£. s. d. 1819. Cr. 1. £. s. d 11 July To Payment to Branch 30. 0.0 10July By Cash Secretary 40. 7.6 Ditto to Cash Secy. 0. 3.6 11Sept. Cash Secretary 31.17.3 Balance in hand. Called over with the Cash Book and Vouchers, and found correct. w.z.) 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. 996 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, .... 16. 9 1.13 18. 3 • 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. 81. 11. 6 For General Object... 68. 8. 6 150. 0. 0 9. Total amount paid to the Ladies' Branch since the establishment, For Bibles and Testaments. 81. 11. 6 10. Amount of Incidental Expenses since the last Annual Meeting 11. Total amount of ditto since the establishment Observations on the DISTRICT COMMITTEE'S MONTHLY REPORT. NO. XXIV.-DISTRICT COMMITTEE'S MONTHLY REPORT TO THE LADIES' BRANCH SOCIETY. I. It will be recollected, in reference to the Ladies' Branch of an Auxiliary Society, that the executive members consist of all the Presidents, Treasurers, and Secretaries, of the united Associations; and that the officers of each constitute the representatives, or District Committee, of the Association; in which capacity they present a Monthly Report to the Ladies' Branch Society. This Report occupies both sides of a half sheet of "large post" paper, and is filled up by the Secretaries: it is then given in charge to the MINUTE Secretary, who copies it in the "Report Book," and presents it, when called for, at the next Meeting of the Ladies' Branch Society. II. The names inserted in the first line are those of the Ladies belonging to the Branch Society. The returns under the 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 heads, are furnished by the Bible Secretary; that under the 2d head by the Cash Secretary; and the remainder by the Minute Secretary the Specimen of their respective books, &c preclude the necessity of any further explanation relative to these particulars. : III. The information under the head "Facts and Observations" should be a selection from that detailed in the Collectors' Reports. It should be the object of the District Committee to present a luminous and impartial survey of the Association, without exaggerating its benefits or concealing any difficulties or impediments. The Branch Society will thus be enabled to ascertain and recommend to all the meinbers of the family, those measures which have given strength and efficiency to one; and, on the other hand, to trace the partial obstacles to their source, and arrest the progress of weakness and decay.-The Facts detailed in the Specimen are transcribed from the interesting Reports of the Liverpool Ladies' Associations. IV. As the "Collector's Monthly Report" (No. x.) should be a clear and explicit statement of the proceedings of the Association within a limited district, so this Report should exhibit (in connexion with the last No.) a similar view of the whole Association. The Branch Society is thus enabled to prepare a general abstract of the results of all its connected parts, for the information of the Auxiliary Society; and the latter to condense the returns from its several dependencies, and transmit a compendium of the whole to the Parent Institution. Thus, the system, complete in all its parts, moves with beautiful order and regularity; every member performs with facility its own peculiar functions; the importance and the singleness of the principle constitutes the governing spring of action; and the tendency of the whole, under the Divine blessing, is to give effect to that celestial anthem which announced the Advent of our adorable Redeemer, " Glory to GOD in the highest, and on earth peace, good will to men !" • Or attaches a duplicate copy with white wafers. |