USA > Indiana > Discipline of Indiana Yearly Meeting of Friends : being the constitution and discipline of the American Yearly Meeting of Friends; with the additions adopted by Indiana Yearly Meeting > Part 6
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3. Elders are tenderly to advise with members of the congregation as to their spiritual condition, and, in the freedom of brotherly love, endeavor to aid all in the attainment of a high standard of Chris- tian life.
4. Each Yearly Meeting will use such method as it may deem best to ascertain the doctrinal views of Ministers and Elders, but persons who are known
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not to hold and teach Christian doctrines as held by The Friends should not be recorded or retained in the station of Ministers or Elders.
CHAPTER IX.
QUARTERLY MEETINGS.
1. A Quarterly Meeting consists of the mem- bers of all the Monthly Meetings within its limits and subordinate to it. Its officers shall consist of a Clerk, a Correspondent, and a Treasurer, who shall be appointed on the recommendation of a Nomina- ting Committee.
2. The Quarterly Meeting has the power to es- tablish, divide or discontinue a Monthly Meeting, or to unite two or more Monthly Meetings.
3. If members belonging to two or more Quar- terly Meetings, either in the same or different Yearly Meetings, request the establishment of a new Monthly Meeting, the request shall be sent to all the Quarterly Meetings to which the signers of the request belong, and their consent obtained. The request shall state when and where the new Monthly Meeting is to be held, and to what Quar- terly Meeting it is to be attached. When the con- sent of all the interested Quarterly Meetings has been obtained, the Quarterly Meeting to which the new Monthly Meeting is to be attached shall pro- ceed to establish it as requested.
4. In order to establish, discontinue, or divide a Quarterly Meeting, or to unite two Quarterly Meet- ings, application should be made by the Monthly
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Meetings concerned, through their Quarterly Meet- ing, or respective Quarterly Meetings, to the Yearly Meeting for its action.
5. The Quarterly Meeting has supervision over the Monthly Meetings. It may review their pro- ceedings and examine the records thereof, so that any irregularities of proceedings may be corrected by the Monthly Meeting. It shall receive appeals from the Monthly Meetings and decide upon them, and shall grant appeals from its own decisions to the Yearly Meeting.
6. The Quarterly Meeting may appoint a com- mittee to advise with the Monthly Meeting in cases of difficulty, as it may know of such need, or upon the request of the Monthly Meeting.
7. At the last session before the Yearly Meet- ing, it shall receive from the Monthly Meeting all statistics required by the Yearly Meeting, and also reports on the state of the Church, and upon these shall base its report to the Yearly Meeting .*
8. It shall appoint representatives to attend the Yearly Meeting on its behalf. It shall designate such number of these as may be required by the Yearly Meeting, to represent it upon the Finance Committee of the Yearly Meeting .**
*Reports should be forwarded to the Yearly Meeting Clerk one week before Yearly Meeting.
** The Yearly Meeting designates one from each Quarterly Meeting, whose membership is 1,000, or less, and two from each Quarterly Meeting, whose membership is above 1,000, one of whom shall be a woman, and the Finance Committee's report shall be accepted by the representatives before it is presented to the Yearly Meeting.
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CHAPTER X.
SECTION 1 .- YEARLY MEETINGS.
1. A Yearly Meeting consists of the members of the Quarterly Meetings subordinate to it, and it posesses complete legislative, judicial and adminis- trative authority. The design of its annual assem- blies is the general ordering and regulation of the affairs of the Church in the service of God, and the maintenance and promotion of Christian faith, love, unity, life and practice throughout its subordinate meetings.
2. The Yearly Meetings shall be opened at the appointed time and place by the Clerk of the last annual meeting, who shall occupy his position until a successor is appointed. In the event of the ab- sence of the Clerk, the Assistant or Recording Clerk shall perform this service. If neither shall be pres- ent, the meeting shall appoint a temporary Clerk.
3. The representatives from the Quarterly Meet- ings shall nominate to the second sitting of the Yearly Meeting persons to serve the meeting in the position of Clerk and Assistant Clerk, and such others as may be deemed necessary for the efficient transaction of the business.
