RELATIONS OF AUXILIARIES, AGENCIES, &c.

State and other large Auxiliaries.

Most of the State Missionary Societies were in existence before the formation of the National Society, and some of them-as the Missionary Societies of Connecticut and Massachusetts-were among the earliest organized efforts in our country for sending the Gospel to the destitute. They have voluntarily connected themselves as Auxiliaries with the American Home Missionary Society, from a conviction that greater unity of plan and efficiency in action would thereby be promoted.

The terms by which such Auxiliaries-acting on the principles of the Parent Society, undertaking the supply of the destitute within their own bounds, and paying over their surplus funds to the Parent Institution-are connected with the Parent Society, are such as to secure the following objects, viz.:

First-The Auxiliary is not superseded or overshadowed by the National Institution, but, on the contrary, is invigorated and sustained by connection with it.

This is secured by the provision that the Auxiliary is the sole agency for this cause that operates on its field. It controls all appointments in the State to which it belongs. From it alone, so far as its means will allow, the feeble churches receive assistance. Thus a direct relation and strong attachment is cherished towards it, in the hearts of the ministers and churches.

Again-while the local operations of the Auxiliary are thus encouraged and sustained, its connection with the Parent Society is such as to awaken an interest in the destitute beyond its own limits, and afford facilities for reaching them. It is not only a Society for local purposes, but it is also a branch of the National Society, and, as such, has the control of all agencies for the collection of funds within its own field, and can direct the manner in which its surplus resources shall be expended beyond its own limits. Thus, the State and other large Auxiliaries are not merely organizations to help the Parent Society; they are integral parts of it, bound together in one whole by a common interest in and free access, through the Parent Society, to the great field to be occupied, and governed by the same general principles and rules in carrying on the work.

Agents and Agencies.

Besides preaching to the destitute and taking up contributions for Home Missions, the Agents of the American Home Missionary Society exercise a general superintendence of the operations of the Society within their respective fields. By correspondence and personal visitation they ascertain the wants of the destitute; assist them to obtain the preaching of the Gospel; and instruct and encourage them to develop their own means for its support. They receive applications for aid, and make such preliminary examination as may be necessary before submitting them for the action of the Executive Committee; and in other ways labor to insure a judicious and economical application of the Society's funds. At present the Society has in its employ no merely collecting Agents, nor any whose services are not required for other purposes in the regions where they labor. The Secretaries of several of the larger Auxiliaries are also the Agents for this cause in their respective bounds.

In certain districts, where the duties of an Agent are likely to be peculiarly responsible, there is associated with him a board of counselors selected from

the region of his labors, called an Agency. These Boards of Agency differ from Auxiliary Societies, in that they have no independent existence, but are appointed by the Executive Committee from year to year, and are governed by rules which the Committee prescribe. Their office is to counsel and direct the Agent in carrying out the principles of the Society, and to give advice in relation to such local matters as may be submitted to them by the Executive Committee. The persons composing the Board of Agency, are selected for their intelligence and interest in this cause, and their influence in promoting it; and are so distributed over the field as to secure a personal acquaintance with its condition. The Agent of the Society is also the Secretary of the Agency with which he is associated.

These boards of counsel might not have been necessary, had the ecclesiastical bodies on the ground been able and disposed to pay sufficient attention to the missionary work, and to act as its directors in their respective bounds. But the ministers composing them are usually scattered over a wide extent of territory, and meet but seldom, and only at seasons when they are not much occupied with other business; and accordingly it has been necessary in some cases to organize agencies for this specific work. But in other cases, Synods, Presbyteries, and Associations have chosen to act as Auxiliaries to the Society, examining into the condition of the destitute within their bounds, and recommending the appropriate action for their relief. Ecclesiastical bodies thus related to the American Home Missionary Society, act through

Committees of Missions.

