CHARTER, 
 
 CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS 
 
 OF THK 
 
 YOUNG MEN'S 
 
 MISSIONARY SOCIETY, 
 
 AT 
 
 I3et[)lel)em, fpenn. 
 
 ORGANIZED, SEPTEMBER, 1840. 
 
 CHARTERED, AUGUST, 1851. 
 
 BETHLEHEM: 
 
 PRINTED BY JDLIUS W. HKLD, 
 
 1852. 
 
CHARTER, 
 
 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS, 
 
 OF THE 
 
 YOUJVG MEW'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
 
 at Bethlehem, Penna. 
 
 To the honorable Judges of the Court of Common Pleas 
 of the County of Northampton. The undersigned, citizens 
 of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Members of the 
 You7ig Men's Missionary Society of Bethlehem respectfully 
 represent : 
 
 That the Society has received several bequests, and labours 
 under great inconvenience by not being able to hold property 
 in a legal manner, and therefore pray your honors to grant 
 them articles of incorporation according to the Act of Assem- 
 bly, in such case made and provided, presenting as herewith 
 annexed, the fundamental articles and conditions, name, style 
 and title under which they have associated and desire to be 
 incorporated. 
 
 Lucius Luckenbach, 
 Robert P. Krause, 
 Charles Kunkler, 
 Parmenio Leinback, 
 Richard Leibert, 
 C. William Schropp, 
 Henry G. Lange, 
 Henry G. Tombler, 
 Lewis R. Huebncr, 
 
 Ed. H. Jacobson, 
 Abraham Prince, 
 Edw. C. Brown, 
 Edw. T. Kluge, 
 John Eberman, 
 The. Lambert, 
 Sidney Schneller, 
 Lewis Doster, jr. 
 
4 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 The na:nc of this association shall be, — " The Young 
 Men's Missionary Society of Bethlehem." 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 Whereas the increasini? burden of pecuniary expenses, at- 
 tending the Missions o ' I he United Brethren, has for many 
 years been much more L^^n the Ciiurch was able to bear, and 
 they arc at the present time cliiefly dependent on other com- 
 Huuiities of Christians, for the mean-'j of continuing the in- 
 terefsting and invaluable work of christianizing poor benighted 
 heathen, therefore, t!ie aim and object of this Society, shall 
 be the furtherance of the Missions of the United Brethren 
 among the heathen. 
 
 ARTICLE ly. 
 
 This Society shall have a commoH seal, for the authentica' 
 tion of all lawful acts and proceedings. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 The Society shall have its fixed seat at Bethlehem, in 
 Northampton County, in the State of Pennsylvania, where 
 the stated meetings shall be held, 
 
 ARTICLE Y. 
 
 The active members of thi.-; So-iety shall consist of all 
 persons regularly admitted by applii ation to the President. 
 Any member remaining in arrears for two years, shall lose all 
 privileges of membership. 
 
 ARTICLE VL 
 
 The honorary members of this Society shall consist of all 
 persons regularly admitted by application to any of the active 
 
5 
 
 members. Any honorary member remaining in arrears for 
 two years shall lose all privileges of membership. 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 Any honorary member, by paying the sum of Five Dollars, 
 may be constituted a Life Honorary Member. 
 
 ARTICLE VIIL 
 
 Contribution. — Active members shall pay an annual con- 
 tribution to be fixed by the By-Laws at not less than fifty 
 cents. Honorary members shall pay an annual contribution 
 to be fixed by the By-Laws at not less than twenty-five cents. 
 
 ARTICLE IX. 
 
 Section t. Of Officers. — The ofitcers of the Society shall 
 consist of a President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, 
 Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, three Directors, three 
 Auditors, and three Museum Directors, all of whom shall be 
 elected annually by ballot at the monthly meeting in Decem- 
 ber. 
 
 Skct. 2. — The President and Treasurer, in connection with 
 the three Auditors, shall constitute a Board of Directors, of 
 which the President shall be the presiding officer ; in his ab- 
 sence the Treasurer shall perfoi-m the duties of the President. 
 
