DBS Articles of Faith, Operation & Organization

As Adopted At The Organizational Meeting At Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 November 3-4, 1978 

Links to Articles:

I.  NAME

The name of this organization shall be THE DEAN BURGON SOCIETY, INCORPORATED (hereinafter referred to as "The Society"). This Society is not affiliated with or an auxiliary of any other organization, but rather is totally independent; however, we do seek fellowship with those of like precious faith.

II.  ARTICLES OF FAITH

Acknowledging the Bible to be the inerrant, infallible, plenarily and verbally inspired Word of God, among other equally Biblical truths, we believe and maintain the following:

    A.  THE BIBLE.
We believe in the plenary, verbal, Divine inspiration of the sixty-six canonical books of the Old and the New Testaments (from Genesis to Revelation) in the original languages, and in their consequent infallibility and inerrancy in all matters of which they speak (). The books known as the Apocrypha, however, are not the inspired Word of God in any sense whatsoever. As the Bible uses it, the term "inspiration" refers to the writings, not the writers (); the writers are spoken of as being "holy men of God" who were "moved," "carried" or "borne" along by the Holy Spirit () in such a definite way that their writings were supernaturally, plenarily, and verbally inspired, free from any error, infallible, and inerrant, as no other writings have ever been or ever will be inspired.

We believe that the Texts which are the closest to the original autographs of the Bible are the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text for the Old Testament, and the traditional Greek Text for the New Testament  underlying the King James Version (as found in "The Greek Text Underlying The English Authorized Version of 1611").

We, believe that the King James Version (or Authorized Version) of the English Bible is a true, faithful, and accurate translation of these two providentially preserved Texts, which in our time has no equal among all of the other English Translations. The translators did such a fine job in their translation task that we can without apology hold up the Authorized Version of 1611 and say "This is the WORD OF GOD!" while at the same time realizing that, in some verses, we must go back to the underlying original language Texts for complete clarity, and also compare Scripture with Scripture.

We believe that all the verses in the King James Version belong in the Old and the New Testaments because they represent words we believe were in the original texts, although there might be other renderings from the original languages which could also be acceptable to us today. For an exhaustive study of any of the words or verses in the Bible, we urge the student to return directly to the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Traditional Received Greek Text rather than to any other translation for help.

    B.  THE TRINITY.
We believe in the Deity, unity, equality, and eternality of the Triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy. Spirit. This Triune God is the One living and true God; everlasting, immutable, of infinite power, wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth; the Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and invisible; subsisting in Three Persons, of one substance, power, and eternity. The Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

We believe the ministries of the Holy Spirit during this age of Grace, among others, include the following: For the unsaved--restraining and convicting.  For the saved--regenerating, sealing, indwelling, filling, guiding into all truth, glorifying Christ, teaching, and showing things to come. We believe that the so-called "sign gifts" () of the Holy Spirit (such as tongues, prophecy, knowledge, etc.) ceased with the completion of the New Testament canon around 90 or 100 A.D. and are not present today ().

    C.  THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
We believe in the essential, absolute, eternal Deity; and the real and proper, but perfect and sinless, humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father, and when the fullness of time was come He took upon Him man's nature, with all the essential properties thereof, yet without sin, being conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance; so that the two whole, perfect and distinct natures, the Godhead and Manhood, were inseparably joined together in one Person, without conversion, composition, or confusion, Which Person is very God and very Man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.   The Lord Jesus Christ in His human nature thus united to the Divine, was sanctified, anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure; having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in Whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell; to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of Mediator and Surety.   Christ was made like unto us in all things, sin only excepted, from which He was clearly void, both in His flesh and in His spirit. He came to be the Lamb without spot, Who, by the sacrifice of Himself once made, takes away the sin of the world  (), and in Him is no sin (). But all the rest of us, although born again in Christ by faith, yet offend in many things; and if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ().

    D.  BIRTH OF CHRIST.
 We believe in Christ's miraculous virgin birth of Mary as the Bible clearly teaches.

    E.  THE DEATH OF CHRIST.
We believe in Christ's substitutionary, propitiatory,  expiatory, vicarious death, and in the atoning power of His redeeming blood. "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things . . . but with the precious blood of Christ. . . " ().

    F.  THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
We believe Christ did truly rise again from the dead; and took again His same body in which He was crucified, with flesh, bones, and all things appertaining to His resurrection body. In His resurrection body, He ascended into Heaven, and there sits on the right hand of God the Father, interceding for His own. He will return in this same body to fulfill all the Scriptures pertaining to the events surrounding His Second Coming and in power and great glory to judge men.

