United Methodist Historical Society of Ohio
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Established in 1839

Constitution and By-Laws

UNITED METHODIST HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF OHIO
HISTORICAL PREFACE
 
     In 1839, at a time when the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ohio was only three decades old and still struggling on a frontier, a group of Methodist ministers from Ohio incorporated the Western Methodist Historical Society in Cincinnati for the sole purpose of preserving the records, manuscripts, memorabilia, and books relating to Methodism in Ohio, an area bounded by the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. In 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University was founded by the Ohio and North Ohio Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Delaware, Ohio. In the year 1858, Samuel Williams sent a letter to the Faculty and Trustees of Ohio Wesleyan University suggesting that the materials of the Society be housed at the University. Williams' recommendation was adopted, and the collection was moved to the University in 1859.
 
     Due to some changes in terminology from the Western Methodist Historical Society to the Ohio Methodist Historical Society, a new charter was necessary. On January 20th, 1911, incorporation papers for The Ohio Methodist Historical Society were drawn up and approved by the State of Ohio. In 1976, a Certificate of Amendment was filed with the State of Ohio changing our name to the United Methodist Historical Society of Ohio.
 
     In 1939, a rebirth of the Historical Society was seen under the dynamic leadership of Rev. W.A. Courtenay and Dr. R.B. Miller, Librarian at the Ohio Wesleyan University. Separate space was cleared in the University Library and a proper archival system was instituted. Dr. Miller waded through a century of accumulated materials bringing them into a semblance of order. His work placed the Society firmly on its feet as a truly remarkable research collection. (preface re-written by Carol Holliger, January, 2010)
 
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
 
Revised: Oct. 25, 1986; April 25, 1992; April 1, 1995; April 19, 1997; April 8, 2001; April 21, 2007
 
ARTICLE I
 
     The said Corporation shall be known as the UNITED METHODIST HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF OHIO.
 
ARTICLE II
 
     The said corporation is to be located in the State of Ohio, and its principal business therein transacted.
 
 
ARTICLE III
 
     The said Corporation is hereby formed for the purpose of procuring, collecting and preserving in permanent form, consistent with the best archival methods, all available data pertaining to the history of The United Methodist Church in Ohio and its predecessors and rendering the same data to be available for historical purposes in the several existing historical archives, depositories and centers, as well as the promotion of historical research and writing. The said Corporation may discover and promote those sites, artifacts of historical interest throughout the state & aid in their preservation.
 
ARTICLE IV
"BY-LAWS AND MEMBERSHIP"
 
SECTION 1. Members of the several Annual Conference Commissions on Archives and History, located in the political confines of the State of Ohio, upon payment of dues, shall be considered members in good standing for the purposes of carrying on the day-to-day business, elections of officers and the appointment of Committees of the Society.
 
SECTION 2. Bishops, Conference Secretaries, Directors of the Annual Conference Program Councils, or their duly appointed representatives, shall be ex-officio members of the Society.
 
SECTION 3. The Conference Church Historians elected by the Annual Conference shall be considered advisory members of this Society.
 
SECTION 4. Others who are interested in historical matters, because of their association with various historical sites or branches of the governance of the Church, are admitted to membership upon payment of annual dues.
 
SECTION 5. Dues will be paid annually as set by the Society at the Spring Meeting.
 
SECTION 6. Each local United Methodist Church is encouraged to be a supportive member by payment of Church Membership dues as set at the Annual Meeting.
 
SECTION 7. A local church, group or individual can purchase a Life Membership in the Society for $150*. Each year the Society will list their names in the Annual Program. Life members will be entitled to paid-up membership dues for life, but will pay cost of meal at Society meetings. Funds from Life Memberships will be placed on deposit as Capital Funds, with interest accrued to go each year into the General Fund of the Society. Conferences may carry names of Life Members of the Society in their Annual Commission Reports. (Effective Jan. 1, 2001, Life Membership = $150*)
 
SECTION 8. The Officers of the said Corporation shall consist of: President, Vice President (President Elect), Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Newsletter Editor, and Webmaster. The various Offices shall be equally divided between the membership of the various Annual Conferences. It is implied that this rotation system of the election of officers would give each Annual Conference a share in developing the best leadership and continuity of effort in the making of the historical data available for research. If for any reason the officer is unable to serve, the Executive Committee shall fill the office.
 
SECTION 9. The Executive Committee shall consist of: the above officers, the immediate Past President, the Chairpersons of the various Annual Conference Commissions on Archives and History, the curators of the various historical archives, depositories and centers, and the Conference Historians.
 
SECTION 10. The Chairperson of the various Annual Conference Commissions on Archives and History, in consultation with the President of the Society, shall appoint two (2) members from each of the Annual Conference Commissions on Archives and History to act as a nominating Committee prior to the Annual Meeting.
 
ARTICLE V
"MANAGEMENT"
 
SECTION 1. The Management of this Society shall be invested in the Executive Committee.
 
SECTION 2. The Executive Committee may recognize any similarly constituted Society, formed for a like purpose, as an associate society, provided that they will agree to a free and equitable transmission of information and duplicate historical materials held in their possession.
 
SECTION 3. The operating budget shall be prepared by the Treasurer of the Society in consultation with the Chairpersons of the various Annual Conference Commissions on Archives and History for approval and inclusion in the respective Annual Conference Commissions on Archives and History budget requests.
 
SECTION 4. The Executive Committee shall regulate its own meetings, fill all vacancies among the several offices, and shall prescribe the various duties of the officers of the Society.
 
SECTION 5. The Executive Committee shall have authority whenever they may judge it requisite to appoint one or more curators to collect historical information or perform such other appropriate duties as they may direct.
 
SECTION 8. The Executive Committee shall have authority whenever they judge it expedient, to issue any publication to embrace selections from its historical collections, provided sufficient patronage and means be obtained to defray cost of such publications.
 
ARTICLE VI
"ANNUAL MEETING"
 
SECTION 1. The Annual Meeting of the Society shall be held on Saturday in April, set by the Executive Committee, at a place agreed upon by the Executive Committee, at which the President, acting for the Executive Committee shall present the Society with a written report of the activities of the preceding year and the Treasurer shall present a statement of the Society's financial account. Concurrently, the officers for the ensuing year shall be elected and Committees appointed.
 
SECTION 2. This Constitution and By-Laws may be altered or amended by the Society at any regular Annual Meeting by a vote of two-thirds of the members present and having received notice of the meeting at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting.