sion. This motion should never be passed with intent to coerce a minority.

115. All Must Vote. In matters of importance every member may be required to vote, and where a division is called for and members vote neither way, they may be counted in the affirmative.

The rule here laid down is diametrically opposite to that now recognized in Congress, in which members present and not voting are counted in the negative. The distinction is important, and the present rule is sound as applied to ecclesiastical bodies. A member of a legislative body, present and refusing to vote, may be presumed to be opposed to the measure and seeking by his silence to break a quorum. He is not permitted to prevent a vote, and cannot complain if he is counted in the negative, and so since the days of Thomas B. Reed, he is counted in Congress, and increasingly in legislative bodies. But the case is quite otherwise in religious assemblies.. The member not voting either for or against a measure must be understood as acquiescing in the vote of the majority. If a pastorate seems to be going badly a member cannot escape his share of the responsibility by asserting that he did not vote in favor of the call. If he was silent while the majority so voted, he must assume his share of the responsibility as fully as if he had voted with the rest.

116. Personal Interest Excludes From Vote. No member may vote on a matter affecting himself. If, however, the matter concerns himself and others, he may vote. For instance, if a vote of censure includes only one name, the member named may not vote; but if it includes two or more names all the members named may vote.

When personalities are involved, a member whose case is under consideration should leave the room, and may

be required to do so, during the discussion and vote upon his case, but may make his personal statement before withdrawing.

117. Forms of Putting Motions.

Viva Voce. "As many as are in favor of the motion, say Aye. Those opposed, No. The Ayes have it; and the motion prevails.'

"As

Show of Hands, Followed by Rising Vote. many as are in favor of the motion will manifest it by the uplifted hand. Those opposed by the same sign. The Chair is in doubt. Those who are in favor of the motion will rise, and stand until counted. You may be seated. Those who are opposed will stand. The vote is 35 in favor of the motion, and 37 opposed. The motion is lost."'

Receiving and Adopting the Report of a Committee. "It is moved and seconded that the report of the Committee be received. As many as are in favor will say, Aye. Opposed, No. The report is received. It is moved and seconded that the report be adopted. As many as are in favor of the adoption of the report will say, Aye. Opposed, No. The Noes have it. motion to adopt the report is lost."

The

(Not There is

Objection to the Consideration of a Question. in order if there has been any discussion). objection to the consideration of the question. Will the Association consider it? Those in favor will say, Aye. Opposed, No. The objection does not receive a two-thirds vote, and is lost. The main question is before the Association for discussion."

Appeal From the Decision of the Chair. "Shall the decision of the Chair stand as the judgment of the Conference? As many as favor sustaining the decision of the Chair will say, Aye. Contrary, No. The decision of the Chair is sustained."

Adjourn. "It is moved and seconded that we do now adjourn. Those who are in favor of adjournment will say, Aye. Opposed, No. The Ayes have it; but before the Chair announces the vote he would remind the House that we have set no time to which we shall adjourn. It is moved and seconded that when we adjourn, we adjourn to meet at 9 o'clock tomorrow. As many as are in favor will say, Aye. Contrary, No. It

is a vote.

A renewal of the motion to adjourn is in order. Those who favor adjournment will say, Aye. Opposed, No. The Ayes have it. The House stands adjourned to 9 o'clock tomorrow."

The Previous Question. "Shall the main question be now put? As many as are in favor of closing the discussion will say, Aye."

To sustain an Examination. (When Council is by itself). "It is moved and seconded that the examination be sustained, and that we proceed to the service of ordination. The Scribe will call the roll, and the members will vote as their names are called."

XIII. THE CLOSING OF THE MEETING.

118. To Take Recess. Where it is intended to close a meeting temporarily and to resume it at another hour of the same day, a motion to take recess until a given time is in order. It is undebatable, but brief remarks may be permitted by general consent, and the motion may be amended as to the time at which it is proposed to reassemble, and limited discussion may be permitted on this point.

119. To Adjourn. A motion to adjourn, if carried, dissolves the assembly, unless a time is fixed to whick adjournment is to be taken. The motion should be in this form, "That we do now adjourn," or in the case of a committee, "That the committee rise." This motion is undebatable and cannot be reconsidered or amended, unless the motion contains subsidiary matter, in which case amendments are in order, and debate is permitted on all matters included in the motion beyond that of simple adjournment.

It is commonly said that a motion to adjourn is never debatable and always in order. Neither of these statements is strictly correct. Even the motion "That we do now adjourn" sometimes permits limited discussion, particularly when the assembly is to hold no other session. A member rising at such a time to call the attention of the house to business that has not been transacted is in order even if the motion to adjourn has passed, provided the result has not yet been stateď by the chair. To hold that a motion to adjourn can never be debated would sometimes make it impossible for a body to transact important items of business that had been overlooked by the majority. Discussion of

the motion to adjourn, however, must be strictly confined to important items of information bearing directly on the advisability of the motion.

When there is no other business before the house a motion to adjourn may admit of amendment for the purpose of bringing before the house other business, and to prevent a restless and uninformed majority from dissolving the assembly without completing its work. And upon such amendment, if it is seconded and stated, there may be limited discussion. A motion to adjourn loses its privilege if in any way modified. But the amendment to a motion to adjourn is itself a privileged motion, and allowable to prevent the abuse of the privilege of the motion to adjourn. It must not itself be permitted to be abused.

Neither is it strictly true to say that the motion to adjourn is always in order. Even when a motion to adjourn is before the house it may be set aside temporarily by a motion to fix a time to which to adjourn.

A motion to adjourn, having been defeated, may not be renewed until other business has been transacted.

“When an assembly has not fixed the day to which it shall adjourn and it is not otherwise limited by law, an adjournment would be equivalent to a dissolution. The motion to adjourn would then have no privilege whatever over other motions. Indeed [if other business remains to be done], 'it should not be entertained by the presiding officer [and far from being undebatable], it opens up a wide field for debate." Reed's Parliamentary Rules, p. 126.

ness.

120. The Effect of Adjournment on Unfinished BusiWhen an adjournment closes a session that will be resumed or followed at a stated time within the year by a session of the same body, unfinished business should be taken up at the next session in advance of