position of the matter. The assembly may act at once upon the matter, or refer it to a committee, or set a time at which to attend to it; and any of these motions carries with it the privilege to which the matter relates.

103. General Remarks. An ordinary motion will sometimes rise through a sudden emergency to the place of a question of privilege. For example, a member might be speaking in order, and another member rise and say: "Mr. Moderator, I ask the brother to yield the floor for a question of privilege. A house is on fire and our help is needed. I move we take recess for one hour."' The motion to take recess, which ordinarily is a privileged motion, becomes in such an emergency a question of privilege.

104.

XII. THE VOTE.

Methods of Voting. Five methods of voting are common among religious bodies-by sound, show of hands, rising, ballot, and by yeas and nays.

105. Voting by Sound, or Show of Hands, or Rising. Voting by sound and by show of hands are two forms which are essentially the same method. In routine business where no division is expected, the viva voce vote is most common. A common form is "As many as are in favor of the motion will say aye.' "As many

as are opposed say no;" "The ayes have it, and the motion is carried." Or the form is varied thus, "As many as are in favor will raise the hand; as many as are opposed by the same sign.'' "The motion prevails."

Voting by the uplifted hand is very ancient and appears to have been employed in the New Testament churches. It may be employed in connection with a viva voce vote where the chair is in a doubt. A vote having been taken viva voce the moderator may say the chair is in doubt and then call for another vote by the uplifted hand.

A rising vote may be employed when the division is so close as to make voting by show of hands uncertain. It is also used to give emphasis and impressiveness to a vote, as in the adoption of resolutions of respect or thanks.

106. Voting by Ballot. Voting by ballot is in order in all matters of importance, and is desirable in the election of officers. It may be demanded by five members on any main question of importance.

107. Election by Ballot. Where the election is by

ballot it is common to nominate by an informal ballot in order that every person present may express his desire and put in nomination any member whom he prefers. An informal ballot has only the value of a nomination. It sometimes happens that on the informal ballot a majority of votes will appear in favor of a single candidate. In such cases it is common to vote viva voce that the informal ballot be declared formal. This is both legal and desirable, for when the house has shown a clear majority in favor of a candidate on the nominating ballot, it would be a waste of time to take a formal ballot.

It is not required that members shall confine their votes to persons nominated. Whether the nominations be by committee or from the floor or by informal ballot, every member is fully at liberty to vote for any other member for any office for which he is eligible.

108. Majority Required for Election. A majority of all votes is necessary to determine the will of the assembly. A plurality cannot elect an officer nor commit the body to any proposed action.

Some motions require a two-thirds vote; the suppression of a question, the suspension of the rules; the amendment of the rules (except in the National Council); the limitation or extension of debate; the previous question; the making of a special order, or taking up of a question out of its order; and also, properly, the motion to lay on the table, when it is used to limit debate or suppress a question. (See Section 73).

109. Electing by a Single Ballot. The custom has grown common of electing officers by a single ballot cast by the clerk or scribe. This has been declared illegal in some states as defeating the purpose of a ballot and therefore should not be employed. In cases where a nomination has been made and after oppor

tunity for other nominations has been given and no other nominations follow, the chair may entertain a motion that the ballot containing the nomination be cast by the scribe or the chairman of the committee. The moderator should announce that this can be done only by unanimous consent and inquire whether any other person desires to vote. If any other person expresses a desire to vote tellers must be appointed and a ballot collected from the whole house, but if no other vote is offered the single ballot may be cast and the candidates declared elected. The record, however, should not show that the secretary was instructed to cast the ballot of the house, but that the house proceeding to ballot a unanimous vote was cast in favor of the candidate or candidates. The motion that the secretary cast the ballot of the house, should not be put to vote nor appear upon the records. There should be a bona fide ballot. If every member without exception is willing that his vote should be merged in a single ballot, the purpose of the ballot has not been destroyed, and the ballot is legally valid.

110. Voting by Ayes and Noes. In determining the findings of councils and the other matters of large importance, it is usual to take the vote by ayes and noes. The purpose of this vote in religious bodies is somewhat different from that of political assemblies, it being less to put each man on record than to give each man an opportunity to express a judgment. The names being called in order each member responds, giving his judgment in the affirmative or negative, and if he desires with a few words of explanation of his vote, but unless the vote explicitly requires it the members' votes are not recorded opposite their names. This may be done, however, when for any reason the assembly desires that each member shall go on record.

Yeas and nays may be called for and recorded on any question by a majority vote.

111. Question Open Till Both Sides Have Voted. Until both sides of a vote have been taken, a member is at liberty to continue the discussion or to offer amendment. If a member rises and addresses the chair after the affirmative vote, and the chair not recognizing him hastens to put the negative, the member still may claim the floor.

112. Changing Votes. After a vote has been cast and until the time when the moderator announces the result, any member is at liberty to change his vote. In doing this he is not expected to reopen the discussion, but if the question is debatable he may briefly give his reason for changing, and even in case of an undebatable motion might be heard briefly on a question of privilege. This, however, could only be asked in a grave situation where the change had come about through some unusual and unfamiliar conditions, such that the member in changing his vote would be justified in feeling compelled to explain his reason.

113. Announcement of the Vote. The vote becomes a matter of record only when announced by the chair. 114. Making a Vote Unanimous. A clear majority having voted in favor of a candidate or resolution, the vote may be made unanimous. The motion to make a vote unanimous should be made, if at all, by some leading representative of what has been the opposition, and should be entered into heartily, if at all. A single vote against such a motion would defeat it, nor can it truthfully be said that a vote has been unanimous when the defeated minority merely tacitly permits the passing of such a vote. If a vote is recorded that a certain election was made unanimous it should mean that the minority heartily concurred in the judgment of the majority and themselves proposed this united expres