II. RULES

RELATING TO THE SOCIETIES.

I. OF RECEIVING MEMBERS INTO THE SOCIETY.

I. THE Leaders' Meeting has a right to declare any person on trial improper to be received into the Society: and, after such declaration, the Superintendent shall not admit such person into Society.

II. NEITHER the Superintendents, nor any other Preachers, shall give Tickets to any, till they are recommended by a Leader, with whom they have met, at least, two months on trial.

III. No Preacher shall give Notes (admitting persons on trial) to any but those who are recommended by one he knows, or till they have met three or four times in a Class.

IV. HE must give them the Rules of the Society, the first time they meet.

V. As some of our people have, in different parts of the Kingdom, been imposed on, in various ways, by Swindlers, who professed themselves members of our Society, let no person be received into any Society, without a certificate, signed by one of the Itinerant Preachers in the Circuit, from whence he professes to have come. 1779.

II. OF THE EXCLUSION OF MEMBERS FROM THE SOCIETY.

1. THE far greater number of those that are separated from us, exclude themselves by neglecting to meet in Class, and use the other means of grace, and so gradually forsake us. With regard to others,

II. OUR Rule is fixed, and our Custom expressed in the preceding Rules of Society, where it is said, "If there be any among us, who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, we will admonish him of the errors of his ways, we will bear with him for a season: but then if he repent not, he hath no more place among us."

III. No person must be expelled from the Society for any breach of our Rules, or even for manifest immorality, till such fact or crime has been proved at a Leaders' Meeting.

III. OF PERMITTING STRANGERS TO BE PRESENT AT THE SOCIETY-MEETINGS AND LOVE-FEASTS.

1. LET every other Meeting of the Society be for the Members of the Society only; and let no strangers be admitted. At other times some may be permitted to be present; but the same persons not above three times.

II. LET all the Members of the Society shew their Tickets; and if the Stewards and Leaders are not exact, others must be employed that have more resolution.

Although we have given the forms of two Deeds of Trust, which may be used according to circumstances, we cannot here point out the manner in which, in all cases, they may be applied. These Deeds are in the form of a bargain and sale of freehold property; but, in some instances, the title may render it necessary to adopt the Lease and Release as the proper mode of conveyance of freehold property, and which an intelligent Solicitor will know when to apply.

It may also be necessary to remark, that Chapels held under the several tenures of Copyhold and Leasehold will require their different and appropriate modes of conveyance, although the Trusts will be the same as those which we have here inserted. But, whatever may be the nature of the tenure, or the mode of conveyance, in all cases the Deed of Trust must be enrolled in Chancery within six months from its date. And it may be necessary to observe, that no gift or devise by will of houses, or land, or money to be laid out in houses or land, upon the Trusts mentioned in these Deeds, or upon similar Trusts, or upon any charitable or pious Trusts, is good; and that no gift by Deed of houses or land upon the like Trusts will be valid, unless the donor happen to live twelve months after the execution of the Deed, which Deed must be enrolled within six months from its date. It is therefore safest, in all cases, to purchase the land upon which Chapels are intended to be built.

I. RULES OF THE SOCIETY

OF THE

PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS.

They

I. In the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten persons came to me in London, who appeared to be deeply convinced of sin, and earnestly groaning for redemption. desired (as did two or three more the next day) that I would spend some time with them in prayer, and advise them how to flee from the wrath to come, which they saw continually hanging over their heads. That we might have more time for this great work, I appointed a day when they might all come together; which, from thenceforward, they did every week, viz. on Thursday in the evening. To these, and as many more as desired to join with them (for their number increased daily) I gave those advices from time to time which I judged most needful for them; and we always concluded our meetings with prayer suitable to their several necessities.

II. THIS was the rise of the UNITED SOCIETY, first in London, and then in other places. Such a Society is no other than "A company of men having the form, and seeking the power of godliness: united, in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their salvation."

III. THAT it may the more easily be discerned, whether they are indeed working out their own salvation, each Society is divided into smaller companies, called Classes, according to their respective places of abode. There are about twelve persons in every Class; one of whom is styled the Leader. It is his business,

1. To see each Person in his Class, once a week, at least, in order

To inquire how their souls prosper ;

To advise, reprove, comfort, or exhort, as occasion may require;

To receive what they are willing to give, towards the support of the Gospel.

2. To meet the Ministers and the Stewards of the Society once a week, in order

To inform the Minister of any that are sick, or of any that walk disorderly, and will not be reproved;

To pay to the Stewards what they have received of their several Classes in the week preceding: And

To show their Account of what each person has contributed.*

IV. THERE is one only condition previously required of those who desire admission into these Societies, viz. “a

The following are Mr. Wesley's own words relative to this subject. See Minutes of Conference at London, 1782.

Q. 31. Have the weekly and quarterly contributions been duly made in all our Societies ?

A. In many it has been shamefully neglected. To remedy this, 1. Let every Assistant (Superintendent) remind every Society, that this was our original Rule: Every member contributes one penny weekly, (unless he is in extreme poverty,) and one shilling quarterly. Explain the reasonableness of this.

2. Let every Leader receive the weekly contribution from each person in his Class.

3. Let the Assistant ask every person, at changing his ticket. Can you afford to observe our Rule? And receive what he is able to give.