CONSTITUTION OF THK Sons and Daughters of Allen OF THK A. M. E. CHURCH ■ REV. W. A. LEWIS, D. D., Secretary-Treasurer, 1702 Jefferson St., Nashville, Tenn. CONSTITUTION OF THE Sons and Daughters of Allen OF THE A. M. E. CHURCH KEV. W. A. LEWIS, D. D., Secretary-TreastirerV 1702 J«ff®rson St., Nashville, Tenn- CONSTITUTION. OF THE Sons and Daughters of Allen. ARTICLE I. Section i . The name Sons and Daugh¬ ters of Allen shall be applied to the local organization operated under the constitu¬ tion and Discipline of the A. M. E. Church. Sec. 2. The chief object of the S. and D. of A. shall be to build up a co-oper¬ ative brotherhood in the A. M. E. Church and foster a fraternal union between min¬ isters and members. To found a treasury by collections, donations, and bequeaths, from which the broken down and sick shall receive weekly benefits. ARTICLE II. Section i. With a view to saving health, time and expense to members of local churches, good attention when sick, and proper burial when dead, as well as to strengthen their fealty and co operation with the church. The general secretary of the C. P. A. shall with the co-operation and personal assistance of the pastors of the A. M. E. Church direct and superin¬ tend the organizing of the Sons and Daughters of Allen, in churches under the jurisdiction of the A. M. K. Conferences. ARTICLE III. Section i. The officers shall be a Shepherd who shall be the pastor in charge, a President, Vice President, Secretary, As* sistant Secretary, Treasurer and a Sick Committee. The Sick Committee shall consist of not less than 5 nor more than 7. Sec. 2. The officers shall be in full membership in the A. M. E. Church and shall be elected annually except the shepherd in the month of August. Should the Sons and Daughters fail to elect officers, the Shepherd shall appoint them subject to conformation of the secretary of the C. P. A. The treasurer shall give bond. Sec. 3. The Shepherd with a com- 4 mittee elected, shall install the newly elected officers within three weeks after the election. If there is no Shepherd or if he is prevented for any cause from per¬ forming this duty, the committee shall in¬ stall the officers. ARTICLE IV. Section i. The admission fee shall be one dollar which shall accompany the ap¬ plication. No person shall be installed as a new member until the one dollar mem¬ bership fee is paid. Sec. 2. The monthly dues shall be 25 cents per month. Any member failing to pay their dues for one month shall not receive any sick benefits, until said dues are paid in full. Members being three months in arrears their names shall be dropped from the roll. Sec. 3. Any member whose name has been dropped from the roll may be reinstated provided he or she is in good health; and pay a fee of 75 cents. ARTICLE V. Section i. All applicants for member- 5 ship in tlie S. and t). of A. shall be not less than fourteen and not over sixty years of age and in good health at the time of making said application. Sec. 2. Sick benefits shall be paid to each financial member, who is or has been sick under the medical treatment of a tegular licensed, practicing, physician one week4 Sick benefits shall not be less than $1.00 nor more than $3.00 per week, acj cording to the Condition of the treasury and $25.00 death claim. ARTICLE VI. Section 1, The anniversary of the Sons and Daughters of Allen shall be held the last Sunday in July of each year after Its organizatioii. A collection shall be taken abd one half shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the C. P. A. and the other half shall be divided between the Shepherd and treasury of the local fold. SfiC. 2. The anniversary exercisfeS shall be under the management of the Shepherd and a committee of three elected by the society . Sec. 3. The financial committee 6 Shall consist of the Shepherd, President and three members elected by the society, They shall look after the financial condi' tion of the treasury, plan for literary, social and other Christian entertainments as a means of raising money for the local treasury. ARTICLE VII, Section I. Any member expelled fromS the church or society cannot enjoy any of the rights or benefits and he or she forfeits- all claim to any part of the money paid to* the S. and D. of A. Sec. 2. All members- are expected1 to be faithful in attending service on Sun^ day in their respective churches. ARTICLE VIIL Section^ r. The funds of the S. and of A. shall not be let out or used for any other purposes than those which are stated! in the constitution. Sec. 2. No benefits will be paid irs cases of sickness resulting from intemper¬ ance, immorality, chronic rheumatism, neuw ralgia, diseases- of the genital organs,, bun-' 7 ions, corns, self-inflicted injuries of liquors or narcotics. Sec.