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CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
OF THE
BIBLE SABBATH ASSOCIATION

PREAMBLE

  • Recognizing the God of Creation as the Ruler of the universe, and obedience to His Will as fundamental to the best welfare of humanity; and,
  • Holding it to be self-evident that appreciation of God's Law and its bearing upon the affairs of mankind is possible only when a definite portion of our time is applied to the contemplation thereof; and,
  • Assured that the Creator, in His Infinite Wisdom, provided a definite day for this purpose by permanently setting apart as hallowed time the Seventh Day of each recurring week, to be observed by all men as His HOLY Day; and,
  • Accepting the testimony of Christ that He, as He Himself said, is Lord of this Holy Day; and assured further that Christ and His Apostles kept the Seventh Day holy, and, by word as well as by example, taught all men to do likewise; and,
  • Realizing that the foregoing rational truths and fully substantiated by both Scripture and History and that THEIR IMPORTANCE IS WHOLLY INDEPENDENT OF ALL SECTARIAN AND DENOMINATIONAL TENETS; and,
  • Believing that great benefits can be accomplished by the diffusion of knowledge concerning the Bible Sabbath through proper organization to that end, as contemplated in the following Constitution and Bylaws:

We do hereby associate ourselves together for the purpose of increasing the knowledge of, and upholding the sublime truths which establish the Seventh Day of the week (Saturday) as the Sabbath Day, a sacred and vital element of the Scriptures, and as God's Holy Day, made for all mankind.

CONSTITUTION

Article 1. Name

The name of this Association shall be "THE BIBLE SABBATH ASSOCIATION."

Article 2. Objects

SECTION 1. General:

To increase the knowledge of and to uphold the sublime truths which establish the Seventh Day of the week (Saturday) as the Sabbath Day, a sacred and inherent element of the Christian Religion made, as Jesus the Christ said, for ALL mankind.

SECTION 2. Specific:

  1. To teach obedience to ALL the Ten Commandments as the Messiah taught them with emphasis upon the Sabbath Command since it is the one that is generally repudiated by most professing Christians.
  2. To increase and to SHARE our knowledge of the Seventh Day Sabbath, its origin, history, purpose and value.
  3. To encourage a similar study and sharing of the Seventh-Day Sabbath truth among all mankind throughout the word.
  4. To bring together into one strong organization all believers in the Bible Sabbath, regardless of sect, creed or denomination for the sole purpose of spreading knowledge of, belief in, and observance of God's Holy Day.
  5. To foster the observance of the Seventh Day as the Sabbath of the Creator, and of Christ the Lord.
  6. To devise ways and means for accomplishing these ends through the Major Organization of THE BIBLE SABBATH ASSOCIATION, representing the total Membership thereof, and through such Branches or Local Organizations as experience shall prove to be desirable.
  7. To establish and maintain such Association so that it shall be non-sectarian and inter-denominational and, therefore, inherently SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE A CHURCH OR A DENOMINATION.

Article 3. Membership

SECTION 1. Individual Membership:

Any person who approves of the objectives of the Association may become a member by contributing the annual membership fee approved by the Board of the Association.

SECTION 2. Institutional Membership:

Any Manufacturing or other Firm or Business Establishment, College, School, Sanitarium or other Organization which, through its authorized representative, declares itself to be in agreement with the objects of the Association, may become an Institutional Member by contributing $50 or more per year. Institutional Members, through their respective representatives, shall enjoy the voting and other privileges of Individual Members. Institutions shall not be eligible for Life Memberships.

SECTION 3.

All receipts from Life Memberships, and such other contributions to the work of the Association as may be deemed to be better so administered, shall be invested by the Treasurer under the direction of the Board of Directors in safe income-producing channels; the Principals thereof in no case to be amortized at a greater rate than would parallel the probable life of the contributor.

Article 4. Direction of Affairs

SECTION 1.