 Sect. 3. — In case of death or resignation of any of the 
 officers of the Society, a special election shall be held at the 
 next stated meeting, after notice has been given to the Society. 
 
 Sect. 4. — The duties of all the officers shall be such as are 
 implied in their titles, and shall be prescribed in the By-Laws. 
 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 Of Meetings. — The stated meetings of the Society shall be 
 held monthly, at such time and place as may be determined 
 upon by the directors. There shall be an annual meeting of 
 the Society on or about the 6th day of January, the day to 
 be fixed by the Directors for the purpose of giving the Hon- 
 orary and Life Honorary Members an opportunity of hearing 
 a general account of the state of the Society. 
 
6 
 
 ARTICLE XI. 
 
 Of the Funds. — The clear yearly income or value of the 
 real and personal estate held by the Society shall not at any 
 time exceed the sum of Two Thousand Dollars. 
 
 The Funds of the Society shall at no time be expended for 
 any other purpose than the furtherance of the Gospel among 
 heathen nations. 
 
 ARTICLE XII. 
 
 Of the By-Laws. — This Society shall have the power of 
 enacting By-Laws by a vote of two third* of the members 
 present, provided that such By-Laws are not contrary to the 
 Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of Penn- 
 sylvania, or the Constitution of this Society. 
 
 ARTICLE XIIL 
 
 These articles shall not be abrogated or altered except at a 
 stated meeting. Every alteration shall be proposed at the 
 meeting previous to the one in which it is to be acted upon, 
 and it shall require the vote of two-thirds of the members re- 
 siding in Bethlehem to carry it. 
 
CHARTER. 
 
 Be it remembered, that, at a Court of Common Pleas, held 
 at Easton, in and for said County, the 30th day of April, A. 
 D. 1851, before the Hon. J. Pringle Jones Esq., President 
 Judge, and his associates, the Hon. John H. Keller and Isaac 
 C. Wykoff, Esquires, Judges of the said Court, the within 
 Instrument in Writing being exhibited and presented to the 
 said Court, and the said Court having perused and examined 
 the said Instrument and being satisfied that the objects, articles 
 and conditions therein set forth and contained, are lawful and 
 not injurious to the Community, — It is ordered by the Court 
 that the said Writing be filed in the Office of the Prothon- 
 otary, and that Notice be inserted in one newspaper print- 
 ed in the said County, as directed by Law, setting forth, that 
 an application has been made to the said Court to grant a 
 Charter of Incorporation to the persons mentioned in the said 
 Instrument of Writing. 
 
 And now, August 19th, 1851, It appearing to the said 
 Court here, that notice had been published of the application 
 according to Law and the order of this Court, and no cause 
 being shown to the contrary. It is hereby decreed, ordered and 
 declared by the said Court, that the Persons so associated, 
 shall, according to articles and conditions in said Instrument 
 of Writing exhibited to the Court, set forth and contained, 
 become and be a Corporation or Body Politic. And the 
 Court do further direct that the said Charter of Incorporation 
 shall be recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds at 
 Easton, in and for the County of Northampton, and upon the 
 said Instrument being so recorded, the Persons so associated, 
 shall, according to the objects, articles and conditions in said 
 Instrument, set forth and contained, become and be a Corpo- 
 ration or Body Politic in Law, and in fact to have continuance 
 by the name and style and Title in said Instrument, provided 
 and declared, and the Court further direct, that this order be 
 endorsed on said Instrument, attested by the Prothonotary in 
 the usual manner, &c. &c. 
 
 THOMAS SLETOR, 
 Prothonotary, 
 
18Y-I.AWS. 
 
 ARTICLE 1. 
 
 Sect. I Of the President. — The President shall preside 
 at all meetings of the Society, preserve order therein, and 
 when a motion is made and seconded, take the question. 
 
 Sect. 2. He shall have a casting vote, but no other. 
 
 Sect. 3. He shall draw all orders on the Treasurer, when 
 sanctioned by the Auditors, and attested by the Recording 
 Secretary. 
 
 Sect. 4. He shall call a special meeting at the request of 
 four members in writing. 
 
