The American Missionary — Volume 36, No. 12, December, 1882Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 36, No. 12, December, 1882
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
In accordance with this vote a delegation from our Executive
Committee, consisting of Drs. Ward and Roy, Mr. Mead and Secretary
Strieby held an interview with the Prudential Committee of the
American Board in Boston, Sept. 14, at which the proposed exchange
was fully and fraternally considered. The Prudential Committee
of the Board subsequently passed a resolution recommending to
the Board the approval of the transfer, if all legal and other
difficulties could be obviated. In response, the Board, at its late
meeting in Portland, Oct. 3, passed the following resolution:
_Resolved_, That further arrangements for the Dakota Mission be
referred to the Prudential Committee with power, but with the
earnest recommendation that the whole mission be transferred to the
care of the American Missionary Association, unless the practical
difficulties shall prove to be insuperable.
On the 13th of October, a meeting was held in New York, of a
special committee of the Prudential Committee of the Board, and of
a special committee of the Ex. Com. of the A. M. A., in which the
principles and methods, as well as the difficulties in the way of
the transfer, were again considered.
The spirit of that meeting was not that of sharp bargaining
in commercial values, but of an earnest desire on the part of
Christian brethren, representing affiliated missionary societies
to consummate an arrangement that would facilitate the upbuilding
of the Redeemer’s Kingdom. Yet commercial values were canvassed.
The Board has in its Indian missions, buildings for churches and
schools, and other property, estimated at $36,000. The value of the
properly of the A. M. A. at the Mendi Mission can be stated with
less definiteness, but the buildings for churches, schools, and
industrial work can hardly be worth as much as that of the Board in
the Dakota Mission. But in addition to this property there is the
fund from the estate of Rev. Charles Avery, for African missions.
The points of difficulty suggested and discussed were: the legal
authority of the Association to transfer this Avery fund; the
continuance of the Mendi Mission by the Board; and its assumption
of the Arthington Mission. On the first point—the transfer of the
Avery fund—a legal opinion, very clear, and so far as could be
judged, satisfactory, was obtained, of which the following is the
decisive portion.
“Under the bequest thus given to the American Missionary
Association, it cannot lawfully delegate to another the discretion
which the testator has intrusted specifically to it. But it may
delegate to others the execution of purposes which are approved by
its discretion, and which are within the objects defined by the
testator. It may employ the agency of its own officers and servants
in the application of the income, or it may employ the agency of
other organizations, as in its discretion may be most fit, useful
and efficient in accomplishing the testator’s purposes.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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