\S 
 
 
 / 
 
 ^oariJ of JoHign pissioas of t^c |ieforni£b Cliiirtb in ginuma. 
 
 MANUAL 
 
 OP' THE 
 
 BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 \ 
 
 .. REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA, - 
 
 FOR THE USE OF MISSIONARY CANDIDATES 
 AND MISSIONARIES UNDER APPOINTMENT 
 AND IN THEIR FIELDS OF LABOR. 
 
 PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY THE BOARD. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 Press of Rogers & Sherwood, 21 and 23 Harclav St. 
 
 1885. 
 
Soarjtrnf J'0rtijgn pksbng of ll^e Jjeformeb in gmwritH. 
 
 BOARD 
 
 MANUAL 
 
 OF THE 
 
 i 
 
 OF FOREIGN MISSIONS 
 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA, 
 
 FOR THE USE OF MISSIONARY CANDIDATES 
 AND MISSIONARIES UNDER APPOINTMENT 
 AND IN THEIR FIELDS OF LABOR. 
 
 PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY THE BOARD. 
 
 NEW YORK; 
 
 Press of Rogers & Sherwood, 21 and 23 Barclay St. 
 
 1885. 
 
MANUAL 
 
 This pamphlet is intended for the use of the Board and 
 its Missionaries, and also of persons desiring to engage 
 in the Missionary work under its direction. It will be 
 found to define, as nearly as may be, the qualifications 
 of Missionaries and their relations to the Board, and to 
 furnish answers to many inquiries concerning business 
 and other matters. Pains have been taken to make it as 
 complete and explicit as possible. Those interested, es¬ 
 pecially candidates for appointment, are requested to 
 make themselves familiar with its contents. Any ques¬ 
 tions not provided for therein, will receive the careful con¬ 
 sideration of the Board as they may, from time to time, 
 arise. 
 
 I. Missionaries and their Qualifications. 
 
 Regularly ordained ministers of the Gospel are called 
 Missiotiaries: all others, licensed preachers, physicians, 
 teachers, etc., and all ladies, whether married or single, 
 Assista7tt Missionaries. 
 
 Qualifications for Missionary service are both general 
 and special. 
 
 I. General Qualifications. 
 
 The general qualifications do not differ materially from 
 those which would render a minister or other Christian 
 worker useful and acceptable at home. They are such as 
 these—devoted and consistent piety and consecration to 
 Christ and His glory ; a blameless life and good reputa¬ 
 tion ; suitable age, sound health, and a constitution un¬ 
 impaired ; good intellectual ability, developed and disci¬ 
 plined by education ; a reasonable aptitude for and facility 
 in acquiring languages and aptness to teach ; good tem¬ 
 per, sound judgment, tact, adaptability to men and cir¬ 
 cumstances, cheerfulness, ability to work in harmony 
 with others, persistent energy in the execution of plans 
 once formed and adopted, and “ a large share of good 
 common sense.” 
 
4 
 
 MANUAL. 
 
 It may, in general, be said also that any gift, talent or 
 acquirement that would be likely to add to usefulness at 
 home will add at least as much abroad, and the very high¬ 
 est mental power, intellectual attainment, personal cul¬ 
 ture and refinement, executive ability, organizing or ad¬ 
 ministrative capacity, fertility in resources and expedients, 
 eloquence, will find ample scope in Missionary fields, that 
 nowhere are they more needed and nowhere will their ex¬ 
 ercise bring larger rewards to the servant or greater glory 
 to the Master. 
 
 2 . Special Qualifications. 
 
 These have reference to the special form or department 
 of service in which the individual may be or desire to be 
 engaged. Those who expect to be specially engage’d in 
 teaching should have experience and should have shown 
 special fitness in actual service. 
 
 A Missionary physicia7i should, in all cases, have what 
 would in this country be esteemed a competent medical 
 education, and, in particular, should be familiar, if possi¬ 
 ble, with the practice of surgery and the compounding of 
 medicines and prescriptions. It is important that he be 
 acquainted with the natural sciences, especially those 
 allied with the study and practice of his profession, and 
 that he be determined to make his professional work 
 subservient to the progress of the Gospel. It is desirable 
 that he be somewhat well read in Christian theology and 
 familiar with the doctrines and standards of the Reformed 
 Church. 
 
 II. Applications, Testimonials and Appointment. 
 
 In view of the serious consequences to the Church and 
 to the individual of a possible mistake in so important a 
 matter, the Board desires, and regards itself as solemnlv 
 bound, before appointing any person, to obtain as full a 
 knowledge as possible of his character and qualifications 
 for the work in which he seeks to be engaged. Candi¬ 
 dates in their applications, and friends and others in their 
 testimonials, are earnestly entreated to exercise the great¬ 
 est carefulness to be conscientiously accurate in state¬ 
 ment and true to their convictions. All such communi¬ 
 cations will be regarded as strictly confidential by the 
 Board. 
 
MANUAL. 
 
 5 
 
 Applications. 
 
