Observations on the VISITING BOOK.

NO. I.-THE VISITING BOOK.

1. This book is of the size called "large post octavo," of stout quality, and covered with strong blue paper: it consists of eight leaves, or double folios, and is ruled, throughout, with transverse - lines in red ink. As it contains the original entries of those particulars which are subsequently transcribed into the Collecting Book, and constitutes the basis of all the accounts and records of the society, care should be taken that the different heads are correctly noted and legibly written.

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II. The manuscript part of the FIRST SPECIMEN is filled in by the Secretaries, before the book is delivered to the collectors of the district; with the exception of that portion which comes under the head, "When visited, and what part.' The name of the book, and the words "District," and "No." are printed on the cover, and the Secretary fills in the figures which denote the latter. The annexed Specimen belongs to District No. 2, and is therefore indorsed thus:

III. If the collectors find that the description .of their district is not sufficiently accurate, or that any street, lane, court, &c. has been overlooked, they should report the inaccuracy to the Minute Secretary, and make the requisite correction in their Visiting and Collecting Books. When a collector resigns her office, a line 'should be drawn through her name, and that of her successor be inserted after the names of her colleagues.

IV. In reference to the SECOND SPECIMEN, it is only necessary to observe, that the Visiting Book is used at the commencement of a Bible Association, and at every re-canvas of the district: it has frequently been found a very useful register of valuable information relative to the state of the labouring classes, and many benevolent institutions have derived their origin from these little records.

v. The mode of proceeding when a new Visiting or Collecting Book is required, will be explained in the "Hints to Collectors,' (Chap. VIII. Sect. I.) The old book should be carefully preserved, either by the Secretaries of the Association, or by the Depositary of the Ladies' Branch Society.

If the collectors paste a copy of the "Specimen of the Types" (See Appendix, No. IV.) on the inside of the cover at the end of the "Visiting Book," it will be found useful in directing the choice of many of the Subscribers.

Abbey House, and the Three Cottages in the Lane.

The Collectors will observe, in entering Donations and

It should be understood that this Specimen is a transcript of two opposite pages, the double line being the division.

Observations on the COLLECTING BOOK.

NO. II.-COLLECTING BOOK.

1. This book differs from No. 1. only in the mode of ruling. It is a register of all the pecuniary transactions of the district, and supplies the information which is subsequently condensed in the Collector's Monthly Report. The manuscript part of the FIRST SPECIMEN is wholly filled in by the Secretaries before the book is delivered to the collectors, and the cover is inscribed with the No. of the district,

By having the spaces for the Committee-days left sufficiently wide, and inserting the figures close to the line, the table may, answer for two or three years; but the Secretaries should fill in the proper dates immediately after every Annual Meeting.-See Observations on Committee Cards, No. 1v. of this Division.

The Observations III. and v. on No. 1. are equally applicable here. 11. The SECOND SPECIMEN requires more particular consideration. The Collecting Book is used every week; and MONDAY has been invariably found the best collecting day, as being that which is the most agreeable to the subscribers. As it would be impossible, without the knowledge of the precise time when an Association was established, to have the "Days for collecting the Subscriptions" printed in the book, those dates are inserted by the Secretaries, beginning with the first Monday after the collectors have received their books and papers. This can be done with great ease from the "Bible Subscriber's Card."-(See No. v. of this Division.)

III. The Nos. in the first column should be continued regularly: thus, the first No. in folio 2 will be 20. When a new Collecting Book is required, the collectors should first copy into it the No. and name, &c. of every subscriber who has not discontinued; inserting against the names of the Bible Subscribers, and in the column headed" Amount brought forward," the precise sums they have respectively paid: this being done, the next new subscriber will be entered as the No. following the highest in the old Collecting Book,

IV. As every Ticket for the delivery of a Bible or Testament passes through the hands of the collectors who received the subscriptions (by which means the individual interest is preserved, and any error immediately corrected), the last column is easily filled. Collectors will find it the better mode to make this entry before they deliver the Ticket to the subscriber. It will be observed that the Subscriber, No. 3, being destitute of the holy scriptures, and. extremely anxious to procure a Bible, paid up the cost price. As ill health (see Visiting Book) precluded her attending a public distribution, she was immediately supplied. (See Specimen of Delivery Ticket, No. VIII. of this Division).

v. No. 6 a free contributor, and No. 11 a subscriber for a Testament, having removed from the district, their cases will illustrate the advantages of Transfer Tickets. (See Specimens, No. vi.)

vi. No. 9 and No. 14 were supplied at the second public dis- › tribution (see Chap. VIII. Section III.) before either had paid the cost price, but were regularly called on by the collectors subsequently, until it was completed. In an Association which had not adopted this plan, they would have been supplied in the same manner as the subscriber No. 3.

vii. It will be found to save considerable time, as well as to lessen

Observations on the Collecting Book.

the risk of inaccuracy, if all subscribers who continue such after having been supplied, be immediately entered as free contributors, and reported as such: thus it will be perceived that No. 3, after obtaining her Bible, became a free contributor, and is accordingly entered again as such, No. 16. Without this second entry, and the insertion of her name as a new subscriber in the Collector's Monthly Report, the Secretary's Books would be incorrect. It is also to be observed, that the name of every individual subscribing for a second Bible or Testament, after having received one copy, should be again entered as that of a new subscriber, and reported as such. The same care is necessary with respect to every additional copy subscribed for.

VIII. From the preceding remarks it will be evident, that too much care cannot be taken by the collectors to have their entries regularly and correctly made. On a strict attention to this, depends the accuracy of their Monthly Reports; and on the regularity of these documents the correctness of the Secretary's Books and all the subordinate details is dependent. To insure this order, as well as to correct any inadvertence, it is strongly recommended to the Collectors and Secretaries of Associations, to meet on a fixed day Quarterly (suppose one hour previous to the regular Committee meeting in January, April, July, and October), for the purpose of calling over their Collecting Books with the lists of "Free Contributors" and "Bible Subscribers," while the Minute Secretary attends with the file of Collector's Reports. Any error will thus be detected, and one uniform plan of proceeding be preserved. When the books have been called over and checked, the following entry should be made after the last No. in each Collecting Book, and in the Cash and Bible Books; viz.

Minute Secretary.
Cash Secretary.
Bible Secretary.

IX. It will be observed that a space is left at the bottom of every folio, for the purpose of adding up and inserting the weekly receipts. This is found useful as a check.

x. Some collectors enter the names of their free contributors in one folio, and those of their Bible subscribers in another; but this plan is attended with inconvenience, as occasioning trouble and loss of time in the weekly visits. Most of these collectors, finding they frequently passed by a subscriber, have reverted to the former mode, as here detailed.

XI. The list which constitutes the THIRD SPECIMEN will save considerable trouble to the collectors, and be very useful for reference. In order to report the total number of subscribers since the establishment of the Association, it is only necessary to state the No. of the last entry in the general list; and by subtracting from it the No. of those who have discontinued, the present number of subscribers is instantly ascertained. The time of discontinuance should always be stated in the Collector's Monthly Report.

XII. The FOURTH SPECIMEN illustrates the method of keeping the account of all Testaments lent in the district. This subject will be distinctly considered in Chap. VIII. Section II