4. The Yearly Meeting has the power to decide all questions of administration ; to counsel, admon- ish or discipline its subordinate meetings; to in- stitute measures and provide means for the promo- tion of truth and righteousness ; and to inaugurate and carry on departments of religious and philan- thropic work.
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5. The Yearly Meeting shall receive annual re- ports from the Quarterly Meetings as to the state of the Church to which it shall give prayerful con- sideration, and it shall extend such counsel and ad- vice in relation thereto as it may deem necessary.
6. The Yearly Meeting shall annually receive abstracts from the minutes of the Quarterly Meet- ings, containing statements of business for its con- sideration and action. It may review the proceed- ings of any Quarterly Meeting and shall give ad- vice and instruction to the Quarterly Meetings when these are requested, or may be thought nec- essary.
7. Business may be introduced to a Yearly Meet- ing in the reports from Quarterly Meetings, from the Permanent Board, from the Standing Commit- tees of the Yearly Meeting, from a Special Commit- tee on New Business, and in communications from the Five-Years Meeting, and from other Yearly Meetings. Business may also be laid before a Yearly Meeting by any of its members with the consent of the Clerk. When the matter is of special impor- tance, it shall be referred to a committee before it is acted upon.
8. All propositions from Quarterly Meetings, and all proposed legislation affecting this Consti- tution and Discipline shall be introduced to the Yearly Meeting in writing and shall not be finally acted upon on the day of their introduction. Prop- ositions for the amendment of this Constitution and Discipline must be referred to the Permanent Board of the Yearly Meeting, or to a special committee, for
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its consideration for one year. When a proposition is approved by a Yearly Meeting, it shall be reported to the Five-Years Meeting, for its consideration.
(And if approved by that body, with such modifica- tions as that body shall see fit to make, it shall then be submitted to the several Yearly Meetings for their action; and it shall become operative when it shall have been adopted by four-fifths of the Yearly Meet- ings constituting the Five-Years Meeting .* )
9. The Yearly Meeting shall receive and decide all cases of appeal regularly brought before it from the Quarterly Meetings. Its procedure in treating such appeals is indicated in the section on Appeals.
10. The Yearly Meeting, unless incorporated un- der the laws of a State making it unnecessary, shall appoint Trustees - not fewer than three nor more than seven in each case-who shall hold the titles of its real estate, and have the same duly re- corded in the official records of the State or County. Trustees shall be similarly appointed to invest all funds and other personal property, whether received by bequest, donation or otherwise, and to administer the same according to the direction of the donors. The Yearly Meeting shall have one or more such boards of Trustees as it may deem advisable. Due care must be exercised by Trustees to observe the re- quirements of the statutes of their several States in the administration of their trusts.
11. Each Yearly Meeting shall annually appoint
*Amendment approved by the Five Years Meeting in 1902, and submitted to the Yearly Meetings for their approval. Ap- proved by this Yearly Meeting in 1903.
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a Finance Committee, composed of those persons designated by the Quarterly Meetings for the ser- vice, who shall consider the propositions for appro- priations by the Yearly Meeting and report upon them, audit the accounts of the Treasurer, and of the various boards and committees having charge of the expenditure of funds, and ascertain and re- port what amounts it will be necessary for the Yearly Meeting to raise .*
12. Each Yearly Meeting shall appoint a per- son to serve as Treasurer. He shall receive the money from the Quarterly Meetings, and from other sources, for the Yearly Meeting's use, and shall pay the same as directed by the Yearly Meet- ing or its Permanent Board. He shall be authorized to receive and officially receipt for all legacies, do- nations or other funds requiring a formal, legal ac- knowledgment.
13. When a meeting is discontinued, the prop- erty belonging to said meeting shall be vested in the Yearly Meeting, to be held in trust for some specific purpose, or to be used for the advancement of the general work of the Yearly Meeting, as that body may determine. All funds held by such dis- continued meeting shall be administered in accord- ance with the directions of the original donors.
14. Each Yearly Meeting shall appoint one or more persons to serve as Correspondent. A Cor- respondent shall countersign certificates of minis- ters liberated for service in foreign lands, epistles
*See note on page 89.
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and other documents issued to other Yearly Meet- ings, and such documents and transcripts of records as may require certification beyond the signature of the Clerk.
15. A proposition to establish a new Yearly Meeting shall be reported by the Yearly Meeting, or Meetings concerned, to the Five-Years Meeting.
