ented. These six Elders shall be presented to
the congregation by the Pastors at the next public service, be reminded
of their duties, and their names be entered in the Church Record. 3.)
The aforesaid six Elders continue in office for three years, God
willing, if they demean themselves as becomes their office; but the
congregation shall always have liberty to re-elect them, if they consent
to allow it.

5. As regards the office of the Vorsteher, it shall be as heretofore,
except that there shall be six, instead of four, of whom one-half go out
of office after serving two years, and new ones are to be elected in
their place, in the same manner as is prescribed in the 4. for the
election of Elders. The Vorsteher also shall be presented publicly to
the congregation by the Pastors, be reminded of their duties, and thanks
be returned to those who go out of office. Should any person elected as
Elder or Vorsteher, decline, without sufficient reason, to accept the
weighty office, he shall not go free without paying a considerable
donation into the treasury; and then the person who received the next
highest number of votes shall be presented. If the vote for several
persons be a tie, the Church Council shall decide the case.

6. In the above described manner the Church Council is constituted of
Trustees, Elders and Vorsteher.

7. When any important and weighty matter arises in the congregation, of
whatsoever kind, whether within or without the church, whether it
concerns the parsonage or school-house, the church yard or the burial
place, it shall not be decided by the Pastors alone, nor by the other
Trustees alone, nor by the Elders alone, nor by the Vorsteher alone; but
it must be carefully and well considered by the whole Church Council,
and be approved by, at least, two-thirds of their whole number, and
after that be laid before the whole congregation, and be approved by
two-thirds of the communicant members of the congregation, especially
when it demands contribution from the members. For these purposes, in
such weighty matters, the whole Church Council shall be publicly invited
to meet, and no member shall absent himself without sufficient cause,
and no decision shall be valid or dare be executed, which has not been
approved and taken by two-thirds of the members, entered in the Record
and subscribed by their signatures, to the end that all occasion for
strife may, so far as possible, be avoided.

8. The duties of the