Success depends principally on the attention of Collectors.

a door is left open for the supply of individuals going to service, &c.

XI. The provisions of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth ByLaws involve no inconsiderable portion of the practical details of a Bible Association. In every well-organized Association, provided the districts be adequately furnished with Collectors, a perpetual system of re-visiting will be kept up, and an accurate knowledge of the neighbourhood be obtained. But it is advisable that the whole of the district should be periodically re-visited. Of the importance of punctuality in collecting, it is scarcely possible to say too much. The success of every Association will always be in direct proportion to the degree of regularity evinced by the Collectors; and although it has been said, that the poor had neither the ability nor the inclination to co-operate in this good work, the event has proved that they have both: they have manifested the greatest readiness to subscribe, not only to procure the sacred volume for themselves, but to promote its universal diffusion; and in many cases the Collectors have felt it their duty to accept a part, only, of what they had liberally offered to contribute. The ability of the poor who subscribe is evinced by the aggregate amount of their contributions-by the decided preference given to the highest priced Bibles-and, in numerous instances, by the continuance of their regular subscriptions after they have obtained the wished-for treasure.

XII. The Nineteenth By-Law had its origin in the opposition made to the society, on the grounds which this regulation proposes to examine. Few objections have been more strongly and pertinaciously urged, than that which is founded on the presumption that the subscribers would pawn the Bibles and Testaments supplied by the Bible Society: repeated and strict investigations, in various places, have however completely refuted this objection. In no part have these inquiries been more systematically and perseveringly pursued than in Southwark, where it has been correctly ascertained, that of 25,484 Bibles and Testaments, circulated up to March 1818, only twenty-four copies (fourteen of which were issued by one Association) had found their way to the pawnbrokers, being in the proportion of one to every ELEVEN HUNDRED copies issued. The result of a similar investigation in Liverpool, where more than 30,000 copies had been distributed by the Auxiliary Institution and its connected societies, appears to have been still more satisfac

Result of inquiries among the Pawnbrokers of Liverpool and Newcastle. tory:-in their second Annual Report, the Committee of the Ladies' Branch of that Society observe :—

"Your Committee have made repeated visits to the pawnbrokers in this town, and the result has been highly satisfactory. After every pains in their power to elicit the truth, only one Bible has been discovered; and although their vigilance may, from interested motives, have been, in some instances, eluded, your Committee believe that these instances have been exceedingly rare. The pawnbrokers have generally declared, that they neither had received nor would receive the Society's Bibles; and many of them have become contributors as well as their servants."

And the following extract from the first Annual Report of the Tindale Ward Auxiliary Society affords a gratifying evidence of similar results in another extensive district:

"Your Committee cannot avoid remarking upon one circumstance most nearly connected with the success of the society, the circulation of a report, 'that the poor were so crammed with Bibles, that the pawnbrokers' shops were filled with them; and that the booksellers could afford to sell them (so purchased of the poor) at half price.' Groundless as such assertions must have appeared to your Committee, it yet became their duty to inquire minutely into these alleged facts, not only as they were said to exist in their own district, but in the town of Newcastle, where the fourth Auxiliary Bible Society in the kingdom had been established. It is with pleasure your Committee state the result of their investigation to be, that during the whole period of the late scarcity, not more than two Bibles had been left at a pawnbroker's shop, and that only for a short time:' and 'but one Testament had been offered for sale' by a little girl, who had picked it up in one of the soldiers' billet-rooms. This latter however was, even in the first instance, refused, from the society's mark being observed on the back.”

XIII. The practical application of the Twentieth By-Law will be fully explained in Section V. of this Chapter.

XIV. In reference to the Twenty-first By-Law, Collectors should be particularly careful not to inform the subscribers that they are empowered to deliver Bibles and Testaments under the cost prices. They are indeed, by this By-Law, authorised to deliver copies before the cost price is completed; but this power should always be exercised with peculiar caution and discretion, not only to prevent jealousy on the part of subscribers, but the misapplication of the funds. In those few cases, where copies are delivered under the cost prices, the subscribers should be distinctly told, that they are supplied in the confidence of their continuing their subscription, and that the cost prices are considerably lower than those at which similar copies could be procured from booksellers.

xv. The tendency of the Twenty-second By-Law will be evident. Many disadvantages have resulted from frequent and unnecessary changes in the regulations which govern

First Meeting of the Provisional Committee.

societies; and while the Committees possess an undoubted right to make any alterations in their By-Laws, this right should not be exercised, except in cases of obvious necessity, ...Specimens of all the Books and Reports referred to in the By-Laws will be found, in one connected series, in Chap. VII. Section V. with such remarks and explanations as may be necessary to illustrate their practical tendency.

SECTION IV.

THE MODE OF ESTABLISHING AND ORGANIZING A BIBLE

ASSOCIATION.

1. A slight review of the By-Laws of the Auxiliary Society, and the observations annexed to them, (See Chap. II. Section III.) will be sufficient to shew, that they are framed with particular reference to the subject on which we are now about to enter. It will be recollected, that the several districts of Southwark were regularly defined, and respectively placed under the care of a Sub-Committee, who were instructed to adopt measures for forming a Bible Association in their district. In order to acquire a perfect knowledge of the plan adopted and pursued, it is only necessary to follow one of these District Committees, and to trace their proceedings until the object was finally attained.