 Sect. 5. He shall be empowered to admit any person, ap- 
 plying to become an active member of the Society. 
 
 Sect. 6. He shall offer up a prayer at stated and special 
 meetings, unless some other member be desirous of doing it. 
 
 ARTICLE n. 
 
 Of the Vice President. — The Vice President, in the ab- 
 sence of the President, shall preside at all meetings and per- 
 form all the incumbent duties of the latter. 
 
 ARTICLE IIL 
 
 SiiCT. 1. Of the Recording Secretary. — The Recording 
 Secretary shall keep two books, one for the rough minutes of 
 • all the proceedings of the Society at meetings, both stated 
 and special, and the other for fair copies of the same, which 
 shall be subject to the inspection of any member. 
 
 Sect. 2. — He shall lend no paper or document, belonging 
 to the Society, to any individual, without the previous approv- 
 al of the Auditors. 
 
 Sect. 3. — He shall notify all members of their election to 
 office, and the respective chairmen of committees, together 
 with the names of the members of said committees ; together 
 with a copy of the resolution, upon which they were appoint- 
 ed, within one day of the time of such appointments. 
 
 Sect. 4. — He shall, in case he cannot attend, send the 
 book of minutes in time for the meeting. 
 
9 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 Sect. 1. Of the Corresponding Secretary. — The Corres- 
 ponding Secretary shall in the absence of the Recording Sec- 
 retary at meetings, perform all the duties incumbent upon the 
 latter. 
 
 Sect. 2. — He shall transact all correspondence for the So- 
 ciety. 
 
 Sect. 3. — He shall keep a book for fair copies of all letters 
 written by him. 
 
 Sect. 4. — He shall preserve all letters addressed to him, 
 number them, and insert a catalogue of the same in aforessaid 
 book. 
 
 Sect. 5. — He shall read all correspondence to the Society, 
 at the first stated meeting after the reception or sending of 
 the same, and shall show all letters written by him, to thePrcsi- 
 dent, before sending the same. 
 
 Sect. 6. — At the annual meeting he shall lay before the 
 members, the most interesting extracts of letters received by 
 him during the preceding year. 
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 
 Sect. 1. Of the Treasurer, — The Treasurer shall, before 
 he enters upon the duties of his office, give satisfactory secur- 
 ity to the President, for the safekeeping of all the monies be- 
 longing to the Society. 
 
 Sect. 2. — ^He shall collect all contributions of the active 
 members quarterly, and of the honorary members annually. 
 
 Sect. 3. — He shall keep a book containing an account of 
 all monies received and paid by him, subject at any time to 
 the inspection of the Auditors, and shall lay before the Socie- 
 ty a full and true account at the monthly meetings, as well 
 as at the general meeting in January. 
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 Sect. 1. Of the Auditors. — The Auditors shall furnish 
 the Society with missionary accounts, lights, and writing ma- 
 terials, the same to be paid out of the funds of the Society. 
 
 Sect. 2. — They shall read the missionary accounts at the 
 monthly meetings. 
 
10 
 
 Skct. 3. — They shall annually submit a leport of the gen- 
 eral transactions of the Society during the year past, to be 
 read at the annual meeting. 
 
 Sect. 4. — They shall before each annual meeting, examine 
 into the books of the Treasurer and report at the next stated 
 meeting. 
 
 Skct. 5. — They shall have special charge of the Library of 
 the Society. 
 
 ARTICLE VIL 
 
 Sect. I. Of the Directors. — The Directors shall give no- 
 tice to every active member of every meeting to be held by 
 the Society, at least Twenty Four hours before the same, des- 
 ignating time and place. 
 
 Sect. 2. — They shall also see that the honorary members 
 receive notice of the time and place of annual meetings. 
 
 Sect. 3. — They shall tend to the lighting and warming of 
 the room for every meeting of the Society. 
 
 ARTICLE VIIL 
 
 Sect. 1. Of the Museum Directors. — They shall have the 
 exclusive superintendance of the Museum. 
 
