Proceedings of the Second Committee Meeting.

At the Second Meeting of the Committee, held -- of

PRESENT:

A. B. in the Chair;

And those Members whose names are marked off in the list.

18:

The Minutes of the last Meeting having been read, it was RESOLVED

15. That the said Minutes be confirmed.

16. The Minute Secretary reported, that the latter part of the 1st Minute had been complied with; and that Copies of the By-Laws were now on the table, for the supply of any of the members who had not received those intended for

them.

17. The Minute Secretary reported, that the requisite account-books, forms of reports, and other papers, had been procured, pursuant to the 2d Minute. And that he had sent to the secretary of each District Committee a ruled collecting-book, forms of the District Monthly Report, and a supply of printed papers for circulation, pursuant to the 5th Minute.

18. The Minute Secretary reported, that the 7th Minute had been complied with, and that copies of the Rules and Regulations were on the table, for those members who wished for a further supply.

19. The Cash Secretary reported, that the 8th Minute had been complied with.

20. The Cash Secretary produced an acknowledgment signed by the Ac countant of the Parent Society, for the sum of £., on Moiety account, voted by the 9th Minute; and reported, that he had entered the same to the Debit of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and to the Credit of the Treasurer.

21. B. A., on behalf of the Sub-Committee appointed by the 10th Minute, presented the following Report; viz.

Auxiliary Bible Society:

"To the Committee of the "We, your Sub-Committee, appointed to examine and report relative to the most suitable place for establishing a depository, and the most eligible person to act as collector, have made particular inquiries relative to both subjects, and unanimously recommend Y.Z. of No. -, Street, who

has tendered his services as gratuitous Depositary. The same individual offers to engage as Collector, at an allowance of 4 per cent. on the donations and annual subscriptions received by him; and proposes the security of O. N, and Q.P. for the trust reposed in him. He will be in attendance this evening, to give any further explanation which the Committee may require.

The said Report having been twice read, and considered, it was RESOLVED➡ 22. That the recommendation of the Sub-Committee be adopted; and that Y. Z. be hereby appointed Depositary and Collector of this society, on his handing to the Minute Secretary the requisite security.

Unless any correction be necessary; in which case the Minute requiring al teration must be excepted. For instance; if any change in the appointment of one of the District Committees be requisite, the 15th Minute should be thus expressed: "That the said Minutes be confirmed, with the exception of the 4th:" and the necessary correction is made when the three preceding Minutes are disposed of.

Proceedings of the Second Committee Meeting.

23. That the Bible Secretary arrange with the Depositary the mode of keeping the Bibles and Testaments, and the accounts of receipts and deliveries.

24. That the Cash Secretary furnish the Depositary with a list of the subscribers entitled to purchase Bibles and Testaments at the reduced prices, specifying their respective extent of privilege..

25. The Bible Secretary reported, that the 11th Minute was complied with. 26. The Minute Secretary reported, that the 12th Minute was complied with; and that 200 copies of the last number of the Monthly Extracts of Correspondence" were now on the table.

66

27. The Treasurer presented his monthly report, by which it appeared, that the balance now in his hands is £.

28. The depository not being yet opened, no report was presented from the Depositary.

29. The reports of the District Committees having been called for, in regular order, were severally presented and read: when it was resolvedThat the said reports be received.

30. The Cash Secretary reported, that the amount paid in by the respective District Committees at the present meeting, is as follows:

31. That the said sum of 3221. 16s. be paid over to the treasurer. 32. The Third District Committee having reported, that there is a favora

When any District Committee omit to present a report, the following Reso lution should be adopted, and a copy sent to the district secretary: "The District Committee, having omitted to present a report this month, the members are earnestly requested to be more circumspect in future, as the welfare of the society depends on a strict adherence to the rules."

Proceedings after the Committee Meeting.

ble opening for the establishment of a Bible Association in their district; it was RESOLVED,

That R. S., T. V., and W. X., who have kindly offered their services, be added to the Third District Committee, until this desirable object be accomplished;-that the District Secretary arrange an early day of meeting with his colleagues, and give notice to the secretaries ;-and that the Minute Secretary supply the Third District Committee with an adequate number of copies of the "Advantages," and such other papers, explanatory of the design, as may appear necessary.

33. The Cash Secretary presented the following bills :

M. N. for expenses of fitting up Town-hall for the
General Meeting

9. P. for printing and advertising

£.5 3 6

2 16 4

Cash Secretary, for postage and incidental expenses 1 2 8 The said bills were referred to the auditors.

34. That the Treasurer be requested to remit to the Treasurer of the British and Foreign Bible Society the sum of £.- -- on Moiety account. 35. That this Committee adjourn to the — of at - o'clock precisely.

