II. Constitution and Officers. — A constitution was adopted and officers of the society were elected. The Hon. Elias Boudinot, LL.D., though not at the con- vention, was chosen president, and twenty-three vice- presidents were chosen from various states in the Union ; the Rev. Dr. J. M. Mason was elected secre- tary for foreign correspondence, Rev. Dr. J. B. Ro- meyn domestic secretary, and Richard Yarick, Esq., treasurer. The labors of these gentlemen were all given gratuitously.
III. Managers. — The board of managers was com- posed of thirty-six laymen, it being provided that ever}' minister of the Gospel becoming a life-member should be an honorary manager, as well as every life-director, lay or clerical. The\" were entitled to meet with the board, and vote, and have the same power as a man- ager. The thirty-six managers were divided into four classes, each of which was to go out of office each year, but were re-eligible. It resulted, as was no doubt in- tended, in securing a permanent body, members going out actually only by death, resignation, or removal for cause, as is the case generally witli kindred institutions. From these managers, honorary or elect, standing com- mittees were appointed, on whom devolve, in great measure, the actual doings of the board, the latter con- firming or annulling their transactions.
IV. Committees. — The standing committees, as now existing, are on publication, finance, versions, distri- bution, agencies, legacies, nominations, anniversary, and auditing. The titles sufficiently designate their functions. The committee on nominations, composed of one member from each of the principal denomina- tions represented in the board, was designed to secure impartiality in nominations to office or otherwise, the denominations being unequally represented in the board, but standing on a par as to number in the com- mittee which has the power to nominate and recom- mend to election. This is, therefore, a provision for
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the safety of the smaller bodies, or those having the feebler representation in the board. These committees, as w ell as the board, usually meet once a month, though some of them, as those on legacies and finance, oftener, and the sessions are from one to two hours, or some- times longer. These services are rendered without compensation, only the officers who give their entire time and labor to the society receiving any salary.
V. Text circulated. — The constitution declares that "the sole object of this society shall be to encourage a v, ider circulation of the Holy Scriptures without note or comment;" and "the only copies in the English language to be circulated by the society shall be of the version now in common use," meaning by that what is commonly called King James's Version. And as this was then, as it is now, the version universally received by the Christian churches using the English tongue, so it was to be the common bond of the churches com- bined in this association. When the society extended its labors into foreign countries, and was called on to appropriate funds to print the Scriptures as translated into other languages, the same general rule was adopt- ed. The principles of the English Bible were to be followed, at least so far as this, that the version should be catholic, so that all denominations might use it as they do our English L?il le. It is the duty of the com- mittee on versions to see that this rule is followed in every new version for the printing of which funds are solicited from this society. It also devolves on this committee to correct any verbal inaccuracies that may creep into the society's editions, or to determine on the ( olivet reading when the several editions differ. This is, of course, a very delicate and difficult function, re- quiring great judgment and -wisdom as well as compe- tent scholarship.
VI. .1 iirilit tries. — It was soon found that the central society could do but little by its own unaided efforts toward supplying the wants of the country. Accord- ingly, arrangemer.ti were made for receiving auxilia- ries into connection with the parent society. Circu- lars were issued calling on the friends of the Bible in different parts of the country to organize auxiliary so- cieties, but circulars and letters did not accomplish the object. Auxiliaries were not organized in suffi- cient numbers; whether for want of interest on che part of pastors, the want of knowledge and experience, or want of appreciation of the work, it is of no use to attempt to decide: such was the fact.
VII. Agents. — To accomplish this work, it became necessary to appoint agents. In 1815 the Bev. R. D. Hall was appointed agent for this purpose, and from that time others have been added, as the work of the society has extended over a wider region of country. In 1865 there were thirty-seven agents, extending over the entire United States and Territories, including California, Oregon, Washington, Kansas, and Minne- sota. An agent has been sent also to Utah. Besides
era! agents are employed in foreign countries. I ader the labors of these agents auxiliary Bible Soci- eties |,:lv,. been organized in every part of the land, the number of which, with their branch societies, now exceeds 5000. These societies are the chief means of distributing the books, each being expected to supply the wants of its own territory. The effort of the agents i- continually directed to keeping them engaged in t hi- work.