4. Number habitually absent.

5. Number of Class Meetings held.

6. Number who contribute to the support of the Church.

7. Number of visits made.

8. Number of heads of families in the Class, and what proportion of them observe family worship.

9. Number of Church Papers taken by Class Members.

10. Miscellaneous matters.

§2. Let each Leader be careful to inquire how every member of his Class prospers; not only how each person outwardly observes the Rules, but how he grows in the knowledge and love of God.

§3. Let the Leaders converse with those who have the charge of their Circuits and Stations frequently and freely.

¶ 47. In order to render our Class Meetings interesting and profitable, 1. Remove improper Leaders. 2. See that all the Leaders be of sound judgment and truly devoted to God.

¶48. In the arrangement of Class Meetings two or more Classes may meet together, and be carried on according to such plan as shall be agreed upon by the Leaders in concurrence with the Preacher in Charge.

¶ 49. Let care be observed that they do not fall into formality through the use of a uniform method. Let speaking be voluntary or the exer

cises conversational, the Leader taking such measures as may best assist in making the services fresh, spiritual, and of permanent religious profit.

150. Let the Leaders be directed to such a course of reading and study as shall best qualify them for their work; especially let such books be recommended as will tend to increase their knowledge of the Scriptures and make them familiar with those passages best adapted to Christian edification. Whenever practicable let the Preachers examine the Leaders in the studies recommended.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

51. Let every adult person, and the parents of every child to be baptized, have the choice of either sprinkling, pouring, or immersion.

152. We will on no account whatever make a charge for administering Baptism, or for burying the dead.

153. Let persons who have scruples concerning the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper kneeling, be permitted to receive it either standing or sitting.

154. No person shall be admitted to the Lord's Supper among us who is guilty of any practice for which we would exclude a Member of our Church.

PART II.

GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER I.

THE CONFERENCES.

The General Conference.

The

T55. The General Conference shall be composed of Ministerial and Lay Delegates. Ministerial Delegates shall consist of one Delegate for every forty-five Members of each Annual Conference, to be appointed either by seniority or choice at the discretion of such Annual Confer ence, yet so that such Representatives shall have traveled at least four full calendar years from the time that they were received on Trial by an Annual Conference, and are in Full Connection at the time of holding the Conference.*

1 56. The Lay Delegates shall consist of two Laymen for each Annual Conference, except such

* A Transferred Preacher shall not be counted twice in the same year in the basis of the election of Delegates to the General Conference, nor vote for Delegates to the General Conference in any Annual Conference where he is not counted as a part of the basis of representation, nor vote twice the same year on any constitutional question.

Conferences as have but one Ministerial Delegate, which Conferences shall each be entitled to one Lay Delegate.

¶ 57. The Lay Delegates shall be chosen by an Electoral Conference of Laymen, which shall assemble for the purpose on the third day of the session of the Annual Conference, at the place of its meeting, at its session immediately preceding that of the General Conference.

58. The Electoral Conference shall be composed of one Layman from each Circuit or Station within the bounds of the Annual Conference, such Layman to be chosen by the last Quarterly Conference preceding the time of the assembling of such Electoral Conference; and on assembling, the Electoral Conference shall organize by electing a Chairman and Secretary of its own number; provided, that no Layman shall be chosen a Delegate either to the Electoral Conference or to the General Conference who shall be under twentyfive years of age, or who shall not have been a Member of the Church in Full Connection for the five consecutive years preceding the elections.*

*The Secretaries of the several Annual and Electoral Conferences shall send to the Secretary of the last General Conference a certified copy of the election of Delegates and Reserves to the next General Conference, in the order of their election, as soon after the election as practicable, so that a roll of Members and Reserves may be prepared for the opening of the next General Conference.

59. The General Conference shall meet on the first day of May, in the year of our Lord 1812, in the City of New York, and thenceforward on the first day of May once in four years perpetually, in such place or places as shall be fixed on by the General Conference from time to time; but the General Superintendents, or a majority of them, by and with the advice of two thirds of all the Annual Conferences, shall have power to call an extra session of the General Conference at any time, to be constituted in the usual way. But if there shall be no General Superintendent, then two thirds of all the Annual Conferences shall have power to call such extra session.

¶ 60. At all times when the General Conference is met it shall take two thirds of the whole number of Ministerial and Lay Delegates to form a quorum for transacting business.

¶ 61. The Ministerial and Lay Delegates shall deliberate and vote together as one body; but they · shall vote separately whenever such separate vote shall be demanded by one third of either Order; and in such cases the concurrent vote of both Orders shall be necessary to complete an action.

¶ 62. One of the General Superintendents shall preside in the General Conference; but in case no General Superintendent be present, the General Conference shall choose a president pro tempore.

¶ 63. The General Conference shall have full power to make Rules and Regulations for our