AMENDED RULES REVISED AND APPROVED BY THE FOREIGN MISSION BOARD OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION. RICHMOND, VA., 1906. PREAMBLE. il is distinctly understood that the relation existing between the Board and their missionaries is voluntary, and of the most fraternal character. In his ap¬ pointment, the missionary is pledged to continue in his work through life, unless otherwise specified, while the obligation of the Board to continue their patronage is equally solemn and binding. The compact can be dissolved by neither party, excepting for reasons valid and weighty. If the missionary should prove unsound in bis religious views, or deficient in his moral character, or, on any other account unqualified for the useful pursuance of his work, the Board possesses the inherent right to dissolve the connection. On the other hand, the right to withdraw, for sufficient reasons, is possessed by the missionary. The relation being formed on this basis, the following rules are agreed on between the Board and the Missionaries: Article I.—Work and Organization of Missionaries, 1. The oral communication of the gospel, the formation of the chuiches, the training and ordination of a native ministry, the translation and circulation of the Scriptures, and the extension of missionary work by the aid of nativi-. laborers supported, as far as practicable, by the natives themselves, shall be regarded as the chief business of our missionaries. 2. The Board shall have the right to constitute the missionaries of a station, or district, into a mission, to act as their agent within the limits assigned, or to hold each missionary directly responsible to the Board, or, in a given district, to constitute several independent missions, with a missionary coveniently located, to act as treasurer for them all. But in all cases due regard shall be had to the wishes of the missionaries to be affected thereby. 3. Each mission established by the Board shall hold stated meetings, at such times and places as the mission shall appoint, for prayer, consultation and busi¬ ness. 4. Every missionary shall devote himself earnestly to the w'ork, and shall en¬ gage in no secular business, judged by the mission of the Board to be injurious to his character or usefulness. 5. No missionary shall change his station without the consent of the mission or the Board, nor shall the station of a missionary be changed without his consent. 6. Each missionary shall transmit to the Board, quarterly, a detailed account of hrs labors, and each mission shall report annually on the first day of January, the result of its operation, giving a table of statistics, made up to the 31st of December preceding, showing the baptisms, exclusions, and deaths, together with the total membership in the church or churches connected with the mission; the number of schools for males, for females, and for both sexes, with the average at¬ tendance in each, during the session, the amount contributed in cash or in kind by natives and by others, for the support of schools, native teachers, evangelists. or pastors, and also the number of school houses and chapels, if any, ereffcted during the year, and the cost of the same. 7. There shall be, not later thp^n August, an annual meeting of each mission, at which an estimate of appropriations for the ensuing year shall be made and sub¬ mitted to the Board, specifying, as far as practicable, the items for which funds are required, and the missionary for whom needed. Unassociated missionaries shall send annually, not later than August, their own estimates. The estimate of each year shall be for all missionary, school or other work of the mission, with a state¬ ment of what amount, if any, may be expected from other sources, on the field, at homo or elsewhere, in order that the appropriation of the Board may be adapted, if possible, fully and exactly to the needs of the mission. 8. The appointment of unmarried women as missionaries shall have reference to the views of the mission to which they are sent, as to the need and acceptability of such assistants. 9. Each missionary shall, after one year spent in the field, be examined upon his ability to speak, read and write the language. And again, at the end of the second year, he shall be examined. Should the examination prove unsatisfactory at the end of the sceond year, he sha’’ be given another examination at the end of the third year. Written reports of the results of these examinations shall be sent to the Board. The scope and manner of conducting these examinations shall be planned by each mission and submitted to the Board for approval. Article II.—Salaries and Support of Missionaries. 1. Salaries shall be fixed according to all the information the Board can get, the following rates being a general guide: ^0 U In A5i;ica3 China and Mexico for a single missionary for a married mis- for a single missionary W- sionary In Argentina, Chile, Italy and Japan $ and $1,400 for a married missionary. In Brazil, for a single missionary / b 6 i I a married missionary, $ l,riQ 0' with an allowance in all cases of $100 a year for each child up to ten years old. and of $150 from ten to twenty years old. Any deviation from these rates must be for good^nd sufficient reasons, and by special agreement. 2. The salary of the missionary shall begin on his arrival at the field of labor he is expected to occupy, and all needful expenses in getting to his field shall be borne by the Board. 3. The salary is intended to cover the personal expenses of a mi.ssionary and his family. House rent, postage on official letters, travelling expenses in the prosecution of missionary labors, the salary of a teacher for instruction in the language to be acquired, text books, and other expenses incident to his work, shall be met either by special appropriation, or from the common fund of the mission with which his work is connected. 4. All missionaries, supported by the Board, with their wives and children, shall be considered as having claim on the mission fund for equal support in simi¬ lar circustances. The wives of missionaries, in all suitable cases, will be regarded as assistant missionaries, and, as far as their domestic duties allow, will be ex¬ pected to contribute especially by instructing natives of their sex to the advance¬ ment ot the work and interests of the mission. 5. Missionaries who support themselves from their own income may be mis¬ sionaries of the Board equally with those who receive pecuniary support, and in such cases must be equally subject to the instructions and regulations of the Board. 6. No missionary shall abandon his station or return to the United States, even at his own expense, except on account of sickness of himself or family, with- ouj permission of the Board; and in the cases excepted, the sanction of the mis¬ sion shall be obtained, when the individual is a member of a mission. The neces¬ sary expense of a return home will be borne by the Board only in accordance with this rule. The salary of missionaries leaving their fields without the consent of the Board shall cease from the time they leave their fields. 