 1. All applications for appointment as a Missionary or 
 Assistant Missionary must be made by the person seek¬ 
 ing such appointment in his own handwriting, addressed 
 to the Corresponding Secretary, and shall state concisely, 
 but distinctly, his age, native place, residence, early educa¬ 
 tion, previous and present e7nployments^ his state of health 
 at the present thne a7td in the past; the le7igth of thne he 
 has been a 7ne7nber of the Church, and his 77iotives in desir¬ 
 ing to becoTne a Missionary; his expectation in reference 
 to Tnarriage {if single') ; the field he would prefer, and the 
 reasons for such preference, and the depart7ne7tt of work in 
 which he wishes to engage ; and such applications should 
 be made sufficiently early to leave full time for the nec¬ 
 essary preparations to be made, and for the Executive 
 Committee to become acquainted with the candidates for 
 Missionary service, and to decide on their field. 
 
 2 . If the applicant be in a Theological Seminary, Medi¬ 
 cal or other School, the proper time for the presentation 
 of his application is at or near the commencement of his 
 last year of study. In other cases it is desirable that it 
 be made at least six months before preparation is com¬ 
 pleted or the probable time of departure if appointed. 
 
 3 . The applications of those who are or who expect to 
 be the wives of Missionaries are usually presented through 
 their husbands, present or intended, and should embrace, 
 so far as they are applicable, the same particulars. In the 
 case of single women who desire to devote themselves to 
 work among their sisters in foreign lands, substantially 
 the same course should be followed as in the case of male 
 Missionaries. 
 
 TestiTnonials. 
 
 I. In addition to the personal application of the indi¬ 
 vidual, the following testimonials shall be required, viz.: 
 from his pastor, from the physician of his fa7nily, or who 
 may have attended him,—from his instructors, separately 
 or jointly,—from persons of intellige7ice and piety, who 
 have known him well; and such testimonials shall relate 
 to his Christian character and standing as a member of 
 the Church,—his natural talents and temper, and the 
 probability of working happily with others; his judgment, 
 discretion and common sense,—his literary and theologi¬ 
 cal attainments, or his professional ability or skill, ac¬ 
 cording to the department in which he is to labor,—his 
 
6 
 
 MANUAL. 
 
 habits of improving time, and opportunities of useful¬ 
 ness,—his personal habits of economy, and those of his 
 family, if he have one,—his facility in acquiring influence 
 with others, and using it for good,—his aptness in acquir¬ 
 ing languages, his personal appearance, manners and ad¬ 
 dress, any peculiarities of character, habits, constitution ; 
 his fitness for a particular field, or peculiarities as a 
 preacher. 
 
 2 . The testimonials of ordained ministers and theo¬ 
 logical students should in all cases, include the certificate 
 of membership and recommendation of the Classis or 
 other ecclesiastical body to which the applicant belongs. 
 
 3 . If the appointment sought be that of 2 l physician or 
 teacher, the testimonials should embrace letters from in‘- 
 structors, or from intelligent persons who are familiar 
 with the professional as well as personal character and 
 standing, qualifications, work and success of the appli¬ 
 cant. 
 
 4 . In the case of a female, so much of the above as is 
 applicable, and the testimonial of such Christian females 
 as have known her intimately, will be required. It is de¬ 
 sirable to have young women, so far as possible, recom¬ 
 mended for the work by the Woman’s Board and the 
 Auxiliaries or Ladies’ Societies that may be acquainted 
 with them. The final decision and appointment will, 
 however, in all cases remain with this Board. 
 
 5 . In every case special care should be exercised, both 
 in application and testimonials, to state fully and frankly 
 all facts bearing upon the question of health. Before the 
 appointment a blank form of certificate will be furnished 
 the applicant, its inquiries to be answered in writing by 
 the family physician or other responsible physician who 
 is acquainted with the person. 
 
 In no case will any one be appointed who would not be 
 recommended for acceptance by the examining physician 
 of a reputable Life Insurance Company. Should the 
 Board deem it desirable, every applicant will be required 
 to undergo an examination by its own examining physi¬ 
 cian, whose certificate shall be submitted with other tes¬ 
 timonials. 
 
 Appointment. 
 
 I. If the preceding requisites are complied with, and 
 the Executive Committee deem the case such as to en¬ 
 courage hope of usefulness, the applicant shall visit the 
 Executive Committee, to give them opportunity to be¬ 
 come acquainted with him, and no appointment shall be 
 
MANUAL. 
 
 7 
 
 made of persons in this country without previous per¬ 
 sonal interview. 
 
 2 The Executive Committee shall not be held responsi¬ 
 ble for any expenses or debts of an applicant for Mission¬ 
 ary appointment, while it may counsel him in meeting 
 them, that every appointee may leave the country free of 
 debt. 
 
 3. When an applicant is accepted, the selection of the 
 field or department of labor shall in ordinary cases be 
 left with the Executive Committee. 
 
 4. When an appointment is made it shall be under¬ 
 stood to be for life, subject to the developments of Provi¬ 
 dence. 
 
 5. When an appointment is made, the Missionary shall 
 hold himself in readiness to receive the instructions of 
 the Committee. 
 
