bounds as will promote their efficiency and facilitate their work, and it is especially recommended that they provide for publishing in their Minutes the reports of contributions in aid of their work.

CHAPTER V.

CHURCH EXTENSION.

I. Parent Board.

¶ 379. 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 object of its appointment; said Board to be subject to the control of the General Conference. The Bishops shall be ex officio members of the Board.

T 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.

¶ 381. The Officers of the Board shall be a President, five. Vice Presidents, two Corresponding Secretaries, with such Assistant Corresponding Secretaries as the

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

¶ 382. The Corresponding Secretaries shall be appointed by the General Conference. They 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 their official conduct, be subject to the authority and control of the Board, by whom their salaries shall be fixed and paid. They 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.

¶ 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 per

sonal 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 Extension in large cities, under such local administration as may be deemed advisable; but in no case shall such local organizations interfere with the general work of the Board.

¶ 386. The Board shall also have authority, by constituting and procuring a special incorporation, or otherwise, to take such measures as it may deem wise and necessary to procure the insurance of Churches and other Church property against loss by fire; and the profits arising therefrom, if any, after the accumulation of a sufficient reserve fund, shall be devoted to the purposes of the Board.

¶ 387. The Board shall also have authority, with the concurrence of the General Committee, to make such provisions as it may deem wise for honorary membership in the Parent and Conference Boards of Church Extension, and in the General Committee.

¶ 388. At all meetings of the Board thirteen members

1

shall constitute a quorum.

The Minutes of each meet

ing shall be signed by the Secretary thereof.

¶ 389. The Board shall publish quarterly, or oftener, full information concerning its work; and shall submit to the General Conference a report of its proceedings for the preceding four years, and of the state of the funds.

II. Conference Boards.

¶ 390. Each Annual Conference shall, on the nomination of the Presiding Bishop, appoint a Conference Board of Church Extension, composed of equal numbers of Ministers and Laymen, consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and not less than two nor more than six additional members, so located that a quorum thereof may be convened at any time. The Presiding Elders shall be ex officio members of the Conference Board, and shall also be a Standing Committee on apportioning amounts asked of the Conference. The Secretary of the Conference shall notify the Corresponding Secretaries of the Parent Board of the name and post office address of each member of the Conference Board soon after the adjournment of the Conference.

T 391. The Conference Board shall be auxiliary to th Parent Board, and shall, under its direction, have charge of all the interests and work of Church Extension within the Conference. The Presiding Elders shall, as a Committee on Apportionments, distribute for collection the amount asked of the Conference among the several Districts and Pastoral Charges, with duc regard to their circumstances and ability, and notify each Pastor and Quarterly Conference early in the year of the amount of their apportionment, and report the result to the Annual Conference.

¶ 392. The Treasurer of the Conference Board shall, as early as practicable, at least once in every three months, remit all funds coming into his hands to the Treasurer of the Parent Board.

¶ 393. If for any reason such Conference Board cannot be constituted or act, the Bishop having charge, or a Committee by him appointed, may perform any of the duties required in this section.

III. General Committee.

¶ 394. There shall be a General Committee of Church Extension, composed as follows: 1. Of the General Superintendents, one of whom, as they may from time to time determine, shall be Chairman. 2. Of the Corresponding Secretaries and Assistant Corresponding Secretaries, the Treasurer, and the Recording Secretary of the Board, which Secretary shall also be ex officio Secretary of the General Committee. 3. Of one representative from each General Conference District (¶ 70), elected by the General Conference on the nomination of the Delegates of each District respectively. 4. Of an equal number of representatives appointed by the Board.

¶ 395. It shall be the duty of this Committee to meet annually, in such place and on such day in the month of November as shall be appointed by the Corresponding Secretaries, to determine: 1. What amount each Conference shall be asked to raise by collections for the use of the Board during the ensuing year; 2. What amount may be donated and loaned within each Conference during the same period; and, 3. What amount may be applied to general and special purposes not included in the above.