the articles of incorporation provide that the Society shall be subject to the provision of the Discipline, and the usage and Ministerial appointments of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America, as from time to time authorized and declared by the General Conference of said Church, and the Annual Conference within whose bounds such corporation is situated, and that the secular affairs of such corporation shall be managed and controlled by a Board of Trustees elected and organized according to the provision of said Discipline. Let such article further provide that such corporation shall have power to acquire, hold, sell, and convey property, both real and personal. When this is done let all property acquired be deeded direct to the Society in its corporate name.

¶ 332. In States where Church property is required to be held by Trustees, let all deeds under which the Church acquires property, whether designed for Church or Parsonage purposes, be made to the Trustees, naming them and their successors in office, followed by these words: "In trust for the use and benefit of the Ministry and Membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America, subject to the Discipline, usage, and Ministerial appointment of said Church, as from time to time authorized and declared, and if sold the proceeds shall be disposed of and used in ac

cordance with the provisions of said Discipline.*

¶ 333. In all other parts of such Conveyances, as well as in their attestation, acknowledgment, and placing them upon the record, let a careful conformity be had to the laws, usages, and forms of the particular State or Territory in which the property may be situated, so as to secure the ownership of the premises in fee simple; and in no case shall the Trustees mortgage or encumber the real estate for the current expenses of the Church.

¶ 334. Whenever it shall become necessary for the payment of debts, or with a view to re-investment, to make a sale of Church property that may have been conveyed to Trustees or Church Corporation for either of the foregoing purposes, said Trustees or their successors may, upon application to the Quarterly Conference, obtain an order -a majority of all the members of such Quarterly Conference concurring, and the Preacher in Charge and the Presiding Elder of the District consenting-for the sale, with such limitations and restrictions as said Quarterly Conference may judge necessary; and said Trustees, so authorized, may sell and convey said property: provided, that in all cases the proceeds of the sale, after the payment of debts, if any, if not applied to the

* Forms for Incorporation, Deeds, etc., can be obtained from the Board of Church Extension.

purchase or improvement of other property for the same uses, and Deeded to the Corporation in the same manner, shall be held by such Corporation subject to the order of the Annual Conference within whose bounds such property is located, or to the Trustees of the Conference Fund; and in all cases where Church property is abandoned, or no longer used for the purpose originally designed, it shall be the duty of the Trustees, if any remain, to sell such property and pay over the proceeds to the Annual Conference within whose bounds it is located; and where no such lawful Trustees remain, it shall be the duty of said Annual Conference to secure the custody of such Church property by such means as the laws of the State may afford, subject to be returned in the same manner and upon the same contingencies as named in ¶ 327.

¶ 335. Houses of worship and dwellings for the use of Preachers may be removed from one place to another on the same conditions on which the same may be sold.

Building Churches.

¶ 336. Let all our churches be built plain and decent, and with free seats wherever practicable; but not more expensive than is absolutely unavoidable.

¶ 337. In order more effectually to prevent

our people from contracting debts which they are not able to discharge, it shall be the duty of the Quarterly Conference of every Circuit and Station where it is contemplated to build a house or houses of worship to secure the ground or lot on which such house or houses are to be built, according to our Deed of Settlement, which Deed must be legally executed; and also said Quarterly Conference shall appoint a judicious Committee of at least three members of our Church, who shall form an estimate of the amount necessary to build; and three fourths of the money, according to such estimate, shall be secured or subscribed before any such building shall be commenced.

1338. In all cases where debts for building houses of worship have been, or may be, incurred contrary to or in disregard of the above recommendation, our members and friends are requested to discountenance such a course by declining to give pecuniary aid to all Agents who shall travel abroad beyond their own Circuits or Districts for the collection of funds for the discharge of such debts: except in such peculiar cases as may be approved by an Annual Conference, or such Agents as may be appointed by their authority.

T339. In future we will admit no Charter, Deed, or Conveyance for any house of worship to be used by us, unless it be provided in such Char

ter, Deed, or Conveyance that the Trustees of said house shall at all times permit such Ministers and Preachers belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church as shall from time to time be duly authorized by the General Conference of our Church, or by the Annual Conferences, to preach and expound therein God's holy word, and to execute the Discipline of the Church, and to administer the Sacraments therein, according to the true meaning and purport of our Deed of Settle

ment.

Building and Renting Houses for the Use of Traveling Preachers.

¶ 340. It is recommended by the General Conference to the Traveling Preachers to advise our friends in general to purchase a lot of ground in each Charge, and to build a Preacher's house thereon, and to furnish it with, at least, heavy furniture.

T 341. The General Conference recommends to all the Charges, in cases where they are not able to comply with the above request, to rent a house for the married Preacher and his family, when such are stationed upon the Charges respectively, and that the Annual Conferences do assist to make up the rents of such houses as far as they can, when the Circuit cannot do it. T342. The Stewards in each Circuit and