    G.  SALVATION.
We believe that salvation accomplished by Christ is experienced only through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit by the Word of God, not by works, but by God's sovereign grace through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour ().

    H.  HEAVEN AND HELL.
We believe in the everlasting bliss of the saved in the place called Heaven, and in the everlasting suffering of the lost in the place called Hell-fire.

    I.  SPIRITUAL UNITY.
We believe in the real spiritual unity in Christ of all redeemed by His precious blood.

    J.  PURITY OF THE CHURCH.
We believe in the necessity of maintaining, according to the Word of God, the purity of the local  churches in doctrine and life.

    K.  SEPARATION.
We believe in obedience to the Biblical commands to separate ourselves unto God and from worldliness, ecclesiastical apostasy, and "disorderly" brethren. ().

    L.  CREATION.
We believe in the Biblical account of the creation of the entire universe, angels, and man; that this account is neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God in six literal solar days without any evolutionary process, either naturalistic or theistic; that man was created by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, the first parents of the entire human race. ().

III.  PURPOSE AND OBJECT

    A.  THE PURPOSE.  The purpose of this Society is to serve as a tax-exempt, non-profit, religious corporation through which individual donors and contributing congregations may cooperate in furthering the work and ministry pertaining to the Bible which men like Dean John William Burgon (1813-1888) of England began during his life as enumerated in "The Object" which follows.

    B.  THE OBJECT. In fulfilling the  above-stated purpose, the following objectives, among others, constitute our object:

1.  To re-print and circulate as widely as possible John Burgon's works, such as: (a) The Last Twelve Verses of Mark; (b) The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels; (c) The Revision Revised; (d) The Causes of the Corruption of the Traditional Text; (e) A Guide To The Textual Criticism of the New Testament;  (f) The Inspiration and Interpretation of the Scriptures; (g) Burgon's Letters To Scrivener; and others.

2.  To collate, publish, and circulate as widely as possible Burgon's Index to The Church Fathers' Quotations of the New Testament.

3.  To defend the Traditional Masoretic  Hebrew Text of the Old Testament which underlies, the King James Version.

4.  To defend the Traditional Received Greek Text of the New Testament which underlies the King James Version (such as is found in The Greek Text Underlying The English Authorized Version of 1611).

5.  To defend the Traditional English Translation of the Bible - the King James Version (or Authorized Version) as a true, faithful, and accurate translation from the underlying original Texts which have been providentially preserved for us, which Translation has no equal in our time among all of the other English "Translations".

6.  To expose and publicize the  defects, deficiencies, errors, and mistakes both in the Texts used and in the Translation process and results of any and all modem translations of the Bible, whether in English, or in other languages, which are NOT based on the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text and Traditional Received Greek Text which underlie the King James Version.

7.  To analyze carefully and critically the "Revised Textus Receptus" Greek Text (and the "New King James Version" translated from it) prepared by Professor Zane Hodges and others and published by Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers, suggesting about 1,000 changes in the Traditional Received Greek Text which underlies the King James Version, and to reply thereto. Further, it shall be our purpose to keep abreast of future bibliographic offerings in order to criticize and warn against those deviating from the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Traditional Received Greek Text which underlie the King James Version.

8.  To revive interest in the firsthand study of the Hebrew and Greek Texts of the Bible by such means as:

(a)  The sale and distribution of Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text  which underlies the King James Version of the Old Testament, and of Traditional Received Greek Text which underlies the King James Version of the New Testament.

(b)  The sale and distribution of Hebrew and Greek concordances, lexicons, and grammars, to enable the students to understand better these languages of the Bible.

(c)  The sale and distribution of books, articles, magazines, and other materials which defend the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text, the Traditional Received Greek Text, and the King James Version, giving sound reasons why these Texts and this Version should be accepted as the best.

9.  To acquire, print, sell, and distribute other sound books by the scholars who lived around the time of Dean John William Burgon who defended the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text, the Traditional Received Greek Text, and the King James Version, as well as by more recent writers who make contributions to this field of knowledge.

10.  To acquire, sell, and distribute English Scriptures in the King James Version, and translations in other languages which are based solely and exclusively on the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Traditional Received Greek Text which underlie the King James Version.

11.  To encourage articles, research, books, and other materials devoted to the study of the history, canon, text, authority, inspiration, and translation of the Bible.

12.  To inform believers about the danger of using and recommending Bibles which, while claiming to be the King James Version, actually make changes in the text, such as the New Scofield Reference Bible, The King James--II, The Open Bible, and others; and to encourage the most careful scrutiny of Bibles published in languages other than English which deviate from the Traditional Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Traditional Received Greek Text which underlie the King James Version.

