ADMINISTRATION OF DISCIPLINE.

CHAPTER I.

TRIALS AND APPEALS.

SECTION I.

General Principles.

212. All our Church Courts shall be presided over by a duly qualified minister of the Methodist Church.

213. If the Superintendent of a Circuit be the accuser, or a material witness, or be otherwise disqualified, the Chairman of the District shall preside in his place. If the Chairman of the District be disqualified, the President of the Annual Conference shall preside. If the President of the Conference be disqualified, the senior qualified Chairman in the Conference (that is, senior in the ministry of the Church) shall preside. A Chairman or a President, not disqualified, may appoint a duly qualified substitute, who shall be officially of at least equal status with the officer whose duty it would have been in the first place to preside. 214. If any minister, probationer or member of the Church has a knowledge or reliable information of an offence by a minister, probationer or member against the law of God or the rules or discipline of the Church, it

shall be his duty to lay a charge before the proper authority. No other person can institute charges. All charges shall be in writing.

215. If the offence be such as does not seem to require a trial in the first instance, let the officer whose duty it would be to preside at the trial admonish or reprove the accused, and if there be contrition and promise of amendment, let him be borne with; if there be no contrition or promise of amendment, or if the offence be repeated, let a trial be had.

216. A copy of the charges and distinct specifications, with a notice in writing of the time and place of trial, shall be given to the accused at least one week before the day fixed for the trial by the officer who is to preside. When these are sent by mail, they must be posted at least ten days before the day fixed for trial.

217. Notices may be given personally, or left with a grown-up person at the residence of a party, or by a regis tered letter.

218. A Committee of Trial shall consist of five qualified persons. Three shall form a quorum, and three at least must agree to render a decision. The officer who is to preside at the trial shall summon the persons who are to compose the Committee. Persons preferring or promoting charges, or being material witnesses, shall not be qualified to act as members of the Committee.

219. No peremptory challenges of members of the Committee shall be allowed, but either party may challenge for cause. The presiding officer shall decide upon all chal. lenges.

220. The parties may appear and conduct a trial or an appeal, either personally or by a representative who is a member of the Church in good standing; but such representative shall not be a professional counsel.

221. If an accused person do not appear after proof of due notice, the trial may proceed and the decision be rendered in his absence.

222. The presiding officer shall cause a record to be kept of the charges, proceedings, evidence and decision.

223. The Committee shall receive any evidence or information pertinent to the case that may be available, and that may aid them in their judgment in doing justice between the parties. The testimony of non-members may be received.

224. The presiding officer shall decide as to the admissibility of evidence, and as to law and procedure.

225. Charges may be amended or added to in writing at any time if the Committee consider the same to be in the interest of justice, provided the accused be allowed such opportunity as the Committee think reasonable to meet such amended or new charges.

226. The Committee may, from time to time, make any adjournments they may deem necessary for the better hearing and trial of matters before them.

227. In all cases of trial the presiding officer shall refrain from delivering any charge to the Committee or from interfering in any way with their deliberations, and he shall not be present with them while they are deliberating on their decision.

228. If the Committee do not agree upon a decision

within a reasonable time, the presiding officer may summon another Committee and proceed as if no trial had taken place.

229. A copy of the decision certified by the presiding officer shall be served within three days after the rendering of the decision upon each party in the manner hereinabove provided for notices.

230. If the accused be found guilty, and the offence be such as is expressly forbidden by the Word of God, and sufficient to exclude a person from the kingdom of grace and glory, he shall be expelled. In the case of a minister (other than a General Superintendent) or of a probationer for the ministry, he shall be suspended from the time he is found guilty by the Committee until the Annual Conference shall finally dispose of the case. In the case of a member, he shall be suspended until the delay allowed for appeal has expired. If an appeal be taken, the suspension shall be in force until the appeal is decided. If there be no appeal, the expulsion shall take effect when the delay for appeal has expired.

231. In case of all other offences the accused, if found guilty, shall be admonished, reproved, suspended, or otherwise dealt with as the Committee or Appellate Court may determine. In these cases the decision shall be in force from the time it is rendered until set aside on appeal.

Appeals.

232. Either party may appeal from a decision or ruling by the presiding officer, or from the decision of a Committee, on giving notice to the presiding officer of such