Powers.—(1) The Conference elects the bishops and decides where they shall reside for the ensuing quadrennium. It also, through the Committee on Episcopacy, reviews their work for the previous four years. The Conference may accept the resignation of a bishop, retire or depose him. Twice have bishops in active service resigned—Bishop L. L. Hamline and Missionary Bishop W. F. Oldham, later elected bishop. Wilbur Fisk was elected bishop but declined to serve. Joshua Soule was elected and refused ordination, but was later re-elected. James R. Day was elected but immediately re signed before ordination. Never has there been a retirement or deposition for moral cause. A bishop "at the close of the General Conference nearest his 73d birthday shall be released from the obligation to travel through the Connection at large, and from residential supervision." The same is true of a missionary bishop.
(2) The Conference elects the editors of all official publications of the Church, including the editor of Sunday School publications, and the editor of The Epworth Herald and The Methodist Review. It also elects the secre taries and managers of the various benevolent and executive boards, the agoits of the Book Concern, the Book Committee and the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
(3) It may repeal any laws made by previous General Conferences, except the °restrictive rules." (4) It may enact any laws it may see fit. In case of constitutional changes or amend ments they must be submitted to the Annual Conferences and the Lay Electoral Conferences for an expression of opinion. A two-thirds vote of all members present and voting in all the Annual Conferences and Lay Electoral Conferences suffices to authorize the next Gen eral Conference to alter or amend by a two thirds vote any provisions of the constitution except the rules?' (5) The bishops are the official interpreters of the law of the Church, but the General Con ference may re a contrary interpretation through its judiciary committee, binding the bishops to another method of procedure.
(6) The General Conference is a final court of appeal for minister, bishop, layman, Church or Annual Conference.
(7) It determines the boundaries of the Annual Conferences.
(8) It receives fraternal delegates from other Churches and hears their messages.
(9) It receives the reports from the various benevolent and executive boards and disposes of them.
(10) Through its various commissions au thorized, it carries on its work through the quadrennium. The members of the commis sions are appointed by the bishops.
Restrictions of I`owers.— The restrictions of the powers of the General Conference are embodied in the "restrictive rules" and are six in number. They are: (1) General Conference shall not re voke, alter, nor change our Articles of Religion, nor establish any new standard or rules of doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards of doctrine."
(2) "The General Conference shall not organize, nor authorize the organization of an Annual Conference with less than 25 members.° (3) 'The General Conference shall not change nor alter any part or rule of our gov ernment so as to do away with Episcopacy, nor destroy the plan of our itinerant General Superintendency, but may elect a Missionary Bishop, or superintendent for any of our foreign missions, limiting his episcopal juris diction to the same respectively." (4) uThe General Conference shall not re voke nor change the General Rules of our Church." (5) "The General Conference shall not de prive our ministers of the right of trial by the Annual Conference, or by a select number thereof, nor of an appeal; nor shall it deprive our members of the right of trial by a com mittee of members of our Church, nor of an appeal." (6) "The General Conference shall not ap propriate the produce of the Book Concern, nor of the Chartered Fund, to any purpose other than for the benefit of the traveling supernumerary and superannuated preachers, their wives, widows and children.* Methods of Business.— The order and con duct of all business of the Conference is gov erned by 58 rules. The sessions of the General Conference are almost entirely held in the forenoon. The committees meet in the after noon. Soon after' the Conference has con vened the bishops present, through one of their number, read their Quadrennial Message. This custom originated with Bishop McKendree, who presented his message to the General Con ference of 1816. It then goes to the committee on reference which distributes its parts to the proper committees. The presentation of this *address° is the only active part the bishops may have in the Conference, beside the func tion of presiding. They may not enter into a debate, nor vote. They can only address the Conference as a matter of privilege. Next the roll of Annual Conference delegations is called, and petitions and memorials are presented by the delegation when called without debate. They include memorials from individuals, churches and Conferences. After the com mittee to which a memorial is referred has its discussion and formulates its report, it is pub lished in the Daily Christian Advocate, and after laying over a day or more is acted upon after such debate as the Conference may see fit. Then the question is closed, the vote taken and the majority decides the question. More than one call for memorials is made. Resolutions for immediate passages are often presented and passed. Sometimes when the report of a committee involves a change, the report is referred to the committee on judiciary, asking for an opinion as to its constitutionality, or if it conflicts in any way with civil law.