A clear Explanation of the System should be given.

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1. The business should be opened by a Gentleman who is fectly acquainted with the subject, and competent to explain the pature and design of the proposed institution. Many benevolent Ladies are deterred from offering their services on these occasions, under an apprehension that the duties are arduous, and the time required to fulfil them more than they can spare,-who would cheerfully unite if they understood the simple nature of those duties, and how small the sacrifice of time really is. It is therefore of importance that this, and every other difficulty, should be obviated, and any doubts satisfactorily removed. As the meeting may be considered of a select description, an opportunity is afforded for friendly discussion; and the Ladies should be invited to make any inquiries that may lead to a more perfect knowledge of the system.

II. The Gentleman who moves the First Resolution, should take a concise but clear review of the object and intention of each particular regulation. It is vain to hope, that rules which are not fully understood will be strictly obeyed and as this code contains no provision which has not been found necessary, every requisite explanation of their practical tendency and effects should be given in this stage of the proceedings.

III. If suitable Ladies have not previously signified their consent to accept the honorary offices of Patroness, President, &c., the Second Resolution may be so expressed as to convey an invitation to those who are selected; or the choice may be left to the future decision of the Committee, and the word "further," at the close of the minute, be omitted. In the appointment of Treasurer and Secretaries, the remarks, submitted in the preceding chapters may afford some useful suggestions.

It should be observed, that in Associations connected with a Ladies' Branch Society, no honorary officers but Presidents are elected; the List of Patronage being considered applicable to all the united Associations.

IV. The preceding observation, No. 11., is equally applicable to the gentleman who moves the Third Resolution. As it is the peculiar property of the By-Laws, to point out the manner in which the Rules of the Society shall be carried into effect, they cannot be too clearly illustrated. For this purpose, specimens of the various books, papers, &c., should be exhibited, and their several uses explained; and every apparent difficulty should be met by a clear and explicit statement of the mode of proceeding adopted in other places. If there be not sufficient time to enter into those important and highly necessary details, the discussion of the third and fourth Resolutions may be deferred to the first meeting of the Committee. It will, however, be most expedient to adopt them at this primary meeting, not only to enable the Secretaries to make the necessary arrangements without delay, but to give the ladies present a clear and uninterrupted view of the whole subject.

}

v. It will be found highly conducive to the interests of the Asso

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Proceedings at the First Meeting of the Committee.

ciation, if the gentlemen who take the lead in its establishment meet the Treasurer and Secretaries immediately, after the meeting, in order to give them such hints and instructions, relative to their respective duties, as may appear necessary. At this interview, if not previously arranged, the Secretaries may select their several departments, and adopt measures for complying with the provisions of the Fourth Resolution, which should be carried into effect with the least possible delay.

VI. The time appointed for the first meeting of the Committee,* according to the Fifth Resolution, will generally depend on the convenience of the gentlemen who attend on behalf of the Parent or Auxiliary Society, and whose presence will be found highly beneficial, until the Association is completely organized. It will save considerable time, if the Secretaries, assisted by gentlemen who possess local information, prepare a list of suitable districts before the first meeting of the Committee, when any requisite alteration may be easily made. The Minute Secretary should send an official notice to every member; and the company of any other ladies who may feel disposed to join the Committee should be solicited. The Cash and Bible Secretaries should see that a suitable place is engaged for the Committee Meeting.

5. The following transcript of the Proceedings at the First Committee Meeting of a Bible Association, with the observations subjoined, will convey a clear idea of the mode of organization :

At the First Meeting of the Committee, held at the National School Room, 22d September, 1817;

PRESENT,

Mrs. H., President, in the Chair.

Messrs. A. B., C. D., and E. F., Visitors;

and the following Members of the Committee.

(Here follow the Names.)

The Resolutions of the General Meeting having been read,

1. RESOLVED, That the duties of the Secretaries be thus defined :

Miss B. A. to be Minute Secretary.

:

Miss D. C.
Mrs. E. F.

and that the Minute Secretary furnish her Colleagues and the Treasurer with proper Books and Papers.

2. That the following Ladies be added to the Committee; viz.— (Here the Names and Address of those who have consented to act, are inserted.) 3. That the following Ladies be invited to join this Committee by the Ladies respectively annexed to their names; viz.

Miss A. R.
Miss B.

Mrs. N.

by Miss A.
by Mrs. F.

by Miss G.

(Here follow the Names of other Ladies proposed and approved.)

Observations on the Minutes of the Committee.

4. That the town and neighbourhood be divided into the following twenty-five districts; viz.

District No. 1. Broad Street and Crown Court

42 houses.

4. North side of High Street, to Mr. 49 Do.

Brown's inclusive ..

(Here follows a specification of the remaining Districts.)

5. That the following be the appointment of the members of the Committee as Collectors; viz.

...

...

...

2. Miss C. and Miss D.

3. Mrs. E., Miss F., and Miss G. H.

4. Mrs. I.K. and Miss L.M.

(Here follow the remaining appointments.)

6. The Secretaries produced the various Books, Papers, &c., ordered by the Fourth Resolution of the General Meeting: and a specification of the respective districts, with the names of the Collectors, having been regularly inserted in the Visiting and Collecting Books, they were delivered accordingly.

7. RESOLVED, That the Collectors be requested to commence their visits, in their respective districts, on next Monday, the 25th instant.

Read over the Minutes, and adjourned."

