Questions and Answers by J. N. L.

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Jan 14, 1875

Questions and Answers.

By J. N. L.

Bro. H. H. S., district No. 8, says, I only made a memoranda relative to three books, and I am aware that I am required as secretary, to keep four. Will you explain the name and nature of this fourth book which you called a business book?

Reply. Your question is in part answered in the last number of the SIGNS but, I see from your question, and questions from others, that there is danger of confounding books three and four, so I will state still further concerning them. You will see in last SIGNS I have given quite explicit directions and illustrations of book number three. I think from that you will understand the nature of the book. I see you had the same impression concerning the credit page that some others had; that the church is to receive credit for tracts, pamphlets, and other reading matter distributed. That is not so. Their quarterly reports show what has become of their reading matter.

The credits relate to all moneys received by the church for members of the T. and M. Society in that church, money received for book sales, for donations to the society, and all money received for periodicals sent by the district secretary to the publication office of the SIGNS, or to the general publication office at Battle Creek through the State secretary as illustrated above.

As before stated, the business agent of each church should pay all money received for periodicals to the director, and immediately send the business to the district secretary. The district secretary will charge these subscriptions to the church from which they come, and send the business for SIGNS' office to its destination, and that for Review office to the State secretary as illustrated before.

Now as to the nature of your fourth book. It is a list of subscribers from each church for our various periodicals sent through you to the SIGNS, or to the State secretary for Review office. While your cash book, "number three," contains the charge, with date and amount, your business book contains the exact items on each subscription. I will here insert an illustration of the manner in which I should keep such a book, as follows:

Business with SIGNS' office or State secretary (as the case may be). Dist. No. 8, letter No. 1.

San Jose, Jan. 20, 1875. To the Secretary of Cal. State T. and M. Society. Sister Bush: Item (1). Send Review one year to John Jones, Gray Hawk, Jackson Co., Ky. Credit for the same, $2,00. Item (2). Send Reformer one year to the same name and address, $1.00.

Item (3). Credit Tom Ables (one year) on Instructor now going to Greene, Lancaster Co., Pa., 50cts.

You can then say for your own information on the business book: These three items were received from the Santa Clara church, Jan. 18, 1875, and are charged to them on my cash book at that date. Perhaps you have other items from San Jose for the same letter. You can continue your numbers as follows:

Item (4). Send Tidende one year to August Rasmussen, Wilsleff, Sogn Pr Ribe, Denmark, post. paid, $1.48. Item (5). Send Svensk Advent Harald one year to Hans Peterson, Reno, Nevada, $1.00. Item (6). Credit on Review now going to James Dillinbach, Kokomo, Ill., for one year, $2.00.

You can then minute, for your own reference, that these three items were from Santa Clara, Jan. 12, and are charged at that date on my cash book, &c. The six or more items simply you would forward to the State secretary, requesting her to forward them to Battle Creek, and charge to district number 8, and to send you a duplicate of the business, which will be a guarantee to you that the letter was received by her and the business all properly entered upon her business book.

Out of orders of this character received by the State Secretary, she can make up a letter for Battle Creek, numbering her letter, and numbering the items, and making a minute on her book, showing what district the items are from, and charging on her cash-book the amount to each respective district. As she forwards the business letter to Battle Creek, she receives in return a duplicate, showing that the business is properly attended to. Battle Creek office charges the amount of each letter to the Cal. State T. and M. Society.

When the director of any district pays to the State T. and M. Treasurer the money on subscriptions, he should immediately forward a statement of the fact, and the amount paid, to the district secretary, that he may give credit accordingly to the respective churches in that district from which the director has received it. If it pertains to the publication office at Battle Creek, the district secretary should forward a statement of the same to the State secretary, in order that she may give credit to the respective districts for the same. When the money is drawn from the State treasury and applied on the account at Battle Creek, the fact will be reported to the State secretary, so that she can charge it on the account with the Review Office.

J. N. L.