The Advantages of the Fund not confined to the Sick.

loan Bibles: and it is worthy of observation, that solely by these means the injurious practice of gratuitous grants has been rendered entirely unnecessary; no recommendations having been made by either of the Associations, where the simple expedient of a Bible loan-stock has been adopted. "Your Committee take this opportunity of expressing their renewed conviction of the superiority of the plan of lending the Scriptures, when circumstances prevent the purchase: two hundred and eighty persons having, by means of the loan-stocks of the several Associations, enjoyed the benefits of this society, without being burdensome to its funds."

The best Testaments for the purposes of the Loan Fund are the Brevier, bound in linen-cloth.

11. A reference to the 20th and 21st Minutes of the Committee (Specimen of No. XI. Section V. Chap. VII.) will sufficiently explain the mode of proceeding, in carrying the second Rule into effect. The author has never known a single instance wherein the requisite fund has not been immediately and cheerfully contributed.

III. In addition to the distinguishing marks placed on loan Bibles and Testaments, as described in the third Rule, some Associations adopt the practice of pasting on the inside of the cover a printed paper, containing the following intimation:

"This is a Loan from the

Bible Association. It is to be

used with care; and on no account to be sold or pledged." IV. The practical tendency of the fourth Rule will be found sufficiently illustrated in the Specimens, Nos. xx. and xxI. Section V. of Chap. VII.

v. It is not intended that the benefits of the fund should be confined exclusively to the sick, nor to those who appear unable to subscribe. In numerous instances, they have been extended, with manifest advantage, to aged subscribers of a penny or twopence a week, to whom time is peculiarly precious; and in others, they have induced individuals to become subscribers, who were previously indifferent to the Bible, and regardless of its sacred lessons. The Committee of the Liverpool Ladies' Society, in their Third Annual Report, observe :-" The loan of Testaments, under the direction of the Collectors, who are responsible for them, and who make periodical reports of their condition, has been found exceedingly useful, in quieting that impatience which many subscribers feel, until, on the completion of their subscriptions, they obtain their Bibles; and in exciting in many, who at first set little value on the Scriptures, a reverence for them, and a desire to possess copies for themselves. . The number of Loan Testaments in circulation is upwards of 500: the use of these has induced many to become subscribers, whose names would not otherwise have been obtained for that purpose. Among them are to be found, especially in one Association, a considerable number of Roman Catholics."

VI. The sixth and seventh Rules have been fully explained and illustrated, in treating of the "Loan Ticket (See No. vii.

Anecdotes, exemplifying the beneficial effects of the Loan Fund.

Section V. Chapter VII.); and the intention of the eighth Rule will be rendered perfectly clear, by referring to the duplicate Second Specimen of the "Collectors' Monthly Report."-See No. x. of

the same Section.

VII. The Fourth Specimen of the "Collecting Book" (No. 11. Section V. Chap. VII.) will explain the method of keeping the account referred to in the ninth Rule; and the following extracts will illustrate the design of the latter part of this regulation:

Leeds Ladies', 1819.-" The Collectors of District No. 6 have been much pleased with the effect of a loan Testament. They report-Having called upon a family in the beginning of March last, and finding them quite destitute of the Scriptures, the poor woman expressed a wish to have a Bible, and subscribed sixpence, saying, she would continue that weekly. The second time she was called upon, she said she could not continue her subscription, as she had spoken to her husband on the subject, who told her, a Bible would be of no use to them, and that he would not have one. The Collectors endeavoured to convince the woman that it might be of great use to them; and desired she would speak with her husband, and they would call again in a week or two. In the mean time, they learnt from a neighbour that this man was a drunken, wicked character; never entered a place of worship; and, when in full employment himself, was maintained by his wife. The Ladies called again; when the woman said, she had at last prevailed on her husband to let them have a Bible. A loan Testament was left with them, and they were promised the use of it till they received their Bible. The woman continued to pay her subscription punctually; and, when presented with the Bible, gave a gratifying account of the change in her husband. She said, that ever since he had been in possession of the loan Testament, he had constantly, and at every opportunity, read it with the greatest apparent concern ;-that he had become a regular attendant at a place of worship; and frequently manifested much sorrow at the recollection of his past conduct. He now brings home his weekly earnings every Saturday night; and has never been heard to use any profane language since he became a reader of the Testament. When his wife subsequently presented him with the Bible, he seemed quite overpowered, and wept much."

