CHAPTER XVIII.

CHURCHES AND CHURCH PROPERTY.

SECTION I.

OF BUILDING CHURCHES.

Question. What shall be done in regard to buil ing churches, and for the security of our preac ing houses, parsonages, and other Church propert and the premises belonging thereto ?

¶ 498. Ans. 1. Let all churches be plain a decent, and with free seats, as far as practicable

¶499. Ans. 2. In order more effectually prevent our people from contracting debts whi they are not able to discharge, it shall be the du of the Quarterly Conference of every circuit a station, where it is contemplated to build a hou or houses of worship, to secure the ground or on which such house or houses are to be built, & cording to our deed of settlement, which deed mu be legally executed; and also said Quarterly Co ference shall appoint a judicious committee of least three members of our Church, who shall for an estimate of the amount necessary to build; a three-fourths of the money, according to such es

worship shall be built unless the authority Quarterly Conference shall first have been

1.

0. Ans. 3. In all cases where debts for g houses of worship have been or may be d contrary to or in disregard of the above. endation, our members and friends are reI to discountenance, by declining pecuniary all agents who shall travel abroad beyond wn circuits or districts, for the collection of for the discharge of such debts, except in beculiar cases as may be approved by an AnConference.

-01. Ans. 4. In future we will admit no er, devise, deed, or conveyance, for any house orship to be used by us, unless it contains the st Clause," or be in conformity thereto. à Annual Conference is authorized to make modification in the deeds as it may find the rent usages and customs of law require in the erent states and territories, so as to secure the perty firmly by deed, and permanently in fee ple, to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; in all conveyances of ground for the building houses of worship, or upon which they may have n already built, let the "Trust Clause" be in-ted at the proper place.

502. Ans. 5. The "Trust Clause" shall be as

used, kept, maintained, and disposed of, as a p of divine worship for the use of the ministry membership of the Methodist Episcopal Chu South; subject to the discipline, usage, and n isterial appointments of said Church, as from t to time authorized and declared by the Gen Conference of said Church, and by the Ann Conference within whose bounds the said prem are situated.”

SECTION II.

OF BUILDING PARSONAGES.

Question. What advice or direction is given o cerning the building of dwelling houses for use of married traveling preachers?

503. Ans. 1. It is recommended to friends, in general, to purchase a lot of ground each pastoral charge, and to build a preach house thereon, and to furnish it with at least he furniture, and to settle the same on trustees pointed by the Quarterly Conference, according our deed of settlement.

¶504. Ans. 2. It shall be the duty of the P siding Elders and preachers to use their influe to carry into effect the above rules respecting bui ing houses for the accommodation of preach and their families. In order to do this, each Qu terly Conference shall appoint a committee (

e and aid of the preachers and Presiding all devise such means as may seem fit to ney for that purpose. And it is recomo the Annual Conferences to make a speiry of their members respecting this part duty.

. Ans. 3. Likewise, in all conveyances of for the building of dwelling houses for the e preachers, or upon which they may have eady built, let the following clause be int the proper place: "In trust, that such s shall be held, kept, maintained, and disf, as a place of residence for the use and ncy of the preachers of the Methodist EpisChurch, South, who may from time to time ointed in said place; subject to the usage scipline of said Church, as from time to uthorized and declared by the General Cone of said Church, and by the Annual Cone within whose bounds the said premises cuated."

06. Ans. 4. In all states and territories the laws thereof will permit, let the society e a charter of incorporation, and let all real e and other property now owned, or hereafter acquired for church, parsonage, or other pur, be deeded directly to the society in its cor

to nome

The secular affairs of such corpora

Trustees, which shall be elected and organized cording to the direction of the Discipline, power in the corporation to acquire, hold, sell, convey the property, both real and personal. all such cases, and in, states or territories w church property is required to be held by trus (and not permitted to be held by corporatio let all deeds or other conveyances, under which Church acquires property for any purpose, tain the appropriate Trust Clause set out in ¶ or¶505, as the case may be; and the Boar Church Extension shall have forms of deeds s ble to each state or territory prepared for free tribution.

SECTION III.

OF THE DIVISION, TRANSFER, OR SALE OF CHURC
PROPERTY.

50%. When any circuit, station, or mi shall be divided into two or more charges, separate charge may constitute a new boa boards of trustees; and the church property by the trustees of the original charge shall be veyed to the new boards thus created, and the mer board or boards shall be freed from a

eunion biobilition such being transferred +