13.  To organize, write, edit, publish, and circulate widely a "NEWSLETTER" which will concentrate on the various objectives of the Society listed above and those additional objectives which might be determined from time to time.

IV.  MEMBERSHIP

The members of this Society shall consist of those who acknowledge in writing annually their belief in and acceptance of the "ARTICLES OF FAITH, OPERATION. AND ORGANIZATION" of the Society, and who unite to support the Society by contributing at least $15.00 annually.  Each member of THE DEAN BURGON SOCIETY, INCORPORATED shall state in writing annually his agreement with the "ARTICLES OF FAITH, OPERATION, AND ORGANIZATION" of the Society. The Executive Committee shall pass on the qualifications for membership, and shall keep a register of current and former members. No names or addresses of present or former members of the Society shall be released to anyone either by other individual members of the Society or by any of the Society's officers without the member's written permission to do so having been on file in the Society's office.

V.   OFFICERS AND ADMINISTRATION

    A.  TITLED OFFICERS.   The Titled  Officers of this Society shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, and a Secretary, all of whom shall be members in good standing of the Society, and shall be considered as full members of the Executive Committee.

1.  Appointment. The Titled Officers for the coming year shall be appointed by the other members of the Executive Committee after it has been elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, and shall serve until their successors have been appointed.

2.  Duties. The Treasurer shall pay the bills of the Society by check after they have been approved by the President for payment. The duties of the Titled Officers are those commonly performed by such officers except where otherwise stated herein. They are authorized to administer the receiving and disbursing of funds in keeping with the purposes of the Society, and with the approval of the Executive Committee.

    B.  Executive Committee Officers.  The Executive Committee shall consist of the Titled Officers plus a maximum of fourteen additional Executive Committee Officers, including both ministers of the gospel and laymen.  The Committee may appoint an Advisory Council from various areas of the world to give counsel to the Committee. The qualifications for the  Council nominees shall be the same as those for the Committee.

1.  Election.   The additional members of the Executive Committee shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of the Society, and shall serve until their successors have been elected. Voting will be limited to members in good standing of the Society, and shall require a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting for election. Voting shall be by written ballot.

 2.  Duties:

 a. General. The Executive  Committee shall function for the Society in intervals between its Annual General Meeting, and shall be charged generally with the management of the affairs of the Society.  Its actions are subject to review by the Society at the Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee shall have the power to call Special General meetings of the Society as it deems necessary.

 b. In Property Matters. The Executive Committee shall elect from their number three or more Trustees who will be authorized to receive, hold, buy, or sell: property, investments, securities, bequests, or the like, on behalf of and in the name of THE DEAN BURGON SOCIETY, INCORPORATED.  In any  transaction involving property owned by THE DEAN BURGON SOCIETY, INCORPORATED, and particularly the sale or transfer of the same, the recommendation of the Trustees shall be passed on to all members of the Executive Committee in writing at least one month before the next planned meeting of the Executive Committee.  It will be urged that those who are unable to be present should record their vote in writing. At least a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee as a whole is required to approve this transaction.  The Trustees shall perform any other duties necessary to their office as required by State or Federal laws pertaining thereto.  Trustees shall remain in office only during such time as they are members of the Executive Committee.

c.  Appointments.  No person may be appointed to the position of a Secretary, Business Manager, or other similar salaried position of the Society unless the appointment shall have been approved by two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee present at a regular meeting, and that notice of the proposed appointment shall have been given upon the agenda of the meeting immediately prior to the one upon which the vote is to be taken.

d.  Other Duties. The Executive Committee shall fill any vacancies in their own number, in the interval between the Annual General Meetings. The Executive Committee shall appoint all Titled Officers of the Society at the time of the Annual General Meeting to serve for one year, and shall determine their responsibilities and salaries.

3.  Meetings. The Executive Committee shall meet semi-annually, or as business may require.  Four members shall constitute a quorum.

4.  Nomination Responsibilities.  The Executive Committee shall appoint a Nominating Committee from among their number, at one of their regular meetings, and all nominations both for Titled Officers and the other Executive Committee Officers must be made by the Nominating Committee.

a.  Procedure.  Nominations submitted in writing will be received by the Nominating Committee from members of the Society, and will be acted upon by this committee from members of the Society, and will be acted upon by this committee. Nominations must be received by the Nominating Committee at least three months prior to the Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee as a whole shall review the nominations submitted by the Nominating Committee to be sure that all nominees are in all respects qualified, and shall be able to make further nominations as might be needed or thought wise.

b.  Qualifications For  Nominees.  The status of nominees for Titled Officers and for the other Executive Committee Officers, shall be determined by the Executive Committee, in line with the following considerations:

(1)  Full agreement with the "ARTICLES OF FAITH, OPERATION, AND ORGANIZATION" of the Society, as indicated in writing annually and in practice.

