Superanniuated Preachers

Superanniuated Preachers are ministers in the Methodist churches who, by reason of age, infirmity, or afflictions, are disabled from preaching, but remain members of the Annual Conferences. In the American churches they retain all the rights and privileges of active ministers except being eligible to appointments. In the English Wesleyan Church, if members of the Legal Hundred or Constitutional Conference, they cease to be members of that body. Their restoration to the effective relation depends upon the vote of the Conference.

I. Rights, etc. — When a superannuated preacher lives out of the bounds of his Conference, he is entitled to a seat in the Quarterly Conference, and the privileges of membership in the Church where he resides. He is entitled, if needy, to receive a share of the proceeds of the collection taken in the churches for Conference claimants, and of the chartered fund. Each Quarterly Conference is directed to estimate the amount needed for the support of these preachers or their widows, and forward a certificate to the Annual Conference. The case is considered by the Conference stewards, and on their report the amount to be distributed is decided by the vote of the Conference.

II. Duties, etc. —It is the duty of the superannuated preacher to forward annually to the Conference of which he is a member a certificate of his Christian and ministerial character, signed by the presiding elder of the district or the preacher in charge of the work where he resides." Without such certificate he has no claims on the Conference for support. In 1876 there were in the Methodist Episcopal Church 1103 superannuated preachers. The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in 1875, reported 259. See Discipline of the M. E. Church; Simpson, Cyclop. of Methodism s.v.