At the General Conference of 1870, the law was
made plainer ; or rather, it was altered, so that this
committee is to be so worked as to conform the Disci-
pline in this part to other parts. No private member
can be put on his trial for a capital offense, without
presentment by a committee of three. It is so, like-
wise, with the traveling preacher. But the local
preacher had no such security against needless arraign-
ment and vexatious prosecution, unless it be found
here ; neither had the Church, against immature and
ill-conducted trials. The interval between Quarterly
Conferences is so short, that a committee, acting witH
the form and force of a quasi trial, is seldom if ever
necessary, as with traveling preachers. Local preachers
can soon be reached by the court of original jurisdic-
tion. Experienced administrators have found the
quad trial of committee confusing and of doubtful
benefit. Now the committee called in the case of
local preachers, being confined to the investigating
functions of committees in the other two parallel cases,
it must simplify our jurisprudence, extend equal
protection to all, and contribute to the thoroughness
and dispatch of Quarterly Conference business. The
Discipline, from 1796 to 1820, after the finding by the
investigating committee and arrest, said: "And in
such case and in every case where a meeting [commit-
tee] assembled as above described, shall deem the said
local preacher, deacon, or elder culpable, the next quar-



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126 OF TRIALS.
terly-meeting shall proceed upon his trial, and shall
have authority to clear, reprove, suspend, or expel
him, according to their judgment." Bishop Morris's
interpretation favors this afdjustment to our system.
