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SOCIETY FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF RELIGION
Report of the Twelfth Meeting, Men's Faculty Club, Columbia University, New York
April 21, 1956

MINUTES OF THE BUSINESS MEETING

The meeting was convened at 11:30 with Pres. Richard V. McCann in the chair. The minutes of the 11th Meeting, as previously reported to the Society by mail, were approved. The Treasurer reported a balance of $182.48 in the Treasury.

The Secretary reported that the list of applications for membership, dated March 13.. 1956, and previously circulated among members, had been approved by the Executive Committee. This action was ratified.

Thanks was voted to the Program Committee for the 12th Meeting consisting of Charles Y. Glock, Chairman; Horace L. Friess, and Marshall Sklare.

There was a discussion of possible topics for future meetings including the following suggestions:
How religion can help psychiatry
Cultural anthropology and religion
Religion and economic behavior
Religion and criminal behavior
Validity of religious experience in the light of recent research (including ESP)
The science of science in relation to religion Religion and social classes
Religion as a force for personal and social reconstruction Religion and social control
Religion and social change

The Executive Committee was empowered to fix the date for the Fall Meeting and implement the program. This was done at a meeting later in the day as follows.

FALL MEETING The 13th meeting will be held at Harvard University on Saturday, November 10, 1956. The subject is expected to be Anthropology and Religion, the committee in charge of arrangements being Richard V. McCann, Chairman, Ralph W. Burhoe., and others whom the Chairman may see fit to appoint. Those who would like to propose papers., preferably of an empirical nature, should send three copies of abstracts of not more than 300 words to Ralph W. Burhoe., American Academy of Arts and Sciences., 77 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge 39) Massachusetts., by September 30., 1956.

Walter Houston Clark, Secretary
Hartford Seminary Foundation
55 Elizabeth Street
Hartford 5s Connecticut
________________________________________________________________ Society for the Scientific Study of Religion
Minutes of the Thirteenth Meeting, Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 8, 1956

The meeting was called to order by President McCann at 2:00 P.M.

THE QUESTION OF A JOURNAL
Prof. J. Paul Williams, who had been appointed by the Council to make investigations concerning a publications outlet for some of the proceedings of the Society, reported that the most favorable possibility at the moment seemed to lie in negotiations with the Review of Religion, which has expressed willingness to give space to the Society under certain conditions. If so, a subscription would be included in membership and dues would be raised probably to $4 or $5 a year. Prof. Williams was named chairman of a committee comprising also Dr. Chas. Y. Glock and Mr. Ralph W. Burhoe to carry on negotiations with the Editor, Prof. Horace L. Friess of Columbia University, and report to the Society. An informal poll showed the great majority of those present in favor of this move in principle and willing to pay an increased amount in membership fees to receive the Review. Other members are urged to inform the Secretary of their reactions to this move on the enclosed postal card.

At this point, the meeting was adjourned until after the afternoon program and reconvened at 5:30 P.M.

TREASURER'S REPORT
The treasurer's report showed receipts of $303.20 including $195.00 in dues since April 20, 1956; expenditures of $303.78 and a balance in the bank of $181.90. Those who have not paid $2 in dues for 1956 are urged to send those to the Secretary.

CONSTITUTION
Mr. Burhoe presented the proposed Constitution which, following some minor changes, was adopted by the membership. A copy is attached to these minutes.

COUNCIL
Mr. Ralph W. Burhoe, Executive Secretary of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Charles Y. Glock, Director of the Bureaus of Applied Social Research of Columbia University, were elected as members of the Council for three year terms.

SPRING MEETING AND CALL FOR PAPERS
The Spring Meeting is to be held in New York City, on Saturday, April 13th. Those who would like to propose 12 minute papers on empirical research or theory in the field of the scientific study of religion should send abstracts of NOT MORE THAN 300 WORDS in triplicate to the chairman of the Planning Committee, Dr. Werner Wolff, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., BEFORE MARCH 10.

Respectfully submitted,
Walter Houston Clark, Secretary
Hartford School of Religious Education
Hartford 5, Conn.