8. Before the resolution of adjournment is moved, the Minute Secretary should distribute the "Monthly Extracts" and other papers laid on the table. It will also save considerable time and trouble, if the members of District and SubCommittees avail themselves of the opportunities afforded, monthly, to make their arrangements for meeting, to carry into effect the objects of their appointment. At the close of the Committee, the auditors may make any requisite inquiry of the secretaries, &c. relative to bills referred to them: and, as the collector is generally in attendance on these occasions, any necessary instructions may be given to him.

9. After every Committee Meeting, the Minute Secretary proceeds according to the suggestions contained in the 6th division of this section. The Cash Secretary takes charge of the treasurer's report, and the reports of the District Committees; and after making the requisite entries in his books, marks each as 66 entered," and returns them to the Minute Secretary, by whom they are pasted in the Guard-book, in which the Depositary's reports are also preserved. As all these reports are placed in their order of date, the greatest facility of reference is attained. It will be recollected, that, by the XIVth By-Law, the secretaries are ex-officio members of all Sub-Committees, and consequently of the respective District Committees; their occasional attendance at which has been, in numerous instances, of considerable advantage. It may not, however, be improper to observe, that this attendance should never supersede the diligent discharge of

* See Appendix, No. VII.

Minute-Book, and Observations thereon.

their more immediate official duties, on which the welfare of the society so materially depends: but prompt and systematic attention will leave many hours of leisure unemployed by these duties, which may be profitably appropriated to the more local details of the society. The secretaries of a Bible Society should always exhibit a practical illustration of that maxim, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might."

As the society may be considered as completely organized at the Second Meeting of the Committee, it is unnecessary to follow it through the subsequent stages. The specimen of the Minute Book, in Section V. of this Chapter, contains the requisite Minutes in reference to an anniversary meeting of the society; and any additional observations which are considered necessary will be submitted in Section VII.

SECTION V.

THE FORMS OF THE BOOKS AND PAPERS, 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. The Rough Minute Book requires no particular observation, it being designed only to insure the neatness and regularity of the Fair Minute Book, into which the proceedings of the Committee are transcribed immediately after every meeting.

2. The most convenient size for the "Fair Minute Book" is large post quarto; and if it contain four quires of paper, ruled with faint lines, it will serve for several years. It should be bound in stout calf, and lettered. Six or eight pages at the beginning may be ruled, according to the following Specimen, to contain a register of the attendance of the members: viz.

NAMES, 1821. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

རྒྱ།༤ མ ༤ ནཾ

p.

p.

p.

p.

p.

ཟ བ བ ན མ མ བ

Proceedings of the Committee in reference to an Annual Meeting.

When the Minute Secretary calls over the list at the hour specified in the By-Laws, a blank is left in the column of the month opposite to the name of every member who does not answer; and thus the three-fourths who are eligible for re-election, by the Fifteenth General Rule, is easily ascertained.

The remainder of the book is ruled throughout, so as to leave a margin about an inch in width, for the numbers of the Minutes.

3. The following Specimen, in addition to the Minutes of the First and Second Committee Meetings, contained in the preceding Section, will sufficiently illustrate the mode of conducting this part of the business, while it explains the measures adopted in reference to the annual meeting.

It is necessary to premise, that the Minutes are those of an Auxiliary Society, with which a Ladies' Branch is connected; and that this latter institution holds its annual meeting jointly with that of the Auxiliary Society. It would be superfluous to insert those Minutes which relate to the regular business of the Committee, and which, as a matter of course, precede the adoption of the following:

430. The Minute Secretary having reminded the Committee that the annual meeting of this society falls in course, according to the Fourteenth General Rule, on the of the ensuing month; it was RESOLVED

That A.B., C.D., and E. F., be a Sub-Committee, to engage a suitable place for the annual meeting, and to see it properly prepared for the occasion.— A.B. to be secretary.

431. That the Minute Secretary be requested to prepare the annual report, and to submit the same to the adjournment of this meeting." 432. It appearing that the balance in the treasurer's hands is £.. and that the stock of Bibles and Testaments, and the state of the society, justify the vote; RESOLVED

to

That the treasurer be requested to remit the said sum of £. the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society for the general objects of that institution, no return being required thereon. 433. The Cash Secretary having presented the sum of £. contribution from the Ladies' Branch of this society for the general object of the Parent Institution; RESOLVED

That the said sum of £.

as a

be paid over to the treasurer; and that he be requested to remit the same to the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, as a contribution from the Ladies' Branch, no return being required thereon.

434. That the auditors submit to the adjournment of this meeting an abstract of the treasurer's account for the year ending 31st instant, signed by them, after having been compared with the Cash Secretary's books.

435. That the Bible Secretary submit to the adjournment of this meeting a statement of the Depositary's receipts and deliveries for the year ending 31st instant, and of the stock then on hand.

• This important duty does not necessarily devolve on one of the secretaries, nor is it always confided to an individual; but the plan here recommended will, generally, be found the most expedient.