, 1874-05-20
Proceedings in the Conference
Of tho Southern Meth
odists.
Rules Reported for tho Government
Of Church Trials.
Closing Proceedings in the Re-
formed Episcopal Church.


Importance in the General Conference to-day
was tho rerors Of tho Committee Oh Church
Trials. Tho report provides for the trial OF
Bishops, Presiding Eldora, local and travelling
preachers, and chnrcl, members all IN about tho
Same manner. 1le case Of Bishops Ia
first brought before Committee Of Throo
presiding for investigation, whom tho charges
shnll bo brought against. Flo Ia then handed
over to another Bishop together with tho COM
mittee who shall pAss upon his case, giving him
tho right to appca! to tho Gonoral Conference.
Tho section providing for tho trial OF Bishops Ia
Tho foundation Of ali church trials.
The following articles In this connection were
especially read. and, aftor considerable diaouH-
sion on each, adopted.
es s y nsra R; !: ssss shsr 'Ssss S:
or Presiding Eldors Of tho district ip which
s oon' Is eaea to hnvs bson r,Ssra
minority Of them beiove that tore should be trial,
form, and norfe thereon tho .ao Of ths proaocutor
II there DO ono, and tic Of tho witnesses for
o. nown. # no prosecutor appear. Que ct tic IN
AnT 2. II trial be adIutlgo.1 necessary tho Bishop
to whom tho report ia made shall summon togoor at
be judge, twentyone Travelling Elders, trtoen Of
whom shall constitute Committee Of Trial Of the
ssea npyi by as s many oers s may IL n
An7 j. 1t two.thirds Of tho Com1nltco believe from,
fhe evidence that the accused T. guilty % changed the
*e ministry, or shall o1pol or suspend him from the
Church.
or iniulgenco in atnful temper, or words not or
press1y forbidden In tho Word Of God, or
~ e aro e of aeP IT or T
creating dfasension In Church by my mems, lot
Dns m @ On tho
subject and rcmonstrase against hfs conduct. Il lo
persist In Ills course let him bo proceeded against
<5I%1$ $y> I+fIN1 1171
ANT. 8. II bishop be convicted undor Article 1,
ho may be Suspended OF depoaed from bis ohce and
lie church, according 10 iho judgment of liz Com
mission.
Bishop shall 10 heard md passed upon by tho tcneral
Conference through is Commission, Whose Judgment
Ant T. Tho credentials OF deposod Bishop shn1l bs
aouanod by tile presiiing Bishop. who shall return
them with tho record to the Secretary Of the General
Art. s. II Bishop wi1lfally coass from travelling
without tno consent OF the General conssronca 10
Church. and ahail be proceeded againRt ds in Of
improper conduct.
1. Several articles of the section, which is hut
amall part Of tho report having been adopted,
the adoption Of the nection as whole WAS an-
nounced In order, when
DlsHop M'uYnEE
camo forward and said he wanted to speak In
regard to tho matter. He desired to call atten-
tion to the fact that somo points wero
ERtudll3 UfGliQuhEu, HUI l9 HOgGu EuGY
would uot act until ho spoke Of them.
First, he hoped to hear somo reason for chang
Ing the whole system. This aystem is some
thing like tho English law. It las grown up.
Bishop Granbnry touched it and Bishop No
Aouarc. who was tho Chief-Justice Marhhnll OF
The Church. Ind further brought 1t out. The Law
lad been adopted, to IN extent, az q necessity
pf Mothollst pronchers. To urset this whole
modern views seemed very hazardous expert
mont. Tho line between ecclesiastical md civil
law he did not think had beon distinctiyefy
drawn by tho Commltteo. He supposed the
5dea was to protect tho o., Bishop and ana to keep
chance for The accused to become clear than un-
der tho old regime. A Bishop arraigned for
spreading unorthodox doctrine would have 4
much better opportunity to get out than undcr
might be brought together, seven Of whom
IIe couldn't bo tried twice for the aamo ofreuse.
4 Bishop was elected for tho good Of tho whole
Eomhlsd wisdom Of tho Church. Tho General
Conference. in the adoption OF this report, left
the Church no power to do anything
except to :, examine into bis ~, msl-admiuis.
always be blessed with true, sincere Christian
men as Bishops, Gut it might be otherwise. He
knew OF no case in which they had failed to get
ct it by the old Inv. ltlookedto him as intended
for tho protection! Of Bishops. The laws now
overy preacher could at first bo tried
by tito General Conference thero would bo no
need Of appeal. There we're present tho wieost
anon OF the Church. It mas tho highest judi
fears. When oontemned he should bo willing
to take his appenl to the Court Of
Heaven. In 1870 tho General Con-
ference had been compelled to do sway
crept In in place Of tho old ones, which were
again brought into roquisitfon. He did not
RDeak for his Own protection or for tho protec-
Lion Of any OF his colleagues but to guard the old
Metholisna, to guard her laws, honorod for y
hundred yeara. II there were no laws, perhaps
ho would incline to those proposed. The old
LAWS wero entwined With our trRditionB-wero
venerable. [Applause.]
The tiuo for consideration Of this question
having expired, vote will be taken tomorrow.