acknowledged the within deed of trust to be their act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned and declared; and she the said

wife of the said being separate and apart from her said husband, by me examined, declared that she made the same acknowledgment, freely and with her own consent, without being induced thereto through fear or threats of her said husband. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal, the day and year first above

written.

Here the justice's name.

(L. S.)'

"N. B. It is necessary that all our deeds should be recorded after execution, for prudential as well as legal

reasons.

"2. Let nine trustees be appointed for preaching houses, where proper persons can be procured; otherwise seven or five."

1812. The following sentence was inserted just before the deed:

"But each annual conference is authorized to make such modification in the deeds as they may find the different usages and customs of law require in the different states and territories, so as to secure the premises firmly by deed, and permanently to the Methodist Episcopal Church, according to the true intent and meaning of the following form of a deed of settlement; any thing in the said form to the contrary notwithstanding.'

In the same year the words "and none others" were struck out of the deed, (p. 231, ll. 3, 2 from bottom.) 1820. The note about recording the deed was struck out.

1828. The following paragraph was added at the close of the section :

"The board of trustees of every circuit or station shall be responsible to the quarterly meeting conference of said circuit or station, and shall be required to

present a report of its acts during the preceding year; provided that in all cases, when a new board of trustees is to be created, it shall be done (except in those states and territories where the statutes provide differently) by the appointment of the preacher in charge, or the presiding elder of the district."

SECTION III.

Of the Qualifications, Appointment, and Duty of the Stewards of Circuits.

Quest. 1. What are the qualifications necessary for stewards? 1789. "Ans. Let them be men of solid piety, who both know and love the Methodist doctrine and discipline, and of good natural and acquired abilities to transact the temporal business."

Quest. 2. How are the stewards to be appointed?

1812. "Ans. The preacher having the charge of the circuit shall have the right of nomination; but the quarterly meeting conference shall confirm or reject such nomination."

Quest. 3. What are the duties of steward?*

1789. "What is the duty of stewards?

"Ans. To take an exact account of all the money or other provision made for and received by any travelling or local preacher in the circuit; to make an accurate return of every expenditure of money, whether to the preacher, the sick, or the poor; to seek the needy and distressed in order to relieve and comfort them; to inform the preachers of any sick or dis

*In the Annual Minutes for 1787 we find the following:"Quest. 19. Shall any directions be given concerning register books?

"Ans. Let register books be provided by all the societies, that the elders and deacons may enter the marriages and baptisms regularly in them; and let every such register book be kept in the hands of the steward, or any other proper person of each society respectively. Let one general register book be also kept in the hands of the general steward of every circuit, in which the contents of all the private register books in the circuit may be inserted at convenient times."

orderly persons; to tell the preachers what they think wrong in them; to attend the quarterly meetings of their circuit; to give advice, if asked, in planning the circuit; to attend committees for the application of money to churches; to give counsel in matters of arbitration; to provide elements for the Lord's supper; to write circular letters to the societies in the circuit to be more liberal, if need be; as also to let them know the state of the temporalities at the last quarterly meeting; to register the marriages and baptisms, and to be subject to the bishops, the presiding elder of their district, and the elder, deacon, and travelling preachers of their circuit."

1792. Instead of "made for and received by any travelling or local preacher," we have "collected for the support of preachers." The words "when occasion requires" inserted before "the state of the temporalities."

Quest. 4. To whom are the stewards accountable for the faithful performance of their duties?

66

1816. Ans. To the quarterly meeting conference of the circuit or station."

1828. The following clause was added to the preceding :-" which shall have power to dismiss or change them at pleasure."

Quest. 5. What number of stewards are necessary in each circuit?

1789. "Ans. Not less than two, or more than four."

1820. The answer was altered to the following: "Not less than three, or more than seven, one of whom shall be the recording steward."

SECTION IV.

Of the Allowance to the Ministers and Preachers, and to their Wives, Widows, and Children.

For the provisions on this subject prior to 1784, see pp. 11-14, 18. The provisions of 1784 may be found

under Questions 37-40, (p. 42.*) The subsequent changes have been as follows:

1789. The word "bishops" was inserted in the first question (37) before "elders."

The words "and no more," at the close of the first two answers, struck out; as also the last two questions and answers.

The following note was added:

"N. B. That no ministers or preachers, travelling or local, shall receive any support either in money or other provision for their services without the knowledge of the stewards of the circuits, and its being properly entered quarterly on the books."

1792. The section was entitled, "Of the Salaries of the Ministers and Preachers," and the answers were as follows. To the first question, (37th, of 1784,)"Ans. Sixty-four dollars, and their travelling expenses."

To the second question, (38th, of 1784,)—" Sixty. four dollars, if they be in want of it."

The following was added :-

"Quest. 3. What plan shall we pursue in appropriating the money received by our travelling ministers for marriage fees?

"Ans. In all the circuits where the preachers do not receive their full quarterage, let all such money be given into the hands of the stewards, and be equally divided between the travelling preachers of the circuit. In all other cases, the money shall be disposed of at the discretion of the district conference."

The note was also modified so as to read,

"N. B. No minister or preacher whatsoever shall receive any money for deficiencies, or on any other

* In the Minutes for 1787 (see vol. i, pp. 28, 29) we find the following:

"Quest. Are not many of our preachers and people dissatisfied with the salaries allowed our married preachers who have children? Ans. They are. Therefore, for the future, no married preacher shall demand more than £48, P. C."

account, out of any of our funds or collections, without first giving an exact account of all the money, clothes, and other presents of every kind, which he has received the preceding year."

1796. The allowance to a preacher's wife is made absolute, without the condition, "if she want it." 1800. The mode of questions and answers was laid aside, and the section assumed its present form, namely,

"1. The annual salary of the travelling preachers shall be eighty dollars and their travelling expenses. "2. The annual allowance of the wives of travelling preachers shall be eighty dollars.

"3. Each child of a travelling preacher shall be allowed sixteen dollars annually, to the age of seven years, and twenty-four dollars annually from the age of seven to fourteen years; nevertheless, this rule shall not apply to the children of preachers whose families are provided for by other means in their circuits respectively.

"4. The salary of the superannuated, worn-out, and supernumerary preachers shall be eighty dollars annually.

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5. The annual allowance of the wives of superannuated, worn-out, and supernumerary preachers shall be eighty dollars.

"6. The annual allowance of the widows of travelling, superannuated, worn-out, and supernumerary preachers shall be eighty dollars.

"7. The orphans of travelling, superannuated, worn-out, and supernumerary preachers shall be allowed by the annual conferences, if possible, by such means as they can devise, sixteen dollars an nually."

1804. The following inserted in clause 3, before "nevertheless," "and those preachers whose wives are dead shall be allowed for each child annually a sum sufficient to pay the board of such child or children during the above term of years."