Doctrines and Discipline of the Free Methodist Church of North America - 1939 Edition

CHAPTER I

CONFERENCE BOUNDARIES

     ¶ 285. 1. Genesee (1860). The Genesee Conference to embrace that portion of the state of New York lying West of a line beginning at the Irondequoit Bay running due south to West Bloomfield, New York, thence following the eastern line of Livingston county to Wayland, New York; thence along Route 2 (as established at this day) to Savona, New York, thence due south to the Pennsylvania line. All cities or villages on this boundary line shall be counted as in the Genesee Conference, except those on Route 2 and Dansvile and Byersville, New York, shall be an exception and shall remain in the Susquehanna Conference.

     ¶ 286. 2. Illinois (1860). The Illinois Conference shall embrace all that part of the state of Illinois north of a line beginning at Fort Madison, Iowa, running east to the Illinois River, thence down the river to a point due west of Fowler, Indiana, thence east to the state line, and shall also include the Beloit, Wisconsin, and Davenport, Iowa, societies.

     ¶ 287. 3. Susquehanna (1862). The Susquehanna Conference shall embrace the counties of Tioga, Sullivan and Bradford, in the state of Pennsylvania, all that part of the state of New York east of the Genesee Conference, and north of a line beginning at Great Bend, in Pennsylvania, and running due north to the Albany and Susquehanna railroad, thence east along said railroad to Oneonta, and thence due east to the state of Massachusetts; but not including the villages situated immediately upon that portion of the said Albany and Susquehanna railroad. This conference shall also include Vermont and the province of Quebec.

     ¶ 288. 4. Michigan (1865). The Michigan Conference shall embrace that portion of the state of Michigan lying south of the base line, starting at Lake Michigan thence east along the base line to Novi Road, thence north along said Novi Road to West Maple Road, thence east to Lake St. Clair.

     ¶ 289. 5. Kansas (1871). The Kansas Conference shall include all that portion of the state of Kansas lying east of a line running due north from the state of Oklahoma, along the west line of McPherson county, Kansas, to the southwest corner of Cloud county, Kansas; thence east to the southeast corner of the said Cloud county; thence due north to the Nebraska state line.

     ¶ 290. 6. Minnesota and Northern Town (1872). The Minnesota and Northern Iowa Conference shall embrace that portion of the state of Minnesota south of a line running due west from Stillwater, Minnesota, to Lac-qui-parle lake and thence up the north and east bank of the Minnesota river, to the 46th parallel of latitude, and thence west across to the east line of South Dakota, including Nobles, Rock, Pipestone, Murray, Lincoln, Lyon, Yellow Medicine and Lac-qui-parle counties in Minnesota, and shall include Lyon, Osceola, O’Brien and Sioux counties in Iowa and that portion of Iowa not included in the Iowa, West Iowa and South Dakota conferences. The church and parsonage property at Boyden, Iowa, to remain under the jurisdiction of the South Dakota conference.

     ¶ 291. 7. New York (1873). The New York Conference shall embrace all parts of the states of New York and Pennsylvania not included in the Genesee, Pittsburgh, Oil City, and Susquehanna conferences, and the states of New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.

     ¶ 292. 8. Iowa (1875). The Iowa Conference shall include that portion of the state of Iowa lying east and south of the following lines: Beginning at the southeast corner of Decatur county, thence north to Hamilton county, thence along the east line of Hamilton and Wright counties to the northeast corner of Wright county, then east to Clayton on the Mississippi River. It shall also include the city of Des Moines according to its present incorporate limits (1898).

     ¶ 293. 9. Wisconsin (1875). The Wisconsin Conference shall include the state of Wisconsin.

     ¶ 294. 10. North Michigan (1876). The North Michigan Conference shall embrace that portion of the state of Michigan lying north of the base line from the southeast corner of Eaton county, and southwest corner of Ingham, thence north parallel with the meridian line to Lake Huron, except the towns of Grayling, Frederick, Gaylord and Vanderbilt, in Crawford and Otsego counties. It shall also include the Upper Peninsula and Drummond’s Island.

     ¶ 295. 11. Ohio (1879). The Ohio Conference shall embrace the state of Ohio, except the towns included in the Pittsburgh and Oil City Conferences.