(2) Membership fees paid to date.

(3)  Evidence that the Nominee understands and agrees with the principles and work of the Society and endeavors to promote the work in his area.

(4)  Evidence that the nominee is in sympathy with, and will have fellowship with only those Christian movements and organizations whose leaders and/or sponsors are not connected in any way with religious apostasy.

VI.  FINANCES

    A.  Receipts.  Contributions designated for THE DEAN BURGON SOCIETY, INCORPORATED will be acknowledged by a tax-deductible, numbered receipt, and such income will be disbursed under the direction and control of the Executive Committee in accordance with the "ARTICLES OF FAITH, OPERATION, AND ORGANIZATION" of the Society.

    B.  General Fund.  All income received and acknowledged by tax deductible numbered receipts shall be placed in the General Fund of THE DEAN BURGON SOCIETY, INCORPORATED in a bank account maintained in the U.S.A. for this purpose.  Office expenses, staff salaries, traveling expenses, and other expenses incurred in the work of the Society shall be paid from this fund.

    C.  Annual Audit.  The accounts of the Society shall be audited annually by a professional accountant, to be selected by the Executive Committee.

VII.   PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

In all matters pertaining to parliamentary procedures which are not covered in these "ARTICLES OF FAITH, OPERATION, AND  ORGANIZATION" of the Society, the recommendations and procedures suggested in the latest edition of ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER shall be followed by the Society.  The President shall have such a copy of Robert's Rules with him at each meeting, or shall appoint a Parliamentarian to assist him in this work.

VIII.  MEETINGS

    A.  Annual General Meeting.  An Annual General Meeting of this Society shall be held. At this time, the proceedings of the foregoing year shall be reported, the audited accounts presented, the Executive Committee chosen for the coming year, and any other business that may come before the Society handled. Only members of the Society in good standing shall have the right to speak or vote in the business of such meetings.  A quorum shall consist of those members in good standing who are present at any duly called Annual or Special General Meeting.

    B.  Special General Meetings. The Executive Committee shall have the power to call Special General Meetings of the Society as they may deem necessary. Fifty members shall also be able to call a Special General Meeting of the Society. Upon their signing and delivering a written requisition to the Executive Committee, specifying the nature of the business or the occasion for such meeting, the Executive Committee shall call a Special General Meeting of the Society, giving not less than a twenty-one day notice thereof, by written notice to present members of the Society in good standing. Only members of the Society in good standing shall have the right to speak or vote in the business of such meetings.

    C.  Other Meetings. Other public meetings to promote the work of the Society may be held at such times and places as the Executive Committee shall consider desirable.

    D.  Agenda.  All meetings of the Society shall be convened by the Executive Committee or at the call of the President with an agenda prepared by the President and Secretary.

IX.  PRAYER AND PRAISE

This Society, acknowledging the weakness, ignorance, and helplessness of man, deems it a duty to express its entire dependence upon the blessings of the Triune God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in its "work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope," () by offering up prayer. and praise at all of its meetings. 

X.  TAX EXEMPT PROVISIONS AND THE DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY  

    A.  Tax Exempt Provisions. This Society is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and/or religious purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).  The Executive Committee shall appoint a Canadian Board of Directors, consisting of two Canadians and one resident of the U.S.A. who will apply to the Department of National Revenue for registration as a tax-exempt organization. The Canadian Board of directors shall meet at least once per year in Canada. They shall promote the work of the society in Canada and see to it that Canadian funds receive tax exempt status, and are forwarded to the U.S.A. office.

    B.  Dissolution Of The Society.  Upon the dissolution of the Society, the Executive Committee shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Society, dispose of all of the assets of the Society exclusively for the purposes of the Society in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized as shall at that time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), in order to carry out the purposes of THE DEAN BURGON SOCIETY, INCORPORATED as the Executive  Committee shall determine.  

XI.  AMENDMENTS

None of the "ARTICLES OF FAITH, OPERATION, AND ORGANIZATION" of this  Society shall be repealed or altered, or any new article established, except at the Annual General Meeting, or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose, for which sixty days notice in writing to the members in good standing shall be given, together with the wording of the proposed changes. Any alteration or addition will require at least a three-fourths affirmative vote of the members present and voting at such a meeting.  Voting shall be by written ballot on any amendments.