Christian Classics
‹ History of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Volume III. Chapter 4. From the Close of the General Conference of 1816 to the Commencement of the General Conference of 1820. · CONSTITUTION

Nathan Bangs · 7 of 28

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

Article I. This association shall be denominated The Missionary and Bible Society of The Methodist Episcopal Church in America; the object of which is, to supply the destitute with Bibles gratuitously, to afford a cheap supply to those who may have the means of purchasing, and to enable the several annual conferences more effectually to extend their missionary labors throughout the United States and elsewhere.

Article II. The business of this society shall be conducted by a president, thirteen vice presidents, clerk, recording and corresponding secretary, treasurer, and thirty-two managers, all of whom shall be members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The president, first two vice presidents, clerk, secretaries, treasurer, and the thirty-two managers, shall be elected by the society annually; and each annual conference shall have the privilege of appointing one vice president from its own body.

Article III. Fifteen members at all meetings of the board of managers, and thirty at all meetings of the society, shall be a quorum.

Article IV. The board shall have authority to make by-laws for regulating its own proceedings, fill up vacancies that may occur during the year, and shall present a statement of its transactions and funds to the society at its annual meeting; and also lay before the General Conference a report of its transactions for the four preceding years, and state of its funds.

Article V. Ordained ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, whether traveling or local, being members of the society, shall be ex officio members of the board of managers, and be entitled to vote in all meetings of the board.

Article VI Auxiliary societies, embracing the same objects, shall be supplied with Bibles and Testaments at cost, provided such societies shall agree, after supplying their own districts with Bibles, to place their surplus moneys at the disposal of this society.

Article VII. Each subscriber paying two dollars annually shall be a member; and the payment of twenty dollars at one time shall constitute a member for life.

Article VIII. Each member shall be entitled, under the direction of the board of managers, to purchase Bibles and Testaments at the society’s prices, which shall be as low as possible.

Article IX. The annual meeting of the society shall be held on the third Monday in April.

Article X. The president, vice presidents, clerk, secretaries, and treasurer, for the time being, shall be ex officio members of the board of managers.

Article XI. At all meetings of the society and of the board, the president, or, in his absence, the vice president first on the list then present, and in the absence of all the vice presidents, such member as shall be appointed by the meeting for that purpose, shall preside.

Article XII. The minutes of each meeting shall be signed by the chairman.

Article XIII. This constitution shall be submitted to the next General Conference, and, if the objects of the society be approved by them, they shall have authority to insert such article or articles as they may judge proper, for the purpose of establishing the society wherever the Book Concern may be located; and also for the equitable and equal application of its funds for the accomplishment of the objects herein expressed, and for the purpose of depositing its funds with the agents of the Book Concern, and of having their aid in printing, purchasing, and distributing Bibles and Testaments: Provided always, That the revenue of the society shall never be used or appropriated otherwise than for the printing, purchasing, and distributing Bibles and Testaments under the direction of the managers; and for the support of missionaries who may act under the direction of the bishops and conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Article XIV. This constitution, being submitted and approved according to the provisions of the preceding article, shall not be altered but by the General Conference, on the recommendation of the board of managers.”

After receiving subscribers to the constitution, the following officers and managers were elected: —

“Rev. William McKendree, President. Enoch George, 1st Vice President. Robert R. Roberts, 2d Vice President. N. Bangs, New York conference, 3d Vice-President. Mr. Francis Hall, Cler. Daniel Ayres, Recording Secretary. Rev. Thomas Mason, Corresponding Secretary. Joshua Soule, Treasurer.

“Managers. — Joseph Smith, Robert Mathison, Joseph Sandford, George Suckley, Samuel L. Waldo, Stephen Dando, Samuel B. Harper, Lancaster S. Burling, William Duval, Paul Hick, John Westfield, Thomas Roby, Benjamin Disbrow, James B. Gascoigne, William A. Mercein, Philip I. Arcularius, James B. Oakley, George Caines, Dr. Seaman, Dr. Gregory, John Boyd, M. H. Smith, Nathaniel Jarvis, Robert Snow, Andrew Mercein, Joseph Moser, John Paradise, William Myers, William B. Skidmore, Nicholas Schureman, James Woods, Abraham Paul.”

Having thus formed the society, and created a board of officers and managers, the next question was, how we might best enlist the feelings and engage the co-operation of our brethren and friends generally in this important cause. To do this the more effectually, at the first meeting of the managers the following address and circular, prepared by the author, who had been appointed for that purpose, were adopted, and ordered to be printed and circulated, both in pamphlet form and in the Methodist Magazine.