7. While no period of labor is specified before a missionary shall leave his field to recruit his strength, the Board will have regard to the necessity of such change to preserve the health and secure the greatest efficiency of its missionaries. 8. Missionaries returning to the home-land on leave, as provided in Sections 6 and 7, shall be entitled to receive monthly such sum as they may need for support and recuperation, provided same shall not exceed $1,200 per annum for man and wife and the regular allowance for children, and $600 per annum for an unmarried missionai’y; and provided further, that it shall not, without special action of the Board, be continued more than twelve months. 9. Disabled missionaries, or the widows of missionaries, returning to remain in this country, with the approbation of the Board, and being in destitute circum¬ stances, may receive such special appropriations as the nature of the case shall justify, it being understood that no annuities or pensions are to be settled on any persons, or grants made for any other than the current year, excepting in those cases where allowance is made for the children of missionaries. Article III.—Treasurers, Drafts, Accounts, Self-Support. 1. The Board shall appoint the treasurer of each mission, or of several inde¬ pendent missions. But in case of a vacancy, the mission or the several indepen¬ dent missions, shall have the power to appoint pro tern. 2. It shall be the duty of these treasurers to hold all funds and other assets belonging to the Board, subject to their order, under the regulation herein pro¬ vided. 8. Salaries of missionaries and special appropriations may be paid quarterly, in advance, unless a shorter period is specified by the-,Board, upon the receipt of the missionary for whom they are designated. No other payments shall be made except by order of the mission or the Board. ' 4. Each missionary shall render to the mission a quarterly account of all moneys, except for salary drawn by him from the treasury. 5. In no case shall appropriations made for oiie object be applied to another, except by the consent of the Board, nor shall a mission or misssionary contract debt in the name of the Board, unless from actual necessity. 6. The annual appropriation of the board for each mission shall be made in dollars and cents, and may be drawn by its treasurer, quarterly in advance, un¬ less a shorter period is specified by the Board, but for no longer period ihan one quarter, it being understood that any violation of this rule, or over-draft of the appropriation for the quarter or for the year, may be sufficient reason for either the dimissal of the treasurer from his ti'easurership, or the withdrawal from the mis¬ sion or combined missions, of the privilege of drawing for appropriations of the Board. 7. Each draft on the treasurer of the'Board shall be in dollars and cents, and shall be accompanied by a notice from the treasurer of the mission or missions, advising our treasurer of the said draft, its amount, date, number, in whose favor, and for what account drawn, according to a printed form which shall be pro¬ vided by the Board, as well as a form for the drafts themselves. 8. Each treasurer shall make to the Board an annual financial report, so itemized as to show all funds received from all sources for mission work, and the I persons to whom, and the objects for which all payments have been made, §jid so closed as to indicate clearly that the drafts and expenditures have come within the appropriation tor the year then closed, in order to avoid the confusion in¬ cident to drafts or expenses of one year over-lapping the accounts of another" year. 9. The financial accounts and reports of all the missions shall be closed on the 31sc of December of each year. The annual appropriations made by the Board shall be for the calendar year following, namely, for the year from the next Janu¬ ary 1st to December 31st subsequent. Additional appropriations may be made when demanded by changed circumstances in any mission. 10. Appeals of missionaries for pecuniary aid for work on their field must be for objects for which the Board make appropriations, unless permission to the contrary be given by the Board. Thus the missionaries, while assisting to maintain their own wmrk, may assist the Board also, who are pledged for its support, and must support it whether they have funds in the treasury or not; 11. Missionaries must encourage native Christians in self-support, as far as pos.sible, especially in the education of their children, the payment of native teach¬ ers and preachers, the defraying of church expenses, and the aiding of poor saints. This self-support of native churches is an end which our missionaries should never lose sight of, and for the establishment of which they must constantly labor. 12. In buying land and building houses in the various mission fields, in every case a committee of at least three male missionaries shall compose the buying and building committee, and there must be practical unanimity in this committee before any piece of land is purchased or plans for a building are acccepted. 13. The funds received by our medical missionaries for professional services shall be paid to the treasurer of the mission with the understanding that a part or the whole of such funds can be used by the physician in charge for purposes of the medical work, as approved by the mission. In such cases, the treasurer of the mission is expected to make report to the Board of such receipts and ex¬ penditures. Article IV.—These Rules—Charges and Changes. 1. Before receiving his appointment by the Board, each missionary is expected to read and subscribe to these rules. 2. If any member of a mission persist in violating any of the above regula¬ tions, it shall be the indispensable duty of the mission to give, with his knowledge, full information to the Board. In the case of a missionary belonging to no mis¬ sion, this rule shall be observed by the mission nearest to him. But no informa¬ tion or charges affecting the Christian character of a missionary shall be made a basis of action by the Board until they shall have communicated the said in¬ formation or charges, with the names of the authors, to the accused, and given him ample opportunity for explanation and defence. 3. Native assistants, whether teachers or preachers, supported by the Board or connected officially with any mission or missionary, shall be subject to such regulations as the Board may from time to time adopt; any thing in the above rules to the contrary notwithstanding. , 4. It shall be the duty of the Board to inform the missionaries of any changes made in these rules, and get their assent as promptly as possible. (Name of Missionary)_ (Date)