2. Having interested a few serious and active individuals, and secured their co-operation by a clear and simple statement of the design, they were invited to meet the District Committee at a suitable place,-generally the house of one of the members. At this, the first meeting of the Provisional Committee, after every requisite explanation had been given, the Chairman (who was always a member of the Auxiliary Committee) asked each indivi dual present, for the names and address of such of his friends and acquaintance in the district as he conceived likely to promote the important design, and to become efficient members of the Committee of the intended Bible Association; strongly impressing on the attention of those present, the importance of moral and religious character in their selection, in pre ference to any other consideration. Fifteen or twenty names having been thus procured and entered on the Minutes, they were subsequently transcribed into two or three separate lists, which were numbered from one upwards. The following Resolution was then adopted :

"Resolved-That A. B. and C. D. be deputed to wait personally on the individuals comprised in list No. I. for the purpose of endeavouring to interest them in the projected association, and to request the favour of their attendance at the adjournment of this Meeting."

Similar resolutions were then adopted with respect to the other lists, and the respective deputations were furnished with a supply of printed papers for circulation among their friends. ❤

* The most useful papers for this purpose are Nos. I, V, & VII, of the Appendix.

Second Meeting of the Provisional Committee.

If any one of the new members appeared qualified to act as Secretary, the following resolution was adopted :—

"Resolved-That E. F. be requested to officiate as Provisional Secretary to this Committee; that he be authorised to get 250 notices printed, and that he send one timely to each person now present or specified in the lists."

If none of the new Members appeared qualified to act as secretaries, the above resolution was deferred till the next meeting, and the Auxiliary District Committee continued to issue notices in the mean time.

The meeting then adjourned for a few days.

The interval between the first and second meeting was occupied in spreading information, and soliciting additional personal aid; the co-operation of clergymen and ministers was requested, and their knowledge of character and ability was always found eminently conducive to the progress of the work.

In reference to this primary meeting, it is only necessary to observe, that the individuals engaged should be prudently and cautiously selected.-It is to be presumed that the gentlemen who compose Auxiliary Committees possess an adequate knowledge of the inhabitants of the district, to enable them to select those who are best qualified to fulfil the duties assigned them. The most clear and correct information relative to the object in view, should be diffused at the outset, and every misapprehension be promptly explained.

3. At the Second Meeting, from twenty to thirty individuals usually attended; and the members of the District Committee-who were always assisted on these occasions by one or more of the secretaries of the Auxiliary Society-having answered every objection, explained the principles and object of the institution, and rendered the plan perfectly intelligible to those who were present; the following RESOLUTIONS were adopted:

I. Resolved-That it is highly expedient to form a Bible Association in this parish [or district]; and that it be denominated the Bible Association.

II. Resolved-That the concerns of this Association be under the management of a President, Treasurer, three Secretaries, and a Committee of not less than

other persons.

III. Resolved-That A.B., C. D., and E. F. be a Sub-Committee of patronage, and that they submit to the next meeting the names of suitable persons for President and Treasurer.

IV. Resolved-That G. H., I. K., and L. M. be a Sub-Committee, for dividing this parish [or district] into [12, 18, 24, &c. according to the extent

day of

"The next Meeting of the Provisional Committee will be held at the evening of next the

at

o'clock precisely.
E. F. SECRETARY."

on

By drawing the pen through the word "Provisional," any surplus copies of this notice may be subsequently used for the Permanent Committee.

Observations on the Minutes of the Second Meeting,

and population] sub-divisions; that they specify, on different sheets of paper, the respective boundaries of each, with the several streets, lanes, &c. comprised therein, and that they submit the same to the next meeting.

V. Resolved-That N. O. be requested to bring to the next meeting a Code of Rules for the government of the intended Association, leaving blanks for the names of the President, Treasurer, Secretaries, and Committee. VI. Resolved-That P. Q., R. S., and T. U. (having previously consented to act,) be proposed to the General Meeting as Secretaries for the ensuing year.

VII. Resolved-That W. X. and Y. Z. be requested to examine and report to the next meeting the most suitable place for holding the General Meeting.

VIII. Resolved-That the following persons be proposed to the General Meeting as Members of the Committee for the ensuing year, with power to -add to their number.

[Here the names of those who had agreed to act on the Committee were inserted.]

When a sufficient number of persons to constitute a Committee could not be procured at the Second Meeting, the following Resolution was adopted :—

IX. Resolved-That B. A., D. C., F. E. be a Sub-Committee, to bring to the next meeting a list of persons suitable for committee-men, and who shall have consented to the appointment.

If no particular business demanded attention, the Meeting was then adjourned for three or four days by the following Resolution :—

instant, at

X. Resolved-That this meeting do now adjourn to next-the o'clock precisely, at this house; and that the secretary give timely notice to those who are now present, and such other persons as he may deem suitable.

As these Resolutions involve some measures which materially affect the future prosperity of the Society, the following OBSERVATIONS will not be considered out of place.

I. The Committee being authorised by the Third general Rule to add to their number, it is unnecessary to admit many members in this stage of the proceedings. Every day will increase their knowledge of suitable characters; and it is only requisite to secure the services of a sufficient number of individuals to carry the preliminary arrangements into effect.

II. In reference to the Third Resolution, the clerical head of the parish should always be solicited to fill the office of President: should he decline, a respectable layman should be selected:-and as the Treasurer is Chairman ex officio of the Committee in the absence of the President, an intelligent, prudent, and respectable person should likewise be chosen for this office.

III. In the division of the town, parish, &c. into districts, the observations already offered in Section II. will be found to apply. These arrangements should be made by those gentlemen of the Committee who possess the greatest local knowledge.