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which it has been subscribed, under the direction of deputies living in such States respectively; provided, such securities and such deputies be proposed as shall be approved of by the Trustees in Philadelphia, and the stock in which it is proposed to lodge the money be sufficiently productive to give satisfaction to the Trustees.

T339. The Board of Trustees shall have power to fill any vacancy or vacancies that may occur in their body by death, resignation, or otherwise, subject, however, to the approval of the first General Conference that may be held after such vacancy or vacancies shall have occurred.

The Permanent Fund.

T340. There shall be a fund known as The Permanent Fund," to be held by the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the principal of which shall be intact forever, and which shall be invested by said Trustees on first-class securities, and at as favorable rates as can be legally secured.

¶ 341. It shall be the duty of all our

ministers to obtain, as far as practicable, contributions to said fund, by donations, bequests, and otherwise.

¶ 342. The interest accumulating from said fund shall be subject to the order of the General Conference for the following purposes:-1. To pay the expenses of the General Conference. 2. To pay the expenses of Delegations appointed by the General Conference to Corresponding Bodies. 3. To make up any deficiencies in the salaries of the Bishops. 4. To relieve the necessities of the Superannuated and Worn-out Preachers, and of the widows and orphans of those who have died in the work.

PART V.

TEMPORAL ECONOMY.

CHAPTER I.

SUPPORT OF MINISTERS.

The Support of Bishops, and the Families of Deceased Bishops.

T343. The General Conference shall determine which of the Bishops are effective, and which are non-effective.

¶ 344. It shall be the duty of the Book Committee to make an estimate of the amount necessary to furnish a competent support to each effective Bishop, considering the number and condition of his family; and the amount, if any, necessary to the comfortable maintenance of the non-effective Bishops; and also the amount necessary to assist the widows and children of deceased Bishops; and the Bishops are authorized to draw on the Agents of the Book Concern for said amount, and also for their traveling expenses.'

*

*For action of the General Conference restricting the authority of the Agents to pay the drafts of the Bishops, see Appendix, No. 22, p. 383.

T 345. The Bishop presiding at an Annual Conference, within whose bounds a widow or orphan of a deceased Bishop may reside, shall be authorized to draw on the Agents of the Book Concern for such amount as may be estimated as aforesaid.

T 346. The Book Committee shall divide the aggregate sum required to be raised for these purposes among the Annual Conferences, according to their several ability; and the Annual Conferences shall apportion the same to the several Districts; and the District Stewards to the several charges. The amount apportioned to each Pastoral Charge for the support of the Bishops shall be a pro rata claim with that of the stationed Preachers and Presiding Elders, and no such Preacher or Presiding Elder shall be entitled to his allowance except to the extent to which the claims of the Bishops are met by the Station or District with which he is connected. And it shall be the duty of the Annual Conferences to see that the amounts apportioned to the different pastoral charges for the support of the Bishops are raised and forwarded quarterly, when practicable, to the Agents of the Book Concern.

¶ 347. The Agents of the Book Contern shall charge the sums paid to the Bishops, and to the widows and children of deceased Bishops, to "The Episcopa! Fund," and all collections received from the different charges for the support of the Bishops shall be credited to said fund. And the Agents shall report annually to the Annual Conferences the amounts received from the several Annual Conferences on account of said fund, and also the expenditures made; and shall make a full and detailed exhibit of such receipts and expenditures for the term of four years in their Quadrennial Report to the General Conference; and if there shall be a deficiency, and a balance due the Book Concern, the General Conference shall provide for its payment.

Support of Presiding Elders.

T 348. There shall be annually, in every District, a meeting composed of one Steward from each Circuit and Station, to be selected by the Quarterly Conference, whose duty it shall be, with the advice of the Presiding Elder, (who

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