general statement of the facts of the case as may serve for a groundwork upon which charges may be drawn. It shall be the duty of the Bishop, upon the receipt of such presentment, to cause the charge or charges to be drawn up in such form as will, with reasonable certainty, give to the accused notice of the particular matters charged as offences. The style of the charge or charges shall be "Articles or charges against

by

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hibited on behalf of the Church to the Bishop of the Diocese of Maryland, -, acting as Church Advocate in consequence of a presentment made to the said Bishop by the Standing Committee of the said diocese."

CANON VII.

Of Advocates and of Parties.

Whenever it shall be determined to bring to trial any clergyman, the Bishop shall appoint one person as Church Advocate, whose duty it shall be to prepare the charges and conduct the trial on the part of the Church. It shall also be his duty to reduce the charges into form. He shall conduct the case with a single eye to eliciting the truth, and shall regard himself as much bound to protect the interests of the accused, except in matters merely technical, as those of the Church. The Church Advocate shall be considered the party on the one side and the Accused on the other. The accused shall have a right to call in any one person whom he may choose to assist him.

CANON VIII.

Of Ecclesiastical Courts.

Whenever a charge or charges against any priest or deacon of this diocese shall be reduced to writing, agreeably to the provisions of the canons, they shall be delivered to the Bishop, whose duty it shall be to transmit a copy of the same to the accused clergyman, together with a list of the Dames of fifteen presbyters of the diocese not members of the Standing Committee. If there are any of the said presbyters whom the accused does not wish to act as judges in his case, he shall notify the Bishop of their names, not exceeding ten in number. If the Bishop do not, in ten days from the time of serving the copy of the charges and the list of the names of the presbyters upon the accused, receive notice of the names of the presbyters to whom the accused objects, he may issue a commission to any seven of the fifteen, authorising them, or any four or more of them, to constitute an Ecclesiastical Court for the trial of the accused upon the charges exhibited against him. If the accused shall object to any of the

said presbyters, not exceeding seven in number, the Bishop may issue a similar commission to any seven of those to whom no objection has been made. If eight, nine, or ten, of the said presbyters shall have been objected to by the accused, the Bishop shall issue a similar commission to all those to whom he has not objected; the Bishop shall, in the commission, appoint a time and place for the trial, of which it shall be his duty to give thirty days notice to the accused. The presbyters named in the commission, or any four or more of them, who may attend at the time and place appointed, shall constitute the Court.

CANON IX.

Provisions relative to Discipline during a vacancy in the Episcopal office.

In case of a vacancy in the Episcopal office, the President of the Convention, for the time being, shall have and exercise all the powers relating to discipline, given to the Bishop by the canons, except such as belong exclusively to the Episcopal order.

If the President of the Convention shall himself be the person accused, any two members of the Standing Committee may apply to any Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, to exercise the pow ers of the Bishop of Maryland in the particular case, and the Standing Committee shall take the canonical steps for the trial of the accused under the direction of such Bishop.

CANON X.

Of the trial of Clergymen.

Upon the trial of any clergyman upon any charge or charges, both parties shall have a right to summon witnesses and have reasonable delay, if necessary, in the opinion of the Court, to obtain their attendance; and both parties may take depositions to be used at the trial, after giving to the other reasonable notice of the time and place of taking the same. All spectators shall be excluded, except the clergy of the diocese, and the vestry of the parish, or congregation, with which the accused is connected. The presence of a majority of the members of the Court shall be requisite to the transaction of any business connected with the trial, and on the final question, whether the accused is guilty or not, no member shall be permitted to vote, or considered present, who shall not have been present, at the delivery of all the testimony during the whole trial and of the defence

of the accused, if he have made any. Unless a majority of the members of the Court entitled to vote on the final question of whether the accused is guilty or not, shall vote that he is guilty, he shall be acquitted.

CANON XI.

Of the mode of compelling the appearance of an accused Clergyman. If any clergyman, accused of any offence, shall neglect to attend at the time and place appointed for the meeting of the Court which is convened to try him, after due notice given to him, the Court shall report the fact to the Bishop, who shall suspend such clergyman from the ministry for contumacy, until he shall appear and demand a trial. If he apply to the Bishop, within six months from the day on which the sentence of suspension shall have been pronounced, for a trial, a Court shall be convened, and the trial proceed in the manner provided for in the canons. If he shall not apply for a trial within six months, the Bishop shall pronounce sentence of degradation from the ministry for contumacy.

