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Rules and Regulations originally prepared for Associations.

have been suggested by experience are interwoven with this detail, which is now submitted, under a hope that it will be found applicable, either wholly or in part, to every place wherein it may be deemed expedient to form a GENTLEMEN'S

BIBLE ASSOCIATION.

SECTION II.

RULES AND REGULATIONS.

1. The following are the Rules recommended by the Parent Committee for adoption, at meetings convened to establish Bible Associations :

I. That an Association be formed for the purpose of contributing toward the circulation of the holy scriptures without note or comment, particularly among the poor of this neighbourhood; and that it be denominated the Bible Association of

II. That every Member of this Association subscribe not less than one penny a week: the contributions to be payable quarterly, monthly, or weekly, at the option of the subscribers.

III. That for every twenty-four members, the Committee appoint a gratuitous collector, (or that office may be filled by the subscribers in rotation, each for a certain period,) to receive the contributions, who shall pay the same to the treasurer early in every month.

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IV. That the business of the Association be under the management of a Treasurer, a Secretary, and a Committee, consisting of other Members; and that the Treasurer, Secretary, and three-fourths of the other Members, who have most frequently attended the Committee, shall be eligible for the ensuing year.

V. That the Committee meet once every month, or oftener, on some day to be fixed by themselves; and that should form a quorum.

VI. That the Committee divide this neighbourhood into districts, and appoint a Sub-Committee for each district, for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions from the inhabitants thereof.

VII. That the Committee shall make it their business to inquire whether any families or individuals residing within its sphere, are in want of Bibles or Testaments, and unable to procure them; in which case it shall be the duty of the Committee to furnish them therewith at prime cost, or reduced prices, according to their circumstances.

VIII. That the funds of this Association, or so much thereof as the Committee shall direct, whether arising from subscriptions, donations, or the sale of Bibles or Testaments, at prime cost or reduced prices, shall from time to time be expended in the purchase of Bibles and Testaments at prime cost, to be given or sold among the poor of this neighbourhood, as before directed; and that the remainder of such funds shall be remitted to the Auxiliary Bible Society at or the Branch Bible Society at in aid of its benevolent designs. IX. That application be made by the Committee to the Auxiliary Bible Society at -, or to the Branch Bible Society at mission to lay out the funds of this Association, in purchasing, at the depository of the said Society, Bibles and Testaments at the cost prices. X. That a General Meeting of the subscribers be held at

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in each year; when the accounts (as audited by the Committee

Regulations recommended for adoption at the formation of Bible Associations.

shall be presented, the proceedings of the past year reported, and a treacommittee-men, appointed. surer, secretary, and

XI. That

be Treasurer,

Members of the Committee for the year ensuing.

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Secretary, and

XII. That subscriptions and donations be now entered into; and that they be also received by the treasurer, secretary, and the members of the Committee.

2. When these regulations were originally issued, they appeared to their benevolent projector and to the Parent Committee fully adequate to the end designed; nor could any consideration short of that derived from experience justify the suggestion of any material alteration in their provisions. It may however be safely asserted, that the Third Rule involves two principles, the advantages of which, in their practical tendency, are more than questionable-that of a personal, and consequently uncertain sphere of exertion, instead of a local and defined district,—and the employment of individuals, as collectors, who are not members of the Committee. Nor is the last clause of the same Rule less objectionable; the inexpediency of any payments to the treasurer, except in Besides the omission Committee, being sufficiently obvious.

of this Rule, several alterations, principally with a view to greater perspicuity, were adopted in Southwark; all the other leading provisions, and even the phraseology of the regulations issued by the Parent Committee, being studiously preserved. The reader, who collates the following Code with that already given under the preceding division of the section, will appreciate the very few discrepances, and make his election accordingly.

RESOLUTIONS recommended for adoption at Meetings assembled for the Formation of BIBLE ASSOCIATIONS.

At a Meeting of several friends to the British and Foreign Bible Society: in the Chair:

RESOLVED,

I. That we form ourselves into an Association in connexion with the British and Foreign Bible Society, through the medium of the Auxiliary (or Branch) Bible Society, for the purpose of contributing tdwards the circulation of the holy scriptures without note or comment, particularly among the poor of this neighbourhood; and that it be denominated the Bible Association of

II. That every person subscribing not less than one penny a week, or making a donation of one guinea or upwards at one time, shall be a member of this Association. The contributions to be paid annually, quarterly, monthly, or weekly, at the option of the subscriber.

When a Bible Association is formed where no Auxiliary or Branch Society exists, the first part of the resolution should conclude thus:-“in connexion with the British and Foreign Bible Society."

Regulations recommended for adoption at the formation of Bible Associations.

III. That the business of the Association be under the management of a president, treasurer, three secretaries, and a committee, consisting of not less than other members, eligible for re-election; and under the patronage of such other honorary members as the society or committee shall select and obtain.

IV. That the Committee shall meet once every month, or oftener, on some day to be fixed by themselves; and that five shall be a quorum.

V. That the Committee divide this neighbourhood into districts, and appoint collectors from among their own members for each district, for the purpose of soliciting and collecting donations and subscriptions; and that these contributions be paid to the treasurer, at the Monthly Committee Meetings.

VI. That the Committee shall make it their business to inquire whether any families or individuals residing within its sphere are in want of Bibles and Testaments, and unable to procure them; in which case it shall be the duty of the Committee to furnish them therewith, at prime cost, reduced prices, or gratuitously, according to their circumstances.

