Nathan Bangs · 6 of 28

Chapter 4. From the Close of the General Conference of 1816 to the Commencement of the General Conference of 1820. · 1819

This year was distinguished for the origin and commencement of the Missionary society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

It is true that Methodism had been justly considered missionary in its character from its beginning. Among all modern missionaries, John Wesley was the greatest, the most evangelical, laborious, and successful. The method which he adopted and pursued to the end of his most useful life included in it all the elements of a missionary society, missionary plans, and operations. And the manner in which our Church was organized in this country partook of the like missionary character. The first Wesleyan ministers who came to this country were missionaries, in the proper sense of that word; and it was by carrying out the spirit and plans which they adopted, itinerating as extensively as possible through the country, that the gospel took such a rapid spread through the instrumentality of their successors.

Yet, on the increase of our work, bringing the circuits, districts, and conferences into a more regular and compact order, it was found that it was losing somewhat of its missionary character, and therefore needed, that it might take a still wider range of usefulness, something by which a more expansive field of labor might be occupied. This could be done only by grafting upon the original stock the branch of a missionary society, subject to such regulations as should bring it strictly within the control of the general superintendency.

It was found also that there were many parts of our country, both in the old and new settlements, where the people were either too poor or too indifferent about their eternal interests to grant any thing like a competent support to those who might be sent to preach the gospel to them. With these difficulties we had long contended, and many of our preachers had suffered all sorts of hardships in conveying to the people in these circumstances the glad tidings of salvation. But as they had succeeded in raising up societies, many of which had become comparatively wealthy, it was thought to be nothing more than a duty which the Church owed to God and to mankind, that its members should contribute a portion of their earthly substance to aid in supplying the spiritual wants of those destitute places. Under these impressions it was concluded that if a united and systematic plan could be devised to call forth the ability and liberality of the Church, that amount of human suffering arising from pecuniary embarrassments might be greatly diminished, the gospel be more extensively spread among the poor and the destitute, and those men of God who were willing to devote their energies to this noble enterprise be relieved from the anxieties arising from present or prospective want and suffering. These thoughts had long occupied the minds of some of the most enlightened and warm-hearted ministers and members of our Church.

This subject accordingly became the topic of conversation among several individuals in the city of New York in the beginning of this year, some for and some against the measure. At length, at a meeting of preacher’s stationed in New York, and the book agents, the Rev. Laban Clark presented a resolution in favor of forming a Bible and missionary society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. At this time the following preachers were present, namely, Freeborn Garrettson, Joshua Soule, Samuel Merwin, Nathan Bangs, Laban Clark, Thomas Mason, Seth Crowell, Samuel Howe, and Thomas Thorp. After a free interchange of thoughts on the subject the resolution was adopted, and Freeborn Garrettson, Laban Clark, and Nathan Bangs were appointed a committee to prepare a constitution to be submitted at a subsequent meeting of the above-mentioned preachers. This committee, on coming together, agreed that each member should draft a constitution, and at a subsequent meeting the one should be adopted which might appear the most suitable. On comparing these drafts, the one prepared by the present writer was preferred, and at a full meeting of the preachers before mentioned, after undergoing some verbal alterations, was unanimously concurred in, and ordered to be submitted to a public meeting of all the members and friends of the Church who might choose to attend the call, in the Forsyth Street church, on the evening of April 5, 1819. This was accordingly done, when Nathan Bangs was called to the chair. Addresses were delivered by the Chair, by Freeborn Garrettson, Joshua Soule, and some others, when, on motion of Joshua Soule, seconded by Freeborn Garrettson, the constitution which had been prepared was adopted. It is as follows: —