CONSTITUTION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNITED BRETHREN'S 
 
 GF 
 
 SAl»Elt : 
 
 TOINTEB BT BLtJJI & SON. 
 
 1837. 
 
PREAMBiiE 
 
 Whereas we, as members of the Unilas Fralrum, regard it 
 as OUT Christian duty, in conformity with the spirit and design 
 of the Church of the United Brethren, to exert ourselves in 
 promoting th© spread of the saving knowledge of our Lord and 
 Savior Jesus Christ amongst our feilow-creatures, — especially 
 in those districts of our country, which appear to be particu- 
 larly destitute of Christian instruction, — and 
 
 Whereas we feel ourselves abundantly encouraged by tiie 
 successful endeavors of our Brethren in other parts of the 
 world, to benefit our Christian fellow-sinners by sending unto 
 them devoted and experienced persons, in order to instruct 
 and exhort, advise and direct them ; — that,.under the blessing 
 of God, by the instrumentality of such friendly messengers of 
 salvation, the ignorant may he taught^ — the careless roused^— 
 inquirers directed^ — the wavering established and strengthened^— 
 believers encouraged and confirmed^ in the most simple, unob- 
 trusive and evangelical manner, in imitation of Him, who 
 went about doing good, and seeking that which is lost f 
 therefore we, the subscribers, have resolved, in the name of 
 God, for the attainment of the above specified objects to form 
 a Society under the name of 
 
 The United Br ethren\'i Home-Mission Society of J^^orih Carolina; 
 and do herewith agree to the following articles of the Consti- 
 tution of said Society, viz : 
 
 ARTICLE 1. 
 
 This Society, consisting of members of the United Breth- 
 ren's Church, shall have its fixed seat at Salem, Stokes Coun- 
 ty, North Carohna, where the Board of Directors shall meet, 
 and the general meetings of the Society be held. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 Members of the United Brethren's Church alone have seat 
 and vote in the Society as actual members; minors, if even 
 members of our Church, have no vote. 
 
 Individuals of other religious denommations, interested in 
 the object of our association, can be received as honorary 
 members of this Society. 
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 The Board of Directors of the Society consist 1, Of perma* 
 ntnt Directors, or those brethren, who are entrusted with the 
 swperintendence of our Congregations and missions in North 
 
3 
 
 Carolina and adjacent parts, and 2, Of five brethren as assist- 
 ml Directors^ who are annually chosen, in a general meetino^, 
 by a plurality of the votes of the members present, from the 
 luiniber ot the actual members. 
 
 The current business of the Society is to hQ jointly transac- 
 ted by the Board of Directors. 
 
 The power to appoint and instruct the missionary or mis- 
 sionaries of the Society remains, however, in the hands of the 
 - permanent directors, according to the rules and regulations of 
 the Brethren's Church. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 Two semi-annual general meetings of toe Society shall be 
 held in each year; the first on Whit-monday, the latter on the 
 last Thursday in November. 
 
 The President may, with the consent of a majority of ihfj 
 Directors, call Extra meetings, if the concerns oi'ihe Society 
 should require it. He can likewise, if necessary, appoint, with 
 the consent of the Board, a day, different from the time spe- 
 cified above for either of the stated meetings of the Society,— 
 timely notice thereof being in such case given to ail the mem- 
 bers. 
 
 ARTICLE V, 
 
 In the second semi-annual meeting the Society shall by n 
 plurality of votes of the members present, choose a President 
 from among the permanent Directors, 
 
 In case of absence of the President, or his inability to at- 
 tend, the Directors shall appoint a Presldentpro tempore. 
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 Besides the above assistant Directors, a Secretary and a 
 Treasurer shall in a Jike manner be chosen from among the 
 actual members of the Society ; both of whom shall, by vir- 
 tue of their offices, become Directors for the duration of their 
 respective offices, 
 
 ARTICLE ViL 
 
 A collection in support of the funds of the Society shall be 
 rnade at each semi-annual meeting, every member contribu- 
 ting according to his ability or inclination, 
 
 ARTICLE VIIL 
 
 The Board of Directors shall, at every ^/r^/ed general meet- 
 ing, submit a report of their transactions, of the labors of the 
 3 missionary or missionaries^ and in general, of every thing rela- 
 ^ ting to the concerns of this Society, 
 
- The Treasurer shall, at the second semi-annual me6i\ng4 
 render a regular and correct account ot all the receipts and 
 disbursements of the Society, as well as of the state of its funds 
 generally. 
 
 ARTICLE IX. 
 
 All contributions, donations and bequests to the Society, 
 shall, at all times, and forever, be and remain appropriated^ 
 secured, placed at interest, or made use of and expended, 50/e- 
 ly for promoting the object of this Society under the control of 
 the B©ard of Directors; and we all, and every one of us, ex- 
 pressly renounce lorever, all demands and claims for salarie^^ 
 or rewards for any personal services, which we may, at any 
 lime, or in any manner, perform in behalf of the Society ; pro- 
 vided nevertheless, that all and every contingent expense, as 
 ^hali be necessarily incurred by the Board ot Directors aad 
 officers aforesaid, or any of them ; or any member, on behalf 
 of the Society, shall, at all times, be defrayed or reimbursed 
 from the funds of the Society. 
 
 The expenses and necessities of the missionary are to be pro- 
 vided for by the board of directors from the funds of the society, 
 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 All persons desirous of becoming members of this Society, 
 should notify the Board by one of its members thereof, previ- 
 ous to a general meetiing ; whereupon the Directors shall name 
 them to the Society ; and the individuals applying, become 
 snembers by subscribing the constitution. No one is entitled 
 to a vote before having subscribed the constitution. 
 
 ARTICLE XI. 
 
 Circtimstances requiring it, the Society may in future amend 
 or alter Ihese articles, or adopt new articles and regulations ; 
 provided however, that such amendments or new articles be 
 not contrary to the design and spirit of this Constitution, or to 
 iho rules and regulations ot the Brethren's Church. Such a- 
 mendments and alterations shall, therefore, be adopted only 
 after the most mature deliberation, and with the approbation 
 of at least two thirds of the members present at a general 
 meeting. And in order to promote the most mature delibera- 
 tion of the amendments or alterations proposed to be introdu- 
 ced, it shall be a f»ermanent rule, that no amendments or al- 
 terations can be adopted in the same meeting in which they 
 originated, but they shall not be decided before the next gen- 
 eral meeting. Two thirds of the members present in the lat- 
 ter, voting in favor of the proposed amendment or amendments, 
 they shall be considered as having been adopted by the Society,