The American Home Missionary Society has ever regarded the ecclesiastical bodies as the appropriate judges of the standing of their own ministers, and of the wants of the churches in their connection. Accordingly, the commission issued to every missionary requires that his credentials be acceptable to the ministerial body of his denomination, within whose bounds he is appointed to labor. And the various Presbyteries, Associations, etc., are invited to appoint each, a Committee of Missions from its own members, to receive application from its churches, and suggest to the Society the action proper in each case. Such a Committee constitutes the official source to which reference can be had for information and advice, in all matters pertaining to missions in the connection to which it belongs. This mode of cooperation has been preferred by numerous ecclesiastical bodies, from the first formation of the Society. It guaranties to the churches of each denomination represented in the Society, that their respective claims shall be fairly considered, with all the advantage of having the indorsement of the body to which they belong. The advice of such a Committee, acting in the name and by the direction of the ecclesiastical body to which they belong, is regarded as the highest authority in matters pertaining to the standing of ministers and churches in their connection, and has the same influence with the Society, as that of the Board of Agency appointed by itself.

There is one limitation to this influence, however, which ought to be stated. Should any ecclesiastical body so far swerve from the principles of truth and gospel order, as not to retain the fellowship and confidence of the great body of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches in our land, that fact would cause its recommendations not to be respected, as a basis of action, by the Executive Committee.

As cases may occur in which the feeble churches may not be aware of the existence of any Board of Agency, or Committee of Missions, through whom to apply for aid, a general provision is made, that application may be vouched by any two ministers of known and approved standing, who can certify to the facts of the case. If the information thus given is not sufficient, other facts are sought by the Executive Committee, with as little delay as practicable, from the most authentic sources from which they can be obtained.

Such, briefly, are the relations of the American Home Missionary Society to the various organs, through which the community seeks to act out its missionary feeling. It will be seen that this plan secures the united action, in the mission

ary work, of those whose views of doctrine and church order admit of coöperation, and whose interests in the great field are essentially the same. This combination insures a homogeneous policy as to the manner and amount of appropriations, and the qualifications of missionaries; it has discouraged sectional feelings, and diffused throughout each part an interest in all the rest; and thus has formed ties between the West and East, along which has passed from the latter to the former a silent and invisible current of moral influences more valuable, if possible, than all pecuniary grants. At the same time the connection of the Parent Society with the various associations that act with it, is such as to secure to them entire freedom in the missionary work, in their respective spheres, and an influence beyond them, in cultivating the waste places of our common country.

Applications for Aid.

Feeble congregations, applying for aid in supporting the Gospel, are requested to embody in their application the following particulars, viz. :

The name of the church or congregation; the number of communicants, and the average number of attendants on public worship; the denomination and size of congregations immediately contiguous, with the distance to their places of worship; the total amount of salary which the applicants propose to make up, the portion of that salary which they pledge for the given time, and the arrangements that are made for securing it; whether aid is expected from any other source; and the least amount that will suffice from this Society; whether the minister for whom a commission is desired, is the pastor of the church, or if not, whether any arrangements are made or contemplated in the course of the year, with reference to his installment. These statements should be signed by the trustees and elders or deacons, or by a committee of the congregation, and confirmed by the certificates of two or more clergymen, acquainted with the facts. Also,

The name and post office address of the minister whose services they desire to secure; whether he is a resident of the place in which he preaches, and is engaged in any other calling than that of the ministry; his credentials; and the certificate of two or more ministers of known standing, as to his general character for piety, zeal, and acceptableness, as a minister of the Gospel.

Where the ecclesiastical body with which a church is connected has a "Committee of Missions" to act in their behalf, this Committee are the proper persons to certify the statements of the church, the standing of the minister, and his prospects of usefulness in the place where his services are desired; and the application should be sent to them for their indorsement and recommendation.

Applications, after being properly indorsed and recommended, should be addressed to the care of the Agent (or Secretary of the Agency or Auxiliary) for the region where the applicants reside.