 - 6. Candidates who have received their appointment 
 cannot begin to draw upon the Board for their expenses 
 until they actually, and by direction of the Executive 
 Committee, enter upon its service. 
 
 7. It is the standing rule of the Board not to pay any 
 part of the expenses incurred in the regular course of 
 preparatory study, whether theological, medical or other. 
 
 8. When a Missionary has received official notice of his 
 appointment, if he be not already ordained, it is left with 
 himself and the Classis with which he is connected, to 
 arrange for his ordination. It is desirable that the time, 
 place and all the circumstances should be such as, in the 
 highest degree possible, to awaken or increase interest 
 in the cause and work of Missions. 
 
 Missionaries or Assistant Missionaries who maybe ap¬ 
 pointed from other bodies, will be expected to connect 
 themselves with some Classis or Church within the bounds 
 of the Reformed Church. 
 
 9. In all cases where marriage is contemplated, it should, 
 for obvious reasons, be one of the last preparatory meas¬ 
 ures. Where a Missionary has a long journey before 
 him, it should in no case take place till the time of de¬ 
 parture is fixed and near, 
 
 III. After Appointment. 
 
 In such cases as may be deemed expedient, the Com¬ 
 mittee will exercise the right to employ Missionaries as 
 agents, before their embarkation, for the purpose of in¬ 
 troducing them in the most acceptable manner to ^on- 
 
lo. Each single lady going out as a Missionary, shall 
 be required to sign an engagement, in the presence of a 
 witness, binding herself, in case of voluntarily relinquish¬ 
 ing her situation within five years after her arrival in a 
 foreign land, to repay to the Board the sum expended 
 by them for her passage and outfit. She also shall give 
 the Board twelve months’ notice of any intended change 
 or forfeit her support for that time. 
 
8 
 
 MANUAL. 
 
 gregations, of interesting the people in behalf of Missions, 
 of promoting their own zeal in the cause, and of acquaint¬ 
 ing them with the Committee’s method of operation, 
 and the obstacles with which they are obliged to contend 
 in supporting Foreign Missions. The Committee will also 
 reserve the same right to employ all Missionaries who 
 may return home on a visit, as agents in their behalf. In 
 all such cases the duty will be assigned by the Com¬ 
 mittee, and proper allowances made for the services per¬ 
 formed. 
 
 Preparation for Departure. 
 
 1. The time of setting out on the journey is to be set¬ 
 tled by conference with the Secretary, with the approval 
 of the Committee. Timely arrangements should be made, 
 especially in the purchase of such things as are needed. 
 
 2. A Passport, obtained from the Secretary of State at 
 Washington, is important and in many cases indispens¬ 
 able. It may be obtained through a Notary Public, and 
 every Missionary should attend to this matter for himself 
 at an early date after his appointment. 
 
 3. The Missionary is expected to purchase his own out¬ 
 fit, and prepare all his parcels for shipment. The outfit 
 
 ' of a Missionary consists of the clothing, bedding, etc., 
 for use on arriving at his place of destination, together 
 with a select private library, and the necessary furniture 
 for housekeeping. Toward the purchase of outfit, the 
 Board grants for a married Missionary and his wife $600, 
 and for a single man or woman $300 each, where such 
 sums are needed. It is recommended that this outfit 
 grant be used with economy, and a considerable portion 
 of it be reserved for purchases to be made after arriving 
 at the station. 
 
 4. The Board will bear all necessary traveling expenses 
 of the Missionary from his residence to the place of em¬ 
 barkation, as well as those of the journey to his station, 
 by a direct route. Should this be departed from and ad¬ 
 ditional expense incurred, the increased cost must be 
 borne by the Missionary. The Board will also pay the 
 cost of freight of outfit to the place of destination to the 
 extent only of 6 tons, ship measurement, forty cubic feet 
 to a ton. 
 
 5. Money, articles of clothing, etc., furnished to Mis¬ 
 sionaries by personal friends, are not to be considered as 
 a part of a Missionary outfit, unless the donors expect 
 them to be acknowledged by the Board as gifts to the 
 
MANUAL. 
 
 9 
 
 cause of Missions. In this case they will be charged as 
 part of the outfit allowance. 
 
 6. The outfit of a Missionary is regarded as the prop¬ 
 erty of the Board, so far as purchased by its funds; and 
 in the case of a Missionary retiring from the field within 
 a limited period, for other cause than the failure of health, 
 it is expected that an equitable return will be made to the 
 Board—due regard being had to expenses incurred and 
 services rendered. 
 
 7. Missionaries should keep a full and accurate account 
 of all moneys received from the Board, and the manner 
 in which they have been expended, noting particularly 
 what is for outfit, and what for traveling expenses. A 
 brief abstract of this account should be given to the 
 Treasurer before embarkation. 
 
 8. On being advised of the day fixed for embarkation, 
 the Missionary will proceed to the port appointed, so as 
 to reach it at least three days before the time of sailing. 
 
 I 7 t the Field. 
 
