Page images
PDF
EPUB

"not be fatisfied with this whole process of probation, confidered in all its parts, muft be rigid indeed. But we blefs God for the whole of this economy, and do attribute to it, under his grace and providence, the purity of our miniftry. When we confider the importance of the gospel miniflry, this fevere procefs is by no means exceffive. "Now then," fays St. Paul, we are ambassadors for Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us," 2 Cor. v. 20. And again, "Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow-helper concerning you; or our brethren be inquired of, they are the meffengers of the churches, and the GLORY of" CHRIST," viii. 23. "Try the fpirits," fays St. John, "whether they are of God; becaufe many false prophets are gone out into the world," I John iv. I.

SECTΙΟΝ ΙΧ.

Of the Salaries of the Minifters and Preachers. Queft. 1. WHAT is the annual falary of the bi

fhops, elders, deacons, and preachers? Anfw. Sixty-four dollars, and their travelling ex-pences.

Queft. 2. What fhall be annually allowed the wivesof the married preachers?

Anfw. The wife of every travelling preacher fhall have the fame claim to a yearly falary of fixty-four dollars, as a travelling preacher.

Queft. 3. What plan fhall we purfue in appropriating the money. received by our travelling minifters for marriage-fees?

Anfw. In all the circuits where the preachers do not receive their full quarterage, let all fuch money be given into the hands of the ftewards, and be equally divided between the travelling preachers of the circuit. In all other cafes the money fhall be difpofed of at the dif cretion of the yearly conference.

N. B. No minifter or preacher whatsoever shall receive any money for deficiencies, or on any other account, out of any of our funds or collections, without firft giving an exact account of all the money, clothes, and other prefents of every kind, which he has receiv ed the preceding year.

NOTE S.

The duty which lies upon the people to fupport their minifters, is established by the following fcriptures: viz. 1 Cor. ix. 7, II, 13, 14. “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? —If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? Do ye not know, that they which minifter about holy things, live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar? Even fo hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the gofpel, fhould live of the gospel." Gal. vi. 6. "Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things."

Those who read this fection attentively, will fee the impoffibility of our minifters becoming rich by the gospel, except in grace. And here there is no difference between bishops, elders, deacons, or preachers, except in their travelling expences, and confequently in the greater labours of one than the other. The gifts they have to impart, are not filver and gold, but, through the Divine bleffing on their labours, and the operations of the Holy Spirit accompanying their word, "love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentlenefs, goodness, faith, meeknefs and temperance." And we ́may add, that the impoffibility of our enriching ourselves by our miniftry, is another great prefervation of its purity. The lovers of this world will not long continue travelling preachers. Indeed, we may add, that a great many of the preachers do not receive the whole of their annual pittance, generally, we believe, through the poverty, but sometimes perhaps through the inattention of our friends.

The claufe concerning the allowance for a preacher's wife, may need fome explanation. The wife is to have the fame claim in refpect to falary as the travelling preacher: fo that if there be a married and a fingle preacher in the fame circuit, and the money for the fupport of the ministry be not fufficient to make up all the falaries, the whole is to be divided into three parts, one part of which belongs to the wife.

SECTION X.

Of the Duties of those who have the Charge of Circuits.

Quet. 1. WHAT are the duties of the elder,

deacon, or preacher, who has the

fpecial charge of a circuit?

Anfw. 1. To fee that the other preachers in his circuit behave well, and want nothing.

2. To renew the tickets quarterly, and regulate the bands.

3. To meet the fewards and leaders, as often as poffible.

4. To appoint all the ftewards and leaders, and change them when he fees it neceffary.

5. To receive, try, and expel members according to the form of difcipline.

6. To hold watch-nights and love feats.

7. To hold quarterly meetings in the abfence of the prefiding elder.

8. To take care that every fociety be duly fupplied with books.

9. To take an exact account of the numbers in fo. ciety, and bring it to the conference.

10. To fend an account of his circuit every quarter to his prefiding elder.

II. To meet the men and women apart in the large focieties once a quarter, wherever it is practicable.

12. To overlook the accounts of all the ftewards. 13. To appoint a perfon to receive the quarterly collection in the claffes.

