. These Boards are authorized to exercise within their respective fields the functions of the General Deaconess Board as provided herein. Vacancies shall be filled by the Bishop having jurisdiction over the field where the vacancy occurs.

V. Conference Deaconess Board

¶ 227, § 1. In each Annual Conference a Conference Deaconess Board of nine members, of whom at least three shall be women, shall be appointed by the Conference, the members to serve for three years; the election to be so arranged that three members shall be chosen each year.

§ 2. The Conference Deaconess Board is authorized to license Deaconesses; to transfer Deaconesses on the recommendation of the local Board of a Deaconess institution, or of the governing body of any one of the three forms of Deaconess Administration. It

shall encourage and promote the establishment and support of Deaconess institutions, as it deems wise within the limits of the Conference. It shall see that all Charters, Deeds, and other Conveyances of the property of Deaconess institutions conform strictly to the Discipline, and to the laws, usages, and forms of the State or Territory within which such property is situated; that all property be well insured, and that the Disciplinary regulations for such property shall be observed.

§ 3. The Local Board of Management of Deaconess institutions shall report to the Conference Deaconess Board the number of Deaconesses connected with each institution, and how employed, the amount of money received and expended, and such other information as may be desired. Said Local Board shall have authority to assign the Deaconesses under its control to their respective fields of labor, subject to the approval of the Conference Board.

§ 4. The Conference Deaconess Board shall report to the Annual Conference at its session all information furnished by Local Boards of Management, and such other information as may be requested by the Annual Conference. It shall also annually report the same information to the General Deaconess Board. It shall secure the public presentation of this cause during the session of the Annual Conference.

VI. Regulations for Deaconesses

¶ 228, § 1. The Deaconess License may be given only to a candidate who is unmarried and over twenty-three years of age, provided that she be rec

ommended by the Quarterly Conference of the Church of which she is a member; that she present a certificate of good health from a reputable physician; and that when coming from a Deaconess Home, or other recognized Deaconess institution, she present a recommendation from the superintendent or manager of the same. She must have given two years of continuous probationary service; but two years of satisfactory study in a training school, or two years of service in a hospital, or two years divided between the training school and the hospital may be counted as an equivalent of these years of probationary service. She must have passed an examination satisfactory to the Annual Conference Board, as to her religious qualifications, and her knowledge of the Course of Study prescribed for Deaconesses by the General Deaconess Board.

§ 2. The Conference Board may license women thus prepared and recommended, and when so licensed they are entitled to consecration as Deaconesses according to the Order of Service prescribed by the Discipline. The consecration shall take place at the session of the Annual Conference whenever practicable; in other cases, at such place and time as the Conference Board shall determine.

§ 3. No woman shall be recognized or employed as a Deaconess of the Methodist Episcopal Church who fails to comply with the Disciplinary requirements. Each Deaconess shall wear the prescribed distinctive garb; and the wearing of this distinctive Deaconess garb by a member of the Church, who is not entitled to wear it, shall be regarded as a violation of our Order and Discipline.

§ 4. The annual renewal of the License of a Deacon