THE CHURCH EXTENSION DEPARTMENT
Art. I. There shall be a Board of Church Extension of the Colored
Methodist Episcopal Church in America, which shall be conducted as a
body corporate under such laws and regulations as the General Conference
may, from time to time, adopt.
Art. II (1) The Board shall consist of a Bishop, who shall be President,
a Vice-President, the General Secretary, a Treasurer, and nine managers,
who shall be elected by the General Conference. All Bishops, except the
President, shall be ex-officio members of the Board.
2. The Board shall meet annually. Seven members shall constitute a
quorum.
3. The location or headquarters of the Board shall be fixed by the
General Conference at Louisville, Ky.
4. The Board shall have authority to fill all vacancies which may occur
in the interval of the General Conference, regulate its own proceedings,
appropriate money to meet its own expenses, determine what amount may be
donated or loaned to each applicant, and do such other business as may
be regular and legitimate, provided however, that no money shall be
appropriated in the general work for other purposes than purchasing and
securing church lots and securing or erecting church buildings, paying
the General Secretary, and meeting such other expenses as are necessary
to carry on the work of the Board.
Art. III. (1) There shall be an Executive Committee to consist of five
members. The members of this committee shall be appointed by the Board
of Church Extension.
2. The Executive Committee shall meet quarterly, unless otherwise
ordered by the Board. Three members shall constitute a quorum.
3. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to carry out the
instructions of the Board given them from time to time.
Art. IV. (1) The General Secretary shall be a minister of the Gospel,
but may be a member of any Annual Conference.
2. He shall be subject to the authority and control of the Board and
shall conduct the correspondence under its direction.
3. He shall have access to all conferences and congregations of the
connection, and be permitted to take collections in any and all of them
for the Department.
4. He shall make a quarterly report to the Executive Committee of all
moneys received and paid out, and to whom; this report to be signed by
the President and Treasurer of the Board.
5. He shall, when called upon, go to any part of the church, in order to
help Presiding Elders and pastors buy lands and build suitable churches
and parsonages thereon.
6. In every case where the General Secretary helps a mission, circuit,
or station, in raising money, one half of the money raised must be given
to the mission, circuit, or station, and the other half must go to the
Department, but, where a mission has no lot, upon which to build, it
shall retain and use all money raised, but shall give a note for one
half of this amount to the General Secretary, said note to be paid in
one to seven years.
7. The General Secretary shall receive for salary $1500 per annum and
whatever the Board of Church Extension may allow for traveling expenses.
Art. V. (1) The revenue of the Board shall be derived from an assessment
of 5c per capita on the membership of the Church, special collections by
the Secretary and Bishops, devices of the Secretary, and gifts and
bequests.
2. In all cases, the moneys raised by the General Secretary shall be
sent to the Treasurer of the Board, who shall in turn, pay out money on
the order of the President and Secretary of the Board, provided the
order shall be in accord with the action of the Board.
3. The General Secretary shall not charge more than 6 per cent. interest
on money loaned any church; he may, wherever conditions require, and
ability permits, charge less.
4. All orders for money on the Treasurer of the Board shall be signed by
the President and Secretary of said Board, and, in the absence of the
President, by the Vice-President.
Art. VI. (1) The Church Extension Board shall have authority to
negotiate loans, furnish security for the payment of same, and to
foreclose any mortgage and secure the property in =fee simple= to this
Department, provided, that in no case, shall any fore-closure dispossess
a congregation of the rightful use of the property. In case the
membership should abandon the use of any property by moving away or
joining other churches, both the title and possession of such property
shall revert to the Board.
2. In no case, shall any loan be made on church property unless it is
secured by a first mortgage.
Art. VII. All applications for aid shall set forth:
1. A description of the building for which aid is asked.
2. An estimate on probable cost to complete building.
3. Amount of cash and reliable subscription on hand.
4. The nature of the title, its validity, and whether held in trust for
the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America.
5. The name of the Board of Trustees.
6. Number of church members, number of Sunday School scholars, and
population of the town or city.
7. The leading industry of the town or city.
8. Any additional information that may be deemed necessary or useful to
the Board.
Art. VIII. (1) Each Annual Conference shall organize a conference Board
of Church Extension, which shall be auxiliary to the parent board. It
shall have charge of all the interests and work of Church Extension
within its conference. The Secretary and Treasurer of each Annual
Conference Board shall make a report to the parent board at such times,
and subject to such rules and regulations as may be provided by the
parent board; shall forward all moneys raised by said board to the
General Secretary without delay, but may retain 25 per cent. to be used
within the bounds of said Annual Conference.
2. No one shall be authorized to organize any local auxiliary at any
time.
Art. IX. (1) Presiding Elders shall call for a report of Church
Extension from each charge in the District Conference, which report
shall be recorded as a part of the business of the District Conference.
2. They shall bring the interests of Church Extension prominently before
their Quarterly Conferences, and collect at least one fourth of the 5c
per capita assessment from each charge and forward same quarterly to the
General Secretary.
Art. X. The books of the Church Extension Department shall be kept open
for inspection by any member of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church.
Art. XI. These laws may be amended at any session of the General
Conference.