for lay activities in the charge in order to per fect in every Church in the charge the organization of the various committees called for herein.. The Charge Lay Leader shall report to the Quarterly Conference, and quarterly to the District Lay Leader.

¶551. It shall be the duty of the Church Lay Leader, after consultation with the pastor, to call together the Church Board of Lay Activities immediately after the adjournment of the District Board, in stations, and after adjournment of the Charge Board, in circuits, and shall plan and outline a program to promote the work of the local Church Board of Lay Activities. The Church Board shall meet monthly upon the call of the chairman or as often as deemed necessary by the pastor and lay leader. In stations Church Lay Leaders shall report to the Church and Quarterly Conferences, and also to the District Lay Leader quarterly. In circuits the Church Lay Leaders shall report to the Church Conference, and also quarterly to the Charge Lay Leader.

CHAPTER XXI.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

SECTION I.

DEVISES BY WILL OR DONATIONS.

Question. What shall be done for the better security of donations, bequests, or devises made to the Church?

¶552. Ans. 1. There shall be located at Nashville, Tennessee, an incorporated Board of Trustees, under the name of "The Board of Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South," composed of ten members, five ministers and five lay members, appointed by the General Conference on the nomination of the Committee on Boundaries and Finance; of whom two ministers and three laymen shall hold office for four years, and three ministers and two laymen for eight years, all vacancies to be filled quadrennially by the General Conference. Vacancies occurring during the intervals of General Conferences shall be filled by the Board, and persons so selected shall hold office until the next session of the General Conference.

¶553. Ans. 2. The duty of this Board shall be

to receive, collect, and hold in trust for the benefit of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, any and all donations, bequests, devises, legacies, and grants of lands, personal estate, or funds in trust, etc., that may be given or conveyed to the Board, or to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as such, for any benevolent, religious, or charitable object, and to administer this property and its proceeds in accordance with the directions of the donor or testator, and of the interests of the Church contemplated by such donors or testators under the direction of the General Conference: provided, that any sum thus given, devised, or bequeathed, but not specially designated for any benevolent, religious, or charitable object, shall be held subject to the orders of the General Conference; and provided, further, that the Board shall not be required to accept any gift or bequest or trust which for any reasons it may see proper to decline; and, having accepted in good faith under the conditions imposed any gift or bequest in trust for any one or more of the benevolent, religious, or charitable societies, or other institutions under the patronage or direction of the Church, the Board shall be responsible only for its careful and economical administration, and shall not be held to account to the beneficiary or beneficiaries thereof, either for the fund or the annual income

therefrom, or interest thereon, beyond what may be secured through good faith and ordinary diligence, and all necessary expenses arising from the care of administration of any trust shall be charged to that account.

¶554. Ans. 3. All persons wishing to make donations, devises, or bequests for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or for one of its Annual Conferences, are requested to make their donations, devises, or bequests directly to "The Board of Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South."

¶555. Ans. 4. When any such donation, bequest, or devise is made to this Board or to the Church, it shall be the duty of the preacher in the bounds of whose charge it occurs to give notice thereof to the Board, which shall proceed without delay to take possession of it.

¶556. Ans. 5. The Board shall make a full, true, and faithful report of its doings, and of all funds, moneys, securities, or property on hand at each session of the General Conference.

SECTION II.

FORMS OF DEVISES.

9557. Form of Devise by Will. In the name of God-Amen.

I [A.B.], being of sound mind and memory, do constitute this my last will and testament:

66

Item 1. I give and devise the following [here describe the property] to the Board of Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South," and to their successors in office, and its use to be controlled by said trustees for the use and benefit of [here state the benevolent object or purpose to which you wish the trustees to apply your property], to be thus applied by said trustees, under the direction of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; making only such disposition of said property as the General Conference shall judge best calculated to promote the objects of this bequest, as herein stated.

I hereby appoint [insert the name or names] the executors of this my last will and testament. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this day of, 19. In

the presence of

Witnesses.

[Let there be three.]

[SEAL.]

¶558. Form of a Deed of Gift.

State of

County.

Know all men by these presents, that I [write name], for and in consideration of the love I bear for the cause of Christ, and from an earnest desire to promote his heritage on earth, do give