PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIBLE CONVENTION, WHICH MET IN PHILADELPHIA, APRIL 26, 27, 28, AND 29, 1837, TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY, EMBRACING THE PERIOD OF ITS PROVISIONAL ORGANIZATION. NEW-YORK: PRINTED FOR THE AMERICAN AND, FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. C100412.5 CONSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. ART. I. The name of this Society shall be THE AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. ART. II. The object of this Society shall be to aid in the translation, printing, and circulation, of the Sacred Scriptures. ART. III. Each contributor of three dollars annually shall be a member. ART. IV. Each contributor of thirty dollars at one time shall be a member for life. ART. V. Each contributor of one hundred and fifty dollars shall be a life di rector. ART. VI. Every Baptist minister who is a life member, and all Life Directors, shall have the privilege of participating in the deliberations of the Board. ART. VII. All Bible Societies agreeing to place their surplus funds in the treasury of the Society, shall be auxiliaries, and the officers of such societies shall be ex officio directors of this. ART. VIII. A Board of Managers shall be appointed to conduct the business of the Society, consisting of thirty-six brethren in good standing in Baptist churches, sixteen of whom shall reside in the city of New York, or its vicinity; the whole board to be elected annually by the Society, and to hold their office until superseded by a new election. The board shall have power to fill such vacancies as may occur in their number. ART. IX. The President, Vice Presidents, Secretaries, and Treasurer, shall be ex officio members of the board. ART. X. The managers shall meet monthly, or oftener if necessary, at such ⚫ time and place as they shall adjourn to, five of whom shall be a quorum. ART. XI. The managers shall have the power of appointing such persons as may have rendered essential services to the Society, either members for life, or directors for life. ART. XII. At the meetings of the Society, and of the board of managers, the president, or, in his absence, the vice president first upon the list then present, and in the absence of all the vice presidents, the treasurer, and in his absence, such member as shall be chosen for that purpose, shall preside. ART. XIII. The annual meeting of the Society shall be held at New-York on Thursday after the last Wednesday in April in each year, or at any other time or place, at the option of the Society, when the accounts of the treasurer shall be presented, and a president, vice presidents, secretaries, treasurer, and a board of managers, shall be chosen for the ensuing year. ART. XIV. The president shall, at the written request of six members of the board, call special meetings of the board of managers, causing at least three days notice of such meetings. ART. XV. The whole of the minutes of every meeting shall be signed by the chairman and secretary. ART. XVI. No alteration shall be made in this Constitution, except by the vote of two thirds of the members of the Society present at an annual meeting. BIBLE CONVENTION. Philadelphia, April 26, 1837. In compliance with a call from a committee appointed for the purpose, delegates from various religious bodies connected with the Baptist denomination in the United States, assembled this day at 4 o'clock, P. M., in the meeting house of the First Baptist Church, to consider and decide upon the duty of the denomination, in existing circumstances, respecting the translation and distribution of the Sacred Scriptures. The Convention was called to order by Spencer H. Cone, of NewYork, and on motion, Rufus Babcock, Jr. was appointed chairman pro tem. and Adiel Sherwood and Baron Stow, secretaries, pro tem. Prayer was offered by Francis Wayland, Jr., of Rhode Island. The delegates then presented their credentials, and the following list, duly certified, was made out. Baptist State Convention-Ira Per- Pond. son, Elijah Hutchinson. Boston Baptist Association-Daniel Shaftsbury Central Aux. Bib. Soc.Sharp, William Hague. Warham Walker. MASSACHUSETTS. Northern Bap. Education Soc.-Ebenezer Thresher, jun., Caleb Parker, jun. Randolph Baptist Church-Conant Sawyer. Sharon Baptist Church-George N. Waitt. Tynsgsborough Baptist Church—J. W. Parkis. Westfield Baptist Association—J. M. Graves. Berkshire Bap. Association-J. Wilder, J. L. Smith. Barnstable Bap. Assoc.-Seth Ewer, Henry Marchant. New-England S. S. Union-S. S. Mallery. Middlesex and Norfolk Miss. Svc.J. W. Parker, Joseph Hodges, jun. Baptist Church in Baldwin Place, Boston-Baron Stow, Jas. D. Knowles, Samuel Beal, Lewis Jones, Thomas Shaw. Roxbury Bap. Church-Samuel Walker. Baptist State Convention-Charles O. Kimball. Old Colony Baptist Association-John Allen. |