of the Aaaortaiiim and of the 1916 EDITION IBS ,, , v , mmm'M ; - -ss§ $ ?■ ## m ffigp ■ ■■frWr : K ■ i;,- . - .-k•<•■ • ; V^>-r>/^. . •>?;'; ;?. '■»» THE REVISED CONSTITUTIONS OF THE MISSIONARY CHURCH ASSOCIATION AND OF THE MISSIONARY CHURCHES As adopted by the General Conference of 19 16 Published by authority of The General Conference of the Missionary Church Association HISTORICAL AND DOCTRINAL STATEMENT. Due to the fact that a number of persons in different denominations were deeply impressed, some years ago, with the need of better oppor¬ tunities for cultivating the deeper spiritual life, for promoting the fuller teaching of the Word of God, and for engaging in more aggres¬ sive missionary work, it became evident that the Holy Spirit was leading to the formation of a new organization. Accordingly these persons entered into an organization in the year 1898, under the name. The Missionary Church Association, for the purpose of meeting this need. This Associa¬ tion was incorporated in the state of Indiana, in the year 1905. The principles that led to the original or¬ ganization are expressed in the following doc¬ trinal statement, held by the primitive church, and recorded in the Word of God: 1. The divine and plenary inspiration and authority of the Holy Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21. 2. The trinity of the Godhead, Mat. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14. 3. The deity, virgin birth, and sinless hu¬ manity of Jesus Christ, Mat. 1:20-23; Lk. 1:35; Jno. 8:46. 4. The person and work of the Holy Spirit, Jno. 16:7-15; Acts 13:2; Tit. 3:5. 5. The total depravity of man by nature, Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:9-18; Eph. 2:1-3. 6. The substitutionary death and bodily res¬ urrection of Jesus Christ, Rom. 4:25; 1 Pet. 2:24; Lk. 24:39. 7. The necessity of the new birth, Jno. 3:3-7; Gal. 6:15. 8. The enduement with the Holy Spirit as a definite crisis experience after the new birth, to guide us, to endue us for service, and to trans¬ form our life into Christ’s image, Jno. 16:13; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 3:17,18. 3 9. Practical holiness, and the maintenance of good works, Gal. 5:22, 23; Eph. 4:22-32. 10. Divine healing for the body, as provided in the atonement, in answer to the prayer of faith, Isa. 53:4, 5; Mat. 8:16, 17; Jas. 5:13-16. 11. The unity of the true church as the mys¬ tical body of Christ, 1 Cor. 12:12-31; Eph. 1:22, 23; 4:3-6. 12. The reality and personality of Satan, Job 1:6-12; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Rev. 20:1-3, 7-10. 13. The course of this world as under the Prince of the power of the air, 2 Cor. 4:3,4; Eph. 2:2; 6:12. 14. The duty of the church to give the Gos¬ pel to all men, Mat. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8. 15. The personal, premillennial, and immi¬ nent coming of Christ, Acts 1:10,11; 1 Thes. 4:16,17; Mk. 13:34-37. 16. The resurrection and future immortality of the body, Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 15. 17. Life everlasting for believers, and the endless punishment of the impenitent, Dan. 12:1,2; Mat. 25:46; Mk. 9:43-48. 18. The apostasy of the present age, cul¬ minating in the judgments of the great tribula¬ tion, 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:1-4; 2 Thes. 2:3-10. 19. The literal and personal reign of Christ on earth during the coming age, Dan. 7:13,14; Lk. 1:32, 33; Rev. 5:9,10; 20:4-6. 20. The bringing in of the new heaven and the new earth as the final state, Isa. 65:17; 66:22; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1-22:7. The sole aim of this organization is, as has been from its beginning, to hold and propagate these doctrines. CONSTITUTION OF THE MISSIONARY CHURCH ASSOCIATION. ARTICLE I—Name. This organization shall be known as the Mis¬ sionary Church Association; and shall be com¬ posed of all Missionary Churches. 4 ARTICLE II—Object. The object of this organization shall be to combine the Missionary churches into a broth¬ erly co-operation for the purpose of the worship of God, the edification of believers, and the more effective propagation of the Gospel at home and abroad. ARTICLE III—Membership. Section 1. A Missionary Church, in the meaning of this constitution, shall be a church which, having adopted as its constitution the Constitution of the Missionary Church, hereto subjoined, shall be approved for membership by the General Committee and the General Conference. Sec. 2 . Any local church which fails to live up to the spirit of these Constitutions, or which for other good and sufficient reasons may be deemed to disturb the fellowship of this Association, shall be admonished by the President, the District Superintendent, or by some other worker appointed for the purpose by the General Committee; and if it fails to comply with the demands laid before it, it may, after full investigation of all charges, be rec¬ ommended for dismissal by the General Com¬ mittee; after which it may be dropped from membership in the Association by a two-thirds vote of the General Conference. Sec. 3. Any body of people served by a worker under the direction of the Association and yet not fully recognized as a local church according to the provisions of Sec. 1 of this article, shall be under the direction of the dis¬ trict organization in which the body is located, or if in unorganized territory, under that of the General Committee. ARTICLE IV—Officers. Section 1. The officers shall consist of pres¬ ident, vice-president, secretary, assistant secre¬ tary, and treasurer, elected annually by the General Conference. 