Plymouth Ladies', 1819.—“ Your Committee cannot here refrain from expressing their unqualified approbation of this part of the system, which has proved a source of joy and consolation, to many of the sick poor in particular; nor from stating, that in no instance has a single copy been lost which has been issued from this source. From among the many instances which might be adduced in proof of the utility of these loans, and of the gratitude evinced by the poor, one only their limits allow them to extract :-> "The Collectors of a district having supplied a poor woman with a loan Testament, called, a few weeks afterwards, for the purpose of ascertaining whether she had made any use of it: she expressed herself under the most lasting obligations to them for the treasure they had lent her, and spoke of having derived the greatest comfort and consolation from its perusal, dwelling with peculiar earnestness on those parts of the Scriptures which relate more immediately to the love of the SAVIOUR for sinners.-The neighbours also stated, that though she was absent from home, at work, during the day, she never retired to rest without spending a considerable portion of time in reading her Testament;-that she was constantly speaking of its contents, and blessing those who were the means of providing her with it."

The Labouring Classes induced to subscribe by Loans.

VIII. It is evident, that unless some acknowledgment of the return of a Bible or Testament be given, as provided by the tenth Rule, there is a danger of incorrectness and misunderstanding; as it is generally sent by the borrower to the Bible Secretary, without the knowledge of the Collectors. In all such cases the ticket should be returned at the next meeting of the Committee, and the Collectors should immediately make the proper entry at the end of their Collecting Book. When a person who has been supplied removes into another district, it is usual for the Collectors of the latter to assume the responsibility attached by the twelfth Rule; and it will save much trouble if a general understanding, to this effect, prevail in every Committee.

IX. The following extract from the Second Annual Report of the Manchester Ladies' Society will illustrate the tendency of the eleventh rule.

"One hundred and seventy-three persons have been supplied with loans : and your Committee have every reason to believe that very extensive and important blessings have arisen from this part of their plan. The use made of loans enables the Collectors, in a great measure, to ascertain the characters of those to whom they are entrusted; and prevents the funds of the Society from being squandered on those who might eagerly accept a Bible, without any wish to peruse it. Many sick persons, who were entirely destitute of the Scriptures, have been thus supplied."

And it will gratify the reader to perceive, in the anecdote subjoined, a renewed evidence of an increasing disposition on the part of the labouring classes to assist in supplying themselves. The Committee of the Liverpool Ladies' Society, in their Report for 1819, observe,—

One of the grants made at the recommendation of your Committee was to a shoemaker, in straitened circumstances, who had a wife and ten children to support. When the Collectors called upon him, he expressed so earnest a desire for a Bible, that they immediately applied for a grant, not thinking it right to require payment from so poor and industrious a man: but he declined receiving it otherwise than as a loan, expressing his determination to do all in his power to spare the money; and he has since succeeded in paying the full price."

x. It may reasonably admit of a doubt, whether the advantages of the Loan Fund be not questionable, without the responsibility attached to the Collectors by the Twelfth rule: nor can any Lady justly complain, when required to exercise that discretion in reference to the property of the Society which she manifests in the disposition of her own. This responsibility not only makes them more cautious in the selection of those whom they recommend, and more diligent in acquiring a knowledge of their character and circumstances, but induces greater punctuality in those visits of mercy from which such incalculable benefits have resulted. The loss of a few Testaments is a matter of little importance, when compared

The Plan of Public Distributions first adopted at Paisley.

with the principles of honesty and justice, and the habits of regularity, order, and attention, which it is the great object of a Bible Association to encourage and perpetuate: and whatever tends to counteract the temptation to fraud on the part of the poor to strengthen those principles, and confirm these habitsmust be a positive good. Experience has proved, beyond the possibility of doubt, that the weekly visits of the Collectors produce this effect :-in the case of subscribers, there is an evident motive to punctuality; but, without this regulation, there would not be a similar inducement to call on those who had been supplied with loans.