VII. That the funds of this Association, or so much of them as the Committee shall direct, whether arising from subscriptions, donations, or the sale of Bibles and Testaments, shall from time to time be expended in the purchase of Bibles and Testaments at prime cost, to be sold or given among the poor of this neighbourhood, as before directed, until they shall be adequately supplied with the holy scriptures; in which case, the amount of future subscriptions and donations shall be remitted to the

Auxi

liary (or Branch) Bible Society, in aid of the general object of the British and Foreigh Bible Society.

VIII. That
IX. That

be president of this Association. be treasurer,

secretaries, and the following gentlemen members of the Committee for the year ensuing, with power to add to their number :

[Here follow the names.]

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X. That a general meeting of the subscribers be held on the -in each year, when the accounts (as audited by the Committee) shall be presented, the proceedings of the past year reported, and a treasurer, secretaries, and committee-men appointed.

XI. That a copy of these Resolutions, signed by the president, be sent to the Committee of the Auxiliary (or Branch) Bible Society, with a request that permission be granted to lay out the funds of this Association in purchasing, at the depository of the said society, Bibles and Testaments at the cost prices.

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Many of the remarks which have already been made on the Rules of an Auxiliary Society (see Chap. II. Section II. Third Division) will be found equally applicable to those of a Bible Association: but there are some peculiarities in the nature and constitution of the latter, which require distinct consideration. As a society should never retain any rule which is not carried into effect, so the practical meaning and tendency of every regulation should be fully and clearly understood by those who are appointed to conduct the business of the institution.

Observations on the general Rules.—Extent of an Association.

1. Few circumstances connected with this subject are more important than the extent of the proposed Association. As a general rule, it may be safely recommended, that the district should not include a population exceeding ten or twelve thousand; but local considerations will, necessarily, induce many exceptions. There is reason to fear, that in many places, and especially in the metropolis, the districts embraced by existing Associations are too extensive to be regularly visited: parochial boundaries have usually governed the allotment; and where parishes are of moderate size, it is difficult to conceive a more definite and correct line; but when the extent or population exceeds a certain limit, the parish may be advantageously divided, as in the case of Lambeth and Rotherhithe in connexion with the Southwark Society. When parishes are unusually small, and do not supply, separately, a sufficient number of collectors, they may be beneficially united; a measure of which the same extensive district furnishes more than one example.

II. The First Rule contains a distinct recognition of the single object of the institution, which should always be kept steadily in view. In addition to many preceding remarks on this important subject, it may not be altogether unnecessary to observe, that the circulation of "notes and comments" in a detached form is equally a violation of the great principle of the society, as if they were bound up with the Bible.

II. It is extremely desirable, especially in the commencement of an Association, that the greatest caution be exercised in the selection of the Officers and Committee. Gentlemen who possess local information can here render very essential service, by their advice and recommendations. It will be perceived that the Third Rule does not enjoin any limitation to the number of the Committee, while it enables the members to secure the valuable services of active and prudent individuals. In reference to the Fourth Rule it should be observed, that the Quorum should be considered as exclusive of the Officers.

IV. The disadvantages of large Associations will be practically felt, in complying with the provision of the Fifth Rule. If the entire district be extensive, its sub-divisions must be proportionally dilated; and thus the design of the establishment will, in degree, be defeated. The active members of Bible Associations are, generally, selected from that class of society to which the value of time is best known; and if the

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No Collector should be employed who is not a Member of the Committee.

portion required by their new and interesting engagement be greater than they can, with perfect convenience, spare from their more immediate duties, it is evident that the latter must be neglected :-on the other hand, the weekly hour reserved for the Association will be found insufficient if. the district be extensive, and consequently the interests of the society must suffer. In all these arrangements, much will depend on local circumstances; but experience has proved the inexpediency of including more than one hundred houses in any one district: and perhaps the important purpose in view would be more fully answered, especially in Country Associations, if they were reduced to a moiety of this number. With regard to the last clause of this Rule, the injudicious practice of employing any individuals as Collectors who are not members of the Committee, has been already adverted to, and cannot be too strongly deprecated:-every Collector of a Bible Association should be a member of the Committee; and, if possible, every member should be a Collector. The practical import of this and other regulations will be more fully explained in the next section, which treats of the By-Laws ;-and the duties of Collectors, in reference to the Sixth Rule, will be brought under view, in one connected series, in Chap. VIII.

v. The twofold object of the Association is distinctly recognised in the Seventh Rule.-The first duty is the home supply; but in proportion as this is discharged, the interest in the general object, and the desire to co-operate in its attainment, will extend. It is one of the most happy effects of Bible Associations, that they excite and foster a spirit of Christian benevolence :-the heart, expanding under the sacred influence, soars beyond the narrow confines of its former habits: the blessings diffused within the limited sphere of immediate duty cannot satisfy its desires: these take a wider range: the eternal happiness of all mankind becomes their object; and they long to "take the wings of the morning, and fly to the uttermost parts of the earth." The feeling thus excited in the mind may be compared to the pebble cast into the untroubled ocean; the first circles that it produces are seen and marked, but they increase in number and in magnitude till they are lost in the boundless expanse.

VI. The observations which have been submitted on the subject of General Meetings in the preceding Chapters, will be found to apply generally; and such further remarks as ap

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