5 Sec. 2. The President shall call the meetings of the General Committee; preside at all busi¬ ness meetings of the General Conference and of the General Committee; submit an annual re¬ port to the General Conference of the condition of the work of the Association, and offer recom¬ mendations for its general benefit; issue all orders on the treasury as authorized by the General Committee; appoint special committees on investigation, representation, etc., at the re¬ quest of the General Conference, or the General Committee, and, in emergencies, on his own authority, unless otherwise provided for by this constitution; visit local churches of the Association as need may demand or oppor¬ tunity permit, for the purpose of encouraging co-operation between the churches, and for general helpfulness; plan for, and assist in, the arrangement of conventions; exercise watchfulness over the work of the Association; and counsel with, and make recommendations to, the officers of our institutions, district superintendents, evangelists, pastors, and other workers of the Association. Sec. 3. The Vice-president shall perform all the duties of the President in the absence of the latter, or when they are delegated to him by the President. Sec. 4. The Secretary shall notify the mem¬ bers of the General Committee regarding the time and place of its sessions; keep a record of the proceedings of the General Conference, and the General Committee; prepare for printing such notices, announcements, minutes, etc., as are recommended for publication by the General Conference, or the General Com¬ mittee; receive and transmit to the General Conference or to the General Committee such matters of business as workers and churches may wish to submit to these bodies; communi¬ cate all resolutions, etc., of the Conference and the Committee to all concerned, unless other¬ wise instructed by those bodies; and issue all certificates of appointment and certificates of 6 ordination, as instructed by the General Com¬ mittee. Sec. 5. The Assistant Secretary shall do all the work of the Secretary in the absence of the latter, and shall render assistance whenever requested by the secretary. Sec. 6. The Treasurer shall receive all monies intended for the work of the Associa¬ tion, except as provided for otherwise; keep account of, and hold in trust all funds of the general treasury; issue receipts for all monies received; disburse all funds as directed by the General Committee; give a semi-annual report of the state of the treasury through our period¬ icals, and a properly audited annual report at the General Conference. ARTICLE V—General Committee. Section 1. The officers of the Association, and five additional persons annually elected by the General Conference, shall constitute the General Committee. Sec. 2. The Committee shall meet at least semi-annually at the call of the President, or of any five of its members, for the transaction of its regular and special business. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Committee to have charge of the general work of the As¬ sociation; to act as the committee on finance; to vote all appropriations of money for the maintenance and extension of the work; to appoint the auditors for the books of all treas¬ urers receiving appointment from the Associa¬ tion; to recommend candidates for ordination, and when necessary to arrange for their or¬ dination; to authorize unordained workers to preside at the observance of the Lord’s Sup¬ per and to baptize, this, however, only when an ordained worker is not available; to examine applicants for the mission field, or to appoint the examining committee; to pass upon all applications for the foreign field, subject to the approval of the General Conference; to exercise prayerful oversight over the missionaries on the field and on furlough; to co-operate with 7 churches, workers and district superintendents in placing and changing workers; to provide for the founding and conducting of city mis¬ sions, as the way may be opened; to have charge of the discipline of Association workers, in co-operation with the local church and the district superintendent; to plan and arrange for the time and place of the annual General Con¬ ference; to appoint the Committee on Creden¬ tials for the General Conference; to assist in the arrangement of the District Conventions; to