ACT
of
INCORPORATION
AND
STATED RULES
or ºne
SOCIETY OF THE UNITED BRETHREN
For PROP-1C.A.TIM'G THE GOSPEI,
AMONG
| THE HEATHEN
-
PHILADELPHIA.
Printed by Coshan ZENTIER, No. 104, North Second street.
--
1825.


AN ACT
To incorporate the Society for propagating the
Gospel among the Heathem, formed by Mem-
bers of the Episcopal Church of the United
Brethren or Unitas Fratrum,
section is. WHEREAs it has been repre-
sented to this House by the Reverend John
Ettwein, one of the Bishops of the Church called
Unitas Fratrum or United Brethren, and the
Reverend John Meder, Pastor in Ordinary of the
said Church in the City of Philadelphia, that
since the year of our Lord One thousand seven
hundred and forty, when the said Church began
to make settlements in America, the principal
aim of their Members, coming over from Europe,
was, to carry the glorious truths of the Gospel
to the Indians here; that they have without inter-
mission continued their labours among the In-
dians, and, notwithstanding the increase of ex-
penses and other difficulties, are resolved to pur-
sue and support this commendable work, and for
this purpose have formed a Society for propa-
gating the Gospel among the Heathen, and en-
tered into certain Rules of Association, (a copy
whereof they have subjoined to their petition,)
and prayed to incorporate the said Society :

And whereas, the propagation of the Gospel
among the Indians of America, is of great im-
portance to the citizens of this and other the
United States, and may, by the blessing of God,
be conducive to the peace and security of the in-
habitants and settlers of our frontiers, and by
living examples of the Missionaries and the con-
verts, the Savages may be induced to turn their
minds to the Christian religion, industry, and
social life with the citizens of the United States:
And whereas, this House is disposed to exer-
cise the powers vested in the Legislature of the
Commonwealth, for the encouragement of all
pious and charitable purposes:
Section 2d Be it therefore enacted, and it is
hereby enacted by the Representatives of the Free.
men of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in
General Assembly met, and by the Authority of
the same, That the Reverend John Ettwein, Bish-
op; Frederick William von Marshall, gentleman;
the Reverend Andrew Hübner and Paul Münster;
Hans Christian von Schweinitz, gentleman; the
Reverend David Zeisberger, Junior, John August
Klingsohr, Jeremiah Denke, Charles Gotthold
Reichel, Daniel Köhler, Christian Benzien and
Godfrey Brezel, the present Directors;–The
Reverend Bernhard Adam Grube, Frederick
Peter, Senior, and Jacob Van Vleck, the present
Assistant Directors of the said Society:-The
Reverend John Herbst, John Meder, Francis

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Böhler, James Birkby, Lewis Böhler and Abra-
ham Reincke and others, the Ministers in the
different Brethren’s Congregations, and their suc-
cessors, and all other members of said Society,
who have and hereafter shall subscribe the Rules
of the said Society, be, and they are hereby made,
declared and constituted, to be a corporation and
body politic and corporate in law and in fact, to
have continuance for ever, by the name, style and
title of “ The Society of the United Brethren for
propagating the Gospel among the Heathem.”
Section 3d. And be it further enacted by the
authority aſbresaid, That the said corporation and
their successors, by the name, style and title afore
said, shall for ever hereafter be persons able and
capable in law to purchase, have, receive, take,
hold and enjoy in fee simple or of less estate or
estates, any lands, tenements, rents, annuities,
liberties, franchises and other hereditaments by
the gift, grant, bargain, sale, alienation, enfeoff.
ment, release, confirmation or devise of any per-
son or persons, bodies politic and corporate,
capable and able to make the same. And further,
that the said corporation and their successors may
take and receive any sum or sums of money and
portion of goods and chattels, that have been or
hereafter shall be given or bequeathed to them or
the said Society, by any person or persons, bodies
politic or corporate, able and capable to make a
bequest or gift thereof: Provided, that no misno.

