Observations on the TREASURER'S Book. The various Books and Papers used by the Collectors and Secretaries having been described, it remains to consider those that appertain to the office of TREASURER of a Bible Association. NO. XXII.-TREASURER'S BOOK. 1. This Book is of the same size with the "Loan Fund Book." The Debtor side of the SPECIMEN occupies one page, and the Creditor side the opposite. It will be evident that this account is similar to that in the "CASH BOOK" (See No. xv. Second Specimen); except that the Treasurer enters the Monthly Receipts as one sum; whereas the Cash Secretary, as the official accountant of the Association, enters the Free Contributions and Bible Subscriptions separately. II. The Treasurer will find advantage in entering the Receipts when the money is paid by the Cash Secretary, and the Payments immediately after they are made. And, as she never pays any money on account of the Association until she receives a copy of the Resolution which authorises it, she will find it convenient for reference to indorse and number these Resolutions; which are produced, as vouchers, at the end of the year, when the accounts are audited. III. In some few Associations, the Treasurer's account is more complicated, and includes a statement of the amount of Bibles and Testaments received from the Auxiliary (or Branch) Society, or Ladies' Branch Society: but this is manifestly incorrect and unnecessary, as the "CASH BOOK" is the regular and proper register of all such statements; and, by dividing the simple duties of the Cash Secretary, an increased risk of incorrectness is incurred. IV. In many Associations the Treasurer presents a Monthly Report to the Committee, detailing the state of the funds. This duty, however, devolves with greater propriety on the Cash Secretary, whose Monthly Statement (See No. XVII.) supersedes the necessity of any other; while the Treasurer's signature to that document recognises the accuracy of the entries that refer to her account.-The office of TREASURER involves a general superintendence, rather than an attention to minor details. 1. D. 1819. Specimen of the TREASURER'S BOOK. SPECIMEN OF THE Treasurer's Book. The Charles' Ladies' Bible Association. £. 8. d. 1819. C. 1. £. s. d. 11 July To Payment to Branch 30. 0.0 10 July By Cash Secretary 40. 7.6 17 December, 1819, Called over with the Cash Book and Vouchers, and found correct. Report presented to the Ladies' Branch. The various Books and Papers which relate to the internal management of a Bible Association, however connected, having been fully described and explained, this appears to be the most suitable place for considering those important Reports, which exhibit, in a condensed form, the results of the Association, and its actual state, to the Society with which it is more intimately connected. These Reports are, at present, confined exclusively to Associations in connexion with Ladies' Branch Societies: but the advantages resulting from them have so far surpassed the author's anticipations, that he ventures to submit to the consideration of the Committees of Auxiliary and Branch Societies, generally, the propriety of a similar regulation. It is true, the Committees of well-organized Bible Societies are divided into District Committees ; which are respectively charged with the duty of reporting, periodically, the actual state of the Associations in their district. But however executive these District Committees may be (and the author would rejoice to bear testimony to their increased diligence), it will readily be acknowledged, that the officers of an Association are better qualified to present a correct and impartial statement of their proceedings. Nor would the benefits derivable from this extension of the plan be confined to the Associations:-an interest, arising from local circumstances, would thus be given to the Committees of Auxiliary and Branch Societies; and, while the "Monthly Extracts of Correspondence" excited their gratitude, and animated their Christian hopes, they would not turn from these domestic details; nor The presumed advantage of bringing all the duties which may appertain to, the officers of an Association under one connected and uninterrupted view, will sufficiently account for the introduction of the two following Reports here, rather than under the head of "Ladies' Branch Societies." Observations on the TREASURER'S MONTHLY REPORT. NO. XXIII. TREASURER'S MONTHLY REPORT TO THE 1. This Report is printed on a half sheet of "post" paper. The title of the Association, and that of the Society, are inserted by the Treasurer; and the Returns are filled in by the TREASURER and CASH SECRETARY jointly. 11. It will be perceived that this is a Monthly Compendium of all the pecuniary accounts of the Association, abstracted from the "Cash Book." The Specimen selected, being a transcript of the Report presented to the Committee-meeting immediately preceding the Annual Meeting, it will be observed (under the fourth and fifth heads), that neither the Ladies' Branch nor the Treasurer had any balance remaining in hand; a circumstance which only occurs annually, when the accounts are closed for the General Meeting. The similarity of the sums reported, respectively, under the heads 6 and 7, 8 and 9, and 10 and 11, has been already accounted for, on the ground of the recent establishment of this Association. In every subsequent Report, it is obvious that this will not be the case. III. It is the practice in some places to include part of these returns in the Report from the District Committee (No. XXIV.): but the author submits the plan now recommended, as an improvement, not only as being more simple than the other, but as exhibiting a summary of the accounts in one paper instead of two, and as falling more immediately within the province of the Treasurer and Cash Secretary. By this arrangement another important advantage is gained, as it affords the District Committees greater space and opportunity for those interesting details which render their Reports so peculiarly valuable. Specimen of the TREASURER'S MONTHLY REPORT. SPECIMEN OF THE TREASURER'S MONTHLY REPORT TO THE LADIES' BRANCH SOCIETY. LADIES' BRANCH OF THE Plymouth, Plymouth Dock, and Stonehouse, &c. AUXILIARY BIBLE SOCIETY. MONTHLY REPORT OF the TREASURER of the Charles' Association. Presented 28th of December, 1819. 1. RECEIVED from the Collectors at the last Committee, 2. Balance in the Treasurer's hands, as reported last Month Total to account for 3. PAID since the last Monthly Report, To Ladies' Branch, per Vote of Committee .... 0.0 16.9.9 1. 13 9 9166 5. 6 18. 3. 6 4. Balance now in the Treasurer's hands. . 5. Balance now due to the Association by the Ladies' Branch 8. Amount paid to the Ladies' Branch since the last Annual Meeting, For Bibles and Testaments. 181. 11. 6 For General Object. 9. Total amount paid to the Ladies' Branch since the establishment, For Bibles and Testaments. 81. 11. 6 For General Object.. 10. Amount of Incidental Expenses since the last Annual Meeting. 11. Total amount of ditto since the establishment |