Direction of the affairs of the Association shall be vested in its President and Board of Directors, except at general meetings when the membership of the Association prevails above its elected officers.

SECTION 2.

When a request is made by any two Regular Officers of the Association, or by any two of the Directors, or by ten per cent or more of the membership of the Association, or consideration of matters pertaining to the activities of the Association, the Officers shall promptly place before the entire membership the matters submitted.

The sense of the majority of the replies received during the first 30 days following the fixed dates of such mailed notices shall be deemed the Action of the Association, except as provided under Article 7, on Amendments.

SECTION 3.

General meetings of the Association may be held upon thirty days written notice to the Membership stating the time, place and object of the meeting.

SECTION 4.

Ten or more attending members shall constitute a quorum for any meetings duly announced according to the requirements of Section 3, hereof.

SECTION 5.

Organization of Local, Sectional and Foreign Branches of the Association is encouraged. Said Branches shall hold meetings of the Members of the Major Association under such regulations as are consistent with the aims of the Association, and with such frequency as the various Groups may elect.

SECTION 6.

All notices of Special Meetings shall set forth the nature of the business to be transacted, this provision being applicable to all the Branch Organizations as well as to the Major Association.

SECTION 7.

The procedure at all meetings of the Major Association, its Branches, Board and Committees shall be accordance with accepted Parliamentary Practice.

SECTION 8.

Under no circumstances shall any Official or Member use the Association or any of its Branches to further any denominational tenets other than the constitutionally provided Objectives of the Organization.

Article 5. Officers

SECTION 1.

By Officers, in this Section, is meant those of the Major Association, as follows:

President
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Vice Presidents
Secretary
Treasurer
Members at Large of Board of Directors

And such other officers as may be required to properly transact the business of the Association and Board of Directors. All nominees shall be eligible for re-election regardless of the number of consecutive terms served; and all Officers shall serve until their successors qualify.

Vacancies for interim periods are to be filled as the Board of Directors may elect.

SECTION 2.

The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be held by one and the same person.

Assistants to the Secretary and Treasurer may be appointed by the Board of Directors, which appointments may likewise be held by one and the same person.

SECTION 3.

The duties of the Officers shall be those ordinarily vested therein, to any of the whom may be delegated by the Board of Directors other duties consistent with the aims of the Association.

SECTION 4.

The Officers of the Association may receive such remuneration for their services as may be determined by the Association on recommendation of the Board of Directors.

Article 6. Board of Directors

SECTION 1.

The following affairs of the Association, and such other matters as may be so delegated by the Membership thereof shall be handled by a Board of Directors consisting of TWELVE Members: the President, the three Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer and six Members at Large. The Officers of the Major Association shall likewise be Officers of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may transact said business by mail or assemblage.

SECTION 2.

Notice of Board assembly shall be given in writing to the members of the Board of Directors THIRTY DAYS in advance of assemblage, stating the time, place and nature of the business to be handled. Meetings by phone or other electronic medium may be held with a 72-hour notice, provided that reasonable effort be made to contact every board member with the time and purpose of the meeting. At least 75% of the board shall be a quorum for such meetings.

SECTION 3.

A quorum of the Board for any duly announced assemblage shall consist of at least SIX MEMBERS; action taken by such meetings to be subject to confirmation by a TWO-THIRDS majority of the Board, either by acclamation or by mail expression.

SECTION 4.

The Board of Directors may delegate such matters as it may elect to Committees conveniently located for assemblage, such Committees not necessarily to be composed of the members of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 5.

The Board of Directors shall present such reports to the entire Association Membership and shall keep it duly informed concerning the general activities, including the finances of the Association; and shall provide for the auditing of the Association's books at the close of each fiscal year, and at such other times as the Board may deem it advisable.

SECTION 6.

The Board of Directors or Committees designated by it, shall serve as a supervisory Body over all activities of the Major Association and its Branches: reviewing, co-ordinating and editing all productions of the Association. All literature submitted for publication as tracts and leaflets shall be subject to approval of at least three-fourths of entire Board.

