¶214. If a Bishop cease from traveling at large among the people without the consent of the General Conference he shall not thereafter exercise, in any degree, the Episcopal Office in our Church. 1215. In case there be no Bishop to travel at large through the Districts and exercise the Episcopal Office, on account of death or otherwise, the Districts shall be regulated in every respect, ordination excepted, by the Annual Conferences and the District Superintendents in the interval of the sessions of the General Conference. CHAPTER XII RETIRED BISHOPS I. General Superintendents 1216, § 1. A General Superintendent who has reached the age of seventy years may be released both from the obligation to travel through the Connection at large, and from that of residential supervision, by giving notice in writing to the Board of Bishops that he so elects; and when a General Superintendent has been released, in this manner, the Board of Bishops shall report the fact to the Book Committee and to the next General Conference. § 2. A General Superintendent, at the close of the General Conference nearest his seventy-third birthday, shall be released from the obligation to travel through the Connection at large, and from residential supervision. § 3. A General Superintendent at any age and for any reason deemed sufficient by the General Conference, may be released by that body from the obligation to travel through the Connection at large, and from residential supervision. II. Missionary Bishops ¶217, § 1. A Missionary Bishop who has reached the age of seventy years may be released from the obligation to travel through the Foreign Mission field for which he was elected, by giving notice in writing to the Board of Bishops, the Board of Foreign Missions, and the Book Committee; and when a Missionary Bishop has been released in this manner, the Board of Bishops shall report the fact to the next General Conference. § 2. A Missionary Bishop, at the close of the General Conference nearest his seventy-third birthday, shall be released from the obligation to travel through the Foreign Mission field for which he was elected. § 3. A Missionary Bishop, at any age and for any reason deemed sufficient by the General Conference, may be released by that body from the obligation to travel through the Foreign Mission field for which he was elected. III. General Provisions ¶ 218, § 1. A General Superintendent who has been released from the obligation to travel through the Connection at large in accordance with any of the foregoing provisions shall not preside thereafter over any Annual Conference, Mission Conference, or Mission, nor make appointments, nor preside at the Gen eral Conference, but may take the chair temporarily in any Conference if requested to do so by the Bishop presiding. He shall be an advisory member of the Board of Bishops. § 2. When a Missionary Bishop is released in any of the cases aforesaid, he shall not preside thereafter in any Conference nor make appointments. § 3. A General Superintendent or a Missionary Bishop who has been released under any of the foregoing provisions may continue to exercise all the rights and privileges which pertain to the Episcopal office, except as herein otherwise provided. § 4. The point of time midway between two General Conferences shall be deemed to fall at the division between May 15th and May 16th of the second calendar year following the year of the regular session of the General Conference. § 5. These provisions concerning the retirement of Bishops shall become effective at the beginning of the General Conference of 1916. |