taining the result of our consultations at Liverpool in 1820, on the means of reviving and promoting the work of God in our Connexion, [See No. XX.] shall be read at full length in every Annual District-Meeting, and made the occasion of suitable inquiries, conversation, and prayer. 1826.

XL. IT is peremptorily required that, in order to bring the state and progress of the work of God, in every Circuit, distinctly and regularly under the examination of the District-Meetings, the Circuit Schedules, duly filled up, shall be annually produced, read, and considered. The Chairmen of Districts are made responsible for the execution of this order; and shall bring the Circuit Schedules with them to the Conference, that they may be forthcoming, if called for.

1826.

III. SUPERINTENDENTS OF CIRCUITS:

RULES CONCERNING THEM.

1. THE Superintendent shall regularly meet the Local Preachers once a quarter, and no person shall receive a Plan. as a Local Preacher, nor be suffered to preach among us as such, without the approbation of that Meeting. Or, if in any Circuit a regular Local Preachers' Meeting cannot be held. they shall be proposed and approved at the General Quarterly Meeting of the Circuit. 1794.

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Q. WHAT directions shall be given concerning the keeping of the Lord's Day holy?

A. We are afraid, that some of our people are not sufficiently attentive to this Ordinance of God. We therefore strongly recommend the religious observance of that sacred day; and desire the Superintendents to exclude every person from the Society, who buys or sells on the Lord's Day, unless the sin be acknowledged and forsaken; except in the cases of medicine for the sick, or of supplying necessaries for funerals. 1795.

III. Q. WHAT is allowed for the education of the Daughters of the Preachers?

A. No Daughter shall receive any thing from the [School] Collection till she is nine years old. She shall then have Eight Guineas a year for four years.

1796.

[Daughters now receive Eight Guineas a year, from eight years of age, till they are fourteen.]

IV. Q. HAVE the Regulations respecting the Sacrament been strictly attended to ?

A. We have had some complaints on both sides. To remedy which in future, the Conference agree,

1. That those Societies which have the Sacrament allowed according to the Rules of Pacification, shall have it duly administered; and that if the Superintendent will not administer it himself, he shall provide some other Preacher, who is properly qualified, to do it: so that the people may not be deprived of their privilege.

2. That every Preacher shall attend, with the utmost exactness, to that Rule in the Pacific Plan, which states, That no Preacher shall, directly or indirectly, endeavour to excite any Society to desire to have the Lord's Supper.

Nor, on the other hand, strive to set any Society against that blessed Ordinance; but leave the people every where entirely free. 1796.

V. As enjoined in the Large Minutes,—1. Let us preach expressly, now and then, on Sabbath-breaking, evil-speaking, unprofitable conversation, lightness, expensiveness, or gaiety of apparel, and contracting debts without due care to discharge them. 2. Read in every Society the Sermon on evil-speaking. 3. Let the Leaders closely examine and exhort every person to put away the accursed thing. 4. Let the Preachers warn every Society, that none who is guilty herein can remain with us. 1796.

VI. BEFORE any Superintendent propose a Preacher to the Conference, as proper to be admitted on trial, such Preacher must not only be approved of at the March Quarterly-Meeting, but must have read and signed the General Minutes, as fully approving of them. Nor must any one suppose, or pretend to think, that the Conversations which have been on any of these Minutes, were intended so to qualify them, as in the least to affect the spirit and design of them. 1797.

VII. THE Conference recommends it to the Superintendents of the Circuits, to invite, on all important occasions, the Chairman of their respective District, to be present at their Quarterly-Meetings. 1797.

VIII. Q. CAN any thing more be done to guard against improper Preachers getting admittance into our Connexion? A. In the examination of the Candidates, let each be required to answer any question the President may ask him,

respecting the Doctrines contained in the Eight Volumes of Sermons, which Mr. Wesley left in his Will to the Preachers. Every Superintendent is to take care that the Preachers on trial have the Eight Volumes to read. And every one, when received into full connexion, shall have the Eight Volumes given to him as a present from the Book-Room.

1798.

[A ninth Volume has since been published, and is added to the above gift.]

IX, Q. Do we sufficiently explain and enforce practical religion, and attend to the preservation of order and regu larity, in our Meetings for prayer, and other acts of divine worship?

A. Perhaps not. We fear there has sometimes been irregularity in some of the Meetings. And we think that some of our hearers are in danger of mistaking EMOTIONS OF THE AFFECTIONS for experimental and practical godliness. To remedy or prevent, as far as possible, these errors, let Mr. Wesley's Extract of Mr. Edward's Pamphlet on Religious Affections, be circulated among our people.

1800.

X. Q. ARE the Preachers' houses sufficiently provided with Books; and, in particular, with Commentaries on the Bible?

A. We think not. And we recommend to the Superintendents of the Circuits, to speak to the Members of the Quarterly and Leaders'-Meetings on the subject, that such books may be provided for the Preachers, as soon as possible, particularly Dr. Coke's Commentary... 18000555 I taq©®puž ski a) g

XI. QU HAVE not some Local Preachers been injured,

where any declension or gross deficiency shall appear, the Chairman shall make strict inquiry into the cause.

3. With a view to prevent unnecessary claims on the Fund, a minute and careful examination of those Cases, whose annual deficiency, estimated according to the existing Regulations, does not amount to Five Pounds, shall be made in all the District-Meetings, and a distinct report shall be made concerning them to the Committee at their next Meeting. 1824.

XXXII. Q. Are any additional Directions necessary respecting the Marriage of our Preachers?

A. 1. It is the solemn judgment of the Conference, That it is very highly inexpedient and dangerous for a Methodist Preacher to marry a person who, though truly pious, does not give at least that degree of public proof of cordial agreement with us, in doctrine and discipline, which is implied in being a Member of our Society.-The only exception to this Rule must be found in some very extraordinary cases, where the inclination to unite with us in christian communion may have been controlled by the want of opportunity, or other unavoidable circumstances. Where this cannot be pleaded, the Conference deem the marriage of a Preacher with a female not belonging to our Society to be an instance of culpable imprudence, perilous to the comfort and usefulness of the Preacher himself, and likely, if not discountenanced, to be greatly injurious to the spiritual interests of our people.

2. We require the Chairmen of our Districts to examine, in the case of every Preacher who has married during the year, whether the Fourth of the "Rules of a Helper" has been obeyed, which says, "Take no step towards marriage without first consulting with your Brethren ;" and to report