membership or boundaries of the District Associations, and its own membership is composed of those who are certified to it through these accredited associations. The State Conference may, however, determine what associations it will recognize, and to that extent exercises the right of deliberative bodies to determine its own membership. In this sense, therefore, the membership of the State Conference is composed of District Associations. The voting membership, however, is not determined by the State Conference itself, but consists of those ministers who are certified to it by the District Associations and by delegates elected directly from the churches of those Associations.

Right to Determine Membership. A State Conference, however, has the right to judge of the qualifications of its own members. It has no right to disfellowship a minister for doctrinal reasons; for he is amenable in this regard to his own church and to the district Association, and the State Conference has no right to impose creed tests on ministers, churches or associations. But a State Conference may withhold or withdraw fellowship from a minister who is guilty of immorality, even though he has contrived to escape discipline at the hand of his own association. The same right obtains as to churches that walk disorderly; the State Conference cannot be compelled to recognize a church that gives countenance to scandalous living. But this right of the conference to protect itself should be exercised in extreme cases only; in cases where the offense is flagrant and the duty clear.

Incorporation for State Work. State associations are quite generally identical in membership with the State Home Missionary Society, and may exercise through this or other forms of organization authority over the missionary societies maintained by the churches of the association. The National Council in

1907 recommended that state conferences become legally incorporated and, empowered to hold property and conduct the operations of the churches in their missionary and philanthropic work.

"X. That the state organizations become legally incorporated bodies; and that under a general superintendent and such boards as they may create, and acting in coöperation with committees of local associations and churches, they provide for and direct the extension of church work, the planting of churches, the mutual oversight and care of all self-sustaining as well as missionary churches, and other missionary and church activities to the end that closer union may insure greater efficiency without curtailing local independence."

In harmony with the foregoing recommendation state conferences are remodeling their constitutions and providing for more centralized power to be exercised by the churches in their representative capacity.

Conferences and State Boundaries. The term State Conference is used for convenience as designating a body representing all the churches in the large geographical divisions of the country. The use of the term, however, does not prevent a large state, such as California, from having two conferences, one including all the churches in the northern, and the other all the churches in the southern end of the state, nor does it prevent two or more of the smaller states from uniting their churches in one conference, nor can it be held to prevent the existence of two state bodies, as for instance, one inclusive of the white and another of the colored churches of a state, but in general all the Congregational churches of a state are represented in a single state body.

IX. THE CONDUCT OF THE DISTRICT ASSOCIATION OR STATE CONFERENCE.

The Call of the Meeting-It is customary for an Association or Conference to set the time and place of its next session, but as most district associations meet not more frequently than once in six months and the state conferences in general convene only once a year, it is customary to give the business committee authority to change the time and place of meeting. This should not be done, however, excepting for some important reason, and seasonable notice should be sent to every minister and church belonging to the body.

The Moderator. Unless otherwise provided in the constitution it is customary for the moderator of the last meeting to call the Association or Conference to order and to preside during the temporary organization. The right of the retiring moderator to preside is not affected by his membership in the present session of the Association or Conference. The temporary organization is informal and proceeds during a period in which it is not officially known who are members of the permanent body. The taking of the chair by the retiring moderator, however, is a courtesy and not an inalienable right. If during the interval between meetings the moderator of the last meeting had become disqualified, or notorious, it would be the duty of the business committee to provide for the prompt calling of the meeting to order, and the immediate nomination of a temporary moderator. See also the section relating to the moderator in the chapter on the National Council.

Temporary Organization. The temporary organiza

tion should be orderly and prompt. Unless the constitution provides duties to be performed by the retiring moderator his first and practically his only duty is to conduct the brief business of the body looking to immediate, permanent organization. He should call for nominations for a permanent moderator or the report of a nominating committee, if there is one, and if the constitution lays upon him any responsibility in the matter of naming a business committee or a committee on nominations, that should be done at once. In general, however, the naming of a committee does not belong to the retiring moderator; and if he is to deliver an address that exercise should be performed after the permanent moderator is in charge.

Permanent Organization. As soon as the moderator is elected he should lead in prayer, or call upon a member of the body to do so, unless there has been a devotional service in connection with the temporary organization. In general the prayer should not precede, but should immediately follow the election of the moderator, and it is fitting that he should himself lead in the prayer.

The moderator should proceed at once to the completion of the organization. The election of the scribe is the first act. Tellers should be appointed to gather the names and credentials of the delegates. The business need not wait for the formal completion of the roll, but any business of great importance should be postponed, and at the demand of any member must be postponed, until it is known who has the right to vote. As the consummation of the roll requires some time the routine business should proceed without it. The moderator should ascertain at once what committees are required to be appointed for the orderly transaction of business. Vacancies in the

business committee should be filled and a nominating committee elected. Unless there is other provision for the nominating committee it may be nominated by the moderator, but should be confirmed by the body.

The permanent organization being effected, a programme or docket should be adopted. This is commonly prepared by the business committee and submitted in print. It is usually adopted subject to modifications as the sessions proceed, and the moderator should follow this schedule, excepting as the body may vary it by express vote.

The Introduction of Business. Any member of the Association or Conference may introduce business at any session for which a definite order has not been adopted, but any business likely to result in discussion should be referred to an appropriate committee that it may take its orderly course in the business of the assembly.

The business first to be transacted should be that which will facilitate the business of the body itself, as the appointment of proper committees, the arrangement of the orders of the day, the adoption of the programme of the open meetings, and the docket for the business meetings.

Second. The completion of unfinished business, beginning with that which is in the strict sense business, and which relates to the orderly procedure of the assembly.

Third. The reports of committees.

Fourth. The introduction of new business.

Memorials and petitions may be introduced at any time, but should be introduced as early as possible in the session that they may be referred to committees and carefully considered.

The Time for Business Sessions. It is the fatal