Article 7. Dissolution

In the event of contemplated dissolution of this Association its entire assets shall be liquidated; out of the proceeds of which all existing liabilities of the Association shall first be satisfied, and the entire remainder shall be invested in Bibles (complete Old and New Testaments) which shall, before dissolution, be distributed among various Institutions such as Hospitals, Prisons, Homes for the Aged, etc.; or turned over to the American Bible Society, or other similar organization as the Board may elect.

Article 8. Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the voting members of the Association, except as regards the declared Objects of the Association, which cannot be altered except by a vote of 80 per cent of the voting membership.

Article 9. Adoption of Constitution

The foregoing Articles, with their respective Sections and Parts, were adopted as the Constitution of The Bible Sabbath Association, by the charter members thereof, in the first General Election as of April 9, 1945 to May 9, 1945 by more than the required two-thirds approving votes received by the Organization Committee.

Revised August, 1974, 1991, May, 1999

BYLAWS

Article 1. Election of Officers

SECTION 1.

The initial set of Officers shall be elected by the Charter Members at the first Regular Election, and shall take office immediately. Thereafter, all Officers shall be elected by the Majority Association Membership at large, each Member to be entitled to ONE VOTE regardless of Membership classification. Regular elections shall be held in the third quarter of every fourth year, beginning in 1999, and officers shall take office immediately upon being declared duly elected.

SECTION 2.

The Officers of the Major Association shall be elected for terms of FOUR YEARS, said elections to be conducted on a single ballot at the Regular Quadrennial Election.

SECTION 3.

The regular quadrennial election shall be limited to voting for members of the Board. The ballot shall contain the names of all candidates, and each member may vote for a total of twelve candidates. The twelve nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected to the Board. The Board of Directors, meeting as soon as feasible by the most convenient method, shall then elect its own officers according to Constitution Article 5, Section 1.

Article 2. Action by the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall, either by correspondence or assemblage, promptly consider all matters pertaining to the activities of the Association referred to it by any one of the Regular Officers of the Association, by any one of the Directors at Large, by any of the Sectional branches, or by TEN PER CENT of the total Association Membership.

Article 3. Standing Committees

It being recognized that activities along any special line of Sabbath promotion must originate with those specially interested in that particular phase of the work, rather than through unguided appointment of Committees; each Member of the Association is, therefore, urged to consider the following tabulation of topics as subjects for extended and exhaustive study by Standing Committees, to submit to the Board of Directors all suggestions they may have for service along these or other lines in which they are especially interested, and to submit articles they have or may compile, and all available printed matter on the Sabbath or any phases thereof which may be suggestive of Association activities.

GROUP 1.

  The Sabbath as part of Creation.
 

  1. The Sabbath as a Memorial of Creation's Completion.
  2. Science and the Sabbath.

GROUP 2.

  The Sabbath in the God-Ordained Laws, in the Hebrew Legislation of the Biblical period and since the Dispersion.
 

  1. God's Law -- The Ten Commandments.
  2. The Noahide Laws.
  3. The Law of Moses -- The Jewish Ceremonial Laws.
  4. The Jewish Pharisaic, or Rabbinical Laws before the Dispersion.
  5. The Talmudic Laws.

GROUP 3.

  The Preservation of God's Sabbath Throughout the Ages:
 

  1. The World's Languages Prove the Universality of the Seventh Day Sabbath and preserve it unchanged.
  2. The Sabbath of Creation in Pre-Mosaic Times.
  3. The Sabbath in Israel's History.
  4. The Sabbath in the Customs and Teachings of Christ and His Apostles.
  5. The Sabbath Since New Testament Times.

GROUP 4.

  Spiritual Sabbathism.
 
GROUP 5.  Practical Sabbathism.
 