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mer of the said corporation and their successors,
shall defeat or annul any gift, grant, devise or
bequest to the said corporation, if the intent of
the owner shall sufficiently appear upon the face
of the gift, testament or other writing, whereby
any estate or interest was intended to pass to the
said corporation, nor shall any non-user of the
rights, liberties, privileges and authorities or any
of them hereby granted to the said corporation
create or cause a forfeiture thereof.
Section 4th. And be it further enacted by the
authority afºresaid, That all donations and contri-
butions, rents, interests and profits arising from
the real and personal estate of the aforesaid cor-
poration, shall by the said Directors and their
successors from time to time be applied and laid
out for the maintenance and support of their Mis-
sionaries and their Assistants, for building and
supporting places of public worship and schools,
providing books for the better educating, in-
structing and civilizing the children of the con-
verts and others, among the nations who shall be
desirous to commit their youths to the care and
instruction of the said Missionaries, and for such
other pious and charitable uses, as are conform-
able to the true design and intent of the said
Society.
Section 5th. And be it further enacted by the
authority aforesaid, That the said corporation and
their successors shall not by deed or otherwise,

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srant, alien, convey or otherwise dispose of any
part or parcel of the real estate in the said corpo.
ration, vested or to be vested, or change, or in-
cumber the same to any person or persons what.
soever, except by and with the consent of a ma.
jority of the regular contributing members of the
said Society, convened for that purpose.
Section 6th. And be it further enacted by the
authority aforesaid, That the said Directors and
Assistant Directors, and their successors, or a
majority of them, shall and may from time to
time convene the members of the said Society,
to make rules, by-laws and ordinances, and to
transact every thing requisite for the good govern-
ment and support of the affairs of the said Society,
agreeable to their stated rules: Provided always,
that the said rules, by-laws and ordinances, or
any of them, be not repugnant to the laws and
statutes in force within this Commonwealth.
Section 7th. And be it further enacted by the
authority aforesaid, That the said Society and their
successors, shall have full power and authority to
make, have and use one common seal, with such
device and inscription as they shall think proper,
and the same to break, alter and renew at their
pleasure.
Section 8th. And be it further enacted by the
authority aforesaid, That the said corporation and
their successors, by the name, style and title
aforesaid, shall be able and capable in law, to sue

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and be sued, plead and be impleaded, in any
court or courts, before any judge or judges, jus-
tice or justices, in all and all manner of suits,
complaints, causes, matters and demands of what-
soever kind, nature or form they may be, and all
and every other matter and thing therein to do, in
as full and effectual a manner, as any other person
or persons, bodies politic or corporate in this
Commonwealth in the like cases may or can do.
Section 9th. Provided also, and it is further
enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the clear
yearly value or income of the messuages, houses,
lands, tenements, rents, annuities, or other here-
ditaments and real estate of the said corporation,
shall not exceed the sum of two thousand pounds,
lawful money of the State of Pennsylvania, to be
taken and esteemed, exclusive of the monies
arising from the contributions of the actual mem-
bers, and donations of the honorary members or
other friends to the said institution.
Signed by order of the House,
THOMAS MIFFLIN, Speaker.
Enacted into a law, at Philadelphia, on
Wednesday, the twenty-seventh day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hun-
dred and eighty-eight. -
PETER ZACHARY LLOYD,
Clerk of the General Assembly.

STATED RULES
OF THE
SOCIETY OF the UNITED BRETHREN
- FOR
PROP.10.4TIN’G THE GOSPEI,
AMONG
THE HEATHEN.
-
ARTICLE I.
This Society shall have its fixed seat at Beth.
lehem, in Northampton County, in the State of
Pennsylvania, where the Board of Directors will
meet, and the stated general meetings shall be
held.
ARTICLE II.
All Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons of the
Brethren's Church, residing in the United States,
and all such Brethren as are actual members of
the Elders’ Conferences in the Brethren’s Con-
gregations in this country, are, by virtue of their
office and character, members of this Society.
Others may be received as members, as here-
inafter directed,
º

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ARTICLE III.
Only such members of the Society who are
members of the Brethren's Church, shall have a
seat and vote in the Society, and are considered
as actual members.
Besides these, the Society may receive per-
sons of other churches and denominations, who
are friends and well-wishers to the furtherance of
the Gospel among the heathen, as honorary mem-
bers; who shall be admitted to the general meet-
ings, but have no vote in the deliberations of the
Society.
ARTICLE IV.
As the true and only design of the Society is,
to assist such Missionaries and their Assistants,
who from time to time are sent by the Directors
of the Brethren’s Missions, to preach the Gospel
to the heathen, we will with pleasure further this
blessed work, by all the means in our power, and
not confine our assistance to mere stated charities
and contributions.
ARTICLE V.
For constant Directors of the Society, we
choose, constitute and appoint those Brethren,