perform such other duties as may be dele¬ gated to them by the General Conference; and to take action on emergencies, such action, however, to be subject to final ratification by the General Conference. Sec. 4. Regular committee business arising between sessions, and not of sufficient volume or importance to warrant calling a special ses¬ sion, may be dealt with by the President by cor¬ respondence with the other members of the Committee. In cases of emergencies, money may be appropriated by him with the consent of not less than two other members; where time will permit, however, he shall consult with all members, and the consent of the majority shall be necessary to any action. All actions thus taken shall be reported to the next ses¬ sion of the Committee; and shall, when ap¬ proved, be regularly entered in the minutes. In addition to such apropriations, heretofore men¬ tioned, the General Committee shall regularly place at the personal order of the President, a sum of money sufficient to meet current ex¬ penses, which sum the President shall be free to disburse without consultation; but he shall regularly submit an itemized account of such expenditures to the Committee. Sec. 5. Six members of the General Com¬ mittee shall constitute a quorum for the trans¬ action of business. ARTICLE VI—General Conference. Section 1. The Association shall hold an¬ nually a General Conference at such time and 8 place as shall be determined by the General Committee. Sec. 2. The Conference shall be composed of all officers of the Association and all other members of the General Committee; ’ all or¬ dained and appointed workers of the Associa¬ tion; and all duly appointed delegates from the various churches. Sec. 3. Each church shall be entitled to rep¬ resentation in the General Conference by its worker in charge and by one additional delegate for every fifty members or fraction thereof. Each church shall have the privilege of ex¬ pressing to its delegates its wishes concerning all matters in which it is to be represented at the General Conference. Bodies defined in Art. Ill, Sec. 3, shall be entitled to representation only by the worker in charge. Sec. 4. It shall be the annual duty of the General Conference to elect the officers of the Association and the other members of the Gen¬ eral Committee; as many advisory members of the General Committee as the Conference may deem necessary; to designate the territory of the districts of the Association in those sections in which a district organization is deemed ad¬ visable; to appoint the District Superintend¬ ents, and the Evangelists; the Boards of all in¬ stitutions of the Association; the Association trustees; the Editors of our periodicals, the Publishing Agent, and the other members of the Publishing Committee, and all other workers of the Association whose appointment is not provided for elsewhere; and to designate the chairmen of institutional boards and of the Publishing Committee. Sec. 5. The officers of the Association and the other members of the General Committee shall be elected by ballot, without nominations, a majority of all votes cast being necessary to elect. Should the first ballot fail to elect, the vote on succeeding ballots shall be restricted to candidates who have polled not less than ten per cent of the total vote on the preceding bal¬ lot; and the balloting shall continue until one 9 candidate has received a majority of all votes cast on the last ballot. Sec. 6. The General Conference shall also receive and act upon all reports of the Asso¬ ciation secretaries and treasurers; have the right to advise the General Committee regard¬ ing any allowances granted by the latter; free¬ ly discuss, defend and enforce any and all the doctrines of the Word of God; advocate and emphasize the deeper and practical Christian life; discuss and suggest the best methods of Christian work; and transact all business not otherwise provided for by the Constitution. Sec. 7. One-half of the members accredited to any General Conference by its committee on credentials shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. ARTICLE VII—Districts and District Superin¬ tendents. Section 1. Each district shall be under the direction of a district superintendent appointed by the General Conference. He shall be an ordained worker, and shall, as far as practic¬ able, be chosen from among the workers resi¬ dent on the district. Sec. 2. Each district shall hold a district Workers Conference at least once a year, which conference shall be composed of all the work¬ ers located on the district; and which shall have the right to make by-laws for its govern¬ ment, provided such by-laws do not conflict with this constitution, to make recommenda¬ tions to the General Committee and to the General Conference, especially concerning per¬ sons whom they deem suitable for the district superintendency; and to adopt measures for the maintenance and extension of the work on the district subject to the approval of the Gen¬ eral Committee or the General Conference. Sec- 3. Each district shall hold an annual District Convention; arrangements for which shall be made by the Workers Conference of the district, or by the District Superintendent assisted by a committee appointed by the Con- 10 ference; such arrangements to be subject to the approval of the General Committee. Two or more districts may combine their conven¬ tions when permitted by the General Committee. Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the District Superintendent to organize the work of his dis¬ trict; to plan, arrange for, and call the district workers’ conference; to preside at all workers’ meetings of his district; to plan and arrange for local conventions, and for the opening of new places in his district; and to co-operate with the General Committee in placing and changing workers; to appoint, and act as chair¬ man of, the examining committee of candi¬ dates for ordination; and to arrange for the ordination of such workers of his district as are recommended for ordination by the Gen¬ eral Committee. ARTICLE VIII—Workers. Section 1. No person shall either receive or hold regular appointment as a worker of the Association, unless he is a member of some local Missionary church. Sec. 2. Persons who desire to work under the direction of the Association shall make ap¬ plication to the District Superintendent, to the Secretary of the Association, or to some mem¬ ber of the General Committee, who, in turn, shall present the application to the General Committee. Sec. 3. Any one having a call to enter Chris¬ tian work, at home or abroad, and desiring to work under the direction of the Association, shall submit at least two recommendations with his application, one of which shall be from his home church or pastor. Sec. 4. A person not yet ordained but who has been accepted by the General Committee for work under the Association, may be granted a certificate of appointment as an official worker for a period not to exceed one year; which certificate of appointment may be re¬ newed from year to year at the discretion of the Committee; but he must work under the 11 supervision of the Committee and of the proper District Superintendent until deemed approved by them before he may be ordained. Sec. 5. Unordained workers shall not pre¬ side at the observance of the Ordinances, but shall call on the District Superintendent, or, if not in an organized district, on the General Committee, to make provision therefor; un¬ less the unordained worker has been specially authorized by the General Committee to pre¬ side at the same. Under no circumstances, however, shall an unordained worker officiate at a marriage ceremony. Sec. 6. All candidates for ordination shall be carefully examined by a properly appointed committee as to their qualifications, according to 1 Tim. 3 and other Scriptures, the supreme qualification for the work of the ministry al¬ ways being the enduement with the Holy Spirit. Sec. 7. The examining committee for ordi¬ nation shall be under the direction of the Gen¬ eral Committee, and shall be composed of the proper District Superintendent and such other persons as he may appoint. Sec. 8. The ordination of workers not con¬ nected with any regular district shall be under the supervision of the General Committee. Sec. 9. An ordained worker coming to us from another denomination shall labor under the same rules that apply to appointed work¬ ers, and when deemed approved by the General Committee, they shall then recognize his pre¬ vious ordination or advise his reordination. Sec. 10. Should any appointed or ordained worker fail to maintain a consistent Christian life and practice, and to abide in the doctrines of the Word of God as set forth in this con¬ stitution, the same shall be asked by the Gen¬ eral Committee or the District Superintendent to surrender his certificate, which shall be re¬ turned to the secretary of the Association. Sec. 11. It shall be the duty of the evangel¬ ists to assist our pastors in evangelistic meet¬ ings as per mutual arrangement; in co-opera¬ tion with the proper District Superintendent 12 to open such new fields as they may be able; to enter such open doors outside of the Associa¬ tion as their time may permit; to assist the District Superintendents in the arrangement for local conventions and convention parties; and to make such reports and recommendations to the General Conference as they may deem expedient. ARTICLE IX—Missionaries. Section 1. No applicants shall be accepted as missionaries who'are not members of some Missionary church. Sec. 2. All applications to enter missionary work at home or abroad shall be made accord¬ ing to Art. VIII., Sec. 2. Sec. 3. All applicants for the mission field shall he carefully examined by an examining committee, consisting of the General Commit¬ tee or of a committee properly appointed by them. Sec. 4. Accepted candidates for mission work or missionaries on furlough may not be sent out unless provision has been made for their adequate support, either by pledges from organizations or individuals, or by financial con¬ ditions warranting the General Committee in assuming their support. The General Commit¬ tee may also use its judgment in refusing to send out missionaries when political or other conditions render their going unsafe or inad¬ visable. Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the mission¬ aries on the field to exemplify and propagate the doctrines of the Word of God; to furnish the editors of our papers with a semi-annual report of their work; and to supply the General Committee with an annual statement of the monies received through regular sources, for support, during the previous year. Sec. 6. Missionaries on the field and on fur¬ lough, sent out and supported by the Associa¬ tion, shall be under the oversight of the General Committee, whether working directly under the ♦ 13 Association, or sent out in conjunction with other Societies. Sec. 7. The ordination of missionaries shall be under the same regulations as that of the ordination of workers in unorganized districts. Ordained missionaries have the same duties and privileges as ordained workers in the home field. Lady missionaries may be set apart by a consecration service; and all lady mission¬ aries, while under the direction of the Associa¬ tion, shall have the same standing as unor¬ dained workers. ARTICLE X—Institutions. Section 1. Each institution of the Associa¬ tion shall be governed by a board'of not less than five members, to be elected annually by the General Conference, and of whom at least two-thirds shall be members of Missionary churches. Sec. 2. The Bible Training School Board shall be composed of not less than seven mem¬ bers. Sec. 3. The Bible Training School Board shall appoint the officers and the teachers of the Bible Training School, or as many of them as possible, for the following year, at its spring session; the officers to begin their services at the close of the current school year. Sec. 4. The members of each Board shall elect annually from their number a secre¬ tary and such other officers of the Board as are needed for the furtherance of the work. Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of each Board to meet at least annually, at the call of the Chairman or any three members of the Board; to engage, as far as possible, such help as may be needed to carry on the work of the insti¬ tution; to prepare such rules and regulations as are necessary for the continuation of the work of the institution; to remove any work¬ ers from their positions who should in any way be found unqualified for their work; and to prepare and present an annual report of the 14 work of the institution to the General Confer¬ ence. Sec. 6. The Chairman shall call the meet¬ ings of the Board and preside at the same. Sec. 7. The Secretary shall keep a record of the business proceedings of the Board, con¬ duct its correspondence, and perform such other duties as the Board may require. ARTICLE XI—Departmental Work. Section *1. The general interests of the Sun¬ day-school work in the Association khall be under the oversight of an Association Sunday- school superintendent, elected annually by the General Conference. Sec. 2. The Association Sunday-school Su¬ perintendent shall seek to develop the general efficiency of the Sunday-school work of the Association; encourage the holding of Sun¬ day-school conventions, both local and district; criticize and recommend existing Sunday- school literature, and assist in the preparation of our own; contribute articles on Sunday- school work to our periodicals; give addresses on Sunday-school themes at our District Con¬ ventions; and make such recommendations re¬ garding Sunday-school interests at our con¬ ventions as he may deem necessary. Sec. 3. The interests of the Young People’s Work of the Association shall be under the oversight of a Superintendent, who shall be elected annually by the General Conference. Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the Super¬ intendent of the young people’s work to have charge of the young people’s meetings at our annual District Conventions; to maintain a de¬ partment in the English organ of the Associa¬ tion; and if possible to provide for a uniform series of programs of our own, for our young people’s societies. Sec. 5. The children’s work of the Asso¬ ciation shall be under the oversight of a super¬ intendent, elected annually by the General Conference. 