CHAPTER XIV.

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

SECTION I.

GENERAL CONFERENCE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

¶438. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, stands committed to education sound in principle and Christian in spirit as fundamental to its work, and it accepts the duty and obligation of maintaining institutions dedicated to the diffusion of a distinctively Christian culture. Such institutions are a necessity as special agencies to help the Church more effectively to perform its own divinely appointed ministry of service. Central, therefore, at the heart of the supreme educational processes in which the Church is engaged, the Bible must be placed, as inspired of God, and the sufficient rule of faith and practice. The educational operations of the Church shall hereafter be conducted under the following provisions and regulations.

4439. There shall be a Board of Education of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, to be known as "The General Conference Board of Education," and to consist of twenty-seven

members elected quadrennially by the General Conference on nomination of the Committee on Education. As many as twelve lay members may be on the Board; three Bishops and the General Secretary must be members. Any vacancies occurring during the interval between Conferences shall be filled by the Board, the member (or members) so elected to serve until their successors are elected by the next General Conference. Should any member cease to be a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, his membership in the Board shall terminate at the same time.

¶440. The work of the Board of Education shall be conducted under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the General Conference from time to time. Under the provisions of the charter granted by the State of Tennessee to James H. Carlisle, W. A. Candler, and others, and approved on the 17th day of July, 1895, or such other charter as may be hereafter granted, the Board shall have power to contract and be contracted with, to sue and be sued, to receive and to apply donations, devises, and bequests; to own, buy, and sell real estate; and to do all other things provided for in the charter, or subject to the provisions of the charter under which the Board operates.

¶441. Upon the call of the General Secretary, the Board shall meet as soon after its elec

tion as practicable, and shall organize by electing from its own members a President, a Vice President, a Recording Secretary, and a Treasurer: provided, that at the discretion of the Board, the Treasurer need not be a member.

¶442. The Board shall be located in Nashville, Tennessee, and shall meet at least annually, when and where it may appoint, and in special session when called by the President, either upon his own motion or at the written request of five members: provided, however, that no business shall be acted upon at any special session which was not named in the call. Eleven shall constitute a quorum at any annual meeting, and nine at any other meeting.

¶443. The General Secretary shall be elected by ballot by the General Conference for a term of four years. His salary shall be fixed and paid by the Board. Should a vacancy occur by death, or otherwise, the Board may elect a General Secretary to serve until the next General Conference.

¶444. The General Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Board, visit assemblies and institutions in the interest of the work, and be the agent and executive officer of the Board, under its direction, to carry out all the purposes herein set forth.

¶445. The Board shall determine the number of officers, in addition to the General Secretary,

necessary to carry on the work committed to it by the General Conference, shall elect them, and shall prescribe their duties.

4446. The Board shall appoint an Executive Committee of such number as it may determine and may commit to it such duties as the Board may see fit. The Committee shall keep a record of all its proceedings and submit it to the Board.

¶447. The Board shall appoint annually a Standing Committee on Finance, consisting of three of its members, with whom may be associated as advisory members two persons not members of the Board. The Finance Committee shall fix the bonds of the officials of the Board, properly invest the funds, audit the books of the Treasurer, and coöperate with the Secretaries of the Board in the preparation of the annual budget. Minutes of all the proceedings of the Finance Committee shall be kept and submitted to the Board for approval.

¶448. The Board shall have authority to regulate its own proceedings; to report to the Commission on Budget its estimate of the amount that will be needed annually for the general educational interests that have been committed to the Board, the proceeds of which are to be used at the discretion of the Board in carrying on its operations, unless otherwise directed; and to fix and pay the salaries of all the officers and employees of the Board; to deter

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mine annually what schools and educational enterprises, and also what persons, shall receive aid, and the amount, terms, and conditions thereof; to appropriate money for the necessary expenses of carrying on the work of the Board: provided, however, that no appropriation shall be made for buildings except from funds contributed for that particular purpose: and provided, further, that all persons who shall desire to become beneficiaries of the loan funds of the Board must be recommended by the Board of Education of an Annual Conference, and if preparing for the mission field also by the Board of Missions, and that preference shall be given as follows: (1) To students for the foreign or home ministry; (2) to other promising and needy students, especially the children of our itinerant preachers.

9449. The Board shall have authority to increase both its endowment and loan funds. These shall be held separate from funds raised for general distribution. The interest only of the endowment and loan funds shall be used (unless in the case of loan funds the donor shall otherwise direct). The Board shall have authority to receive and to hold in trust for the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, any real or personal property, and to sell and convey it for the uses and objects herein declared.

¶450. The Board shall gather statistics and