17. The schedules and narratives of religion shall be lodged with the secretary, to be kept on file.

18. The publishing committee shall see that the minutes, as soon as printed, are sent to delegates to other bodies, and a copy sent by mail to every member of the district associations.

19. This association shall, as far as practicable, meet alternately in the eastern and western sections of the state.

20. These rules shall be read at the opening of every annual meeting.

GENERAL CONFERENCE

OF

MAINE.

IN the state of Maine, the arrangements for promoting the intercourse and communion of pastors and churches, differ somewhat from those in other states. The pastors there, as elsewhere, have their associations for mutual aid and advice; and to those associations is assigned by common consent the duty of examining and recommending, or licensing, candidates for the ministry. But in Maine there is no general association or convention of ministers; the objects aimed at in such organizations being secured, in part, at least, by another arrangement.

The churches of Maine, meet by their pastors and delegates, in stated conventions called conferences. Each conference has its own constitution, and is designed to include the churches of a county, or of some other convenient district. The rules of the conference expressly forbid the exercise of any authority or control over the churches. The meetings are held, not to receive appeals or complaints, or to inquire after error and disorders, but for united prayer, for the extension of christian intercourse and acquaintance between the members of different churches, for mutual instruction by the discussion of such questions as arise from time to time, for devising and imparting aid to

feeble churches, and for promoting in all such ways the prosperity of religion.

The first conference was formed in the county of York; and the first annual meeting of the " York Conference of Churches," was held on the first Tuesday of October, 1823. The churches of other counties generally followed the example; and in a few years the system was completed by the formation of a General Conference under the following constitution.

CONSTITUTION

OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF MAINE.

ART. 1. This conference shall be called, The General Conference of Maine.

ART. 2. The General Conference shall consist of six delegates from each county.conference, which has twenty or more churches, three ministers and three laymen: and four delegates from each county conference, which has less than twenty churches, two ministers and two laymen; and also of the officers, delegates to foreign bodies, preachers and committees for the times for which they are chosen, and also of the minister of the place, where the conference meet.

ART. 3. Ordained ministers, who may be present at the meetings of this body, may be invited to sit as honorary members to take part in the deliberations, but not to vote.

ART. 4. The annual meetings of this conference shall be opened with singing, reading the scriptures, and prayer.

ART. 5. The presiding officer shall be a moderator, chosen by ballot, to continue in office three years.

ART. 6. There shall be a corresponding secretary, chosen by ballot, who shall hold his office for three years, whose duty it shall be, to conduct the correspondence of the conference, and also collect information, and, at each meeting, exhibit a report on the state of religion within the limits of this conference.

ART. 7. A recording secretary shall have charge of the records of the conference, who shall be elected by ballot, and hold his office for three years.

ART. 8. The object of the General Conference shall be, to promote intercourse and harmony among the churches of the state, and produce a more extensive co-operation in every good work.

ART. 9. The several county conferences shall retain their individual right and privileges; and no ecclesiastical power or authority shall ever be assumed by the general conference, or be delegates to it.

ART. 10. This conference shall meet on the Tuesday before the fourth Wednesday of June, annually, at 11 o'clok, A. M. at the place at which the Maine Missionary Society shall hold their annual meetings.

ART. 11. The conference shall establish its own by-laws and regulations, subject to alterations at their future meetings.

ART. 12. This conference may interchange friendly correspondence with other religious bodies in the habit of such inter

course.

ART. 13. At each meeting of the conference a first and second preacher shall be appointed by ballot for the next meeting.

ART. 14. Any county conference may withdraw from this connection by assigning to the recording secretary their reasons in writing.

ART. 15. The funds of the conference, to be raised by a contribution at each annual meeting, shall be appropriated, after deducting incidental expenses, to the aid of feeble conferences. ART. 16. The public religious exercises shall be closed by the administration of the Lord's Supper.

ART. 17. The constitution of this conference may be altered at the annual meetings of this body, by two thirds of the members present.

EVANGELICAL CONSOCIATION

OF

RHODE ISLAND.

IN May, 1808, four pastors of congregational churches in Rhode Island, united in an association, to be called the Evangelical Association of Ministers in the State of Rhode Island. At their second meeting, it was agreed that each of the churches, under the pastoral care of the ministers of the association, be requested to appoint a brother to attend the next meeting, and assist in the discussion of the articles of faith and rules of business then proposed for adoption. At a subsequent meeting, held at Newport, May, 1809, the organization of the body was completed by the adoption of a brief profession of faith, and of certain rules of order; and as the body had ceased to be an association of ministers, it thenceforth named itself "the Evangelical Consociation of Rhode Island.”

This body unites, to some extent, the duties which, in Connecticut, are divided between the association of pastors, and the consociation of pastors and churches. Like an association it examines and licenses candidates for the ministry. Its acts in relation to the churches are purely advisory. About sixteen ministers, and as many churches, are now included in the consociation.