The Agent's or Visitor's Memorandum Book.

to specify the precise amount of Bibles and Testaments which should be entrusted to any particular captain for sale, as much will depend on the character of the individual, and the nature of his voyage; but perhaps 10. may be judiciously entered as the maximum. In this, as well as every other part of the design, the discretion of the Committee must be exercised, to guard against abuse, and protect the interests of the society. The considerations suggested by the Eleventh Rule will be found among the general remarks in the last section of this chapter.

SECTION IV.

FORMS OF THE BOOKS, AND MODE OF KEEPING THE ACCOUNTS.

In all the Specimens contained in this and the following Sections, the entries in Italics are to be considered as Manuscript.

Many of the Books and Papers required by a Marine Bible Society are similar to those of an Auxiliary Society, which have been fully described in Chap. II. Section V.; and the requisite alterations in the mode of making the entries will readily suggest themselves to the secretaries. It may be necessary, however, to observe, that an account should be opened in the Leger, with every owner, &c. whose ship has been supplied, whether by sale or gratuitously, in order to shew what it has cost the society to furnish the vessel. The London Merchant-Seamen's Society has experienced the advantage of this plan; as in many instances the owners have subsequently paid for the Bibles and Testaments on receiving a bill of parcels, though the supply in the first instance was gratuitous. The following are the Books and Papers peculiar to a Marine Society.

I. THE AGENT'S (OR VISITOR'S) MEMORANDUM BOOK.

This book should be of a convenient size for the pocket, and ought to be taken on board every ship visited or revisited. The author is not aware that any such book is now in use; but he ventures to recommend its adoption, as calculated to save considerable trouble. It may contain about 300 pages, each of which should be printed according to the Specimen, leaving blanks for the entries, which are here inserted in italics. If it be cut in the form of an alphabetical index, leaving a suitable number of pages for every letter, it will facilitate the reference to any particular ship. A few blank pages may be left at the end of the book, for the purpose of noting any observations in reference to vessels revisited, the original entries of which are in a preceding Memorandum Book.

Specimen of the Agent's Memorandum Book.-Observations, &c.

14. Amount received for Bibles and Testaments . .

15. Amount of Donations and Subscriptions received for the Society

OBSERVATIONS.

None.

£.3.6.8

One Pound.

66

The Captain told me, that in his last long voyage he found the benefit of giving suitable instruction to those under his orders. Every sabbath morning it was his practice to assemble his people together to prayers and to hear the Scriptures read; and in the after-purt of the day, he observed, it was pleasant to behold the seamen scattered about the ship, under the boats, and in other shady places, reading their Bibles. "Great things, Sir," said he, can be done, if Owners and Commanders are pleased to put their hands to the good work, which I hope they will do, when they see it to be their interest, as well as their duty, to attend to the morals of their people: no Owner or Captain ought to receive the Scriptures without contributing to the funds. I intreat you, Sir, to accept of a pound note, towards defraying the expense attending the circulation of Bibles and Testaments amongst our seamen : I wish I could do more." — It will be observed, that cost prices have been obtained for all the copies sold on board this ship. I was pleased with the candid confession of one of the crew, who carried with him an honest countenance: he said aloud—“ We sailors kave been swearers quite long enough; it is now high time we began to pray-let me have a Bible."

II. THE AGENT'S REGISTRY.

This should be a large quarto book, to open lengthways. A few pages at the beginning may be ruled according to the Specimen No. 1, for the purpose of entering the receipts and deliveries of Bibles and Testaments, which should be balanced every month. The remainder of the book should be ruled according to Specimen No. 2. On returning to his office, the Agent should immediately enter from the Memorandum Book the requisite particulars into the Registry, the specimen of which will sufficiently explain the mode of proceeding.

Agent's

SPECIMEN,

[To occupy the first ten

RECEIVED.

Bibles.

Testaments.

1 2 3 4 5 10 12 15 17 19 6 7 8 9 11 13 14 16 18 20 21 22 23 24

Registry.

No. 1.

Folios of the Book.]

Respective
Nos. of

the Ships
supplied.

1 2 3 4 5 10 12 15 17 19 6 7 8 9 11 13 14 16 18 20 21 22 23 24

Week

ending.

1820.

20th Sept.

4 6

The Agent's Registry, and Weekly Report.

With every parcel of Bibles and Testaments forwarded to the Agent, the Secretary should furnish an invoice, specifying the precise number and description of the copies sent. This invoice should be immediately entered in the Registry (Specimen, No. 1.), and then folded and indorsed with its appropriate number, to pro. mote facility of reference.

The London Merchant-Seamen's Society adopts the plan of designating every description of Bible and Testament by a Number: and as that plan is followed here, it is necessary to transcribe the List, a copy of which should be pasted inside the cover of the Registry.

IIL-AGENT'S WEEKLY REPORT.

This is simply an abstract, taken from the Registry, of all proceedings during the past week. It should be presented on a sheet of large paper; and it will save much valuable time if the form be printed, so as to render it necessary only to fill in the returns. The amount received by the Agent, and the names and address of all new contributors to the society, should be transmitted with the Report. If the Form be printed on one side, it may be found sufficient; and the other may be appropriated to those interesting facts and observations that confer a peculiar value on these documents, which should be transmitted, weekly, to the Committee, on a stated day, and preserved by the Secretaries in a Guard Book, in a regular series.