SUMMARY

Of churches aided and houses built in the different States, with the amount

The average amount paid on each house of worship, including loans, excep

tional grants, and special appropriations, is about $ 480.

Probable entire cost of these houses, $ 2,250,000.

The regular appropriations made by the Union, as gratuities, have averaged,

for each house of worship, $ 355.

Refunded to the Union from loans, $ 1,973.44.

Refunded to the Union from eight houses sold, $ 6,857.

Refunded in all, $ 8,830.44.

STATE SECRETARIES.

THE Superintendents of the work of the American Home Missionary Society, in the various States, kindly offer aid in communicating with the Churches which need assistance in erecting houses of worship. But to assist in making the claims of the Union known to the Churches, securing contributions, and in general forwarding the work of Church-building, the following persons have been appointed either by the General Associations of their respective States, or with their approbation, as

STATE SECRETARIES.

Rev. Edward Anderson, Ashtabula, Ohio.
Rev. Samuel M. Freeland, Detroit, Mich.
Rev. William E. Holyoke, Chicago, Ill.
Rev. Luther Clapp, Wauwatosa, Wis.
Rev. Americus Fuller, Rochester, Minn.
Rev. William L. Coleman, Mitchell, Iowa.
Rev. Henry M. Grant, Webster Groves, Mo.

BUSINESS FORMS.

THE following Forms used by the American Congregational Union in the conduct of its affairs will afford answers to inquiries frequently made; and they are specially commended to the attention of business men, as giving a full view of the mode in which the operations of the Union are carried on, and as the means of assuring the highest confidence of such men in the fidelity and wisdom with which its affairs are managed.

CONDITIONS ON WHICH AID IS GRANTED FOR BUILDING HOUSES OF PUBLIC WORSHIP BY THE AMERICAN CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Read carefully, and duly consider each of the following specifications:

I. All appropriations are made for the benefit of Evangelical Congregational Churches. The name of the Church, its Society or Corporate title, its location, and Post-office address must be given in full.

II. In no case will a sum of money be granted which is greater than one half of the amount raised by the Church and Society that makes the application. The Union has no permanent fund, but depends wholly upon the current contributions of the Churches and its friends; for this reason it seldom is able to make loans, except where funds are specially given it for that purpose; and in all cases in which loans are made adequate security for repayment must be given.

III. Every application must be indorsed and commended by the local Agent of the American Home Missionary Society; or by two or more ministers, or wellknown laymen conversant with the condition, prospects, and wants of the place, and of the Church asking aid, but not residents of that place.

IV. It is made a condition of every appropriation, that each Church receiving aid shall vote to make, and make, a contribution every year to the funds of the American Congregational Union, and record this vote in the Church Records, and also keep its House of Worship continuously insured against loss by fire.

V. The Church or Society receiving aid must own its House of Worship and the land on which it stands, in fee simple, and with the aid granted must be free from debt or incumbrance; or it must give adequate security for the preservation of the fund to its proper uses. No absolute donation of money will be made except such as pays the last bills, leaving no claim or lien against the house, or land upon which it stands, or against the Church or Corporation, either in LAW, EQUITY, or HONOR,

VI. The Church or Society receiving aid, in addition to the regular grant of the Union, from neighboring Churches, or Congregational Friends, shall recognize the same as a "Special grant" of the Union, and give a receipt for it as such, that those giving the money may have due credit, and the sum given be secured permanently to the cause of Church-Building.

VII. When a donation has been voted by the Board of Trustees the amount will be held in reserve until the Church edifice is ready to be used for public worship, and the Church Corporation has obtained receipts in full for all bills incurred in the erection of its house, except to the amount of the donation by the Union; and until full and definite statements, relative to the condition of the Church and its organization, its House of Worship, and financial obligations, have been made to the Treasurer of the Congregational Union, in addition to the "Certificate and Agreement," showing that the Church and its Corporation have complied with all the "conditions" upon which the donation was voted.

VIII. Where the Church or Society, to which aid has been voted, fails to comply with the conditions for receiving the money within one year from the date of the vote, the appropriation will be considered void, unless an extension of time be asked for within that period, and granted by the Board of Trustees.

IX. In no case will the Trustees be bound to pay any appropriation where the size of the house or its cost is materially greater than the estimates upon which the appropriation was made.

X. In the event that any Church organization which has received a donation from the Congregational Union shall from any cause become extinct, or cease to be an Evangelical Congregational Church, or abandon public worship and sell its house, or neglect to keep it insured, or to comply with the other conditions upon which said donation was granted, then the sum which was granted and paid to said Church Corporation shall revert to THE AMERICAN CONGREGATIONAL UNION, and be paid to its Treasurer within six months from the time of such a change of the Church, or sale of the house, or neglect of the conditions of said grant.

XI. Every Church receiving aid shall report to the Corresponding Secretary, at the end of one year after entering its sanctuary, the increase of its congregation, of its own membership, the size of its Sabbath-school, and any other items of general interest. And it is further requested to report to the Secretary of the Union once a year thereafter, for at least five years, its average attendance on public worship, whether the Church is self-supporting, and the total amount of its contributions for benevolent purposes during the preceding year.

XII. All applications for aid must be made by the Officers of the Church and its Society or legal Corporation, and full information and definite answers given relative to the following inquiries:

The name of the Church is

It was organized on the

Its corporate title is

It was incorporated on the