Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-10-30

r and sometimes more than once in six 5
~ months, or evd whole year. Now, :
~, W II The leader chrge his duty towards ,
vi 'hese neglectes class meetings, he must
81 see them at tt, everal places of abode,
~ or elsewhere, tekly, until they shall
81 be reclaimed brought back to their
~ duty, or excll lin the church, for a
. breach of our of discipline. But this
would be Hdlean task, such as but
, lew men wouIe willing to encounter.
- But let the leafs, (by proper division
. OF the societieto classes,} have no more
10 do, than III have time, sense, and
grace to acconish:--L them s'be dill
gently examin concerning their method
OF meeting a ass:-Let this :'be done
with all possit exactness, at least once a
quarter:"-"lt the leaders converse
with those wb have the charge of their
circuits, freqknlly and iree!y:"--i Hes
shall the leaErs of classes be rendered
more useful, ind the class meetings more
lovely and pbfitable.
Glass Ne tnNGs, are designed to assist
A.; AZ. 1,in4,r .sthe more easily to
u'scerh whether tn members e his chGyoe.
are working out tleir own saiyal.~, p
therefore it is his privilege and duty, +,
a'0'ae ms societies into classes, to appoint the
leaders, to examine and improve their
plan OF meeting class, and to change
improper leaders. But, that be may with
the greater facility arrive at knowledge
OF the gracious state of his pastoral
charge, our church in her wisdom, has in
stituted what in her discipline she de-
dominates "Leaders' meetings." Here,
the preacher meets the leaders of all the
classes composing the society; and the
state OF the society is, through the lea.
ders, fully represented to the pastor
and being bonnd to the throne of God,
under the weighty responsibilities OF IA
to present the church before him
without spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing, he is the better prepared rightly to
divide the word of God, to the different
members of bis flock, according to their
different states in grace; and to admins
ter, to the advantage of the whole, the
wholesome discipline of the church,
This meeting should be held by the pas
tor, in stations, weekly, and on circuits, at
every regular appointment.
The nature and importance ola leaders
meeting, may be clearly seen, and the
business fully presented before the NEE
!Ing, by proposing to each leader the fol
lowing questons:-
LIST. Are any of your members sick?
"a. DO any walk dsorzerly, and will
not be reproved?
Sd. Are there any wlo wilfully and re
peatedIy neglect to meet their class!
4th. Are there any poor in distress.
who need the assistance and relief of the
society?
9th. What has been received toward,
the relief O the preachers, church, and
poor?
9Th. HaR you, in your class, any ap-
plicants foi membership in the church, |
whom you can recommend as suitable !
persons to IL admitted son trial?"
9TH. HaR you any probationers, who
nave met i1class six months, whom you
recommends suitable persons to receive
tickets of + II connection?
The firsttwo questions above, are pre-
dicated upH the following duty of the
leader:-1> inform the minister Of any
that are sicF, or of any that walk disor.
Derry and yill not be reproved. The
third Is desg ncd to introduce measures.
either to brig back to- their duty, or to
leve the soaety of wiIlul and repeated
negiecters Q class meetings. The fourth
ana NTH questions, are suggested by the
following dity of the class LEADER: To
receive whit they, Chat ISL the members
of his class are willing to give, towards
the relief # the preachers, church, and
poor-and also the duty of the steward,
to seek the needy and distressed in order
to relieve 4 em.
Permit u brethren to say, here is one
of the mostefficient financial regulations
to be found in any church, WEEKLY CLASS
COLLECTION. Nor is it new or late ap-
pendage I'd old Methodism. 1t was one
of Mr.. We ley's first regulations for rails
ing money for religious purposes,-and
indeed, sua gested to his mind the neces.
slty and intonceivabe advantages of es
tablishing this invaluable institution of the
church, Class MEETINGS. "When large
number of people was joined, (says Mr..
Wesley, The great difficulty was to keep
them together. For they were continu-
ally scattering hither and lhither, and we
knew no way TO help it. But God provided
ior this also, mhen zce thought not of H."
$ Mr.. Wesey met the chiefs Of the society
in brlstol,and inquired, How shall we pay
the debt upon the meeting house? Cap.
tam foy sood up and said, 'Let every
ore IN tho society give penny week,
and Will b easily DONE 'But many of
them, saldone, shave not penny to give
'Irne' sal the Captain; ''then put ten
or twelve # them to me. Let each of