 1. On the arrival of the Missionary at the station to 
 which he has been appointed, he shall report himself as 
 soon as possible to the Secretary of the Mission or to the 
 Missionary Board of the station, and shall be subject to 
 all the laws and regulations established for the govern¬ 
 ment of the same. He shall also furnish the Treasurer 
 of the Mission with an account of all money received 
 and expenses incurred for the journey, and forward a 
 copy of the same to the Board. 
 
 2. Each person appointed to a Missionary station, shall 
 be allowed for himself and family such salary as in the 
 judgment of the Committee is required by his or their 
 circumstances, and the cost of living in the country to 
 which the appointment is made ; such salary shall be 
 subject to revision from time to time, and there may 
 be an increase, reduction or withdrawal, as the Commit¬ 
 tee may decide. At present the salary of each married 
 Missionary in China is $1,100 ; in India and Japan $1,200. 
 Of each single male Missionary in all the Missions $700; 
 and of each single female Missionary $600. 
 
 3. Salaries shall commence from the day of the arrival 
 of the Missionaries at the stations to which they are ap¬ 
 pointed, and shall cease on the day of their departure 
 therefrom. 
 
 4. In addition to the salary, a house is provided. If the 
 Board own no house at the station to which he is as- 
 
10 
 
 MANUAL. 
 
 signed, a sufficient allowance is made to each Missionary 
 for house-rent, the design, in all cases, being so to fix 
 salary and allowances as to secure the comfortable sup¬ 
 port of Missionaries while in the service of the Board, and 
 no more. To this end, an additional allowance (of $ioo 
 at present), is made for each child under i8 years of age 
 abroad, or when accompanying its parents at home. 
 
 5. The particular station and work of each Missionary 
 is, in general, assigned by the Mission and not by the 
 Board. Each Missionary will be expected to accept the 
 position thus assigned him. This rule applies, also, to 
 Assistant Missionaries, both male and female. 
 
 6. Each Missionary should give his first and special at¬ 
 tention to the work of acquiring accurately the language 
 of the country to which he is sent, and, except under the 
 pressure of very great necessity, no other work should be 
 allowed to interfere with this. In beginning and prose¬ 
 cuting their studies and in the care and preservation of 
 their health, new Missionaries should follow the counsel 
 of the older and more experienced members of the Mis¬ 
 sion. Due attention to this point will promote usefulness 
 and prevent many failures. 
 
 7. Every Missionary is expected to correspond freely 
 and as frequently as possible with the Board, and give 
 such information relating to his work, as may be made 
 useful and profitable in interesting and encouraging the 
 Church at home. Though this may make a considerable 
 draft upon the Missionary’s time and strength, no work 
 is of greater importance. 
 
 8. No application shall be made by any Missionary to 
 Churches, Societies, or individuals at home for funds for 
 any special purpose, without the sanction of the Com¬ 
 mittee previously obtained ; and all contributions in an¬ 
 swer to such appeals, duly sanctioned, must pass through 
 the Treasurer of the Board. 
 
 9. No Missionary shall engage in any secular employ¬ 
 ment, nor in any religious employment distinct from that 
 of the Mission to which he has been appointed, without 
 first obtaining the consent of the Mission, and holding 
 the same subject to the approval of the Executive Com¬ 
 mittee. If such work brings him any pecuniary compen¬ 
 sation, the money so received should be turned over to 
 the treasury of the Mission and reported to the Board, so 
 long as he continues to draw his usual salary. 
 
 10. Medical Missionaries shall constantly make their 
 practice of medicine among the natives conduce to the 
 advancement of the Missionary work. If receiving a fixed 
 
MANUAL. 
 
 11 
 
 salary from the Board, any fees which they may receive 
 for medical service should be turned over to the Treas¬ 
 urer of the Mission and reported to the Board. 
 
 Recall or Return. 
 
 1. Whenever the continuance of any Missionary at a 
 foreign station shall be deemed inexpedient in the judg¬ 
 ment of the Committee, they will reserve the right to can¬ 
 cel the appointment, and will be at the expense of the 
 return to this country of the person whose appointment 
 shall have been so annulled. 
 
 2. Missionaries are expected conscientiously to care 
 for their health, taking such rests and vacations in the 
 vicinity of their Mission fields as are necessary for this 
 purpose and approv^ed by the Mission. Occasionally, 
 also, a visit to the United States may be desirable ; but no 
 period has been fixed for such furlough. Each case must 
 be determined according to its necessity and with a wise 
 reference to the best interests of the work at home and 
 abroad. 
 
 3. When any Missionary or Assistant Missionary of 
 the Board shall desire, on account of ill health or any 
 other cause, to return to the United States, he is required 
 to obtain permission from the Executive Committee so 
 to do, when it is practicable, (always sending with his re¬ 
 quest the opinion of his Mission), and when impractic¬ 
 able to obtain such permission, he is required to obtain 
 the consent of his Mission, which consent shall always 
 be subject to the revision of the Executive Committee, 
 and the expenses of the return will be borne by the Com¬ 
 mittee, when such return is with their approval. 
 