16. Each Yearly Meeting may appoint an Evan- gelistic and Church Extension Committee, whose duties are prescribed in Part IV.
17. Each Yearly Meeting shall furnish to the Five-Years Meeting such statistical information as it may request.
SECTION 2 .- THE PERMANENT BOARD.
1. Each Yearly Meeting shall have a Permanent Board (heretofore called the Representative Meet- ing), to consist of not more than fifty members* who shall be so selected that each Quarterly Meet- ing of the Yearly Meeting shall be represented. One- fifth of their number shall be appointed each year to serve for five years. It shall annually appoint a Clerk for the management of its business.
2. It shall meet at such times and places as the Yearly Meeting may designate, or upon its own adjournment. Special meetings may be called by the Clerk on the requisition of five members. Five days' notice of special meetings must be given in writing to all members, and the business to come before the special meeting shall be stated in the call. At least one-fourth of the total number of
*The number of members for this Yearly Meeting is fifty.
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members shall be required for the transaction of business, and in no case shall action be taken un- less one-fourth of the total membership of the Board approves.
3. The Permanent Board shall represent the Yearly Meeting in the interim of its annual assem- blies, and it may act on behalf of the Yearly Meet- ing in cases where the interest or reputation of The Friends may render it necessary. It shall attend to such business as the Yearly Meeting may refer to it. It shall examine memorials of deceased mem- bers, transmitted to it from subordinate meetings, and such as are approved it may recommend to the Yearly Meeting for publication.
4. It shall inspect and perfect, when necessary, titles to lands and other estates belonging to any meeting; it shall attend to the appropriation of charitable legacies and donations when necessary, and it may give advice, where needed on such mat- ters. It shall extend such advice and assistance to persons suffering on account of their Christian testimonies as their cases may require, and may apply to the Government, or to persons in author- ity on their behalf.
5. It shall keep a record of its proceedings, and annually lay the same before the Yearly Meeting.
6. It may draw on the Treasurer of the Yearly Meeting to pay the necessary expenses incurred in the execution of its duties.
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CHAPTER XI.
THE FIVE-YEARS MEETING.
1. The Five-Years Meeting shall be composed of delegates appointed by the several Yearly Meet- ings on the American Continent. Each Yearly Meeting shall be entitled to five delegates, and to one additional delegate for each one thousand mem- bers or fraction thereof greater than five hundred.
2. The Five-Years Meeting shall be opened by the Clerk of the last Meeting, at 7:30 o'clock p. m., on the third Third-day of the Tenth month, at the place designated by its own adjournment, and he shall occupy his position until his successor is ap- pointed. In the event of the absence of the Clerk, the first Assistant Clerk shall perform his service. If both are absent, or if neither is a delegate, the Chairman of one of the Yearly Meeting delegations shall act as temporary Clerk.
3. The chairmen of the delegations from the Yearly Meetings shall nominate at the second ses- sion of the meeting persons to serve the meeting as Clerk, First Assistant Clerk, and Second As- sistant Clerk, and such others as may be deemed necessary for the efficient transaction of the busi- ness.
4. The Five-Years Meeting is invested with full jurisdiction over all matters delegated to it by this Constitution and Discipline. It shall also have advisory supervision of the interests of the denom- ination, and shall publish its full proceedings for
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the information of the Yearly Meetings and their membership.
5. The expenses of the Five-Years Meeting shall be apportioned among the several Yearly Meetings according to their membership. The amount of the railroad fares of the delegates in going to and re- turing from the place of meeting shall be appor- tioned among the Yearly Meetings, according to the number of delegates to which they are entitled.
6. The Five-Years Meeting shall have charge of those departments of work assigned to it in Part IV.
CHAPTER XII.
NEW YEARLY MEETINGS.
When it is proposed to establish a new Yearly Meeting by setting off a portion of an existing meet- ing, or portions of two or more Yearly Meetings, or when two Yearly Meetings may wish to be unit- ed, such meeting or meetings shall inform the Five- Years Meeting of their approval of the proposition. The board of Foreign Missions shall, in like manner, inform the Five-Years Meeting when the organi- zation of a Yearly Meeting is proposed in any of its mission fields. The Five-Years Meeting shall carefully consider the entire proposition, and shall establish such new Yearly Meeting if it shall deem it advisable to do so.