6.-OBSERVATIONS.

1. It has been already remarked, that no appointment in a Bible Society involves more important considerations than that of the Secretaries; and although this office, in reference to a Ladies' Association, is of a more private nature, much of the welfare and success of the institution depends on the manner in which the duties are discharged. This subject will be treated of more at large in Chap. VIII. Sect. I.; where such suggestions will be submitted as may render the mode of proceeding perfectly intelligible.

11. In the selection of suitable Ladies to be admitted members of the Committee, it is evident that caution and delicacy are required. No lady should be invited who has not been proposed and seconded by two members to whom she is personally known. The character of Ladies' Societies, hitherto, has stood deservedly high; and it is confidently hoped, that the same prudence and discretion which have secured to them the respect and admiration of the public, will continue to mark their proceedings, and extend their influence.

III. The inexpediency of large districts has been strongly adverted to in Chap. III. (Sect. II., Third Division), and the remarks there offered apply with increased force to Ladies' Associations. A district of fifty houses will be found sufficiently large; and there are few places wherein a sufficient number of benevolent Ladies cannot be found, to justify an arrangement on this basis.

IV. The Fifth Minute of the Committee is in accordance with the Fourth By-Law. If three collectors can be appointed to each district, it is the more desirable; as illness, or other unavoidable

Forms of the Books and Papers, &c. and Mode of keeping the Accounts.

impediments, may occasionally prevent the attendance of one of the ladies; and in all practicable cases, the weekly visits should be paid by two colleagues. The Lady whose name stands first on the minute of appointment, takes charge of the Books, &c,

v. It will be perceived by the Sixth Minute, that the duties prescribed in the Fourth Resolution of the General Meeting were fulfilled at the First Committee Meeting. This is extremely desirable on every account, but particularly as it affords an opportunity to the gentlemen who attend, to give any requisite explanation to the Collectors, at the precise time when it is most likely to be understood and remembered. The Books, &c. should be delivered in regular order by the Secretaries, beginning with the collectors of District No. 1; and those printed papers should be selected which appear best adapted to the circumstances of the particular district. Thus the Papers No. I. III. V. VI. and VII. of the Appendix are designed for the higher and middle ranks of society, and No. VIII. IX. X. XI. and XII. for the labouring classes. To the latter, the "Monthly Extracts," "Southwark Sheet of Facts," or any similar publication, may be beneficially added; as no papers are so acceptable to the poor as those which detail the moral effects of the institution. Many advantages have resulted from specifying a fixed day for commencing, in all the districts, those interesting weekly visits; which have been attended with incalculable benefit wherever they have been steadily and systematically continued.

The Specimen of the "Fair Minute Book," Sect. V., wil exhibit the Minutes of the Second Committee Meeting, and supersede the necessity of any further observation on this part of the subject.

SECTION V.

FORMS OF THE BOOKS AND PAPERS, &c. AND THE mode of KEEPING THE ACCOUNTS.

In all the Specimens contained in this Section, the entries in Italics are to be considered as Manuscript.

1. Every book, paper, &c. of which a specimen is here given, is recommended as having borne the test of experience; and the author has strenuously endeavoured to render the system, in all its parts, as simple as possible; while a check has been provided, by which every inaccuracy is promptly detected and corrected. In the preparation of these books, economy has been diligently studied: this is a subject which should never be lost sight of in the concerns of benevolent institutions, but especially in those of the Bible Society. The account-books are calculated to last for six or seven years;

2

Importance of Economy in the Books, &c.

and as all those required by an Association may be procured for two or three pounds, the annual expense is only a few shillings.

The books, from which the following specimens are taken, are those of an Association connected with a LADIES' BRANCH SOCIETY. But the observations prefixed to each book and paper, and the notes at the foot of every specimen, where necessary, will render them equally applicable to all Bible' Associations, whether conducted by Ladies or Gentlemen. The Association in question having adopted the plan of the Loan-Fund, and also that of Public Distributions, the specimens will be found to allude to both. While considerable repetition is thus avoided, the Committees which do not adopt those parts of the system will find that the passages relating to them may be omitted, without any interruption of the general detail: where it was thought likely that any dif ficulty would arise, a note has been subjoined. The various specimens are inserted as nearly as possible in the order in which they will be required by the Collectors, Secretaries, and Treasurer; and the explanatory observations are prefixed to each.

To those who are unacquainted with the system, many of the following remarks and suggestions may appear superfluous or unnecessarily minute: but those who have taken an active part in the proceedings of Bible Associations, especially at their commencement, will acknowledge that they are requisite; andthat by attending to them, much valuable time will be saved, and increased facility given to the operations of the Society. It will be observed, that all the books and papers are so constructed as to answer for any Bible Association, the name of which should be inserted by the person who fills up the other blanks. A very considerable annual expense is thus saved; as the printer's charge, for any specified number of copies, is proportionally less according to the number originally struck off.

The Facts and Observations contained in the following Specimens are transcribed from the Reports of the Ladies' Associations of Plymouth, Liverpool, and Manchester, except where it is otherwise expressed.

2. The Books, Papers, &c. used by the COLLECTORS are, 1. The Visiting Book.

Collecting Book.

Collector's Bag.

Bible Subscribers' Cards.

Committee Card.

6. The Subscribers' TranferTickets.

Loan Tickets.

8.

These will now be separately considered, in the order here specified.