 4. When Missionaries shall visit the United States on 
 leave, the Committee will make such allowance for their 
 support during the period of such visit as the circum¬ 
 stances of each case may require, and as the means of 
 the Board allow. 
 
 2. When Missionaries or Assistant Missionaries return 
 home, their connection with the Board shall cease as 
 soon as there is no longer a reasonable probability of 
 their returning to their missionary labor. 
 
 6. The grants made to returned Missionaries and As¬ 
 sistant Missionaries shall, in all ordinary cases, be charged 
 to the Missions to which they last belonged, as a part of 
 the expenses of said Missions. 
 
 7. As a rule no second outfit is allowed. But Mission¬ 
 aries returning to their fields after a furlough are some- 
 
12 
 
 MANUAL. 
 
 times allowed, in the discretion of the Committee, a sum 
 equal to half the amount of the original outfit, if neces¬ 
 sary, as 
 
 8. When Missionaries return to their fields, the Board 
 will defray their traveling expenses from their home or 
 place of residence by the usual route of travel. The 
 Board, however, does not engage to pay the traveling ex¬ 
 penses of children who are returning to the Missionary 
 field after they have reached the age of fourteen years, 
 unless they return as Missionaries. In this case they 
 shall be subject to the same rules for appointment as 
 other Missionaries. 
 
 9. When superannuated or disabled Missionaries or 
 Assistant Missionaries, or the widows of Missionaries or 
 Assistant Missionaries, return to this country with the 
 approbation of the Executive Committee, it shall be the 
 duty of the Committee to make such grants towards 
 their support, as the circumstances of each case shall re¬ 
 quire, and as shall best comport with the missionary 
 character and the interests of the missionary cause;—it 
 being understood, 
 
 I St. That no pensions or annuities are to be settled on 
 any person, and that no grant is to be made, except in 
 extraordinary cases, for any other than the current year. 
 
 2d. That, except in extraordinary cases, after the lapse 
 of a year from their return, no grant is to be made to re¬ 
 turned Missionaries or Assistant Missionaries, who are 
 neither superannuated, nor disabled by sickness, and yet 
 are not expected to resume their missionary labors. 
 
 3d. That Missionaries and Assistant Missionaries, who 
 return on account of sickness, and recover their healtu, 
 and remain in this country, are no longer to be regarded 
 as having claims upon the Board for pecuniary assistance. 
 
 4th. That Missionaries and Assistant Missionaries, 
 who return on account of sickness, and partially recover 
 their health so as to attend to the ordinary business of 
 life for a number of years, are not to be regarded, when 
 they again lose their health, as having the same claims 
 upon the Board as they had when they first arrived. 
 
 Children of Missionaries. 
 
 I. When Missionaries or Assistant Missionaries desire 
 to send their children to this country for education, and 
 when it is decided in a manner conformable to the rules 
 and usages of the Board that the children may come, the 
 arrangements for the passage, so far as they involve ex- 
 
MANUAL. 
 
 13 
 
 pense, shall have the concurrence of the Mission, and the 
 allowance, extraordinar3'' cases excepted, shall be only 
 for a passage direct to this country, and such clothing 
 and stores as may be required for the voyage. 
 
 2. When the children arrive in this country, the Execu¬ 
 tive Committee will see that they have a suitable con¬ 
 veyance to the places where they are to be educated or 
 to reside; and the Committee will make grants, on ap¬ 
 plications from the parents or guardians, to an amount 
 not exceeding ^150 a year for each child, until the chil¬ 
 dren are eighteen years old. In special cases, and upon 
 application, the Committee is authorized to continue 
 this grant, for educational purposes, to the age of twenty 
 years. 
 
 3. Children, who are left orphans, and without a suit¬ 
 able home in the Mission, or responsible guardians, will 
 receive the immediate and kind consideration of the 
 Committee, who will make an arrangement for their re¬ 
 turn home, and provide for them the best guardianship 
 in their power. 
 
 4. The allow'ances made on account of the children of 
 living missionaries or Assistant Missionaries, wherever 
 the children may be educated, shall be charged to the 
 Mission to which the parents belong; and the allowances 
 made on account of orphan children shall, in ordinary 
 cases, be charged to the Mission to which the parents 
 belonged at the time of their decease. 
 
 IV. Constitution, etc., of Missions. 
 
 1. When three or more Missionaries are located near 
 each other, they shall organize themselves for business as 
 a Mission, by the choice of a President, a Secretary, and 
 Treasurer, which form shall continue (even when they 
 may organize a Classis) until they require no further aid; 
 but no native shall take part in the action of such Mission. 
 
 2. The Treasurer, or disbursing officer of each Mission, 
 is required to forward to the Committee, at the close of 
 the month of December, in each year, a detailed report 
 of all the cash or merchandise received, or drafts drawn, 
 and of all payments of every kind; together with a par¬ 
 ticular statement of the nature, condition and estimated 
 value of the property belonging to the Mission, and of 
 the account of each individual Missionary and Assistant, 
 duly audited by a Committee appointed for the purpose. 
 
