Nathan Bangs · 66 of 73

Book II. From the First Conference in 1773 to the First Regular General Conference in 1792. · Chapter 3 · The Nature, Design, and general Rules of the United Societies

Our society is nothing more 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.”

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 peons in every class; one of whom is styled the leader. It is his duty,

I. 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 toward the relief of the preachers, church, and poor.

II. To meet the minister 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, or will not be reproved.

To pay to the stewards what they have received of their several classes in the week preceding.

There is one only condition previously required of those who desire admission into these societies, a desire to free from the wrath to come, i.e., a desire to be saved from their sins: but, wherever this is really fixed in the soul, it will be shown by its fruits. It is therefore expected of all who continue therein that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation.

First, By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind; especially that which is most generally practiced such as

The taking the name of God in vain;

The profaning the day of the Lord, either by doing ordinary work thereon, or by buying or selling:

Drunkenness, buying or selling spirituous liquors, or drinking them.

The buying or selling the bodies and souls of men, women, or children, with an intention to enslave them:

Fighting, quarreling, brawling; brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil, or railing for railing, the using many words in buying or selling:

The buying or selling goods that have not paid the duty;

The giving or taking things on usury, i. e., unlawful interest;

Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation; particularly speaking evil of magistrates or of ministers:

Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us:

Doing what we know is not for the glory of God: as

The putting on of gold and costly apparel:

The taking such diversions as cannot be used in the name of the Lord Jesus:

The singing those songs, or reading those books, which do not tend to the knowledge or love of God:

Softness and needless self-indulgence:

Laying up treasure upon earth:

Borrowing without a probability of paying or taking up goods without a probability of paying for them.

4. It is expected of all who continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation:

Secondly, By doing good, by being in every kind merciful after their power, as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and as far as is possible to all men:

To their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick, or in prison;

To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with; trampling under foot that enthusiastic doctrine, that “we are not to do good, unless our hearts be free to it.”

By doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith, or groaning so to be; employing them preferably to others, buying one of another, (unless you can be served better elsewhere,) helping each other in business; and so much the more, because the world will love its own, and them only.

By all possible diligence and frugality, that the gospel be not blamed.

By running with patience the race that is set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily; submitting to bear the reproach of Christ, to be as the filth and offscouring of the world; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them falsely for the Lord’s sake.

5. It is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

Thirdly, By attending upon all the ordinances of God: such are,

The public worship of God;

The ministry of the word, either read or expounded;

The supper of the Lord;

Family and private prayer;

Searching the Scriptures; and

Fasting or abstinence.

6. These are the general rules of our societies; all which we are taught of God to observe, even in his written word, which is the only rule, and the sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. And all these we know his Spirit writes on every truly awakened heart. If there be any among us who observe them not, who habitually break any of them, let it be known unto them who watch over that soul as they that must give an account. 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. We have delivered our own souls.

The following rules concerning slavery, though I cannot find them either in the printed Minutes, or in the Discipline which contains the above sections, Mr. Lee tells us, are the substance of what the conference did in reference to this subject.

“Every member in our society who has slaves in those states where the law admit of freeing them, shall, after notice given him by the preacher, within twelve mouths (except in Virginia, and there within two years) legally execute and record an instrument, whereby he sets free every slave in his possession; those who are from forty to forty-five immediately, or at farthest at the age of forty-five; those who are between the ages of twenty-five and forty immediately, or within the course of five years; those who are between the ages of twenty and twenty-five immediately, or at farthest, at the age of thirty; those who are under the age of twenty, as soon as they are twenty-five at farthest. And every infant immediately on its birth.

“Every person concerned who will not comply with these rules, shall have liberty quietly to withdraw from our society within twelve months following the notice being given him as aforesaid. Otherwise the assistant shall exclude him in the society.

“No person holding slaves shall in future be admitted into society, or to the Lord’s supper, till he previously comply with these rules concerning slavery. Those who buy or sell slaves, or give them away, unless on purpose to free them, shall be expelled immediately.”

“These rules,” says Mr. Lee, “were short-lived.” They indeed gave such general offense, and were found to be of such difficult execution that at the next conference, which was held about six mouths after their passage, they were so generally opposed, that we find the following minute respecting their suspension: —

“It is recommended to all our brethren to suspend the execution of the minute on slavery till the deliberations of a future conference; and that an equal share of time he allowed all our members for consideration when the minute shall be put in force.” It is then added in —

“N. B. We do hold in the deepest abhorrence the practice of slavery, and shall not cease to seek its destruction by all wise and prudent means.”

As these rules were modified from time to time, it will not be necessary to take any farther notice of them than simply to say, that though those who framed them “abhorred the practice of slavery,” they could not have considered it such a sin “as to exclude a man from the kingdom of grace and glory,” else they never would, as honest men, have suspended their execution, as they did about six months after they were passed; nor did they, as some have seemed to suppose, insist on immediate and unconditional emancipation: for even the rule itself, had it not been suspended, provided only for a gradual emancipation, at farthest in five years from a certain age, where circumstances forbade it to be done immediately: But finding that even this gradual process could not be carried forward without producing a greater evil than it was designed to remove, the rule itself, mild and forbearing as it was in comparison to measures recently proposed, was suspended at the succeeding conference, in favor of those more wise and prudent means which the church has ever since used, and is now ready to use, for the extirpation of slavery.

But, as before observed, it will not be necessary to notice the several modifications of the rules on slavery from one general conference to another until the present time, as they all partake of a similar character, intended to record the opposition of the church to the system, and to adopt such means to mitigate its evils, and finally, if possible, to do it away, as wisdom and prudence should dictate. As the rule now stands on the Discipline, it will be noticed at the proper time, only remarking here, that the item in the General Rules on slavery has remained unaltered to the present time, and is therefore expressive of the sense of the Methodist Episcopal Church upon this subject without variation.