As a general rule, the appropriations of the American Home Missionary Society are for twelve months from the date of the application; at the end of which, if further aid be needed, a new application must be made, containing all the particulars above stated, and indorsed and recommended in like manner. And each congregation applying for renewed aid, should furnish, in addition to other testimonials, the certificate of the missionary, that they have fulfilled their precious pledges for his support.

The address of the Society's Agents and the Secretaries of its Auxiliaries will be found on the cover of its Reports and of the Home Missionary. Where no such medium of communication with the Society exists, applications may be. sent directly to the Society's office in New York.

AGENCIES.

CENTRAL AGENCY, N. Y.

For that portion of the State of New York lying east of the counties of Cayuga, Tompkins, and Tioga, north of Delaware and Greene, and west of the Hudson River. Office at Utica.

Rev. PHILEMON H. FOWLER, D. D., Utica. Rev. E. Y. SWIFT,

JOHN BRADISH, Esq.,

Mr. JAMES DANA,

Mr. SPENCER Kellogg,

Dr. J. RATHBURN,

Dr. NICHOL H. DERING,

Clinton.
do.

do. Mr. ISAAC WILLIAMS,
do. JOHN FOOTE, Esq., Hamilton.
do. Rev. ISAAC BRAYTON, Watertown.
do. Rev. W. W. NEWELL, Syracuse.

do.

Rev. GEORGE S. BOARDMAN, Cazenovia.
Rev. MERRITT S. PLATT, Hamilton.
Rev. J. B. HOYT, Coventry.

Rev. PINDAR FIELD, Munnsville.

Rev. SHERMAN B. CANFIELD, D. D., do.
Rev. R. R. KIRK, Canton.

Rev. ELLIOTT H. PAYSON, New Hartford.
Rev. CHESTER FITCH, New York Mills.

Rev. THEODORE SPENCER, Corresponding Secretary and Agent.
J. E. WARNER, Esq., Treasurer.

WESTERN AGENCY, N. Y.

For twenty one Counties in Western New York. Office at Geneva.

Rev. HUBBARD WINSLOW, D. D., Geneva. Mr. WILLIAM ALLING, Rochester,
Mr. A. B. HALL,

Rev. F. E. CANNON, D. D.,

Rev. STEPHEN PORTER,

Mr. D. L. LUM,

Rev. WILLIAM F. Curry,

do.

do.

Rev. O. E. DAGGETT, D. D., Canandaigua. Hon. HENRY W. TAYLOR, do. do. Rev. WILLIAM WISNER, D. D., Ithaca. do. Hon. GEORGE D. BEERS,

do.

Rev. J. HOPKINS, D. D., Union Springs.
Rev. SAMUEL H. GRIDLEY, Waterloo.
ARISTARCHUS CHAMPION, Esq., Rochester.
Hon. A. GARDINER,

Rev. CHESTER DEWEY, D. D.,
LL. D.

do.

Mr. SIMEON BENJAMIN, Elmira.
Hon. JoSIAH PORTER, East Bloomfield.
Rev. M. L. R. P. THOMPSON, D.D., Buffalo.
Rev. A. T. CHESTER, D. D.,
Rev. G. W. HEACOCK, D. D.,
Mr. JOSEPH DART,

do.

do.

do.

do.

do.

GAIUS B. RICH, Esq.,

do.

Rev. WM. C. WISNER, D. D., Lockport.
Rev. JOHN BARNARD, D. D., Lima.

Rev. J. H. DILL, Spencerport.

Rev. JOHN A. MURRAY, Corresponding Secretary and Agent.

W. T. SCOTT, Esq., Treasurer.

WESTERN RESERVE AGENCY, O.

Office at Cleveland.

Rev. GEORGE E. PIERCE, D. D., Hudson. Mr. J. BLAIR, Cleveland.

Rev. JAMES H. NEWTON, Corresponding Secretary and Agent.

T. P. HANDY, Esq., Treasurer.