CHAPTER XL.

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.