1. The Association recognizes the control of its constituents. That
recognition was one of the corner-stones on which it was founded. It
sought its members and its funds from persons of evangelical faith and
practical morality. Of such, it offered membership to any one who
contributed to its funds. Thus broadly was it placed on a popular basis.

At length, however, it began to be felt by many of its supporters that
there were evils in this method--that the acts of the society were
liable to be regulated by the local attendance at each annual meeting,
and that such meetings might easily be "packed" to carry out a purpose.
The officers of the Association, true to the cardinal principles of its
founders of control by its constituents, welcomed the discussion and
cheerfully accepted the present constitution, which was adopted after
due deliberation. That constitution designates as voters, life members
and delegates from the churches, local conferences and state
associations. The Executive Committee believe that we have now reached a
satisfactory basis, but if it shall be the will of the constituents to
make further modifications hereafter, the fundamental principle of the
Association will dictate a ready acceptance of any change that will not
set aside the evangelical, missionary, and philanthropic basis on which
the Association was founded, and that will not impair contracts or
endanger invested funds. The Association belongs, under Christ, to its
constituents.

2. The work of the Association embraces all forms of effort in both the
church and the school. It was organized and chartered as a _missionary_
society. This was its fundamental aim. It was not till 1869,
twenty-three years after its organization, that the word "educational"
was put into its charter. But this change did not alter the character
of its work--_the school is missionary, the church an educator_--and