  1. The Sabbath as the reminder of the Greatness and Love of God.
  2. The Sabbath, the God-appointed time for Studying the application of the entire Law of God to Man's Daily Problems, for Individual and Collective, Economic and Social, World Betterment.
  3. The Sabbath as Hollowed Time for Spiritual and Moral Edification.
  4. The Sabbath as a Day for Worship and Fellowship Communion.
  5. Sabbath Observance, a Testimony to the World as to which God we Honor and Which God we Obey.
  6. Faithful Personal Observance in Accord with Christ's Example.
  7. The Sabbath as Regular Appointed Time for Surcease from Vocational Monotony and for Physical Rest.

GROUP 6.

  Opposition to God's Holy Sabbath and How to Meet It.
 

  1. The Futility of Attempts to Base Sunday-Observance on the Teachings or Practices of the Bible.
  2. The fallacy of the "Jewish Sabbath" Contention.
  3. The fallacy of the "Sabbath Being Changed" Contention.
  4. The fallacy of the "One in Seven" Theory.
  5. The fallacy of the "Indefinite-Sabbath" Theory.
  6. The fallacy of the "No-Sabbath" Theory.
  7. The Pagan Origin of Sunday.
  8. Pagan Sundayism Surviving in Christianity.
  9. Sundayism Surviving in Protestantism.
  10. The Inadequacy and Failure of Sundayism in Christianity.
  11. Sunday Religious Legislation, Past and Present.

GROUP 7.

  The Restoration of the Observance of God's Holy Day.
 

  1. Radio Broadcasts.
  2. Sabbath Books and Tracts.
  3. Pulpit and Platform Sabbath Presentation.
  4. Sabbath School Helps.
  5. The Training of Sabbath-keepers for Personal Contact and Field Work.
  6. Official Periodical of the Bible Sabbath Association.
  7. Free Distribution of Sabbath Literature.
  8. Selling Sabbath Publications.
  9. Vocations Normally Open to Sabbath-Keeper
  10. The Training of Sabbath-Keepers for Independent Vocational or Business Enterprises.
  11. Development of Projects for Employing Sabbath-Keepers.

Article 4. Appointment of Committees

SECTION 1.

Except as provided in Article 6, Section 4 of the Constitution, all Committees shall be appointed by the President from among the Association Membership as need develops and approved by a majority of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 2.

Special and Temporary Committees shall report their findings to the President, who shall have authority to dissolve said Committee when their work is completed, when deadlocks develop or when they ask to be dissolved, and report same to The Board of Directors.

SECTION 3.

Standing Committees shall report their findings to the Board of Directors, which Body shall have authority to dissolve Standing Committees by a majority assenting vote of the Board.

Vacancies in Standing Committees shall be filled by Presidential Appointment.

Article 5. Sectional Branches

SECTION 1.

Sectional Branches, with respect to geographical boundaries, shall comprise the respective States and Territories of the United States of America; the respective Provinces of the Dominion of Canada; and all countries having definite territorial boundaries under their respective Governments. Outside of the United States of America and its Territories and the Dominion of Canada, Sectional Branches shall be of a centralized nature which may establish branches within their own territorial limits operating under the supervision of the respective Centralized Sectional Branches.

SECTION 2.

Said Sectional Branches, when organized, shall establish themselves as working units contributing their efforts toward the advancement and success of the Association as a whole under the supervision of the Board of Directors.

Officers of Sectional Branches shall serve as a Liaison Committee between the respective Branches and the Board of Directors.

Article 6. Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended only by a two-thirds majority vote of the voting members of the Association.

Article 7. Adoption of Bylaws

The foregoing Articles, with their respective Sections and Parts, were adopted as the Bylaws of The Bible Sabbath Association, by the Charter Members thereof, in the First General Election as of April 9, 1945 to May 9, 1945, by more than the required two-thirds approving votes received by the Organization Committee.

Revised August, 1974, 1983, 1991, May, 1999