-3. No benefits will be paid to . female members for diseases peculiar to their sex, except in cases of confinement. In such cases one half benefits will be al¬ lowed for two weeks. Sec. 4. No member is entitled to sick benefits until he or she has been a member three months from date of joining and has paid three month's dues. ARTICLE IX. Section i. The officers of the Sons and Daughters of Allen shall be responsible to the Gen. Secretary of the C. P. A. and S. and D. of A. for the faithful performance of their duty. The secretary shall remove any or all the officer1? for non-performance of their duties. Sec. 2. Any officer or member who shall rebel against the A. M. E. Church or teach anything contrary to the Discipline shall be reprimanded for the first offense, for the second offense shall be tried and ex¬ pelled. Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the 8 shepherd, president, and secretary to see that the money due the Gen. Secretary of the C. P. A. be forwarded to him immedi¬ ately after it is collected. The Gen. Secretary shall receipt for all money received. ARTICLE X. Section i. Any member refusing to sit up with a sick member when he or she is notified shall be fined fifty cents. Sickness shall be a lawful excuse. All members are required to attend the burial of a Son or Daughter. Sec. 2. Each Son and Daughter is required to pay a quarterly death claim of twenty-five cents. This shall be forwarded immediately with the name of each member who paid, to the Gen. Secretary of the C. P. A. ARTICLE XI. Section i. All disputes and disagree¬ ments among the members must be settled within the Fold of theS. and D. of A. Any member going to law with any matter be¬ fore it is brought before the Fold of mem¬ bers shall be tried and expelled. 9 Sec. 2. All trials shall take pfacf before the members of the Fold, subject to an appeal to* the Gen. Secretary of the C. P. A., whose decision shall be final. ARTICLE XII. Section s. Alt persons under four' teen years of age shall be organized into a separate branch known as the Juvenile- Fold of the S'. and D. of A. Each shall pay twenty-five cents joining fee and ten cents- monthly dues, and shall" receive seventy-' five cents per week when sick under a doc¬ tor, and fifteen dollars death claim. ARTICLE XIII. Section r. The officers shall be the' same as the parent Fold of theS. and D. of A. Each member shall pay ten cents quar¬ terly death benefit dues,which shall be for~ warded to-the Gen. Sec. of the C^ P'. As ARTICLE XIV. Section i- Upon the death of a Son or Daughter the secretary of the C.P.A. shalB be notified by the Secretary of the local fold. The certificate may be signed by the sec- i©- retary, president and the shepherd of the Fold. Sec 2. The Fold shall meet once a month in the church to transact business. This shall be known as a business meeting. The president shall call the meeting when in his judgment the interest of the S. and D. of A. requires it. Sec. 3. The pastor in charge by virtue of his office is the shepherd of the Fold. This does not prevent his election as president. Opening Hymn. BROTHERLY LOVE. C. M. How sweet and heav'nly is the delight, When those who love the Lord In one another's peace delight, And so fulfill his word? Oh! may we feel each brother's sigh. And with him bear a part; May sorrows flow from eye to eye, And joy fiom heart to heart. Let love in one delightful stream, Through every bosom flow; Let union sweet, and dear esteem, In every action, glow. Order of Business. 1. Devotion. 2. Calling roll. 3. Reading minutes of last meeting. 4. Collection dues. 5. Application for membership. 6. Receiving new members. 7. Sick committee's report. 8. Paying sick claims. 9. Report of special committee. 10. Unfinished business. Closing Hymn. Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Jesus' love: The fellowship of Christian minds Is like to that above. When we asunder part, Not like the world s our pain. But one in Christ, and one in heart We part to meet again. Dismissing. The Lord go home with you and me The Holy Spirit watch our actions And Christ bring us back again. Even so it be, Amen. To be Read to Candidates. My Friend—Kvery degree of assistance given to another upon proper motives is an act of charity. It is the law of God that man should help man. It was the rule practiced by the disciples of Jesus nineteen centuries ago and has been followed by benevolent per¬ sons of the present age. Charity is en¬ joined upon us by Christianity and the law of nature and it is so pleasant it is said to be its own reward or to pay us while we are discharging it. You must remember that charity alone endures, that which follows from a sense of duty and a hope in God. It is like the great law of nature, does the work of God in silence and looks to a fu¬ ture and better world for its reward. Jesus said: "Give every man that ask-