When a new Yearly Meeting is to be established, the Five-Years Meeting shall appoint a committee, not to exceed ten in number, to attend the opening of such Yearly Meeting, with the minute of the
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Five-Years Meeting establishing it, and this com- mittee shall inaugurate its sessions in accordance with the organization of existing Yearly Meetings.
Yearly Meetings may also show their interest in the establishment of a new Yearly Meeting by ap- pointing committees to attend its opening.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THE CHURCH.
Meetings are to give careful attention to wise methods for raising funds for the service of the Church ; they shall encourage voluntary giving, and shall make such arrangements as will extend to ev- ery member an opportunity to contribute as he may de- sire. Every member should contribute according to his means, and a failure to do this becomes a culpable avoidance of Christian duty. The ordi- nary necessary expenses of the meetings may prop- erly be raised by quota.
CHAPTER XIV.
MEETINGS ON MINISTRY AND OVERSIGHT.
Ministers, Elders and Overseers will be aided in their work by co-operation and mutual consultation. To facilitate this, Meetings on Ministry and Over- sight are established.
SECTION 1 .- LOCAL MEETINGS ON MINISTRY AND OVERSIGHT.
1. The Local Meeting on Ministry and Over- sight is composed of all the Ministers, Elders and
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Overseers within the limits of the Monthly Meet- ing of which they are members. Its regular meet- ings shall be held once in each month, or once in two or three months, as the needs may require. Special meetings may be called by the Clerk on the request of three members. Notice in writing shall be sent to the members five full days before such special meeting.
2. The Local Meeting on Ministry and Oversight shall have the care of the ministry and the relig- ious work in its congregations. At each regular session the members from each congregation shall designate one of their number to present to the meet- ing a verbal report of the spiritual condition and life of the congregation, the attendance at meetings for public worship, the character of the ministry and its adaptation to the needs of the meeting; state- ments shall be made as to the evidence of the re- ception of spiritual gifts by any of the members, and of the care that has been extended toward the exercise and development of such gifts; information shall be given of any special work that may have been entered upon, and of any available fields for service. These reports from the several congre- gations shall be practically considered, and such action shall be taken, or such advice and assistance given, as the circumstances may require.
3. When there is evidence that a person has re- ceived a gift in the ministry, action shall be taken in accordance with the chapter on the recording of ministers.
4. Where particular meetings feel the need of the
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special service of ministers, the initiative in the ar- rangement therefor shall be taken by the pastoral committee of the congregation. They shall sub- mit their proposal to the Monthly Meeting for its action. Such ministers shall carry on their labors in harmony with the principles of the denomination and agreeably to the provisions of this Constitu- tion and Discipline, taking care that in all meet- ings for worship opportunity be afforded for the free exercise by the members of the congregation of any gifts for service which the Lord may confer. When a Monthly Meeting is satisfied that a min- ister's services in such position are no longer re- quired, it should terminate this relation.
5. If any minister shall teach doctrines or en- courge practices subversive of our faith, or shall appear to have lost his gift in the ministry and use- fulness in his station, the Local Meeting on Minis- try and Oversight shall report the case to the Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight. If that meeting concurs in such judgment, the case shall be reported to the Monthly Meeting for its action.
6. The Local Meeting on Ministry and Over- sight shall appoint representatives to the Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight. It shall also report to such Quarterly Meeting a summary of the information received as to the spiritual condi- tion and life of its congregations.
7. The Local Meeting on Ministry and Over- sight shall annually appoint a committee of two to co-operate with a committee of the Monthly
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Meeting, in nominating to the Monthly Meeting persons for appointment as Elders.
8. Once a year, or oftener, this meeting shall make a report in writing to the Monthly Meeting of the spiritual condition of the membership, of the attendance upon public worship, of family devo- tions, of the conduct of the members in their rela- tions to one another and to the world, of Christian work in which the members are engaged, and of such other matters as may pertain to the affairs of the congregation .*
SECTION 2 .- QUARTERLY MEETINGS ON MINIS- TRY AND OVERSIGHT.