 He is to keep, in official books procured at Mission ex¬ 
 pense, and to be the property of the Board, clear and 
 
14 
 
 MANUAL. 
 
 correct accounts of all receipts and payments, and to 
 have vouchers of the latter ; his books must be open to 
 the inspection of other members of the Mission, or any 
 one of them at any time; and his accounts must be 
 audited by a Committee of two members appointed each 
 year for this purpose, 
 
 3. The Treasurer or disbursing officer of a Mission, 
 will on no account be permitted to exceed in expendi¬ 
 ture for such Mission, the amount annually appiopriated 
 for the support of the same, except in imperative circum¬ 
 stances, and then only with the consent of the Mission, 
 and subject to the final judgment of the Executive Com¬ 
 mittee. 
 
 4. In general, drafts upon the Treasurer of the Board 
 by individual MissicnariO'S, are not desirable. If any 
 Missionary wishes to remit to this country in payment 
 of bills or for goods ordered or other purpose, he is 
 requested to do so, if possible, through the Mission 
 Treasurer, using his drafts upon the Treasurer of the 
 Board. 
 
 5. No real estate shall be purchased by a mem¬ 
 ber of any Mission for the account of the same, 
 without the express permission of the Committee pre¬ 
 viously obtained; and all property purchased shall be 
 held in trust for, and in the name of the General Synod 
 of the Reformed Church in America. 
 
 6. All unexpended balances shall be placed to the 
 credit of the Board at the close of the year. Any ap¬ 
 propriation for general use not required during the 
 year shall lapse at its close, and be returned to the Treas¬ 
 ury. 
 
 No funds of the Board shall be loaned to outside 
 parties. 
 
 7. Each Mission shall prepare, at its annual meeting in 
 every year, a careful estimate of the probable necessary 
 expenses for the work of the year ensuing, specifying the 
 different objects in detail, to be forwarded so as to reach 
 the Board not later than the first of October. Each 
 station in the Mission shall prepare its estimate of ex¬ 
 penditures for the 3'^ear. These shall be submitted to and 
 carefully examined by the Mission atthe annual meeting, 
 and from these, when approved, the general estimates 
 shall be made. 
 
 These estimates when approved, and the amounts ap¬ 
 propriated by the Board, will govern the expenditure of 
 the year, and must not be exceeded. Should necessities 
 that cannot be foreseen arise during the year, calling for 
 
MANUAL. 
 
 15 
 
 increased expenditure, these should with the approval of 
 the Mission, be reported to the Board, unless funds to 
 meet them are provided from other sources than the 
 Treasury of the Board. 
 
 8. In all Missions of over two missionaries, a letter 
 should be sent to the Board once a month, giving news 
 of the missionary work, that the Board may be kept con¬ 
 stantly and fully informed of its state and progress. 
 
 9. Each Mission shall prepare an annual report which 
 shall give, in as brief and clear a manner as possible, a 
 view of the work in the entire field during the year. 
 This report should, in all cases, be sent so as to reach 
 the Board not later than the first of March. It should pre¬ 
 sent, in tabular statement, the number and names of 
 stations and out-stations, churches, schools (Sunday, day 
 and boarding), the number of baptisms during the year, 
 of communicants, received on confession and letter— 
 dismissions and total in communion, scholars (distin¬ 
 guishing between boarding, day and Sunday scholars, 
 male and female), with a list of the Missionaries, Assis¬ 
 tant Missionaries, Native Pastors, Helpers and Teachers 
 at each station, and such other items of information as 
 may be deemed valuable. 
 
 . 10. At the end of the first and second years after the 
 arrival of a new Missionary, the Mission is requested to 
 make a report to the Board in regard to his progress in 
 the acquisition of the native language, and his knowdedge 
 and skill in its practical use. It should be understood 
 that the ability to write and speak the language with 
 reasonable ease and accuracy is an indispensable qualifi¬ 
 cation for Missionary work, without which no one can 
 expect to continue in the service of the Board or the en¬ 
 joyment of its support. 
 
 11. A majority of Missionaries and male Assistant 
 Missionaries in any Mission shall, in their regular meet¬ 
 ings, decide all questions that may arise in regard to 
 their proceedings and conduct in which the Mission is in¬ 
 terested, the decision being subject to the revision of the 
 Executive Committee. At such meetings every Mission¬ 
 ary and male Assistant Missionary present, having arrived 
 at the age of twenty-one years, is entitled to a vote. 
 
 12. No Missionary shall interfere with the local or civil 
 affairs of those among whom he labors. 
 
 13. A friendly intercourse shall be maintained with 
 other Christian societies in this and other lands, which 
 are engaged in the benevolent design of propagating 
 the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
 
CONSTITUTION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS, 
 
 Approved by the General Synod, October, i8^j; 
 
 WITH 
 
 RULES OF BUSINESS. 
 
 ^vcamblic. 
 
