SECTION VII. Of the Election and Ordination of Travelling Deacons, and of their Duty. Quest. 1. How is a travelling deacon constituted? Answ. By the election of the majority of the yearly conference, and the laying on of the hands of a bishop. Quest. 2. What is the duty of a travelling deacon? Answ. 1. To baptize, and perform the office of matrimony, in the absence of the elder. 2. To assist the elder in administering the Lord's Supper. 3. To do all the duties of a travelling preacher. Quest. 3. What shall be the time of probation of a travelling deacon for the office of an elder. Answ. Every travelling deacon shall exercise that office for two years, before he be eligible to the office of elder; except in the case of missions, when the annual conferences shall have authority to elect for the elder's office sooner, if they judge it expedient. No deacon who ceases to travel without the consent of the annual conference, certified under the hand of the president of the conference, except in case of sick ness, debility, or other unavoidable circumstances, shall, on any account, exercise the peculiar functions of his office, or even be allowed to preach among us: nevertheless, the final determination in all such cases is with the annual conference. SECTION VIII. Of the Method of receiving travelling Preachers, and of their Duty. Quest. 1. How is a preacher to be received ? Answ. 1. By the annual conference. 2. In the interval of the conference, by a bishop. the presiding elder of the district until the sitting of the conference. 3. It shall be the duty of the bishops, or of a committee which they may appoint at each annual conference, to point out a course of reading and study proper to be pursued by candidates for the ministry: and the presiding elder, whenever such are presented to him, shall direct them to those studies which have been thus recommended. And before any such candidate is received into full connexion, he shall give satisfactory evidence respecting his knowledge of those particular subjects, which have been recommended to his consideration. 4. When a preacher's name is not printed in the minutes, he must receive a written license from a bishop or presiding elder. Quest. 2. What is the duty of a preacher ? Answ. 1. To preach. 2. To meet the societies, classes, and general bands. 3. To visit the sick. 4. To preach in the morning, where he can get hearers. We recommend morning preaching at five o'clock in the summer, and six in the winter, wherever it is practicable. Quest. 3. What are the directions given to a preacher ? Answ. 1. Be diligent. Never be unemployed: never be triflingly employed.-Never trifle away time; - neither spend any more time at any place than is strictly necessary. 2. Be serious. Let your motto be Holiness to the Lord. Avoid all lightness, jesting, and foolish talking. 3. Converse sparingly, and conduct yourselves prudently with women. 1 Tim. v, 2. 4. Take no step towards marriage without first consulting with your brethren. 5. Believe evil of no one without good evidence; unless you see it done, take beed how you credit it. Put the best construction on every thing. You know the judge is always supposed to be on the prisoner's side. 6. Speak evil of no one; because your word, especially, would eat as doth a canker. Keep your thoughts within your own breast, till you come to the person concerned. 7. Tell every one under your care what you think wrong in his conduct and temper, and that lovingly and plainly as soon as may be: else it will fester in your heart. Make all haste to cast the fire out of your bosom. 8. Avoid all affectation. A preacher of the gospel is the servant of all. 9. Be ashamed of nothing but sin. 10. Be punctual. Do every thing exactly at the time. And do not mend our rules, but keep them; not for wrath, but conscience sake. 11. You have nothing to do but to save souls: therefore spend and be spent in this work; and go always not only to those that want you, but to those that want you most. Observe! it is not your business only to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society; but to save as many as you can; to bring as many sinners as you can to repentance, and with all your power to build them up in that holiness, without which they cannot see the Lord. And remember!-a Methodist preacher is to mind every point, great and small, in the Methodist discipline! Therefore you will need to exercise all the sense and grace you have. 12. Act in all things not according to your own will, but as a son in the gospel. As such, it is your duty to employ your time in the manner which we direct: in preaching, and visiting from house to house; in reading, meditation and prayer. Above all, if you labour with us in the Lord's vineyard, it is needful you should do that part of the work which we advise, at those times and places which we judge most for his glory. Quest. 4. What method do we use in receiving a preacher at the conference ? Answ. After solemn fasting and prayer, every person proposed shall then be asked, before the conference, the following questions, (with any others which may be thought necessary,) viz. Have you faith in Christ? Are you going on to perfection? Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life? Are you groaning after it? Are you resolved to devote yourself |