To promote the spiritual welfare of the young people connected with the Free Methodist Church, and to provide direction for their Christian activities, and to help them in their contribution to the church and the world, there shall be an organization known as the Young People’s Missionary Society of the Free Methodist Church of North America.

     The object of this society shall be:

     1. To seek and maintain among its members the highest type of Christian experience and life through regeneration and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and to prepare them for efficient membership in the Free Methodist Church.

     2. To interest, train, and enlist the young people in the evangelism of the world field at home and abroad.

     3. To study the needs of the various fields, and become intelligent supporters of the full missionary program.

     4. To raise money for objects sanctioned by the general authorities of the church in ways in accord with its Discipline.

     1. Members shall he young people of good moral character between the ages of fourteen and thirty who desire to unite for worship, instruction and service under the direction of the Free Methodist Church. Persons over thirty years of age may be either alumni or honorary members, depending upon their previous relationship with the Y. P. M. S. and upon the payment of $1.00 dues yearly.

     2. Membership in the local society constitutes membership in the district and conference societies.

     3. A certificate of membership shall be given to each member.

     4. Anyone within the proper age limit may belong to the W. M. S. and the Y. P. M. S. at the same time.

     5. The members of the Y. P. M. S. on our mission fields shall have the right to elect a representative to the quadrennial body, or when this is not possible the missionary secretary may appoint a representative to the quadrennial body, providing that this shall not obligate the general Y. P. M. S. treasurer to pay traveling expenses.

     The Y. P. M. S. shall be distinctly missionary in aim and motive, and shall give major emphasis to the study and promotion of missions in the various fields served by the Free Methodist Church.

     1. A general superintendent of the Y. P. M. S. shall be elected by the General Conference of the church. The Y. P. M. S. through its quadrennial body may nominate (said nomination shill be made by bal lot). The general superintendent of the Y. P. M. S. shall serve under the authority and direction of the 1. P. M. S. Council.

     2. In local, district and conference Y. P. M. S. the superintendent may be nominated by the Y. P. M. S. (said nomination shall be made by ballot) and must be a member of the Free Methodist Church.

     3. Each annual conference shall elect a Y. P. M. S. conference superintendent who shall with the executive committee promote the interests of the organization throughout the conference, and shall report to the annual conference. The conference Y. P. M. S. may nominate.

     4. Where there is a district organization each district quarterly conference shall elect the district superintendent of the Y. P. M. S. who shall become a member of the quarterly conference, and shall report quarterly to that body, and who, with the district elder, shall be responsible for the organization and promotion of the district Y. P. M. S. The district Y. P. M. S. may nominate.

     5. It shall be the duty of each church society to elect a person to be known as the superintendent of the Young People’s Missionary Society, who with the pastor shall be responsible for the organization and promotion of such society. The superintendent of the local Y. P. M. S. must be a member of the Free Methodist Church over thirty years of age and a member of the W. M. S. and when elected shall be a member of the official board, reporting monthly to that body. The Y. P. M. S. may nominate.

     1. The officers of the society shall be president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, superintendent and the four directors of departments.

     2. The Y. P. M. S. shall elect by ballot all officers except the superintendent. When necessary honorary members may be elected officers.

     3. In the local Y. P. M. S. the president must be a member of the Free Methodist Church, and the other officers when possible. In the district and conference Y. P. M. S. all officers must be members of the Free Methodist Church.

     4. It is recommended that the time limit of officers wherever practicable, be as follows: Two years in the local, three years in the district, and four years in the conference.

     5. It is not advisable, as a rule, to elect pastors as conference presidents of the Y. P. M. S.

     6. It is essential that the election of officers at conference be early enough in the session so that the new officers may have time carefully to consider plans for the new year.

     7. Each outgoing officer should fully instruct his successor and turn over to him all of the books and appurtenances of the office. By showing a kindly, helpful spirit, he may do much to make his successor’s path easy. 

     8. The general treasurer of the Y. P. M. S. shall be elected by the Board of Administration.

     9. Each annual conference shall elect from the membership of. the Y. P. M. S. one person who is a member of the Free Methodist Church to the conference evangelistic board.

     10. There shall be a general statistical secretary, elected by the quadrennial body.

     11. Four members of the Y. P. M. S., to be known as regional directors shall be elected by the Y. P. M. S. quadrennial body, who shall serve as members of the Y. P. M. S. Council.

     Where deemed advisable and recommended by the local Y. P. M. S. Executive Committee and approved by the official board, a teen-age department may be instituted which shall have the power of electing its own officers who shall serve as assistants to the officers composing the local executive committee. All moneys shall pass through the hands of the treasurer of the regularly constituted Y. P. M. S. When necessary the local superintendent may appoint an assistant to sponsor the teen-age group.