 Whereas the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Divine Head of the 
 Church, has enjoined on all His people the duty of giving the 
 Gospel to every creature ; and. Whereas the condition of all men 
 without the Gospel is one of exposure to eternal death, as well 
 as of present suffering and sorrow—Therefore, under the con¬ 
 viction of duty, and with earnest desire for the best interests of 
 our fellow men here and hereafter—the General Synod of the 
 Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, acknowledging with grati¬ 
 tude what God has been pleased to accomplish by the Church, 
 deems it important in entering on a distinct and separate man¬ 
 agement and support of Foreign Missions, to re-model its Board 
 of Foreign Missions, with a view to greater efficiency and a more 
 faithful conformity to the Divine requirement, and adopts the 
 following, viz : 
 
 Art. I. The management and control of the Foreign Missions 
 of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, as well as the institu¬ 
 tion of new Missions, and the appointment of Missionaries, shall 
 be committed to the Board of Foreign Missions, subject to the 
 revision and instruction of the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 2. This Board shall not be restricted in the sending of 
 Missionaries to any part of the world, or to any class of persons 
 who are without a pure Gospel, when Divine Providence opens 
 the way to them, and the men and means are furnished. 
 
MANUAL. 
 
 17 
 
 Art. 3, The Board of Foreign Missions shall consist of twenty- 
 four members (of whom one-third shall be chosen at each annual 
 meeting of the General Synod), with the Corresponding Secretary 
 and Treasurer, who shall be ex-officio members. 
 
 Art. 4. The Board of Foreign Missions shall hold its first meet- 
 ing each year as soon as practicable after the meeting of the Gen¬ 
 eral Synod, at which the officers for the year shall be chosen. 
 
 Art. 5. The Board of Foreign Missions shall have authority to 
 employ ordained Ministers and Licentiates, the wife of each of 
 whom shall be regarded as an Assistant Missionary ; Physicians, 
 Colporteurs, Printers, unmarried Female Teachers, all to be at the 
 time of appointment members in communion with the Reformed 
 Protestant Dutch Church, or, having taken the measures necessary 
 to become such—and all proper agencies for raising means in our 
 Churches for the support of the Missions, and the use of the Press, 
 both at home and abroad. 
 
 Art. 6. Any person by the contribution of Fifty Dollars at one 
 time may become a member for life of the Board of Foreign Mis¬ 
 sions, and shall have the privilege of meeting with the Board, and 
 participating in its deliberations, without being entitled to vote. 
 
 Art. 7. The Board of Foreign Missions shall submit to the Gen¬ 
 eral Synod, at each annual meeting, a faithful report of its acts, 
 with the annual account of the Treasurer, properly audited, and 
 submit for approval such plans and measures as may require the 
 specific attention of the General Synod. The Corresponding Sec¬ 
 retary shall be present at each meeting of the Synod, to make such 
 explanations as may be called for. 
 
 Art. 8. It shall be the steady aim of the Board of Foreign Mis¬ 
 sions to secure as early as may be wise the organization by the 
 Missionaries of Churches, Classes, and other Church Courts, ac¬ 
 cording to the order of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church. 
 
 Art. 9. The Board of Foreign Missions shall meet at least quar¬ 
 terly, at such hour and place as it may itself agree on, and when 
 convened, seven members shall constitute a quorum. 
 
 Art. 10. The Board shall have power to fill, vacancies, which 
 may occur in the progress of the year,—the persons chosen to hold 
 such place until the next meeting of the General Synod. 
 
 Art. II. Extra meetings of the Board may be called on the vote 
 of the Executive Committee, or the written request of any three 
 members. 
 
 pities 0f ^nsiwess. 
 
 Art. I. This Board shall convene as early as practicable after 
 each annual meeting of the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 2. At such meeting the Board shall choose by ballot, a 
 President, a Vice-President, Recording Secretary, a Correspond¬ 
 ing Secretary, a Treasurer and an Executive Committee. 
 
 Art. 3. The meetings shall be held at least quarterly, to wit: 
 On the second Wednesday of July, October, January, April, at 
 
18 
 
 MANUAL. 
 
 such place and hour as fixed by its own vote, and at such meet¬ 
 ings seven members shall constitute a quorum. 
 
 Art. 4. The Board at its several meetings shall review and de¬ 
 cide upon all the proceedings of its officers, and of the Executive 
 Committee; direct to such measures as it may deem important, 
 and present an Annual Report of its doings to the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 5. The Board shall leave all matters properly ecclesiasti¬ 
 cal to the Classes to which they belong, or may refer the same to 
 the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 6 . The seat of operations of the Board shall be the City 
 of New York. 
 
 THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Corresponding Secretary to con¬ 
 duct all the correspondence with the Missions and Churches 
 (excepting that which belongs to the Treasurer); to keep files of 
 all letters and papers ; to arrange and bring up all such business 
 as requires the attention of the Board and the Executive Com¬ 
 mittee, and Submit such documents as may be necessary for the 
 information of either ; to keep memoranda of his work, which 
 may be referred to by either when desired; to prepare and sub¬ 
 mit the Annual Report to the Board, attend the annual meeting 
 of the General Synod; to visit as circumstances may allow the 
 Theological Seminary at New Brunswick, Rutgers, Union and 
 other Colleges, where the young men of our Church receive their 
 education, with a view to securing suitable young men for the 
 Missionary service, and to take the oversight of such periodicals 
 as may be issued, in connection with such others as the Board 
 may appoint. 
 