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who are appointed to superintend the concerns of
the Brethren’s Congregations in North America,
and their successors in office.
Out of the number of said Directors, a Presi-
dent and a Vice-President shall annually be elect-
ed in the general meeting of the Society. Three
Assistant Directors, one Secretary, one Treas.
urer, and three Auditors, shall likewise annually
be elected in the same general meeting, out of
the number of the actual members of the Society.
The said Directors, Assistant Directors, Secre-
tary and Treasurer shall constitute the Board of
Directors.
ARTICLE VI.
The Treasurer shall receive and account for
all moneys belonging to the Society, and keep
proper accounts in books provided for that pur.
pose. An account of his receipts and disburse.
ments, after having been duly audited, and the
vouchers examined by the Auditors, shall an-
nually be laid before the Society, in the said gen-
eral meeting.
ARTICLE VII.
The Directors shall, at the annual meeting,
communicate to the members of the Society, ac-

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counts of the state and progress of the missions,
and a full report of their proceedings.
ARTICLE VIII.
The Directors shall, at least once every year,
appoint a general meeting of the Society. But
the President, with the concurrence of four of
the Directors, may call special meetings, if the
concerns of the Society shall require it.
ARTICLE IX.
It is unalterably decreed, that all donations
and bequests to the Society, and all its posses-
sions, effects and property whatsoever and where-
soever, shall at all times and forever be and re-
main appropriated, secured, made use of, and
expended, for and to the support and benefit of
the missions of the Brethren's Church among the
heathen, and to no other use or purpose what-
SOCVer.
And all the members of the Society, for them.
selves and their heirs, hereby expressly renounce
all and every claim to the property of the Society,
and promise, that if any of the Society’s posses-
sions or effects whatsoever shall be intrusted to
their hands, or if their names, or the name of any

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of them shall be used in trust for the Society,
they will faithfully and without reserve perform
and fulfil, at all times and in all cases, such
orders and directions respecting the property thus
intrusted to them or any of them, as aforesaid, as
the Society by the Directors shall think proper
to give,
-
ARTICLE X.
As we have no other view or aim but the fur-
therance and propagation of the knowledge of
Jesus Christ among the poor benighted heathen,
and esteem it a high privilege to support that
praiseworthy work to the best of our abilities,
being constrained to it by the love of Christ,-
all the Directors, Assistant Directors, and offi-
cers of the Society, renounce for ever all de-
mands and claims for salaries or compensations
for their services. Provided, that all contingent
expenses, which shall be necessarily incurred by
the Directors, Assistant Directors and officers
aforesaid, or any of them, shall be defrayed by
the Society; and that the Directors be authorized
to allow a reasonable compensation to such agents
and officers, as they shall or may deem expedient
to appoint.

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ARTICLE XI.
Application for membership shall be made to
the Board of Directors. If in their opinion the
objects of the Society may be promoted by the
admittance of the applicants, the Directors shall
propose them for admittance to the Society, at
the next general meeting. The votes of a ma-
jority of the voting members present, shall be
necessary for such admission. -
ARTICLE XII.
As every member is at liberty to withdraw
from the Society, the Society also reserves to
itself the right of excluding any member, when-
ever it shall be found necessary: Provided, that
no such exclusion shall take place, unless by a
previous vote of the Directors, and the consent
of two-thirds of the voting members present at a
general meeting. All persons who have been
excluded in manner aforesaid, or who by separa-
tion from the Brethren’s Church have ceased to
be members of the Society, may be re-admitted
as members, by a majority of the votes of the
members at a general meeting.

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ARTICLE XIII.
A printed copy of the Act of Incorporation,
together with the Stated Rules of the Society,
shall be delivered to each new member, as soon
as he shall have subscribed his name to the Stated
Rules, in a book kept for the purpose.
ARTICLE XIV.
The Society can in future agree upon new
articles and rules, if circumstances require it:
Provided, that the same be not contrary to the
object of these present articles, and the well-being
of the Society.
ARTICLE XV.
These articles hereby agreed upon and ae-
cepted, can only be altered after mature delib.
eration, and the approbation of two-thirds of the
members present at a general meeting; and if any
alteration is made, it shall in no wise be contrary
to the Constitution of the Brethren’s Church, and
the instructions for the Missionaries of the Breth-
ren among the heathen. And that each such in-
tended alteration may be maturely examined by
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the Directors and every voting member, it shall
be proposed in a general meeting, and in the next
general meeting of the Society, it shall be con-
sidered and brought to a determination.
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