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Ca SECTION VIL

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Of the printing and circulating of Books, and of the Profits arising therefrom.

This subject was first introduced into the Discipline in

1787, as follows:

"As it has been frequently recommended by the preachers and people, that such books as are wanted be printed in this country, we therefore propose,

"1. That the advice of the conference shall be desired concerning any valuable impression, and their consent be obtained before any steps be taken for the printing thereof.

"2. That the profits of the books, after all the necessary expenses are defrayed, shall be applied, according to the discretion of the conference, toward the college, the preachers' fund, the deficiencies of the preachers, the distant missions, or the debts on our churches."

1790. The last clause was altered, so as to provide that the profits "be applied, as the bishop and Councilt shall direct."

1792. The following was substituted as the entire section:

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Quest. 1. Who is employed to manage the printing business?

"Ans. John Dickins.

"Quest, 2. What allowances shall be paid him annually for his services?

"Ans. 1. Two hundred dollars for a dwelling house and for a book room.

"2. Eighty dollars for a boy.

"3. Fifty-three dollars and one-third for firewood; and,

*See Lee's Hist. of the Meth., p. 129.

+ "The Council" was a body that had a brief existence at that time. (See Lee's History of the Methodists, pp. 149–159.)

"4. Three hundred and thirty-three dollars to clothe and feed himself, his wife, and his children. In all, six hundred and sixty-six dollars and one-third.

"Quest. 3. What powers shall be granted him? "Ans. 1. To regulate the publications according to

the state of the finances.

"2. To determine, with the approbation of the book committee, on the amount of the drafts which may be drawn from time to time on the book fund.

"3. To complain to the district conferences if any preachers shall neglect to make due payment for books.

"4. To publish from time to time such books or treatises, as he and the other members of the book committee shall unanimously judge proper.

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Quest. 4. Who shall form the book committee? "Ans. John Dickins, Henry Willis, Thomas Haskins, and the preacher who is stationed in Philadelphia from time to time.

"Quest. 5. How much shall be annually allowed out of the book fund for Cokesbury College till the next General Conference?

"Ans. Eight hundred dollars for the ensuing year; and one thousand sixty-six dollars and two-thirds for each of the remaining three years.

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Quest. 6. What directions shall be given concerning the application of the money allowed as above for Cokesbury College?

"Ans. The money shall be applied as follows

"1. For the education and board of the boys that are now on the charitable part of the foundation. But no boy shall be again placed on the charity till the next General Conference.

"2. The surplus of the money, after the charity is supplied, shall be from time to time appropriated to the payment of the debt of the college, and to the finishing of the building, under the direction of the bishop and the committee of safety.

"N. B. The present debt of the college is about

eleven hundred dollars. The present expense of the charity is about nine hundred and sixty-three dollars annually; but this will probably sink into less than one-half before the next General Conference.

"Quest. 7. What sum of money shall be allowed distressed preachers out of the book fund, till the next General Conference?

"Ans. Two hundred and sixty-six dollars and onethird per annum.

"Quest. 8. How is the money mentioned above, for the benefit of distressed preachers, to be drawn out of the book fund?

"Ans. By the bishop, according to the united judgment of himself and the district conferences.

"Quest. 9. What shall be allowed the bishop out of the book fund, for the benefit of district schools, till the next General Conference?

"Ans. Sixty-four dollars per annum.

Quest. 10. How shall the surplus of the book fund be applied till the next General Conference, after the provisions above mentioned are made?

"Ans. To the forming of a capital stock for the carrying on of the concerns of the books."

1796. The following alterations were made:Under Question 3, Answers 2 and 4 were struck out. Question 4 was struck out. Also all that relates to the college, (Questions 5 and 6,) it having been destroyed by fire the preceding year.

Questions 9 and 10 struck out, and the following added:

66 Quest. 6. In what manner shall the accounts of the general book steward be examined?

"Ans. The Philadelphia Conference shall from year to year appoint a committee, who shall examine quarterly his receipts and disbursements and other ac

counts.

66 Quest. 7. What mode shall be struck out for the recovery of bad or suspected book debts?

"Ans. 1. Let every yearly conference appoint a

committee or committees for the examination of the accounts of the travelling book stewards in their respective districts.

"2. Let every presiding elder, and every preacher who has the oversight of a circuit, do every thing in their power to recover all the debts in their circuit or district, and also all books which may remain in the hands of persons who shall have resigned, or been withdrawn from the office of a travelling book steward. "Quest. 8. Shall any drafts be made on the book fund before all its debts are discharged?

"Ans. There shall be none till the debts are discharged, except in the case of distressed travelling preachers.

"Quest. 9. What directions shall be given concerning the regulation of our press?

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"Ans. The general book steward shall print no books or tracts of any kind without the consent of a bishop and two-thirds of the Philadelphia Conference.* Quest. 10. Will the conference recommend and engage to promote the publication of a magazine, entitled, The Methodist Magazine, which shall consist of compilations from the British magazines, and of original accounts of the experience of pious persons, and shall be published in monthly numbers?

"Ans. The conference will recommend such a magazine, and desire that it may be printed."

* In accordance with the direction of the General Conference, (Quest. 6,) the Philadelphia Conference, in 1797, appointed a book committee, and the following note was entered on the Annual Minutes for that year:

"The above committee are to meet at Philadelphia on the 2d of January, 1798, and once a quarter afterward, or oftener if necessary, to consider and determine what manuscripts, books, or pamphlets shall be printed.

"Four of the said committee, when met as above, shall proceed to business, provided that the chairman and one of the presiding elders be present. And the general book steward shall lay before the committee all manuscripts, books, and pamphlets which are designed for publication, except such as the General Conference has authorized him to publish."

1800. The form of questions and answers laid aside, and the whole section remodelled as follows:

"1. Ezekiel Cooper is appointed the superintendent of the Book Concern, who shall have authority to regulate the publications, and all other parts of the business, according to the state of the finances from time to time. It shall be his duty to inform the annual conferences if any of the preachers or private members of the society neglect to make due payment. He may publish any books or tracts which, at any time, may be approved of or recommended by the majority of an annual conference, provided such books or tracts be also approved of by the book committee, which shall be appointed by the Philadelphia Annual Conference. He may reprint any book or tract which has once been approved and published by us, when, in his judgment, the same ought to be reprinted. Let his accounts and books be examined by the Philadelphia Conference at the time of the sitting of the said conference.

"2. It shall be the duty of every presiding elder, where no book steward is appointed, to see that his district be fully supplied with books. He is to order such books as are wanted, and to give direction to whose care the same are to be sent; and he is to take the oversight of all our books sent into his district, and to account with the superintendent for the same. He is to have the books distributed among the several circuits in his district, and is to keep an account with each preacher who receives or sells the books; and is to receive the money, and to forward it to the superintendent. When a presiding elder is removed, he is to make a full settlement for all the books sold or remaining in his district; and is also to make a transfer to his successor of all the books and accounts left with the preachers in the district, the amount of which shall go to his credit, and pass to the debit of his successor.

"3. It shall be the duty of every preacher, who has the charge of a circuit, to see that his circuit be duly supplied with books, and to take charge of all the

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