 THE TREASURER. 
 
 It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive and keep faith¬ 
 ful accounts of all moneys received and paid; the former to be 
 published monthly in the papers of the Church and of the Board ; 
 to keep a record of all life members, and furnish necessary cer¬ 
 tificates; to take charge of and forward to Missionaries all arti¬ 
 cles sent to him from the Churches, or from individuals ; to pur¬ 
 chase and forward to Missions such as they may order, charging 
 the same to the annual account of the party ordering them ; to 
 submit at each stated meeting of the Board and Executive Com¬ 
 mittee the state of the funds; to present at each meeting bills re¬ 
 quiring the action of either, and only pay the same when so or¬ 
 dered by either; to bring up for consideration in due season what 
 remittances may be needed for the Missions, or what exchanges 
 or bills may be required,—but he shall negotiate none without the 
 order of the Executive Committee, and with the advice and ap¬ 
 probation of the Finance Committee, and shall assume no obli¬ 
 gations without their direction or assent. 
 
MANUAL. 
 
 19 
 
 He shall keep all notes, bonds, deeds, and other evidences ot 
 property, invest or deposit money as may be directed, with the 
 approbation of the Finance Committee; exhibit his books, ac¬ 
 counts and vouchers, and evidences of property whenever re¬ 
 quired by the Board or the Executive Committee; submit an 
 annual statement of his accounts to the Board at its meeting im¬ 
 mediately preceding the annual meeting of the General Synod ; 
 conduct the correspondence relating immediately to his depart¬ 
 ment, and perform such acts as are necessary to the faithful exe¬ 
 cution of the duties of his office. 
 
 He shall enter in a distinct record the appropriations which 
 may be made from year to year for each Mission and Missionary— 
 for his own use, and that of the Board or Executive Committee, or 
 the General Synod, 
 
 THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 
 
 Arl. I. The Executive Committee shall consist of five clergy¬ 
 men and five laymen, together with the Corresponding Secretary 
 and Treasurer; shall meet at least monthly, at such hour and 
 place as it may itself appoint, and five members shall constitute a 
 quorum. 
 
 Art, 2. The Executive Committee shall be charged with the ex¬ 
 ecution of the resolutions and instructions of the General Synod, 
 and of the Board ; shall select fields of labor, appoint the Mission¬ 
 aries, direct their labors, and fix their compensation; shall give 
 permissions to return, or recall any; authorize the payment of 
 moneys—appoint and direct agents, make all necessary arrange¬ 
 ments through the Board of Publication for the printing of such 
 documents or papers as they may deem necessary; shall keep 
 records of all its proceedings, and lay the same quarterly before 
 the Board of Foreign Missions for its approval or correction. 
 
 Art. 3. While the Executive Committee are not responsible for 
 what by the Constitution of the Church belongs to the Classis, ^nd 
 shall not interfere in the same—it shall have entire control over 
 Missions (though a Classis is organized), and reserve to itself to de¬ 
 cide on the course and policy of each Missionary, or any laborer 
 receiving its aid; and withhold or modify the same, subject to the 
 Board and the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 4. For the greater success of its work, the Executive Com¬ 
 mittee shall appoint from its own number a Committee of Finance 
 of three members, who shall be the counselors of the Treasurer in 
 all questions of investment, legacies, and negotiations of drafts, and 
 without whose approbation he shall not act in the same. They 
 shall audit the Treasurer’s annual account, bring forward such 
 measures and plans from time to time as may secure suitable 
 pecuniary means for the missionary work, watch over the financial 
 interests of the Board, and report at every stated meeting of the 
 Executive Committee. They shall examine all estimates for ap¬ 
 propriations to Missions and Missionaries, and report their judg¬ 
 ment concerning them. 
 
20 
 
 MANUAL. 
 
 Art. 5. As the General Synod has its Board of Publication, the 
 Executive Committee shall in all cases where practicable, make 
 through a suitable Committee, arrangements with such Board for 
 its printing. 
 
 Art. 6. The Recording Secretary shall keep a faithful and par¬ 
 ticular record of all the acts of the Board, carefully file and pre¬ 
 serve all documents ordered to be filed, issue the necessary notices 
 for all stated and special meetings, and submit his record at each 
 stated meeting of the Board. 
 
 Art. 7. The order of business, both in the Board and in the Ex¬ 
 ecutive Committee, shall be as follows : 
 
 1. Prayer. 
 
 2. Reading of the Minutes. 
 
 3. Statement of the Treasurer. 
 
 4. Communications and business of the Corresponding Secre¬ 
 tary. 
 
 5. Reports of Committees. 
 
 6. Miscellaneous Business. 
 
 7. Prayer. 
 
 8. Adjournment. 
 
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