1. The Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Over- sight is composed of the members of the Local Meetings on Ministry and Oversight within its limits. It shall meet regularly near the time of the Quarterly Meeting to transact the business per- taining to its department of Church government, and it shall appoint representatives, and make a report to the Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Over- sight.
2. The Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight shall consider cases forwarded from the Local Meetings on Ministry and Oversight for the acknowledgment of ministers. When the proposition
*Two reports are to be made, one to be sent to the Monthly Meeting, as per Section 11, page 80; the other to the Quar- terly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight, as per clause 6, page 100. These reports are not required to be alike, but should differ to suit the character of the meetings to which they are addressed.
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for the acknowledgment of a gift in the ministry is ap- proved, the said Quarterly Meeting shall so inform the Monthly Meeting. When the proposition is not approved it shall so inform the Local Meeting in which the proposition originated.
3. When a Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight has been informed by a local Meeting on Ministry and Oversight of the subversive character of the teachings or practices of any minister, it shall give the matter careful and prayerful attention. If it concurs in the judgment of the latter meeting, and the causes of complaint cannot be removed, the Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Oversight shall then advise the Monthly Meeting to depose him from the ministry. Should the Local Meeting on Ministry and Oversight be manifestly neglect- ful in reporting any such case, or should it decline to do so, it shall be the duty of the Quarterly Meet- ing on Ministry and Oversight to institute proceed- ings therein on its own motion. The minister shall not sit as a member of the Meetings on Ministry and Oversight while his case is pending, but he may, if he desires, be present to make statements on his own behalf and to answer accusations. He must, however, retire while the decision is being made.
4. The Quarterly Meeting on Ministry and Over- sight shall have the general care of the pastoral work within its limits. It shall be diligent and ju- dicious in devising measures and means for the promotion of spiritual life and godliness, and it
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shall give special attention to new congregations, weaker meetings, and those without a ministry.
SECTION 3 .- YEARLY MEETINGS ON MINISTRY AND OVERSIGHT.
1. The Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Over- sight is composed of the members of the Quarterly Meetings on Ministry and Oversight within its limits. It shall meet annually at such time as the Yearly Meeting may direct, and thereafter on its own adjournment, but in no case so as to conflict with the sitting of the Yearly Meeting.
2. It shall receive reports from the Quarterly Meetings on Ministry and Oversight, covering the matters upon which they receive reports from the Local Meetings on Ministry and Oversight ; and it shall annually report to the Yearly Meeting the condition and work of the ministry, and of its membership; it may address epistles of advice and instruction to its subordinate meetings, and ap- point committees to visit them.
3. The Yearly Meeting on Ministry and Over- sight shall carefully consider subjects which have reference to the spiritual needs of the Church, and it may report its judgment to the Yearly Meeting for its action.
PART III
RULES OF DISCIPLINE
CHAPTER I.
SECTION 1 .- RECEPTION OF MEMBERS.
1. Application for membership may be made in writing to the Monthly Meeting through the members of the Pastoral Committee of the Con- gregation.
2. It shall be the duty of the Pastoral Commit- tee before presenting the name of an applicant for membership to ascertain whether he makes a cred- ible profession of faith in Christ as his Saviour, and accepts the doctrines of the Christian religion as held by The Friends; whether his present life indicates the sincerity of his profession, and whether he will conform to the Rules of Discipline. The judgment of the committee shall be given, with the application, and the Monthly Meeting shall act according to its best judgment. The Clerk shall inform the applicant of his reception into mem- bership.
3. When a member is received, the announce- ment of his reception may be publicly made at the conclusion of a meeting for worship on the First Day of the week when he is present, that all the mem- bers may extend to him a welcome.
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4. Parents or guardians may make application for the enrollment of minor children as associate members.
SECTION 2 .- RECEPTION BY CERTIFICATE.
1. Monthly Meetings shall issue certificates of membership for such of their members in good standing, or for Associate members, as may remove to the limits of another Monthly Meeting, when the same is requested, or the Monthly Meeting deems it best to do so, and such certificate shall be ac- cepted by the Monthly Meeting to which it is ad- dressed, unless sufficient reason shall appear to the contrary. In every case the Monthly Meeting receiving the certificate shall inform the meeting which issued it of the action taken thereon, and the membership will not be transferred until such notice is received.
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