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 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 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.