The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-24
congregational Society Is
Nearly 70 Years Old.
Will Celebrate Its Anniversary
in June. ST.
History Of the Growth of the Or
ganiZatiOn.


headquarters are in New York city, will
observe its 10th anniversary here June "a,
in the Center Church, of which the Rev.
Newman Smyth, ID. ID, is the pastor.
The origin and work of the society have
been as follows: When the American
(now the CongregationaD Home Mission
ary Society was organized, in 1895, several
local organizations for home missionary
work were in operation, some of which
originated IN the last century. The So
oiety for Propagating the Gospel among
the Indians and Others in North America
was founded in 1857; the Missionary so-
ciety of Connecticut, and the berkshire
and Columbia Missionary Society, in ,79s;
the MassaC usetts Missionary Society, in
1890. Others at later origin existed in
the other New England states and In
New York. Some of them confined their
operations within their own geographical
limits. Others sent missionaries to the
destitute in the new settlements OF north
ern New England and the remoter Wild
erness, even TO the banks of the Mississippi.
1t was evident that a more comprehen-
sive, economical, and effective system
must bo devised to supply the destitute
portions OF the country with gospel min
istrations; but no direct steps were taken
toward the solution OF this problem till
1925, when the germ originated from
which the American Home Missionary So
ciety was evolved.
IT'S GERM EVOLVED.
In January of that year Nathanel Bou-
ton, atterward pastor of the First Church
in Concord, n. H., was riding in stage
coach from Andover to Newburyport,
Mass, in company with several theologi-
cal students, when the importance OF en-
larged operations in home missions became
the subject of conversation, and Mr..
tod 40 at !nn nf n
National Domestic Missionary Society.
The subject was warmly discussed during
their ride, and on their homeward
journey and in the evening at Andover,
and subsequently in the Porter Rhetori-
cal Society, the Society of Inquiry and
the column of the religious journals IL
was iinally laid before a meeting of min
listers, from several States, who had assem-
bled in Boston TO ordain four students
from Andover seminary for the work of
home missions A larger meeting, com
posed OF eminent ministers from Maine,
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Con-
necticut, was held in Boston Jan. IL, 1896,
at which the action already taken was APP
proved and a resolution adopted recon-
mending that the United Domestic Mis-
sionary Society of New York become the
American Domestic Missionary Society.
The United Domestic Missionary So
ciety was formed in 1922 by the union
of two other local societies. III was un-
spirit, was enterprising and efficient, and
had recently appointed as its missionaries
four young men from Andover Theologi-
cal seminary. It's executive committee
responded cordially TO the overture from
the Boston meeting and issued circu-
lar to a large number OF the friends OF
home missions, in all parts OF the United
States, inviting them to meet in the city
of New York for the purpose of forming
an American Home Missionary Society.
ITS ORGANIZATION.
In response to this invitation one hun
dred and twenty-six individuals assem-
bled i'm convention, May 10, 1926, In the
session room of the Brick Presbyterian
church in the city of New York. The
represented 13 states and four religious
denominations. and were among the most
prominent and influential ministers and
laymen in those denominations. A con-
siitution was submitted to the conven-
lion by the executive committee of the
United Domestic Missionary Society,
with recommendation that it be made
the basis of the contemplated National
society.
In pursuance OF this action the Ameri-
can Home Missionary Society proceeded
at once to the election of officers for the
ensuing year and began its work.
ITS CONSTITUENCY.
In the convention which organized the
society, and in its first corps of officers, the
Dutch and Associated Reformed denomi-
nations were represented. The Associate
Reformed churches shared but little
either in its labors or its bonefaction. The
reformed Dutch churches ceased to CO.
operate with IL when their own board of
Domestic Missions was organized in 1892
The Presbyterian churches New SchooD
continued their cooperation with it till
the General Assembly instituted its Pres
bytcrian Committee on Home Missions in
ha M
ary Society, without any change in its
constitution or principles of action, be-
came the organ OF Congregational
churches only; and since that time il has
received from them with occasional gifts
from individuals in other churches, its
entire support. On the withdrawal of the
Presbyterian churches, its income fell
from slS3, 900 to about Sl64, 900 and the
number of its missionaries from 1862 to
73L.
ITS AUxILIARIEs.
Those societies in New England which
had extended their opera6 6ions into the
ne~ settlements. transferred that part OF
their work 10 the National society, and
they, together with the other New En-
gland Societies, entered into auxiliary re-
lations to IL which secured harmony OF
feeling, uniformity OF method, and eff
cheney of action ever the entire field.
Zach auxiliary assumed the responsibility
of conducting the work within its own
hounds, but at the same time co-operated
with the parent society in sending the
gospel to the regions beyond. This auxil-
iary system has been continued with the
same results TO the present time. AS the
missionary societies OF the younger states
have reached the point OF self-support,
they have assumed the relation OF auxil-
iaries Of the National society on the
terms stat ed in its constitution.
IT'S OBJECT.
1t was the object OF the society, accord
ing 20 the terms OF its constitut on, "to
assist congregations that are una Die To
support the gospel ministry. and TO send
tue gospel TO the destitute within the
4.