CANON XII.

Of Clergymen who shall be charged with renouncing the Ministry or separating themselves from the Communion of the Church, and shall neglect to answer such charge.

If any clergyman shall be charged with renouncing the ministry of this Church, or with separating himself from her Communion, and shall, after having been canonically notified of the time and place of trial, neglect to appear at such time and place, it shall be lawful for the Court, if they shall think proper so to do, to hear the case in his absence; and if the majority shall find him guilty, to report to the Bishop as if he had appeared, whereupon the Bishop shall proceed to pass sentence.

CANON XIII.

Of Ecclesiastical Sentences.

If the accused, after a canonical trial, shall be found guilty by a canonical majority, the opinion of the Court, together with all their proceedings, including all the testimony taken on the case, shall be transmitted to the Bishop. Should he concur in opinion with the Court, he may proceed to reprove, suspend or degrade, as the offence may be thought by him to deserve.

CANON XIV.

Of the promulgation of Ecclesiastical Sentences.

All sentences of reproof, suspension or degradation, shall be pronounced by the Bishop. A copy of a sentence of suspension shall be sent to the accused, and another to the vestry or vestries of the parish or parishes, or congregation or congregations with which he may be canonically connected, and such other publicity may be given to it as the Bishop may think expedient. A sentence of degradation shall be made known in the manner directed by canon XXXIX of the General Convention of 1832.

CANON XV.

Provision for pronouncing sentence on Clergymen during a vacancy in the Episcopal office.

In case any clergyman, who shall have been duly notified of the time and place fixed for his trial, shall have neglected to appear, or been canonically found guilty of any charge, the Court may transmit their report in the case of contumacy, or in case of conviction, their opinion, with the testimony, and other proceedings to the Bishop of some other diocese, who shall be requested, and is hereby authorised to act thereon, and proceed in the same manner as he would be authorised to do, were he the Bishop of this diocese.

OF LAY DISCIPLINE.

CANON XVI.

Communicants to have Family Worship.

It shall be the duty of every communicant in this Church, who is the head of a family, to live in the daily exercise of family worship.

CANON XVII.

The Members of this Church to instruct their families in the principles of

Religion.

The members of this Church shall instruct their families, as far as they are able, in the principles of the Christian religion, and shall cause their children to attend the catechetical lectures of their rector; and as soon as they are sufficiently informed and impressed with the importance and sacredness of their baptismal vow, they shall present them to the rector as candidates for confirmation; who shall examine them, and if satisfied of their fitness, recommend them to the Bishop for confirmation.

CANON XVIII.

Theatrical Exhibitions and other light and vain amusements forbidden. Attendance upon theatrical exhibitions, horse races, and other vain and light amusements, being considered inconsistent with the Christian character, it is hereby declared to be the duty of members of this Church carefully to abstain from encouraging them by their presence.

CANON XIX.

Ministers to be careful in admitting to the Holy Communion.

No minister shall enroll any persons as communicants of his congregation until he has conversed with them on the subject, or until he shall be satisfied that they have been regular communicants in his own or some other congregation, nor shall he so enroll any one who is known to deny the doctrines of the Gospel as generally set forth in the authorised standards of the Church.

CANON XX.

Excluding from the Holy Communion and sponsorship in Baptism notorious transgressors of the Discipline of this Church.

Ministers shall be careful not to admit any persons to the Holy Communion, or as sponsors in Baptism, who are notorious transgressors of the discipline of this Church, and the vestries of vacant parishes shall endeavor to prevent such persons from being imposed on ministers visiting such parishes.

CANON XXI.

Communicants who neglect to receive the Lord's Supper, to be stricken from the roll.

Any communicant who shall neglect for six months successively, to attend the celebration of the Lord's Supper, having opportunity, may, at the discretion of his or her rector, be stricken from the list of communicants, unless satisfactory reasons for such neglect be assigned to the rector.

CANON XXII.

Offences for which communicants may be presented and tried. Scandalous and immoral conduct, gaming, or any other vicious or corrupting amusement, a general neglect of public worship, breach of the fourth, or any other of the Divine commandments, are offences for which communicants may be brought to trial.