Divine Service.--In the old rubrical usage of the {85} Church,
"Divine Service" always meant the Holy Communion, which was also
called the _Divine Liturgy_. The central point of all Divine Worship,
towards which all other services gravitate, and around which they
revolve, like planets around the sun, is the great sacrificial act
of the Church, the offering of the Blessed Sacrament of the Lord's
Body and Blood.
Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.--This society is the
largest and most influential working organization in the American
Church. By means of it the Church shows how aggressive she is, for
it has enabled her to place Bishops and Missionaries in many of the
States and in all the Territories in the Union and also in foreign
lands. This society is the Church's established agency, under
the authority and direction of the General Convention, for the
prosecution of missions among the negroes of the South, the Indians
in the North, the people in the New States and Territories in the
West and in some of the older Dioceses; in all the Society maintains
work in forty-three Dioceses and seventeen Missionary Jurisdictions
in this country. It also conducts missions among the nations in
Africa, China, Japan, Haiti, Mexico, Porto Rico and the Philippines.
It pays the salary and expenses of twenty-three Missionary Bishops
and the Bishop of Haiti, and provides entire or partial support for
sixteen hundred and thirty (1,630) other missionaries, besides
maintaining many schools, orphanages and hospitals. For the
prosecution of this work the Society expends about $700,000 a year,
which amount it expects to receive from the devotions of the
faithful. The Society should be {86} remembered in making wills, and
its constant needs should never be forgotten since it must regularly
each and every year provide for so great a work.
The legal title of this important society is, "_The Domestic and
Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in
the United States of America_." The Society was organized by the
General Convention in 1821 and incorporated by the State of New
York, May 13th, 1846, and is organized as follows:
MEMBERS.--The Society is considered as comprehending all persons
who are members of this Church.
BOARD OF MISSIONS.--Composed of all the Bishops of the Church in
the United States and the members for the time being of the House
of Deputies of the General Convention (including the Delegates from
the Missionary Jurisdictions), the members of the Board of Managers
and the Secretary and Treasurer of the Board.
THE MISSIONARY COUNCIL.--Comprises all Bishops of the Church, all
members of the Board of Managers, and such other clergymen and
laymen as may be elected by the General Convention, and in addition
thereto, one Presbyter and one layman from each Diocese and
Missionary Jurisdiction to be chosen by the Convention, Council
or Convocation of such Diocese or Jurisdiction. The Missionary
Council meets annually except in the General Convention years, and
is competent to take all necessary action in regard to the
missionary work of the Church consistent with the general policy
of the Board of Missions.
BOARD OF MANAGERS.--Comprises the Presiding Bishop, fifteen other
Bishops, fifteen Presbyters and {87} fifteen Laymen selected from
the Missionary Council. The Board of Managers, thus composed, has
the management of the general missions of the Church, and when the
Board of Missions is not in session, exercises all the corporate
powers of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.
THE HEADQUARTERS of the Society are in the CHURCH MISSIONS HOUSE
(which see) at 281 Fourth Avenue, New York City.
THE PUBLICATIONS of the Society by which its work is made known
are "The Spirit of Missions," published monthly; "The Quarterly
Message," and "The Young Christian Soldier," published weekly and
monthly.