Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

To prevent unruly or unthinking perfons from disturbing our people, it was ordered, That no man, or number of men, in our connection, fhall circulate letters, call meetings, or attempt to do any thing new, till it has first been appointed by the Conference.

To avoid being entangled in Law, it was enacted, That no Diftrict-meetings, Preachers, or People whatfoever, shall involve the Conference in a Law-fuit, or have any demand on the Conference for the expences, or any part of the expences of a Lawfuit; more efpecially concerning Chapels or Preaching-houses, without the confent of the Conference previously obtained.

4

To fupport the Missions in the Weft-Indies, and Newfoundland, it was agreed, That a general collection be made by the Preachers in every Town in England, where Dr. Coke has not made application, within fix months before the meeting of the Conference; and the money fo collected, be deposited in the hands of Mr. Whitfield.

As the regulations refpecting the Sacrament have not been ftrictly attended to, but fome complaints have arifen on both fides, to remedy which in future, the Conference agree, 1. That those Societies who have the Sacrament allowed according to the Rules of Pacification, fhall have it duly adminiftered; and that if the Superintendent will not adminifter it himself, he shall provide fome other Preacher, who is properly qualified, to do it; so that the people may not be deprived of their privilege.

2. That every Preacher fhall attend, with the utmost exactness, to that Rule in the Pacific Plan which ftates, That no Preacher fhall, directly or indirectly, endeavour to excite any Society to defire to have the Lord's Supper. Nor on the other hand, ftrive to fet any Society against that Ordinance; but leave the people every where entirely free.

It was likewife enacted, That the Lord's Supper be administered to the members of our fociety only, or fuch as receive a note of admiffion from the Affiftant, which note must be renewed quarterly. And if any Leaders, Stewards, or Trustees, refuse to be regulated by this rule, the facrament fhall not be adminiftered where this is the cafe.

Inafmuch as fundry queftions have been agitated in the courfe of last year, refpecting divers things in our plan of difcipline, fuch as the admiffion or exclufion of Members, the appointment or change of Leaders and Stewards, and the reception of local and travelling Preachers,

Our rules, or custom, refpecting thefe particulars, are as

follow :

1. As to the admiffion of Members, the rule by which we have been accustomed, and ftill intend to walk, is contained in the large Minutes of Conference, Queftion xvi. p. 12. "How

" fhall

"fhall we prevent improper persons from infinuating into the "Society ?"

A. 1. "Give tickets to none till they are recommended by a "Leader, with whom they have met at least two months on trial."

2. Give Notes to none but those who are recommended by know, or till they have met three or four times in

66 one you "Clafs."

3. "Give them the Rules the firft time they meet. See that "this never be neglected.”

66

2. As to the exclufion of Members, our rule is fixt, and our custom expreffed in the rules of the Society, where it is faid, "Thefe are the general rules of our Societies; all which we are taught of God to obferve, even in his written word, the "only rule and the fufficient rule both of our Faith and Practice. "And all these we know his Spirit writes on every truly awaken"ed heart. If there be any among us who observe them not, "who habitually break any of them, let it be made known unto "them who watch over that foul, as they that must give an ac"count. We will admonish him of the error of his ways: we "will bear with him for a season. But then if he repent not, he "hath no more place among us."

3. As to the appointment and change of Leaders and Stewards, our rule is not to appoint or change any Leader or Steward without confulting the Leaders and Stewards.

4. Refpecting the admiffion of perfons to be Local Preachers, Let the Affiftant regularly meet the local Preachers once a Quarter, and let none be admitted but those that are propofed and approved at that meeting, and if in any Circuit this be not practicable, let them be proposed and approved at the Quarterly Meeting.

5. With refpect to perfons that purpose to travel, Let none be recommended to be received on trial, but fuch as have first been mentioned at the Quarterly Meeting in March, and approved of at the District Meeting following.

6. Refpecting Collections, it was enacted last year and we now confirm the Rule, that the money collected in each Circuit for the yearly Collection, for Kingfwood School, and the Preachers Fund, be entered in the General Steward's Book, in their respective Circuits. To this we add, That from henceforth, all the disbursements fhall be published in detail in the yearly Minutes of Conference as they are this year.

7. As we defire to have every proper information on whatever concerns ourselves or our people, we will gladly receive intelligence not only from the Leaders and Quarterly Meetings, but from any individual Member of Society, as well as the Districtmeeting as at the Conference, provided always the Foftage of

Letters,

Letters, containing such information, be paid by those persons who write or fend them.

N. B. The Letters that relate to the station of the Preachers, fhould be sent so as to be at the place of Conference the week before the time appointed for the Meeting thereof.

It was judged expedient to bring forward into the view of the Preachers and People, fome of our Rules, which are either for gotten or overlooked, particularly the following:

1. "Let no Anthems be introduced into our Chapels, (unless. on extraordinary occafions and with the confent of the Affiftant) because they cannot be properly called joint worship. Alfo we agree with our late Rev. Father, that our own Tunes fhould be learned and fung in preference to others, as in these the whole congregation, can in general join." Minutes 1782.

"Do not fuffer the people to fing too flow. This naturally tends to Formality, and is brought in by them who have either very ftrong or very weak voices. Let the women conftantly fing their parts alone. Let no man fing with them, unless he underftands the Notes, and fings the Bafs, as it is pricked down in the book. Let no Organ be placed any where, till proposed in the Conference. Recommend our Tune-book every where and if you cannot fing yourself, chufe a perfon or two in each place to pitch the tune for you. Exhort every one in the Congregation to fing; not one in ten only. If a Preacher be present, let no Singer give out the words." Large Minutes p. 27.

2.

"Let no Preacher go out to fupper or be from home, if poffible, after nine o'clock." Minutes 1789.

3. "Let us preach exprefsly, now and then, on Sabbath-breaking, evil fpeaking, unprofitable converfation, lightnefs, expenfiveness or gaiety of apparel, and contracting debts without due care to discharge them. Read in every Society the Sermon on evil fpeaking. Let the Leaders clofely examine and exhort every perfon to put away the accurfed thing. Let the Preacher warn every Society that none who is guilty herein can remain with us," Large Minutes p. 14.

[ocr errors]

It appears from the ftate of the Accounts relating to the Preachers Fund, now laid before us, that the amount, (if in our hands, or in any of the Funds, from whence regular intereft is paid,) would have been fix thousand pounds. But this whole fum (except about £70) is all expended in the payment of Mr. Wefley's debts, and in carrying on the work before and fince his death.

THOMAS TAYLOR, Prefident, SAMUEL BRADBURN, Secretary

ARMINIAN MAGAZINE.

Ridley foulp

M JOHN SAUNDERSON,

Aged 32.

Preacher of the Gospels

« ForrigeFortsæt »