affected, either in your gesture, phrase, or pronunciation. 8. Do not usually pray extempore above eight or ten minutes (at most) without intermission. 9. Frequently read and enlarge upon a portion of Scripture; and let young preachers often exhort without taking a text. 10. Always avail yourself of the great festivals by preaching on the occasion. The Duty of Preachers to God, Themselves, and One Another. 1115. The duty of a Preacher is,1. To preach. 2. To meet the societies and classes. 3. To visit the sick. T 116. A Preacher shall be qualified for his charge by walking closely with God, and having his work greatly at heart, and by understanding and loving discipline, ours in particular. 1 117. We do not sufficiently watch over each other. Should we not frequently ask each other, Do you walk closely with God? Have you now fellowship with the Father and the Son? At what hour do you rise? Do you punctually observe the morning and evening hours of retire. ment? Do you spend the day in the manner in which the Conference advises? Do you converse seriously, usefully, and closely? To be more particular: Do you use all the means of grace yourself, and enforce the use of them on all other persons ? T 118. The means of grace are either instituted or prudential. T119. The INSTITUTED are: § 1. Prayer: private, family, and public; consisting of deprecation, petition, intercession, and thanksgiving. Do you use each of these? Do you forecast daily, wherever you are, to secure time for private devotion? Do you practice it every-where? Do you ask everywhere, Have you family prayer ? Do you ask individuals, Do you use private prayer every morning and evening in particular ? §2. Searching the Scriptures, by 1. Reading: constantly, some part of every day; regularly, all the Bible in order; carefully, with notes; seriously, with prayer before and after; fruitfully, immediately practicing what you learn there. 2. Meditating: At set times. By rule. 3. Hearing: Every opportunity. With prayer before, at, after. Have you a Bible always about you? §3. The Lord's Supper: Do you use this at every opportunity? With solemu prayer before? With earnest and delil)erate self-devotion? §4. Fasting: Do you use as much abstinence and fasting every week as your health, strength, and labor will permit? §5. Christian conference: Are you convinced how important and how difficult it is to order your conversation aright ? Is it always in grace ? Seasoned with salt! Meet to minister grace to the hearers? Do you not converse too long at a time? Is not an hour commonly enough? Would it not be well always to have a determined end in view & And to pray before and after it ? T120. PRUDENTIAL means we may use either as Christians, as Methodists, or as Preachers. §1. As Christians: What particular tules have you in order to grow in gracef What arts of holy living ? §2. As Methodists: Do you never miss your class? §3. As Preachers: Have you thoroughly considered your duty? And do you make a conscience of executing every part of it? Do you meet every Society and their Leaders? T121. These means may be used without fruit. But there are some meant which cannot: namely, watching, denying ourselves, taking up our cross, exer cise of the presence of God. § 1. Do you steadily watch against the world? Yourself? Your besetting sin § 2. Do you deny yourself every useless pleasure of sense? Imagination Honor? Are you temperate in all things For instance, in food, 1. Do you use only that kind and that degree which is best both for body and soul ? Do you see the necessity of this? Do you eat no mort at each meal than is necessary? Are you not heavy or drowsy after dinner? 3. Do you use only that kind, and that degree of drink, which is best both for your body and soul? Do you choose and use water for your common drink? And only take wine medicinally or sacramentally? § 3. Wherein do you take up your cross daily? Do you cheerfully bear your cross, however grievous to nature, as a gift of God, and labor to profit thereby §4. Do you endeavor to set God always before you? To see his eye continually fixed upon you? T 122. Never can you use these means but a blessing will ensue. And the more you use them, the more you will grow in grace. The Necessity of Union among Ourselves. 1123. Let us be deeply sensible (from what we have known) of the evil of a division in principle, spirit, or practice, and the dreadful consequences to ourselves and others. If we are united, what can stand before us? If we divide, we shall destroy ourselves, the work of God, and the souls of our people. 1124. In order to a closer union with each other-1. Let us be deeply convinced of the absolute necessity of it. 2. Pray earnestly for, and speak freely to, each other. 3. When we meet, let us never part without prayer. 4. Take great care not to despise each other's gifts. 5. Never speak lightly of each other. 6. Let us defend each other's character in every thing so far as is consistent with truth. 7. Labor in honor |