Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-01-18
,URDAY EVENING. JANUARY I8, 1862.
low 10 LEAD A CLASS
by BISHOP JAMES.

view between the leader and each member
of hi class. If all assemble, the require
ment bf the Discipline in this respect is
fully met; if any are absent at the time of
this general interview, it IS the duty of the
leader to visit them at their homes, to as
certain the cause of their Absence and to
minister to them proper instruction or ad-
monition, or consolation, MS the cases may
require. In this general interview in the
class-meeting, the leader must do two
things-he must interest and edify his
members. We do not simply say he must
try to do this, we say he must do it. In
order to this
First: He must remove from them all
timidity or restraint. To do this he must
be easy and simple in his manner, and af-
fectionate and gentle in his address. A
benign look, kindly tone invite confidence,
and soon remove embarrassment, and make
even the diffident perfectly at ease and
self-possessed.
Second: The devotional exercises must be
brief, appropriate, and fervent The sing
ing of a long hymn and the Offering of
long promiscuous prayer, have most dead
ening effect upon meeting.
Third; The other exercises Of the meeting
must be simple spiritual and varied.
Formality, uniformity and monotony are
blighting to all the interests of the inter-
view. Every class meeting must have some
speciality, some particular service that
gives it a zest o freshness and life.
Fourth: The members of the class should
be invited to perform the larger part Of
the services. 1t is not necessary that the
leader should address each member Of the
class personally; he may invite the men,
bers alternately with himself to make the
opening prayer. Neither is it necessary
nor even desirable that he should make q
long address to each member of the class
after the narrative of his experience. The
Discipline does not require or suppose this
to be his duty. 1t requires that he shall in
this exercise q sound discretion-"to ad-
wise, reprove comfort or exhOrt." How?
Not as q matter Of course, but as occasion
shall require. In some instances, neither
may be required but if the leader judges
that either is called for he should administer
it in the most appropriate and fewest
words he can command. Thus he will
leave time for the members to express
their feelings, to ask questions on any sub
ject about which they are perplexed, and
| for special intercessions for any one who
may be afflicted. Thus, the leader must be
the intelligent, spiritual head of the church,
| presiding over and directing, but not en-
| crossing the exercises of the class-meeting.
| Nothing will more certainly or more deeply
| interest the members than this free, gene
raj participation in the exercises of the
meeting, giving all to feel that they are not
mere pupils or catechumens, but fellow
Christians met for the interchange OF
religious experience, congratulations, SYM
| pathies, and assistances in the way of life.
Fifth: These interviews must be short,
never wearying to the flesh, and never ex-
hausting to the spirit, and never so extended
as to interfere with domestic interests al
home, and especially with the obligations ol
the junior members of the class. Such a
meeting will be inviting attractive, and
interesting. The class-meeting must not
only be pleasurable but also profitable.
| Happily, whatever edifes q true Christian
usually is pleasant to him, so that passing
to the profitable we do not leave the pleas
ing.
Sixthly To render the class-meeting ed
| flying, instruction should be carefully given
| on specific sujects. All we have recon-
mended of carefulness in ascertaining the
| spiritual character and necessities of the
members, and ministering to them instruc
tion or encouragement or consolation, as
their cases may require can be attended to
faithfully, and yet an opportunity secured
for another class of services. In part OF
the meetings, perhaps in most of them, a
particular subject can be introduced for
general conversation, the leader being pre-
| pared TO direct and control such conver-
sation. For instance, at one meeting, the
duty of searching the Scriptures, the necess.
ity of it and the manner of it; at other in
terviews private prayer, family prayer
public worship, Christian benevolence oil
charity, the whole round of religious duties
in turn; then at others the subjects of re-
pentance, justification by faith, regenera
tion, the witness of the Spirit, and sancti6
cation-the whole circle of experimental
theology, each of the articles of religion il
the Discipline and each of the institutions
of the Church, so as not only to indoctrinat,
the members of the class in Bible truth ant
lead them on to the fullness of the bless
ing of the Gospel, but also to make then
intelligent NIethodists.