Observations on the Minutes of the Second Committee-Meeting.

the Collectors at the second Committee-meeting. See No. xv. First Specimen.

XIII. When it happens that the Collectors of a district omit to present a Monthly Report, the following Resolution should be adopted, and a copy sent to the Collectors; viz.

"The Collectors of District No.-, not having presented a Report, the Minute Secretary is requested to remind them of the importance of the duty prescribed by the 9th By-Law, and to beg their attention to it in future."

Should this omission occur at two or three Committee-meetings successively, a deputation should be appointed to wait on the Collectors of the district; and if the latter cannot fulfil the duties of their appointment, the books should be transferred to other hands.

XIV. The Minute Secretary should send to the Cash Secretary a duplicate copy of every Resolution authorising a payment: the latter is thus enabled to make the requisite entry in the Cash Book immediately. The copy may be given at the table of the Committee.

xv. The importance of giving free circulation to the "Monthly Extracts of Correspondence" must be evident. These interesting papers are most gratefully received by the Free Contributors; many of whom have increased their annual subscriptions in order to acquire this privilege; which might be beneficially extended to all Free Contributors of 3d. a-week, 1s. a month, and 3s. a quarter. In some Associations they are lent by the Collectors to the Free Contributors, and pass from hand to hand, like books in a reading society. The gratitude with which they are thus received, and the avidity with which they are read, constitute the best proof of the advantages of this plan.

XVI. As the Bible Secretary is authorised by the Sixth By-Law "to procure Bibles and Testaments when necessary," the repetition of the 18th Minute, in the proceedings of future Committeemeetings, will be unnecessary. It is usually adopted at the first meeting of the Committee, as a guide to the Bible Secretary.

XVII. A reference to Chap. VIII. Section II. will sufficiently explain and illustrate the 20th and 21st Minutes. It will be perceived, that the 22d Minute is founded on the recommendation contained in the Collectors' Monthly Report, No. x. Second Specimen.

XVIII. The advantage of reading over the Minutes before the adjournment of the Committee is two-fold:-it enables the Minute Secretary to correct any inaccuracy in the Rough Minute Book; and it affords to all who are present a clear and succinct view of the proceedings.

Minutes of the Committee, in reference to an Annual Meeting.

The preceding Specimen and Observations will, it is hoped, sufficiently elucidate the Minute Book, in reference to all ordinary cases, and to Bible Associations generally. But some additional Resolutions are adopted at the Committee-meetings preceding a Public Distribution, and the Annual Meeting of the Association, or of the Society with which it is connected, to which a more distinct reference is necessary. For the reason already assigned (See Observations on No. 1x.), the reader is referred to Chap. VIII. Section III. for a transcript of the Resolutions adopted preparatory to a Public Distribution, and every other requisite information on this subject, As the Ladies' Branch of the Plymouth, Plymouth Dock, and Stonehouse, &c. Auxiliary Society, holds its Annual Meeting, and that of all its connected Associations, conjointly with that of the Auxiliary Society, the following Minutes have reference to this arrangement: but the mode of proceeding in other cases will be explained in the subsequent Observations.

DUPLICATE SPECIMEN OF THE MINUTE BOOK.

Additional Minutes adopted at the Committee-Meetings preceding the
Annual Meeting.

At the Monthly Committee-Meeting, held on the 10th of December, after the regular business had been transacted, it was Resolved,-

189. That, pursuant to a recommendation of the Ladies' Branch Society, this Committee hold a Special Meeting on the 17th instant, to make arrangements preparatory to the General Annual Meeting.

190. That the Treasurer be requested to submit to the said Special Committee-Meeting, a Statement of the Receipts and Payments to the 17th inst.; signed by the Auditors. That the Cash Secretary be requested to prepare a similar account, distinguishing the Free Contributions and Bible Subscriptions. And that the Bible Secretary be requested to prepare a statement of the Receipts and Deliveries, distinguishing the Bibles and Testaments issued at and under cost prices.

191. That the Minute Secretary, with Mrs. A., Miss B., and Miss C., be requested to prepare and submit to the said Special Committee the draught of a Report to the Branch Society.

At a Special Meeting of the Committee, held on the 17th of December192. The Treasurer presented her Report, of which the following is an an abstract; viz.

Total Receipts from 10th of July to 17th December. . . £.150.7.0
Paid to the Cash Secretary of the Ladies' Branch.. 150.0.0
Do.. to the Cash Secretary, for Incidental Expenses. 0.7.0

-£.150.7.0

Minutes of the Committee, in reference to an Annual Meeting.

193. The Bible Secretary presented her Report, of which the following is an abstract; viz.

166 -- 117

And that the said Stock is more than sufficient to supply all the Subscribers now on the Books.

194. The Minute Secretary presented the draught of the Annual Report, which having been read, it was resolved,

That the said Report, with the Statements of the Treasurer and Bible Secretary, be received, adopted, and transmitted to the Minute Secretary of the Ladies' Branch Society.

195. The Cash Secretary presented her Annual Summary; by which it appeared, that the Total Receipts have been,

In Free Contributions

In Subscriptions for Bibles and Testaments

£.77. 7.6
72.19.6

£150. 7.0

And that the Balance due to this Association by the Ladies' Branch Society is £.68. 8s. 6d.