14. To fee that public collections be made quarterly, if need be.

15. To raise a yearly fubfcription in thofe circuits that can bear it, for building churches, and paying the debts of those which have been already erected.

16. To choose a committee of lay-members to make a juft application of the money, where it is moft wanted. Queft. 2. What other directions fhall we give him? Anfw. Several:

1. To take a regular catalogue of the focieties in towns and cities, as they live in streets.

2. To leave his fucceffor a particular account of the ftate of the circuit.

3. To fee that every band-leader have the rules of the bands.

4. To enforce vigorously, but calmly, all the rules of the fociety.

in

5. As foon as there are four men or women believers any place, to put them into a band.

6. To fuffer no love-feaft to last above an hour and a half.

7. To warn all, from time to time, that none are to remove from one circuit to another, without a note of recommendation from a preacher of the circuit in these words: "A. B. the bearer has been an acceptable member of our fociety in C." and to inform them, that, without, fuch a certificate, they will not be received into other focieties.

8. To recommend every where decency and cleanlinefs.

9. To read the rules of the fociety, with the aid of the other preachers, once a year in every congregation, and once a quarter in every fociety.

10. On any dispute between two or more of the members of our fociety, concerning the payment of debts or otherwife, which cannot be fettled by the parties concerned, the preacher who has the charge of the circuit, fhall inquire into the circumftances of the case; and, having confulted the ftewards and leaders, fhall, if agreeable to their advice, recommend to the contending parties a reference confitting of one arbiter chofen by the plaintiff, and another chosen by the defendant; which two arbiters fo chofen fhall nominate a third; the three arbiters being members of our fociety.

But if one of the parties be diffatisfied with the judgment given, fuch party may apply to the enfuing quarterly meeting of the circuit, for allowance to have a fecond arbitration appointed; and if the quarterly meeting fee fufficient reafon, they fhall grant a fecond arbitration; in which cafe, each party fhall choose two arbiters, and the four arbiters fhall choose a fifth, the judgment of the majorities of whom fhall be final; and any party refufing to abide by fuch judgment, fhall be excluded the fociety.

And if any member of our fociety fhall refufe in cafes of debt or other difputes, to refer the matter to ar-` bitration, when recommended by him who has the charge of the circuit, with the approbation of the stewards and leaders; or fhall enter into a law-fuit with another member before these measures are taken, he fhall be expelled. The preachers who have the overfight of circuits are required to execute all our rules fully and ftrenuously against all frauds, and particularly againft difhoneft infolvencies; fuffering none to remain in our fociety, on any account, who are found guilty of any fraud.

11. The preacher who has the charge of a circuit, fhall appoint prayer-meetings wherever he can, in his circuit.

12. He fhall take care that a fast be held in every fociety in his circuit, on the Friday preceding every quarterly meeting; and that a memorandum of it be written on all the clafs-papers.

13. He fhall alfo take care, that no unordained local preacher or exhorter in his circuit fhall officiate in public, without firft obtaining a licence from the prefiding elder or himfelf. Let every unordained local preacher and exhorter take care to have this renewed yearly and let him who has the charge of the circuit, infilt upon it.

NOTE S.

When we confider the duties of the office defcribed in this fection, we fhall feel no difficulty in allowing, that it is an office of no fmall importance.

1. The perfon who holds it, is to watch over the other travelling preachers in his circuit, not with the eye of a fevere judge, but with that of a tender elder brother. He fhould indeed be faithful to his colleagues, and tell them all their faults: but he has no power to correct them. He is to bear an equal fhare with them in the toils of a travelling preacher, befides having upon him the care of all the churches in his circuit. But if his colleagues will not observe his reasonable directions, or behave grofsly amifs, he must inform his prefiding elder, whofe duty it is, as fron as poffible. to judge of and rectify every thing. He is alfo to use his influence with the people, that his fellow-labourers may

« PreviousContinue »