ADMITTING ON TRIAL AND INTO FULL CONNECTION.
ELECTION TO DEACON'S AND ELDER'S ORDERS.
I. ADMITTING PREACHERS ON TRIAL
Ques. How is a preacher to be admitted on trial into the traveling
connection?
Ans. 1. By the Annual Conference. In the interval of the Conference, he
may be received and employed in the work by a Bishop, or the Presiding
Elder of the District, until the sitting of the Conference.
2. No one shall be admitted on trial unless he procures a recommendation
from the Quarterly Conference; nor shall a vote be taken upon the
admission of any candidate who shall not have passed an approved
examination upon the course of study prescribed by the Bishops, before a
committee appointed by the Bishop for the purpose.
3. The Annual Conference may then admit him as a probationer by a vote
of the majority. Observe taking on trial is entirely different from
admitting a preacher into full connection. One on trial may be, either
admitted or rejected without doing him any wrong; otherwise it would be
no trial at all.
II. ADMITTING PREACHERS INTO FULL CONNECTION
Ques. Who shall be admitted into the Conference in full connection?
Ans. 1. No one except a preacher who has been employed two successive
years in the regular itinerant work, (which is to commence from his
being admitted on trial at the Annual Conference,) and who is approved
by the Annual Conference.
2. Before any preacher is admitted into full connection, he shall have
passed an approved examination upon the Course of Study prescribed by
the Bishops for candidates for the ministry; and in no case shall a vote
be taken to admit any one until he is recommended by the examining
committee.
3. A missionary employed on a foreign mission may be admitted into full
connection, if recommended by the superintendent of the mission where he
labors, without being present at the Annual Conference for examination.
Ques. 2. What method do we use in admitting a preacher into full
connection at the Conference?
Ans. After solemn fasting and prayer, every person proposed shall then
be asked before the Conference the following questions, (with any,
others which may be thought necessary), namely: Have you faith in
Christ? Are you going on to perfection? Are you groaning after it? Are
you resolved to devote yourself wholly to God and his work? Are you
willing to conform to the Discipline of the Church? Will you diligently
instruct the children in every place? Will you visit from house to
house? Will you recommend fasting, or abstinence, both by precept and
example? Will you especially observe the following directions?—
1. Be diligent. Never be unemployed. Never be triflingly employed.
Never trifle away time; neither spend any more time at any place than
is strictly necessary.
2. Be punctual. Do every thing exactly at the time. And do not mend our
rules, but keep them; not for wrath, but conscience's sake.
3. Act in all things not according to your own will, but as a son in
the gospel. It is therefore your duty to employ your time in the manner
which we direct; in preaching, meeting the classes, visiting from house
to house, and especially visiting the sick; in reading, meditation and
prayer. Above all, if you labor with us in the Lord's vineyard, it is
needful you should do that part of the work which we advise at those
times and places which we judge best for his glory.
If he gives satisfactory answers to these questions, the Conference, by
a vote of the majority, may admit him into full connection.
III. ELECTION TO DEACON'S ORDERS
Ques. 1. How is a deacon constituted?
Ans. 1. By the election of a majority of the Annual Conference, and the
laying on of the hands of a Bishop.
2. Before any traveling preacher is ordained deacon, he shall have
passed an approved examination upon the Course of Study prescribed by
the Bishops for candidates for the ministry; and in no case shall a vote
be taken to elect any one to deacon's orders until he is recommended by
the examining committee.
Ques. 2. What shall be the time of probation of a traveling preacher for
the office of a deacon?
Ans. No one shall be so elected and ordained who has not been one year
in the regular itinerant work, except such as may be selected by the
Bishop for missionary work, when the Annual Conference shall have
authority to elect to the deacon's office sooner, if the Conference
judge it expedient.
Ques. 3. What are the duties of a Traveling Deacon?
Ans. 1. To administer baptism and to perform the office of matrimony, in
the absence of the Elder.
2. To assist the Elder in administering the Lord's Supper.
3. To do all the duties of a traveling preacher.
IV. ELECTION OF DEACONS TO ELDER'S ORDERS.
Ques. 1. How is an Elder constituted?
Ans. 1. By the election of a majority of the Annual Conference, and the
laying on of the hands of a Bishop and some of the Elders that are
present.
2. Before any traveling preacher is ordained Elder, he shall have passed
an approved examination upon the Course of Study prescribed by the
Bishops for candidates for all the ministry; and in no case shall a vote
be taken to elect any one to Elder's Orders until he is recommended by
the examining committee.
Ques. 2. What shall be the time of probation of a traveling deacon for
the office of an Elder?
Ans. Every traveling deacon shall exercise that office for two years,
before he is eligible to the office of Elder; except in the case of
missionaries, when the Annual Conference shall have authority to elect
to the Elder's office sooner, if the Conference judge it expedient;
=Provided=, always, that when a preacher has passed his examination, and
been elected to deacon's orders, but fails of his ordination through the
absence of a Bishop, his eligibility to the office of Elder shall run
from the time of his election to the office of Deacon.
Ques. 3. What are the duties of a traveling Elder?
Ans. 1. To administer baptism and the Lord's Supper and to perform the
rite of matrimony, and conduct all parts of Divine worship.
2. To do all the duties of a traveling preacher.