Central Mission Conferences.

¶ 378. When in any of our Foreign Mission fields there is more than one Annual Conference or Mission, or more than one form of Methodism, it shall be lawful, either by order of the General Conference or by a majority vote of all the Conferences or Missions wishing to unite, with the written call of the Bishop having Episcopal Supervision of the field, to organize a Central Conference, to be composed either of all the members of those Annual Conferences or Missions, or of representatives from the same, elected according to such ratio as may be agreed upon between the constituent parties, who may also provide for the admission of Laymen to such Conference, the number of Lay Delegates not to exceed that of the Clerical Delegates.

§ 1. The first meeting of the Central Conference shall be called by the Bishop in charge, at such time and place as he may select, to which all the Members of the Conferences and Missions concerned shall be invited, and at which a ratio of representation shall be fixed by the Conference. The time and place of future meetings shall be determined by the Conference, provided it shall meet at least once in two years.

§ 2. A Bishop, if present, shall preside over the Conference; but in his absence the Conference shall elect a President from among its own Members.

§ 3. This Conference may take under its supervision the Educational, Publishing, and such other Connectional interests and work as may be committed to it by the Annual Conferences or Missions; but never in contravention of the Book of Discipline, or Rules of the General Conference; and it shall have no authority to involve the Missionary Society in any financial responsibility, nor to hold or control the property of the Society without the official permission of said Society.

§ 4. The right shall be reserved to vote by Conferences or Missions whenever one third of either Conference or Mission shall so demand. In such cases the concurrent vote of all the Conferences and Missions shall be necessary to complete an action.

§ 5. When a Central Conference has been duly organized, the Annual Conferences or Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church shall not have authority to discontinue the organization except by order of the General Conference.

§ 6. The Journal of the proceedings of this Central Conference, duly signed by the President and Secretary, shall be sent to the General Conference for its consideration.

202

PART V.-CHAPTER IV.

CHURCH EXTENSION.

Parent and Conference Boards.

T379. There shall be a Board of Church Extension, consisting of thirty-two Ministers and thirty-two Laymen, to be chosen by the General Conference, and to be duly incorporated according to law. with such powers and prerogatives as may be needful to the objects of its appointment; said Board to be subject to the control of the General Conference. The Bishops shall be exofficio Members of the Board.

¶ 380. The term of service of the Members of the Board shall begin on the second Wednesday in June following their appointment, and continue during the ensuing four years, and until their successors shall be duly chosen and have entered upon their duties, unless otherwise ordered by the General Conference. If a vacancy should occur by death, resignation, or otherwise, during the interval between the sessions of the General Committee, the Board shall have power to fill the vacancy.

T 381. The Officers of the Board shall be a President, five Vice-Presidents, a Corresponding

Secretary, with such Assistants as the General Committee of Church Extension may authorize and appoint, a Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer, all of whom, except the Corresponding Secretary and Assistants, shall be elected by the Board at the first regular meeting in November of each year.

¶ 382. The Corresponding Secretary shall be appointed by the General Conference, and shall be a member of such Conference as he, with the approval of the Bishops, may select. He shall, under the provisions of the Discipline and the directions of the General Committee and of the Board, conduct its correspondence, and shall, in all his official conduct, be subject to the authority and control of the Board, by whom his salary shall be fixed and paid. He shall be exclusively employed in conducting the affairs of the Board, and, under its direction, in promoting its general interest, by traveling or otherwise. Should a vacancy occur by death, resignation, or otherwise, the Board shall have power to provide for the duties of the office until the Bishops, or a majority of them, shall fill the vacancy.

¶ 383. An assistant Corresponding Secretary, or more than one, may be appointed at any time by the General Committee, on the nomination of the Bishops; which Secretary or Secretaries shall receive such salary, and render such service, as the Board may determine.

T 384. The Board shall hold its meetings in the city of Philadelphia. It shall have power to make By-laws for the regulation of its own proceedings, not in conflict with the Charter, the Discipline, or the directions of the General Committee; to provide for and administer a Loan Fund; to establish and administer an Annuity Fund, either in connection with, or separate from, the Loan Fund, as it may deem wise; to take and hold in trust for the Methodist Episcopal Church any real or personal property; to dispose of the same for the use and benefit of the Church, and generally to do all and singular the matters and things which shall be necessary and lawful in the execution of its trusts; provided, however, that all amounts received on Loan Fund shall be used only for loans on adequate security; and provided, further, that the aggregate amount of interest and annuities payable shall never be allowed to exceed the aggregate amount of interest receivable; and, provided, also, that an equitable proportion of the expenses of administration of the business of the Board shall be charged to and defrayed out of the interest received on the loans made by the Board from the Loan Fund and the Annuity Fund respectively.

¶ 385. The Board shall also have authority to provide and recommend a uniform plan for the organization of Local Boards of Church Exten