15 Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the Superin¬ tendent of the children’s work to have charge of the children’s meetings at our annual Dis¬ trict Conventions; to maintain a department in the English organ of the Association; to supply the children with receptacles for their mis¬ sionary monies; to make recommendations to the General Committee as to the disbursement of the children’s missionary monies; and to give an annual report of the work at the Gen¬ eral Conference, and through our periodicals. ARTICLE XII—Publishing Committee. Section 1. The publishing interests of the Association shall be committed to the care of a publishing committee, consisting of the Editors of our papers, the Publishing Agent, and two other persons elected annually by the General Conference. Sec. 2. The Publishing Committee shall meet as soon as convenient after their election and choose from their number a secretary and such other officers as their work may require. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Pub¬ lishing Committee to meet annually, or oftener if necessary; to contract for the publication of our periodicals and other literature; to en¬ gage and remunerate colporteurs and agents, subject to the approval of the General Com¬ mittee; to solicit subscribers, to collect sub¬ scription monies and sell our literature; and to direct the Publishing Agent in his work, and to co-operate with him in the same, for the maintenance and extension of our publishing interests. Sec. 4. The Chairman of the Publishing Com¬ mittee shall call the meetings of this body and preside at the same. Sec. 5. The Secretary shall keep a record of the minutes of the meetings of the Publishing Committee, and conduct the correspondence of the same. Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the Editors ' to provide the publisher with the material that shall go into each issue of our periodicals; to 16 receive all contributions to our papers and to reject such as they do not deem suitable; to receive and grant exchange of papers with other publications; and to make recommenda¬ tions to the Publishing Agent concerning the printing and form of our papers, and to co¬ operate with him in the circulation of the same. Sec. 7. It shall be the duty of the Publish¬ ing Agent to require the regular and prompt printing and circulation of our periodicals; to keep and revise the mailing lists; to receive all subscription monies and to receipt for the same; to keep a careful account of all monies received and’ disbursed; to pay all bills for the publication of our periodicals and for all other literature handled by the Publishing Commit¬ tee; to solicit and arrange for all advertise¬ ments in our papers, in co-operation with the Editors of the same; to present to the Pub¬ lishing Committee and to the General Com¬ mittee a semi-annual financial statement of the publishing work, and an annual report of the same to the General Conference; and to make such other recommendations regarding the pub¬ lishing work to the bodies named in this section as he may deem necessary; and to do all he can to increase our subscription lists and to extend our publishing interests in general. ARTICLE XIII—Trustees. Section 1. All Association property shall be held in trust by a board of trustees, subject to the laws of the various states in which the property is located. Sec. 2. The Board of Trustees shall consist of at least five members properly elected by the General Conference for a term of five years, the term of at least one member to expire with each succeeding year. Sec. 3. The Board of Trustees shall meet annually or oftener and shall elect from their number a chairman, a secretary and a treasurer, for a term of one year, and for the transaction of other business. 17 Sec.4. It shall be the further duty of the Board of Trustees to keep the properties m general repair; to negotiate such loans as t e Conference may instruct them to contract, to keep the properties insured, when made necessary by loans or when so ordered by e General Conference; to receive and hold all funds and securities affecting the properties of the Association; to pay all interests and other bills affecting the properties held m trust by them; to issue requisition on the general treas¬ ury for such funds as may be necessary to carry out above instructions; to make an annual re¬ port to the General Conference regarding the condition of the properties; to make such rec¬ ommendations regarding the properties to the General Committee and the General Conference as they may deem necessary; and to carry into effect such other resolutions concerning their duties as may be decided upon by the General Pfkri fprpri pp Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the Chair¬ man to call the meetings of the Board and to preside at the same; however, any three mem¬ bers of the Board may also call a meeting ot the same whenever deemed necessary by them. Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a record of the minutes of the Board of Trustees; to conduct its correspondence; and to prepare such reports as may be intended for publmatiom t ^ aU be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and hold in trust all funds and se¬ curities affecting the property of the Associa¬ tion; to receipt all monies received; to dis¬ burse all funds as directed by the Board of Trustees or the General Conference; to keep a careful account of all monies received and disbursed; and to present to the General Con¬ ference a properly audited annual report of the treasury of the Trustees. ARTICLE XIV—Amendments- This Constitution may be amended at any time by a two-thirds vote of the General Con- 18 ference, provided that notice of the intention to amend shall have been given to all churches and workers in the Association at least four months prior to the date set for the General Conference. CONSTITUTION OF THE MISSIONARY CHURCH. ARTICLE I—Name. This organization shall be known as The Missionary Church of.. or, The.Missionary Church. ARTICLE II—Object. The object of this church shall be the main¬ tenance of the public worship of Almighty God, the salvation of souls, the edification of be¬ lievers, and the propagation of the Gospel in the world, according to the Bible, the inspired Word of God. ARTICLE III—Officers. Section 1. The officers shall consist of pas¬ tors, elders, or bishops, and deacons and deacon- nesses, divinely called and appointed by the church, Eph. 4:11, 12; Tit. 1:5-9; 1 Tim. 3:8-12; Rom. 16:1, 2, R. V. marg. Sec. 2. The Pastor shall be chosen from among persons approved for work by the Gen¬ eral Committee; and his term of service shall be a matter of mutual agreement between him and his church. If the church desire, they may request the General Committee to assist them in the selection of a pastor. Sec. 3. Deacons shall be chosen from among the members of the church which they are to serve; and shall be appointed annually by the church until deemed approved by it, after which they may be ordained to the permanent office of a deacon, 1 Tim. 3:8-13; Acts 6:5, 6. Sec. 4. Deaconesses shall be annually ap¬ pointed by the church from among its mem¬ bership. 19 Sec. 5. It shall be the duty of the Pastor (Elder or Bishop) to show himself approved unto God and to preach the Word of God; to be an example to the flock entrusted to his care and to exercise prayerful oversight over the same; and to live in separation from the world and to labor for the salvation of the lost. Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the Deacons to assist the Pastor in the spiritual work of the church and to have charge of the temporal needs of the congregation. Sec. 7. It shall be the duty of the Deacon¬ esses to work under the direction of the Pastor or of such other persons under whom they may receive appointment; to visit the sick and to minister to the poor and needy ; to seek to win the lost to Christ; and to devote themselves to such other forms of Christian service as may be suitable to their abilities. ARTICLE IV—Church Council. Section 1. The Pastor (Elder or Bishop), the Deacons and the Deaconesses shall constitute the Church Council; however, if the church so desires it may enlarge this body by electing additional members. Sec. 2. The Pastor shall act as chairman of the Council; and a secretary and a treasurer shall be chosen either by the Council or by the church. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Church Council to arrange for all regular and special meetings of the church, engaging the neces¬ sary help for the same; to have charge of all discipline in co-operation with the church; to make such reports and recommendations as may be necessary, respecting the support of the Pastor and the allowances of such helpers as may have been engaged by them (1 Cor. 9:7- 11; Gal- 6:6; 1 Tim. 5:18); to constitute an examining committee of applicants for bap¬ tism and church membership; and to make such other recommendations to the church as affect its general welfare. Sec. 4. A church served by an unordained 20 worker may through its council make applica¬ tion to the District Superintendent or the Gen¬ eral Committee for the ordination of such pas¬ tor, whenever he may be deemed approved by the church. ARTICLE V—Membership. Section 1. Personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ with satisfactory evidence of the regen¬ eration of the individual, followed by water baptism, shall be a necessary qualification for membership. Persons having been sprinkled or poured, subsequent to regeneration, may hold membership with us providing they are willing to follow in immersion as the Lord gives them light. Sec. 2. Persons belonging to any secret so¬ ciety cannot hold membership in the church, Jno. 18:20; 2 Cor. 6:14-18. Sec. 3. We regard the taking of oaths as unscriptural and therefore insist that our mem¬ bers affirm instead, and also since the law has made provision for affirmation, Mat. 5:34-37; Jas. 5:12. Sec. 4. The taking up of arms in war and self-defense is contrary to the teaching of the New Testament, and we therefore refrain from so doing, Mat. 26:52; Mk. 10:19; 2 Cor. 10:4. ARTICLE VI—Duties of Members. (To be read in connection with the recep¬ tion of new members.) _ It is the duty of the members of the church, as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul (I Pet. 2:11); to put away from them all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, and be kind one to another, tender¬ hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven them (Eph. 4:31, 32); as they have opportunity, to do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith (Gal. 6:10); to remember them that have the rule over them who speak 21 unto them the Word of God (Heb. 13:7); not to forsake the assembling of themselves to¬ gether (Heb. 10:25); and to give as God has prospered them (1 Cor. 16:2), not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). ARTICLE VII—Discipline. The church is governed by the following scriptures in the discipline of offending mem- | )erg • 1. Self-discipline, Mat. 5:23-26; 1 Cor. 11:31. 