The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-05-30
From the Richmond Christian Advocate.
General Conference.

Methodist Episcopnl Church, South,
atts late Session in New Orleans.
The action Of tho General Conference
may be summed up in the following
items:
!. Tho name Of the Church il was re.
solved to change to Episcopal Methods,
Church, provided tha, ,hree fourths Of all
the members Of the several Annual Con-
fsrsucss shall concur therein.
2. Lay Represent a,ion-four laymep,
one OF whom may be a local preacher,
to be elected by the District Stewards or
III such way as the A unual Conferences
may dirsc,,) to each Presiding Elders
District in the Annual Conferences; an
equal number Of lavmsn and clerpynen
as representatives to the General Confer.
ence, excepting the number be odd, then
the advantage Of the odd number to be
gwen to the clerical por,ion-,hs lay
members OF the Annual Conference to
elect the lay representatives to tho Gen.
e:a' Conference, and the clerical members
to elect the clerical representatives. Upon
tho request Of ons'fifth Of the General
Conference, the lsymsn and the c'ergy
'nsn cat form two distinct houses, when
a concurrent maj ority will be necessary
to pass any law. THIS action, however,
is SUI ect to tho same confirmation and
approval Of three fourtns Of all the preach
ers in the several Anuual Conferences.
8. The linn. of the PaslorA:e has been
extended from two to four years.
4. A sys,em Of Church meetings was
adopted, to be hold once a month il prac
t'c"ble. otherwise once a qnar,er-,o DO
presided over by the preacher in charge.
The object Of it is to put the rnem bership
more thoroughly iu connection with the
various enterprise Of tho Church.
S. The probationary system has been
abrogSted-reinters are TO 10 received
formally by DIE preacher IN charge, &C.
corGIng to tie form Of the bsptismal ser.
vice. or some other form in an appendix
to the Discipline.
8. C'"ss-mesting is placed upon tho
same footing with prayer meeting, and is
no longer test Of membership.
7. Tho missionary society is divided
into a Domestic and a Foreign Missionary
Society, with distinct Board Sscrstarie,
and Treasuries-the former located a,
Nashville, and the latter at Baltimore.
8. Everything in the Discipline in 70.
gard TO the men and wo,n-n sitting apar,
in the church, has been taken out.
0. The whole matter Of tho quar,.r.
age hss been merged into q real sup.
port.
10. Everything advisory in regard to
dress is taken out and SO too all tha,
p"n which requires Preachers 10 consult
the Presiding eI'.er upon the delicate sub
J-ct Of matrimony.
IL. No travelling preacher can be pro.
posed to An Annual Conference for orii
nation, except he shall have passed an
examination before the Conference Com
mites TO their satisfaction in the prsscrb
ed course q study.
l2. IL is recommended that, for the
present, Biblical Chair be established
IN connection with each Of our Colleges.
Toe tho theological education Of young
preachers.
Is. Several important changes in the
boundaries Of the Conference. were made.
Tor which We refer to the report Of the
Commi,,es on Boundaries.
IA The vote on licensing preachers
aud recommending persons for ordination,
is to be taken by ballot in the Quarterly
Conferences.
Is. The colo' ed members Of the Church
are to lie formed into Lhsir own Qusrterl,
and A"nusI Conferences, the latter at the
discretion Of the Bishops, with view 10
their ultimately forming their Own Gen
Sral Conference. NssnwhiIs the Bishop.