4. At some stages of development the quarterly performed some duties later performed by the monthly meeting.[757]
Procedure in the monthly meeting
What became of the recommendation when sent on from quarterly meeting? After arriving at and being perused by the monthly, they were always sent by the representatives back to the various particulars, or preparatives, there to be considered also.[758] The preparative meeting was not primarily a “record-meeting” and little can be found of their organization, if they had any, for raising funds, save from the reports of the monthly meetings. This does not mean, however, that the preparatives did not share in raising the funds; it means only that the organization for so doing was in the monthly meeting.[759] The plans adopted by that body were drawn up in the most part by a committee which was representative of each particular meeting. Let us examine briefly the general nature of the plans proposed by some of the meetings for establishing permanent funds. Only those of two or three will be mentioned, as there was great similarity in all of them. The text of the plan for some of the meetings may be found in the chapter in which those meetings are considered.[760]
In 1796 the minutes of Kennett recorded a plan their committee had devised for the establishment of a permanent fund. As has already been suggested, one of the greatest weaknesses of the whole system was that everything was done upon individual choice.[761] That is probably the first thing to strike the reader’s attention as he looks over the plans devised. We will state as concisely as possible the chief points.
Kennett plans for raising funds summarized
(a) Subscriptions were voluntary, and if a note were given it bore interest at 5%;
(b) There was a regularly constituted board of trustees for the funds;
(c) Record was to be kept of receipts and expenditures and reported to the monthly meeting;
(d) All money paid in was to be vested in real property as soon as possible;
(e) Disagreement among the trustees must be settled before the monthly meeting;