     ¶ 296. 12. Central Illinois (1879). The Central Illinois Conference shall include that portion of the state of Illinois not included in the Illinois and Wabash Conferences. It shall also include the city of St. Louis, Missouri.

     ¶ 297. 13. Texas (1881). The Texas Conference shall include all of the state of Texas, and that part of New Mexico lying east of the 106th meridian.

     ¶ 298. 14. Missouri (1883). The Missouri Conference shall embrace all that portion of the state of Missouri lying north of a line beginning at Carondolet and running directly west through the state, via Warrensburg, to the west line of the state, except the city of St. Louis.

     ¶ 299. 15. West Kansas (1883). The West Kan sans Conference shall include all parts of the state of Kansas not included in the Kansas Conference.

     ¶ 300. 16. South Dakota (1883). The South Dakota Conference shall embrace the state of South Dakota except that portion of the state bounded by a line commencing at the southeast corner of Shannon county; thence north to the White river; thence east along to its junction with the Missouri river; thence along the Missouri river to the south line of the state of South Dakota; thence west along state line to the southeast corner of Shannon county.

     ¶ 301. 17. Pittsburgh (1883). The Pittsburgh Conference shall include all that part of the state of Pennsylvania lying west of a line running across the state due north and south through the east boundary line of Potter county, not included in the Oil City Conference. It shall also include all the towns from the Pennsylvania state line to Bridgeport on the west hank of the Ohio river in which the Pittsburgh Conference now has organized societies, and the state of West Virginia.

     ¶ 302. 18. California (1883). The California Conference shall embrace all the state of California lying north of San Luis Obispo, Kern and Inyo counties.

     ¶ 303. 19. East Michigan (1884). The East Michigan Conference shall embrace all that part of Michigan lying north of the base line and east of a line beginning at the southwest corner of Ingham and the southeast corner of Eaton counties, thence north running parallel with the meridian line to Lake Huron, except the parts of Royal Oak and Warren townships embraced in the Michigan Conference. It shall also include the towns of Grayling, Frederick, Gaylord and Vanderbilt, in Crawford and Otsego counties, formerly embraced in the North Michigan Conference.

     ¶ 304. 20. Louisiana (1884). The Louisiana Conference shall include the states of Louisiana and Mississippi.

     ¶ 305. 21. Oregon (1885). The Oregon Conference shall include all of the state of Oregon not included in the Columbia River Conference.

     ¶ 306. 22. West Iowa (1885). The West Iowa Conference shall embrace all of the state of Iowa lying west of the Iowa Conference, and south of a line running west from the northeast corner of Wright county along the county lines to the Big Sioux river, also including the county of Dakota, in the state of Nebraska.

     ¶ 307. 23. Wabash (1885). The Wabash Conference shall include all that part of the state of Indiana lying south of a line beginning at the northwest corner of Benton county, thence east through Pleasant Mills, Adams county, to the Ohio state line, and that portion of the state of Illinois bounded by a line run-fling west from Fowler, Indiana, to a point six miles west of the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central railroad, and thence running southwest, parallel with said railroad to the south line of Shelby county, and thence along the line of the Springfield branch of the Ohio and Mississippi railroad to Shawneetown.

     ¶ 308. 24. Colorado (1886). The Colorado Conference shall embrace the State of Colorado, the state of Utah, that part of Wyoming lying south of the 42nd meridian, and that part of New Mexico lying west of the 106th meridian.

     ¶ 309. 25. North Minnesota (1887). The North Minnesota Conference shall embrace all that part of the state of Minnesota not included in the Minnesota and Northern Iowa Conference.

     ¶ 310. 26. Nebraska (1890). The Nebraska Conference shall include the state of Nebraska, except Dakota county; six counties in South Dakota bounded as follows: A line commencing at the southeast corner of Shannon county; thence north to the White river; thence east along said river to its junction with the Missouri river; thence along the Missouri river to the south line of the state of South Dakota; and that part of Wyoming lying north of the 42nd meridian.

     ¶ 311. 27. Southern California (1891). The Southern California Conference shall embrace all of the state of California not embraced in the California Conference, together with the state of Arizona.