* See Hints to Collectors, Section I. of this Chapter.

SECTION III.

PUBLIC DISTRIBUTIONS.

1. The reader who is conversant in the proceedings of Bible Societies on the European Continent, cannot be ignorant that this mode of distributing copies of the holy scriptures has long prevailed in many parts of Germany, &c.; although it has been an occasional act, and connected with devotional solemnities, rather than a systematic periodical measure, arising out of the regulations of the respective institutions. The first Bible Society in Great Britain by which this plan was adopted, appears to have been that of Paisley and East Renfrewshire. The Committee, in their Annual Report for 1814, observe, that "they were actuated by a desire at once to guard against an indiscriminate distribution, and to secure, so far as depended on them, a proper attention to the Bibles distributed." After due investigation, lists of the families requiring a supply, in the several districts of the town and neighbourhood, were made out by the Committee; and "each of the families was furnished with a ticket, having inscribed on it the name of the head of the family, the place of residence, and the extent of aid required. These tickets were distributed by gentlemen appointed for the purpose, who were careful to make accurate inquiry into the state of those who were represented as in necessitous circumstances, and to whom the distribution was made. With the tickets thus distributed and received, the people were appointed to repair, at a fixed time, to certain places appropriated for distribution of Bibles."

2. Whether the example was originally derived from Germany or Scotland, is of little moment; but it is certain, that whatever merit belongs to the more general introduction of

NN

Public Distributions adopted at Godalming with considerable effect.

this measure into the system of Bible Associations, may be claimed by the Committee of the Godalming Society. It has been already stated (see vIIIth Division of Sect. I. Chap. VII.), that they were directed, by the First Annual Meeting of their Subscribers, to prepare and publish a detailed account of "the Southwark Bible Association System, adapted to the local circumstances of the Country:" this publication appeared in the autumn of 1815: and it is due to those by whom this mode of distribution was first recommended and explained, to extract the following exposition of the views by which they were influenced :

"The method which your Committee has adopted, for the distribution of Bibles and Testaments, has been an important part of the proceedings of the past year. They were induced, by some considerations, which they think the results have fully justified, to prefer a public to a private distribution : accordingly, they instituted a quarterly meeting for this purpose. The effects of these meetings have been truly gratifying; in the interest which they have excited, particularly among the poor-the consequent increase of applications for Bibles and Testaments, and of donations and subscriptions. By these meetings, every appearance of party or private charity is avoided ; the plan and operations of the society are better understood; and, while the prejudices of some are melted away, the attachment of others is confirmed.”

As the Godalming Association was not only the first regularly-organized Ladies' Society, but the first which presented to the public a sketch of the system on which it was conducted, it might naturally be expected that the plan of PUBLIC DISTRIBUTIONS would be adopted in other places; though it by no means constitutes an essential part of the design. Such, in fact, was, with few exceptions, the case; and in the regulations prepared for similar institutions, provision was expressly made for this mode of delivering the copies to the subscribers. (See 1vth Observation on the ByLaws, Chap. VII. Section III.) Experience and observation have suggested many improvements in the original plan, which will be found included in the following remarks.

3. It may not be altogether unnecessary to observe, that the proceedings of Bible distributions, like those of the Annual Meetings, are conducted exclusively by the members of the Auxiliary (or Branch) Committee, and such other Gentlemen as may be invited to take part in the business. The plan of quarterly distributions, as originally devised at Godal→ ming, has been very generally superseded by half-yearly meetings for this purpose; and in some Associations of long standing, which have nearly satisfied the local demand, a public distribution connected with the Annual Meeting is found sufficient, and has been attended with considerable