 Sect. 2. — They shall appoint a curator out of their num- 
 ber who shall be the Treasurer of the Museum funds, and 
 shall submit a report of the state of the Museum at each quar- 
 terly meeting. 
 
 Sect. 3. — Tf it become necessary to remove the Museum, 
 they, with a majority of the officers of the Society, shall have 
 power to procure another suitable place for the same. 
 
 Sect. 4. — They shall annually submit a full report of the 
 pecuniary affairs of the Museum, additions to the same, &c., 
 to be read at the general meeting. 
 
 Sect. 5. — They shall acknowledge, through the Corres- 
 ponding Secretary, the receipts of all curiosities sent to them. 
 
11 
 
 ARTICLE IX. 
 
 Of the Board of Directors. — Any bequests made to the 
 Society, together with the addition of ten dollars annually, it 
 shall be in the power of the Board of Directors to invest in 
 the manner they think best, such funds to l)ring lawful inter- 
 est of the State of Pennsylvania, and to be termed a " Sink- 
 ing Fund." 
 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 Sect. 1. Of the Memheis. — Every person desirous of be- 
 coming an active member of the Society, shall make applica- 
 tion to the President. 
 
 Sect. 2. — Every active member must be unmarried, and 
 not under the age of sixteen. 
 
 Sect. 3. — Every active member shall contribute quarterly, 
 not less than Twelve-and-a-half Cents. 
 
 Sect. 4. — Any member may become an honorary member 
 of the Society upon application to any of the active members 
 and by paying the annual contribution of not less than Twen- 
 ty Five Cents, the first contribution to be paid when admit- 
 ted. 
 
 Sect. 5. — Honorary members shall attend no meetings of 
 the Society with the exception of the general meetings in 
 January. 
 
 ARTICLE Xr. 
 
 Sect. 1. Of the Meetings. — The stated meetings of the 
 Society shall be held in the first week of every month, at such 
 a time and place, as shall be determined upon by the Direct- 
 ors. 
 
 Sect. 2. — The order of proceedings at meetings shall be as 
 follows: first, singing and prayer; second, reading of the min- 
 utes of the proceeding meeting ; third, reading of missionary 
 accounts, &c., by the Auditors; fourth. Treasurer's Report; 
 fifth, Corresponding Secretary's Report ; sixth, Curator's Re- 
 port ; seventh, miscellaneous business ; eighth, singing. 
 
^ 12 
 
 Sect. 3. — The prayer may be offered up by any member 
 and the reading be interrupted by proper questions from any 
 member. 
 
 Sect. 4. — Members when speaking shall invariably rise 
 and address the President, and no more than one member 
 shall speak at a time. 
 
 Sect. 5. — Meetings shall be regularly adjourned before the 
 members disperse. 
 
 Skct. 6. — One third of the members, residing here, shall 
 constitute a quorum, and may transact business. 
 
 Sect. 7. — At special meetings, the business for which the 
 Society was convened only shall be considered. 
 
 Skct. 8. — Besides these meetings, an annual meeting shall 
 he held on or about the sixth of January, (the day to be de- 
 termined by the Auditors,) for the purpose of giving the Hon- 
 orary members an opportunity of becoming acquainted with 
 the state and progress of the Society. 
 
 ARTICLE Xir. 
 
 Skct. 1. Of the Mmeum. — The expenses of the Museum 
 shall be borne by the funds of the same, and the balance on 
 hand, with the exception of Five Dollars (which shall be kept 
 as a fund for the payment of any unforeseen expenses.) shall 
 be annually handed over to the Treasurer of the Society, for 
 which the latter shall give a receipt. 
 
 Sr.cT. 2. — Curiosities lent to the Museum, shall be careful- 
 ly numbered and registered by the Director. 
 
 ARTICLE XIII. 
 
 Sect. 1. Of the Disbursements of the Funds. — There 
 shall be annually $10 added to the Sinking Fund of the So- 
 ciety. 
 
 Sect. 2. The interest alone of the Sinking Fund shall be 
 at the disposal of the Society. 
 
 Skct. 3. — An appropriation may be made at any stated or 
 special meeting. 
 
 Adopted, December IQth, 1851. 
 
(