196. Resolved, That the said sum of £.68. 8s. 6d. be presented to the Ladies' Branch Society, for the general object of the British and Foreign Bible Society. And that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted with the Annual Report.

197. That the following Ladies be the Officers and Committee of this Association for the ensuing year; viz.

Committee:

[Here follow the Names of the Ladies.]

And that a copy of this List be transmitted to the Minute Secretary of the Ladies' Branch Society.

198. That the thanks of this Committee be presented to the Mayor, for his kindness in granting the use of the Council Chamber; and that he be respectfully requested to continue the same accommodation during the ensuing year.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRECEDING ADDITIONAL MINUTES.

XIX. As the public proceedings of Ladies' Bible Societies are conducted, exclusively, by the Gentlemen of the Auxiliary (or Branch) Committee, it will be evident that the information referred to in the preceding Minutes is transmitted to the Ladies' Branch Society, for the purpose of enabling the latter to prepare a condensed Report of the proceedings and results of all the united Asso

Observations on the preceding Minutes.-AGENDA.

ciations, which is read at the annual meeting of the Auxiliary Society.*

xx. Of the preceding Minutes, those numbered 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, and 197, are equally applicable to Ladies' Bible Associations which hold their annual meetings independent of those of the Societies with which they are connected; with the following exceptions; viz.

1. In reference to the Minute 194, the Annual Report, including the Cash and Bible statements, should be transmitted to one of the Secretaries of the Auxiliary (or Branch) Society, or to some one of the other Gentlemen deputed by the Committee of that Society, to assist the Ladies, and transact the business.

2. The balance alluded to in the Minute 195, will, of course, be due from the Auxiliary (or Branch) Society; and a corresponding alteration will be necessary in the Minute 196, as well as in those numbered 192 and 193.

XXI. Resolutions similar to the following are also adopted by the Committees of Ladies' Associations which hold their own Annual Meetings, at least a month previous to such Meeting; and copies of them are sent to the Secretary of the Auxiliary (or Branch) Society.

1. That the Minute Secretary remind the Committee of the Auxiliary Society, that the next Annual Meeting of this Association will be held on Monday, the 30th December, at 12 o'clock; and request the said Committee to appoint a deputation to engage and fit up the place of meeting, and make the requisite arrangements.

2. That A. B. Esq. be invited to preside at the Annual Meeting.

3. That the following Gentlemen be invited to attend and assist in the procedings; viz.

[Here follow the names.]

NO. XII.-AGENDA, or PAPER OF BUSINESS.

This Paper, or Card, is prepared by the Minute Secretary, and laid before the Lady who presides, at every Meeting of the Committee. The several heads are arranged in the order prescribed by the 3d By-Law, and in reference to the Minutes of the preceding Committee Meeting :-thus the following Specimen is a transcript of the Card prepared for the Second Meeting, the proceedings of

• The Reader will find this subject amply illustrated in the Annual Reports of the Ladies' Bible Societies of LIVERPOOL, MANCHESTER, and PLYMOUTH, &C. These important and highly interesting publications contain the best evidence of the beneficial tendency and effects of the system.

AGENDA.-Observations on the REPORT Book.

which constitute the Specimen of the last No., and refers to the Minutes of the first Committee.

SPECIMEN.

COMMITTEE MEETING, 9th July.

1. Read and confirm Minutes of the last Meeting.
2. Call over Members' Names.

3. Business arising out of 3d Minute.

4. Ditto. ditto. ditto. 5th ditto.

5. Village of Oreston not included in the Districts.

6. Report 9th General Rule complied with.

7. Cash Secretary's Monthly Statement.

8. Bible Secretary's Report.

9. Collectors' Reports in order.

10. Cash Secretary's Report.

11. Vote Remittance to Branch Society.

12. Order Bibles and Testaments.

13. Monthly Extracts.

14. Loan Stock, and Collection of Loan Fund.

15. Vote Loans.

16. Admit Ladies, proposed by Collectors, on Committee. 17. Appoint Auditors.

18. New Business.

19. Read over Minutes, and adjourn.

Officers to remain and prepare their Reports to the Ladies' Branch, or fix a time for this purpose.

NO. XIII.-REPORT BOOK.

1. This Book is designed to be a Register of all the information detailed in the Collectors' Monthly Reports, under the head "FACTS and OBSERVATIONS;" in order to record them in a more permanent form, and to exhibit, in one connected series, the results of the Association. It is similar in size to No. XI.; and, like it, has a marginal line, for the purpose of specifying the number of the District, from the Report of which the extract is made.

II. The advantages of this Registry, particularly in preparing the Annnal Report, are evident. In these interesting but unobtru sive records, the best evidence of the beneficial tendency of Bible Societies may be found,-here the strongest proofs of a strict adherence to the principles of the Parent Institution are discovered,— and hence the Collectors derive the greatest encouragement to perseverance. It is scarcely possible to peruse, with an unprejudiced mind, the Report Book of a well-conducted Bible Association, without arriving at a clear conviction that these Societies are a national blessing.