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APPENDIX.

ACT OF INCORPORATION.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

In the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twelve: An Act to incorporate the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.

Whereas WILLIAM BARTLET and others have been associated under the name of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, for the purpose of propagating the gospel in heathen lands, by supporting missionaries and diffusing a knowledge of the holy Scriptures, and have prayed to be incorporated in order more effectually to promote the laudable object of their

association.

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That WILLIAM BARTLET, Esq. and SAMUEL SPRING, D. D., both of Newburyport, JOSEPH LYMAN, D. D., of Hatfield, JEDIDIAH MORSE, D. D., of Charlestown, SAMUEL WORCESTER, D. D., of Salem, the Hon. WILLIAM PHILLIPS, Esq., of Boston, and the Hon. JOHN HOOKER, Esq., of Springfield, and their associates, be, and they hereby are incorporated and made a body politic by the name of the AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS, and by that name may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, appear, prosecute, and defend, to final judgment and execution; and in their said corporate capacity, they, and their successors forever, may take, receive, have and hold in fee-simple or otherwise, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, by gift, grant, devise, or otherwise, not exceeding the yearly value of four thousand dollars; and may also take and hold by donation, bequest, or otherwise, personal estate to an amount, the yearly income of which shall not exceed eight thousand dollars; so that the estate aforesaid shall be faithfully appropriated to the purpose and object aforesaid, and not otherwise. And the said corporation shall have power to sell, convey, exchange, or

lease all or any part of their lands, tenements, or other property for the benefit of their funds, and may have a common seal which they may alter or renew at pleasure. Provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall enable the said corporation, or any person or persons, as trustees for or for the use of said corporation, to receive and hold any gift, grant, legacy, or bequest, heretofore given or bequeathed to any person in trust for said Board, unless such person or persons, could by law have taken and holden the same, if this act had not passed.

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the said Board, may annually choose from among themselves, by ballot, a President, a Vice President, and a Prudential Committee; and, also, from among themselves or others a Corresponding Secretary, a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer, an [Auditor, and such other officers as they may deem expedient; all of whom shall hold their offices until others are chosen to succeed them, and shall have such powers and perform such duties as the said Board may order and direct; and in case of vacancy by death, resignation, or otherwise, the vacancy may in like manner be filled at any legal meeting of the said Board. And the said Treasurer shall give bond with sufficient surety, or sureties, in the judgment of the Board, or the Prudential Committee, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office.

SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That all contracts, and deeds, which the said Board may lawfully make and execute, signed by the chairman of said Prudential Committee, and countersigned by their clerk, (whom they are hereby authorized to appoint,) and sealed with the common seal of said corporation, shall be valid in law to all intents and purposes.

SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That the first annual meeting of the said Board shall be on the third Wednesday of September next, at such place as the said William Bartlet may appoint; and the present officers of said Board shall continue in office until others are elected.

SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That the said Board, at the first annual meeting aforesaid, and at any subsequent annual meeting, may elect by ballot any suitable persons to be members of said Board, either to supply vacancies, or in addition to their present number.

SEC. 6. Be it further enacted, That the said Board shall have power to make such bye-laws, rules, and regulations, for calling future meetings of said Board, and for the management of their concerns, as they shall deem expedient; provided the same are not repugnant to the laws of this Commonwealth.

SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, That one quarter part of the annual income from the funds of said Board shall be faithfully appropriated to defray the expense of imparting the holy Scriptures to unevangelized nations in their own languages: Provided, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to defeat the

express intentions of any testator, or donor, who shall give or bequeath money to promote the great purposes of the Board: Provided, also, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to restrict said Board from appropriating more than one quarter of said income to translating and distributing the Scriptures whenever they shall deem it advisable.

SEC. 8. Be it further enacted, That not less than one third of said Board shall at all times be composed of respectable laymen; and that not less than one third of said Board shall be composed of respectable clergymen; the remaining third to be composed of characters of the same description whether clergymen or laymen.

SEC. 9. Be it further enacted, That the Legislature of this Commonwealth shall at any time have the right to inspect, by a Committee of their own body, the doings, funds, and proceedings of the said Corporation, and may at their pleasure alter or annul any or all of the powers herein granted.

In the House of Representatives, June 19th, 1812.-This bill having had three several readings, passed to be enacted.

TIMOTHY BIGELOW, Speaker. In the Senate, June 20th, 1812.—This bill having had two readings, passed to be enacted."

SAMUEL DANA, President.

June 20th, 1812.-By the Governor, Approved.

Copy-Attest,

CALEB STRONG.
ALDEN BRADFORD,
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

N. B. The Associates, alluded to in the foregoing act, were the Hon. JOHN TREADWELL, LL. D., the Rev. TIMOTHY DWIGHT, D. D. LL. D., President of Yale College, Gen. JEDIDIAH HUNTINGTON, and the Rev. CALVIN CHAPIN, all of Connecticut.

LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE BOARD. Adopted by the Board Oct. 4, 1832.

I. OBJECT OF THE BOARD.

The object of the Board is, to propagate the gospel among unevangelized nations and communities, by means of preachers, catechists, schoolmasters, and the press.

II. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

1. Corporate members.-The Corporate members of the Board, are those who have the right of voting at its meetings.

These, according to the Act of Incorporation, must be elected by ballot, and only at the annual meetings. Not less than one third of the corporate members must be laymen.

The corporate members, besides being under special obligation to attend the meetings of the Board, are pledged to attend the anniversary meetings of Auxiliary Societies, when required by the Prudential Committee, as a Deputation from the Board; their travelling expenses, in going to and returning from the places of such meetings, being paid out of the Treasury of the Board.

2. Corresponding members.-Clergymen and laymen, residing in distant parts of the United States and in foreign lands, may be elected by ballot, as Corresponding members of the Board; who, though it be no part of their official duty to attend its meetings, or take part in its votes or resolutions, yet, when occasionally present, may assist in its deliberations, and by communicating information and in other ways, enlighten its course, facilitate its operations, and promote its objects.

3. Honorary members.-Clergymen, on paying fifty dollars, and laymen, on paying one hundred dollars, at any one time, shall be entitled to the privilege of attending the meetings of the Board, and of assisting in its deliberations as Honorary members; it being understood, however, that the right of voting is restricted, by the charter, to the corporate members.

4. The certificates of membership for corporate members shall be signed by the President and Recording Secretary of the Board; for corresponding members, by the Secretaries for the correspondence; and for honorary members, by the Treasurer.

1.

III. OFFICERS OF THE BOARD.

The Officers of the Board shall be a President, Vice President, a Prudential Committee, as many Secretaries as are necessary, a Treasurer, and two Auditors. These must be chosen by ballot, and they hold their offices until others are appointed to succeed them.

2. It shall be the duty of the President, and in his absence of the Vice President, to preside at each meeting of the Board, and to perform such official acts, either during the session of the Board, or at any other time, as shall be assigned to him by any bye-law or vote of the Board. In the absence of both the President and Vice President, the meeting shall be called to order by the oldest member present, after which a presiding officer shall be chosen for

the occasion.

3. The Prudential Committee shall consist of such a number of members, as the Board from time to time shall think necessary; and three of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided such a notice of the meeting shall have been given to each member, as the Committee shall direct by a general rule. It shall be the duty of the Secretaries and Trea

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