member of the Missionary Society. The Constitution of this General Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church is founded upon the principle here asserted.

Again, the principle is carried out into the organization of the society; for, according to the 3d Article of the Constitution, the General Convention, "as the constituted representative body of the whole Protestant · Episcopal Church in these United States," is the managing or executive body, which has the entire control of the society, and is constituted the Board of Missions for the society. Accordingly, at every triennial meeting, the General Convention "appoints, by a concurrent vote, on nomination by a joint committee of the two Houses, a Board of thirty members, fifteen clergymen and fifteen laymen, who, together with the Bishops of this Church, and such persons as became patrons or life members of this society before the meeting of the General Convention in the year 1829, shall constitute the Board of Managers."

To this Board of Managers, by the 4th Article, is intrusted the management of the General Missions of this Church, in coöperation with the Bishops, who are authorized to regulate the number of missionaries and stations in their respective Dioceses, to appoint the missionaries, assign to them their stipends, etc., with the approval of the Board or its Committees.

This Board, by the 4th Article, is bound to present a triennial report to each stated General Convention.

This Board of Managers, also, as soon as may be after it has been constituted, is, by the 5th Article, authorized to form from its own members a Committee

for Domestic Missions and a Committee for Foreign Missions, and any other committees or sub-committees it may need. Each of these two committees consists of fifteen members-the Domestic of eight clergymen and seven laymen, the Foreign of seven clergymen and eight laymen. Each committee has a Bishop as its chairman.

The present location of the Board of Managers, and of the two committees, is in the city of New York. Each committee has a secretary and general agent, with such assistants as may be necessary, and each committee has a treasurer.

The Board of Managers has its own By-Laws, which direct as to all the details of our missionary operations; and it has power as to the appointment of missionary meetings, and the arrangements for collecting money for its objects.

The Board of Managers is further authorized to promote the formation of auxiliary missionary societies, and it is pledged to appropriate all moneys received according to the wish of the donors.

We have thus given a brief sketch of the plan of this General Missionary Society. We have seen that it recognizes distinctly, at the very head of its Constitution, the broad principle that the whole Church is the great Missionary Society; and all its organization is in accordance with this principle.

Following out its noble principle to the widest extent of its application, it asserts, in its By-Laws, that the field of this society is the world, the whole world, and that all parts of this field have an equal claim upon the sympathies and exertions of the Church of Christ: "For the guidance of the Board, it is declared that the

missionary field is always to be regarded as one, THE WORLD; the terms Domestic and Foreign being understood as terms of locality, adopted for convenience. Domestic missions are those which are established within, and Foreign missions are those which are established without the territory of the United States."

The operations of this society have hitherto been very much blessed both in our western Territories and new States, and also in foreign lands. But it has been straitened for means. It is, however, promising to do more, and the plans of the society are formed in faith; and it is trusted that ere long this General Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church will call out the whole strength of the Church in sustaining and carrying into full and triumphant effect the noble and truly evangelical missionary principles which are so unequivocally asserted in its Constitution.

It cannot be denied that the theory of missions, and the relation of the Church to this subject, declared so authoritatively by the General Convention, are correct.

If the conviction of right principles and also the frankest acknowledgment of duty are evidences of the soundness and honorableness of a Church, then there is much in the Protestant Episcopal Church to invite to its unity all those, certainly, who love to own and to fulfil the last charge of their ascended Lord: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every crea

ture."

SECTION XVIII.

LIBERTY.

Replies to several inquiries-liberty in the Protestant Episcopal Church -to join voluntary and benevolent societies-to form associations for religious improvement-to offer extemporaneous prayers-to engage in social meetings for religious purposes-to make special efforts for the good of souls-statement of a grand principle of liberty in the Protestant Episcopal Church-this Church therefore dear to all friends of religious liberty.

THERE are certain questions which meet Episcopalians continually, and which deserve to be answered in our present review. specimens of the class. and then we will state answers are rendered.

We have selected a few as These we will briefly answer; the principle upon which the

1. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church at liberty to join the various voluntary societies for benevolent and other purposes, such as Bible, tract, colonization, peace, temperance, and other societies?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so; and we believe distinguished members of the Protestant Episcopal Church are among the leading men in all these societies.

2. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church at liberty to unite themselves in little bands, or classes or associations, for their personal improvement in religious knowledge and affection— associations like those, for instance, in the Methodist societies?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so. Such associations of Episcopal ministers are very common; and in many, probably most, Episcopal parishes, associations of the laity similar in many respects do exist, though their names may be different, such as leagues, brotherhoods, guilds, etc., and though they have no formal name by which they are distinguished.

3. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church ever allowed to offer extemporaneous prayers?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so, on every occasion, and in all circumstances, for which no regular services are provided or ordered.

4. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church ever allowed to engage in informal prayer-meetings and other social meetings for religious purposes?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so; and such meetings have been always more or less common.

5. Are the ministers and members of the Protestant Episcopal Church ever allowed to engage in protracted meetings, and other special and extraordinary efforts for the good of souls ?

We reply: They are at perfect liberty to do so. Nay, more: their Church is constructed on the principle that such efforts are desirable; and it provides for them in a system of its own. The various festivals and the fasts, the season of Lent, and the solemn Passion and Holy weeks, all appointed by the Church, are of this character. So also are the various clerical associations and convocations. The Protestant Episcopal Church holds that men cannot pray too much, nor know too