2. Trespass against a brother, Mat. 18:15-17. 3. Disorderly persons, 2 Thess. 3:6, 7, 11-14. 4. Factious persons and heretics, Rom. 16:17, 18; Tit. 3:10, 11. 5. Those seeking divorce, Mat. 19:3-9. 6. Wicked persons, 1 Cor. 5:9-13. 7. One overtaken in a fault. Gal. 6:1. 8. Offending elders, 1 Tim. 5:19, 20. Members absenting themselves from the ser¬ vices of the church, for a period of six months, without a good reason, and after due admoni¬ tion by the church or the pastor, may be dropped from church membership. ARTICLE VIII—Ordinances. Section 1. We teach and practice baptism by immersion only, on the satisfactory evidence of the regeneration of the applicant. Sec. 2. Infants will not be received for bap¬ tism, but will be publicly dedicated to the Lord, if desired by the parents. Sec. 3. The Lord’s Supper shall be observed frequently, and we encourage the observance of feet-washing (John 13:3-15). ARTICLE IX—Marriage. Section 1. Holy Matrimony is an institution ordained of God, and therefore to be guarded as sacred, both civil and religious. Sec. 2. We deem it unscriptural for be¬ lievers to unite with unbelievers in the bonds of matrimony, and find it necessary as minis¬ ters and churches to use our influence against 22 it. Ministers of our churches shall not officiate in such cases. Sec. 3. Our ministers may officiate where both parties are Christians; where both parties are not Christians it is left to the careful dis¬ cretion of the minister who is asked to officiate. ARTICLE X—Auxiliary Societies. The Sunday-school, the Young People’s So¬ ciety, the Ladies’ Aid Society, and other sim¬ ilar societies shall he auxiliary societies of the church, the work to be done by them and the manner of the election of their officers to be regulated by the By-Laws of the local church. ARTICLE XI—Trustees. Section 1. The church property shall be held by a board of trustees properly elected by the church, according to the laws of the state wherein the property is located. Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Trustees to meet at least annually for the transaction of business; to organize themselves by elec- ing from their number a chairman, a secre¬ tary and a treasurer; to have the oversight of the property for its general up-keep and im¬ provement, under the direction of the church; to have charge of all funds involving the prop¬ erty and its up-keep; to keep a careful account of all monies received and disbursed; to pro¬ vide the church with supplies, such as fuel, light, etc-; to give an annual report of their work to the church; and to make such recom¬ mendations to the church regarding the prop¬ erty as they may deem necessary. Sec. 3. The Chairman shall call and preside at all the business meetings of the Trustees; the Secretary shall keep a record of the busi¬ ness proceedings of their meetings, etc.; and the Treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the Trustees, and disburse them under the di¬ rection of the same. ARTICLE XII—Business Meetings. Section 1. The church body shall meet at least annually for a business meeting, at which 23 time it shall receive and act upon the reports of secretaries, and treasurers, and of such com¬ mittees as it may have appointed; and to elect its officers, trustees, and other helpers that are necessary to carry on the work. Sec. 2. The Pastor or some person duly ap¬ pointed by him shall act as chairman of the business meetings of the church; and the Sec¬ retary and the Treasurer of the Church Council shall act as the secretary and the treasurer of the church. Sec. 3. The church shall appoint delegates to the annual Workers Conference, according to Art. VI., Sec. 3, of the Constitution of the Association, either at some business meeting of the church, or in such other way as the church may decide upon. Sec. 4. The church may also at some busi¬ ness meeting, adopt such By-Laws as it shall find necessary to conduct its work, providing they do not conflict with this Constitution or that of the Missionary Church Association. 24 ': 1 - V Inc. 1905 Jg Head Offices, 3820 So. Wayne Ave. Fort Wayne, Ind. At which address its officers may be reached at any time; a through the Head Office, or through any local chur c h in the A s s b c i a t i on. ssag- ■' y 3-