     ¶ 312. 28. Ozark (1895). The Ozark (formerly Arkansas and Southern Missouri) Conference shall embrace the state of Arkansas together with that part of Missouri not included in the Missouri Conference.

     ¶ 313. 29. Columbia River (1896). The Columbia River Conference shall include that part of the state of Washington lying east of Grant, Douglas and Okanogan counties, and that part of Oregon east of Gillian, Wheeler and Crook counties, and north of Harney and Malheur counties; it shall also include the state of Idaho and that part of the state of Montana lying west of the 110th meridian.

     ¶ 314. 30. Washington (1896). The Washington Conference shall be bounded by the Columbia River on the south, and on the east by the Columbia River to the intersection of the Columbia river with the southern boundary of Grant county, thence along the eastern boundary of Grant, Douglas and Okanogan counties to the northern boundary of the state, thence west to the crest of the Cascade Mountains, thence along the crest of the Cascade Mountains to and including Alaska, and on the west by the Pacific waters.

     ¶ 315. 31. West Ontario (1896). The West Ontario Conference shall include all that part of the province of Ontario lying west of the following boundary line: The Niagara river, the west bounds of the counties of Peel and Simcoe, and the west bounds of the Muskoka, Parry Sound and Nipissing districts.

     ¶ 316. 32. East Ontario (1896). The East Ontario Conference shall include all that part of the province of Ontario not included in the West Ontario Conference.

     ¶ 317. 33. Kentucky and Tennessee (1896). The Kentucky and Tennessee Conference shall include the states of Kentucky and Tennessee.

     ¶ 318. 34. North Dakota (1897). The North Dakota Conference shall include all of the state of North Dakota and that part of Montana lying east of the 110th meridian.

     ¶ 319. 35 Oil City (1899). The Oil City Conference shall include that part of the state of Pennsylvania lying west of a line beginning at the north east corner of Potter county in said state and running due south to the south bounds of the state. This line, north and south, is also the east boundary line of the Pittsburgh Conference. The southern boundary line of the Oil City Conference shall be as follows:

     Beginning at the Ohio state line and running due east along the south bounds of Lawrence county to the west bounds of Clearfield county, thence south to the southwest corner of Clearfield county, thence east along the south bounds of Clearfield and Center counties to the eastern boundary line of the Oil City and Pittsburgh Conferences above mentioned; also the counties of Huntington, Muffin, Juniata, Snyder, Union, Lycoming and Clinton; also that part of Blair county north of the line from east to west of Altoona, all in the state of Pennsylvania. It shall also include the towns of Conneaut and North Kingsville, in the state of Ohio.

     ¶ 320. 36. Oklahoma (1899). The Oklahoma Conference shall include all of Oklahoma and the Indian Territory.

     ¶ 321. 37. South Africa (1907). The South Africa Mission Conference shall include Natal, Cape Colony and the Orange River Colony.

     ¶ 322, 38. Georgia and Florida (1913). The Georgia and Florida Conference shall include the states of Georgia and Florida.

     ¶ 323. 39. Saskatchewan (1914). The Saskatchewan Conference shall include the provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

     ¶ 324. 40. Alberta (1914). The Alberta Conference shall include the province of Alberta and all that portion of the province of British Columbia lying east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains.

     ¶ 325. The East Texas Conference has been re united with the Texas Conference.

     ¶ 326. 41. North Indiana (reorganized 1922). North Indiana Conference shall embrace that part of Indiana north and east of a line running east along the line of the Toledo, Peoria and Warsaw railroad to the second principal meridian, thence due south to the south line of Boone county, thence due east to the Ohio state line. It shall include the whole of Union City.

     ¶ 327. 42. Japan (1923). The Japan Conference shall include all of the work in Japan which is carried on by the Free Methodist Church.

     ¶ 327 1/2. 43. Maryland-Virginia (1939). The Mary land-Virginia Conference shall include all of Virginia, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia, and all of Maryland except Garrett and Allegheny counties.

     ¶ 328. Any question of boundaries that may arise shall be referred to the Executive Commission.

     ¶s. 329-339. Omitted because of wrong numbering in previous editions.