SECTION IX.

Of the Duties of those who have the Charge of Circuits.

Quest. 1. What are the duties of the elder, deacon, or preacher, who has the special charge of a circuit?

Answ. 1. To see that the other preachers in his circuit behave well and want nothing.

2. To renew the tickets quarterly and regulate the bands.

3. To meet the stewards and leaders as often as possible.

4. To appoint all the leaders, and change them when he sees it necessary.

5. To receive, try, and expel members according to the form of discipline.

6. To hold watch-nights and lovefeasts.

7. To hold quarterly meetings in the absence of the presiding elder. 8. To take care that every society be duly supplied with books.

9. To take an exact account of the numbers in society, in their repective circuits, and deliver in sucli ac

count to the annual conference, that they may be printed in the minutes,

10. To send an account of his circuit, every quarter, to his presiding elder.

11. To meet the men and women apart in the large societies, once a quarter, whenever it is practicable. 12. To overlook the accounts of all the stewards.

13. To appoint a person to receive the quarterly collection in the classes. 14. To sec that public collections be made quarterly, if need be.

15. To raise a yearly subscription in those circuits that can bear it, for building churches, and paying the debts of those which have been already erected.

16. To choose a committee of lay members to make a just application of the money, where it is most wanted.

Quest. 2. What other directions hall we give him?

Answ. Several :

1. To take a regular catalogue of the societies in towns and cities, as they live in the streets,

2. To leave his successor a particular account of the circuit.

3. To see that every band-leader have the rules of the bands.

4. To enforce, vigorously, but calmly, all the rules of the society.

5. As soon as there are four men or women believers in any place, to put them into a band,

6. To suffer no love-feast to last above an hour and a half.

7. To warn all, from time to time, that none are to remove from one circuit to another, without a note of recommendation from a preacher of the circuit, in these words: “A. B. the bearer, has been an acceptable member of our society in C." and to inform them, that, without such a certificate, they will not be received into other societies.

8. To recommend every where decency and cleanliness.

9. To read the rules of the society, with the aid of the other preachers, once a year in every congregation, and once a quarter in every 80ciety.

10. On any dispute between two or more of the members of our society, concerning the payment of debts or otherwise, which cannot be settled by the parties concerned, the preacher who has the charge of the circuit, shall inquire into the circumstances of the case; and shall recommend to the contending parties a reference, consisting of one arbiter chosen by the plaintiff, and another chosen by the defendant; which two arbiters so chosen, shall nominate the third; the three arbiters being members of our society.

But if one of the parties be dissatisfied with the judgment given, such party may apply to the ensuing quarterly meeting of the circuit, for allowance to have a second arbitration appointed; and if the quarterly meeting see sufficient reason, they shall grant a second arbitration, in which case, each party shall choose two arbiters, and the four arbiters shall choose a fifth, the judgment of the majority of whom shall be final; and any person refusing to abide by such judgment, shall be excluded the soeiety.

And if any member of our society shall refuse, in eases of debt or other disputes, to refer the matter to arbitration, when recommended by him who has the charge of the circuit, or shall enter into a law-suit with another member before these measures are taken, he shall be expelled, excepting the case be of such a nature as to require and justify a process at law.

The preachers who have the oversight of circuits are required to execute all our rules fully and strenuously against all frauds, and particularly against dishonest insolvencies; suffering none to remain in our society, on any account, who are found guilty of any fraud.

To prevent scandal, when any of our members fail in business, or contract debts which they are not able to pay, let two or three judicious members of the society inspect the accounts of the supposed delinquent; and if he have behaved dishonestly, or borrowed money without a probability of paying, let him be expelled.

Whenever a complaint is made a