I've been a member of this fourm for quite sometime although I rarely post. I do however, have my story posted on Shauns' site http://jwfiles.com/jws-leaving/william.htm I also wrote and article for that site comparing the prophecies of 1925 and 1975. http://jwfiles.com/1925-1975.htm Just a little background on me: I served as an elder in Philadelphia. I was the cong sec. and also served as the auditor for the circuit accounts.
It would stand to reason that my behind the scenes info would come in the area of accounting. Some of you may find this interesting and others of you my already know how the circuit accounts work. But before being appointed an elder and being hand selected by the CO to oversee the circuit accounts, I had no idea how under handed the system is. Having been an account servant for seven years I was well familar with the cong accounts, so I expected more of the same on the circuit level. Boy was I wrong.
My first eye opening experience was with surplus funds on hand. When auditing the accounts I saw that the our section of the circuit had a large surplus that seemed to go nowhere except a portion each assembly would be sent to the Society. After seeing this surplus on the books for some time, as circustances would have it, one assembly we had a deficit. As many of you know there is often an elders meeting at the end of the circuit assembly. It is at this meeting that the deficit and other financial matters are discussed (after the co excuses himself he is not present for the business meeting as it is called) The chaiman said each cong sec is to have a check for one third of the amount needed to cover the deficit. I brought up the idea of using the previous surplus as a way of dealing with the current situation.
I was told that the Socity requires the funds from each assembly be used to cover that assembly. So the funds remaining over from a previous assembly may not be used to cover a current deficit. So the 'friends' who gave more than was needed for a previous assembly would now have to give again to cover the shortage of this assembly. This made no sense to me. It was like double dipping.
I asked what can be done with these surplus funds? I was told they can only be sent to the Society or kept on hand. The money couldn't be used for anyhing other than sitting or given to one of the Socities many funds. By the way the check that each cong sec is to issue to cover the deficit was to be sent by that Monday following the assembly. Well before the cong is asked by way of resolution if they want to cover the deficit of the last circuit assembly. Also the society charges rent to use the assembly hall. About three dollars per publisher. Mind you the congs were charged interest on the loan to build the hall by the Socity.
The expenses of running the building for the one and two day assemblies was on avarge only 15 to 30 percent of what was charged the congs. The rest was pure profit. This is but a few things I have experienced serving as the circuit account auditor.
William
(currently hiding in the Witness Protection Progam)
