other, in the body of the church, which done, they shall make
oath to the overseers of the parish for the time being (instead
of these the surveyors were to officiate at the institution, or
first assembly) by holding up their hands, to make a fair
election according to the laws of the ballot, as they are
hereafter explained, of such persons, amounting to a fifth part
of their whole number, to be their deputies, and to exercise
their power in manner hereafter explained, as they shall think in
their consciences to be fittest for that trust, and will acquit
themselves of it to the best advantage of the commonwealth. And
oath being thus made, they shall proceed to election, if the
elders of the parish amount to 1,000 by the ballot of the tribe,
as it is in due place explained, and if the elders of the parish
amount to fifty or upward, but within the number of 1,000, by the
ballot of the hundred, as it is in due place explained. But, if
the elders amount not to fifty, then they shall proceed to the
ballot of the parish, as it is in this place and after this
manner explained.

"The two overseers for the time being shall seat themselves
at the upper end of the middle alley, with a table before them,
their faces being toward the congregation, and the constable for
the time being shall set an urn before the table, into which he
shall put so many balls as there be elders present, whereof there
shall be one that is gilded, the rest being white; and when the
constable has shaken the urn, sufficiently to mix the balls, the
overseers shall call the elders to the urn, who from each side of
the church shall come up the middle alley in two files, every man
passing by the urn, and drawing out one ball; which, if it be
silver, he shall cast into a bowl standing at the foot of the