HOME MISSIONS. 
77 
HOME MISSIONS. 
CHAPTER I. 
Origin and Growth of the Home Missionary Society. 
The missionary society of the church of the 
United Brethren in Christ was organized by the 
General Conference which assembled in the month 
of May, 1853, in Miltonville, Butler County, Ohio. 
But the reader must not suppose for a moment 
that this church was not engaged in the mission- 
ary enterprise to this date. Nearly all the an- 
nual conferences had their missions, made annual 
collections, and, within their own territorial limits, 
expended their labor and their money. The time 
had now come when all felt that an efficient mis- 
sionary organization was demanded alike by the 
wants of the Church at large and those who were 
without the gospel. It was not deemed quite right 
or in keeping with the teachings of God’s word 
to confine our efibrts exclusively to the limits of 
the annual conferences. Hence the organization 
of the missionary society, with the avowed pur- 