     1. The President:

          a. Presides at executive committee meetings and business meetings.

          b. Directs the work of the society.

          c. Appoints an auditor.

          d. Is ex officio member of all committees.

          e. Sees that all officers and department heads know their duty and do it.

     2. The Vice-President:

          a. Is chairman of the Program Committee.

     3. The Secretary:

a. Records roll of all active and honorary members separately with up-to-date addresses of each.

b. Records minutes of business and executive committee meetings.
 
    The minutes should include the names of all officers elected, and of all committees; the motions made and carried; a statement of all reports made, and the substance of them in condensed form. The minutes should also pre sent a faithful picture of the meeting reported, including a brisk summary of the discussions.

c. Passes on at once any action affecting any absent officer or committee member.

d. Reports fully the activities of the society on the blanks prepared and forwards the same from the local to the district and from the district to the conference quarterly and annually.

e. Conducts and files correspondence of society.

f. Promotes the Y. P. M. S. quadrennial goals and reports monthly the advancement made on each item to conference secretary.

a. Collects all moneys as early as possible.

b. Keeps money in the bank in a separate account as Y. P. M. S. treasurer, except in the local, where this is optional.

c. Pays it out and reports regularly as directed by the constitution.

d. Stimulates and directs the society finances.

e. Enters promptly in the Y. P. M. S. treasurer’s book in a business-like way every cent received and from what source it came and every cent expended and for what purpose. Records dates for everything.

f. Protects himself by (1) having a blank receipt book and requiring receipts from all to whom he pays money. He in turn should give receipts for all moneys received. (2) By insisting on the appointment of an auditor.

a. With the president, superintendent and pastor, assigns to each member in his department a continuous task to which he is adapted, and on which he reports once a month in writing to his department head.

b. Reports monthly in writing to the Executive Committee and quarterly to the business meeting.

     For efficiency the Y. P. M. S. shall function in four departments of work, as follows: Education, Service, Missions and Evangelism.

     As soon as the officers are elected each member of the society is assigned to one of the departments.

     THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION shall include the study of the Bible, Church History and doc trines, the stewardship of money, talent and the whole of life, hymnody, Christian citizenship, prohibition, tobacco, narcotics and other subjects vitally related to Christian life and character, and our church educational institutions.

     THE DEPARTMENT OF SERVICE shall include practical and helpful work in the community (assisting the pastors by inviting and welcoming people to the services, and by faithful attendance), and for our charitable institutions and missions.

     THE DEPARTMENT OF MISSIONS shall pro mote the study of World Missions, giving special attention to those of the Free Methodist Church and be responsible for seeing that the provisions of Article II Paragraph 3 and Article III of the constitution are fulfilled.

     THE DEPARTMENT OF EVANGELISM shall direct the activities of those members who are Christians. It includes every variety of personal and combined evangelistic effort under the direction of the local pastor, and shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of Article II, Paragraph 1 of the constitution.

     1. All funds raised for missions, including offerings and subscriptions shall be spent only for objects sanctioned by the Commission on Missions and the Commission on Evangelism, and shall be forwarded through the regular channels to the general treasurer of the Y. P. M. S. quarterly or more often.

     2. Funds for Christian education to be raised as such shall be sent through the regular channels to the general treasurer and forwarded from the general treasurer to the institution designated by the conference treasurer (except in Canada, from which an audited report shall be sent).

     3. Funds for aggressive evangelism to be raised as such shall be sent through the regular channels to the general treasurer of the Y. P. M. S. and from thence forwarded to the Commission on Evangelism to be used on projects sponsored by the general Y. P. M. S. (except in Canada).

     4. Each conference shall set its own goal in accordance with the general Y. P. M. S. goal.

     5. Each local society is requested to raise $1.00 per member per year for dues.

     6. An amount equal to ten cents per member per year, based on the average membership for the first three years of the quadrennium, shall be sent by the conference treasurer to the general treasurer for delegates’ expenses; this amount to be taken from the dues fund.

     7. Money must be raised, not by sales, etc., but by tithes and offerings only.

     8. The necessary operating expense of the Y. P. M. S. General Council shall be appropriated from the Y. P. M. S. general funds.

     9. All funds of teen-age department shall pass through the hands of the regular Y. P. M. S. treasurer.

     1. The regular weekly meeting shall be held, if possible, each Sunday preceding the evening service, and shall include the following in its yearly schedule:

     a. Twelve Missionary Meetings with offering for same, of which four shall be Home Mission meetings; at least one of these shall be a general missionary rally at which subscriptions shall be taken.

     b. Six Educational Meetings, one of which shall be on Christian Education with an offering for our schools.

     c. Six meetings on Evangelism, with an offering for evangelism.

     3. A business meeting of the society shall be held at least once in three months. Each local society shall decide at its first meeting how many shall constitute a quorum.

     4. The meetings of the district society shall be held quarterly at the time and place of the district meeting. Five members shall constitute a quorum.

     5. The meetings of the conference society shall be held at the time and place of the annual conference or at the annual Y. P. M. S. convention.

     6. The meetings of the quadrennial Y. P. M. S. body shall take place at the seat of the General Conference. Representation to the quadrennial body shall be based on the average membership for the first three years of the quadrennium.

     7. Nothing shall be allowed in the organization or activities of the Y. P. M. S. which is contrary to the Discipline of the Free Methodist Church, such as pageants, dramatics, socials, or bazaars, as commonly understood, or the engaging of unsaved members as leaders of religious services. But this does not prohibit such young people’s gatherings as contribute to the goal of the organization.

     1. Devotions.

     2. Roll Call.

     3. Reading of minutes (for information)

     4. Unfinished business

     5. Committee reports and discussion

     6. Officers’ reports and discussion

     7. Recommendations

     S. New Business

     9. Addresses

     10. Reading and correcting minutes

     11. Adjournment

     “A Compendium of Parliamentary Law” by Lillian Cole Bethel or “Robert’s Rules of Order” shall be the standard of parliamentary usage.

     1. The Y. P. M. S. Council shall consist of five members, as follows: the general Y. P. M. S. superintendent, and the four Y. P. M. S. regional directors, and this council shall report to and be directly amenable to the Board of Administration through the Com- mission on Christian Education.

     2. The regional directors shall be amenable to the Y. P. M. S. Council which shall fill any vacancies occurring in this office.

     1. The executive committee of the conference Y. P. M. S. shall be composed of one or more district elders elected by the annual conference, the conference superintendent of the Y. P. M. S., and the regularly elected officers of the conference Y. P. M. S. This committee shall direct the activities and promote the interests of the Y. P. M. S. throughout the conference, and shall be responsible to the annual conference for the same.

     It is the duty of the conference executive committee:

     a. To encourage the organization and maintenance of a Y. P. M. S. in every congregation in the conference where there are as many as three young people.

     b. To plan for:

     (1) A Y. P. M. S. institute in each society during the year.

     (2) A Y. P. M. S. convention in each district during the year.

     (3) A Y. P. M. S. conference convention.

     (4) Special Workers’ conferences in all general gatherings.

     (5) A “Regional Christian Life Service Institute” annually in co-operation with the general superintendent and other conference executives in the territory concerned.

     (6) A youth camp where possible.

     2. The executive committee of the district Y. P. M. S. shall be composed of the district elder, the district Y. P. M. S. superintendent, and the Y. P. M. S. district officers. This committee shall direct the activities of the district Y. P. M. S., and be responsible to the quarterly conference.

     3. The executive committee of the local Y. P. M. S. shall be composed of the pastor, the superintendent of the Y. P. M. S., the president of the local W. M. S., and such regularly elected officers of the Y. P. M. S. as are members of the Free Methodist Church. This commit tee shall direct the activities of the society, and be resonsible to the official board for the same.

     1. Where deemed advisable, the local Y. P. M. S. may elect, by ballot, delegates to the annual Y. P. M. S. conference or convention. The said delegate must be a member of the Free Methodist Church.

     2. Where such delegates are elected, representation shall be determined by the Y. P. M. S. conference executive committee upon a ratio basis in the conference.

     3. The delegates shall compose the voting body of the Y. P. M. S. annual conference or convention when such action has been taken by the Y. P. M. S. conference executive committee.

     4. Basis of representation at quadrennial gatherings is to be one delegate from each conference, and an additional delegate from each conference having six hundred or over. Representation in the quadrennial

     body shall be based on the average membership for the first three years of the quadrennium.

     1. The Christ circle for youth:

     a. Bring youth to Christ;

     b. Build up youth in Christ.

     c. Send forth youth for Christ.

     3. At least 20 youth camps annually.

     4. At least four youth advances, a Western, Central, Eastern, and Canadian, and a World Revival Youth Advance at General Conference in 1943.

     5. A total membership of 20,000.

     6. A $150,000 total in contributions.

     7. An amount equal to ten cents per member per year for evangelism.

     8. A 100 per cent increase in church membership under 16 years of age.

     9. Service Training Course 145a in “Personal Evangelism” conducted in every Y. P. M. S.

     “United to Make Christ Known” shall be the slogan of the Y. P. M. S.

     The Constitution and by-laws may be changed by a two-thirds vote of the Y. P. M. S. quadrennial body, subject to the approval of the General Conference.