to be as the filth and offscouring of the world; and looking that men should say all manner of evil of them falsely, for the Lord's sake. 32. It is expected of all who desire to continue in these Societies that they shall continue to evidence their desire of salvation, Third: By attending upon all the ordinances of God; such are, The Public Worship of God; The Ministry of the Word, either read or expounded; The Supper of the Lord; 33. These are the General Rules of our Societies; all which we are taught of God to observe, even in his written word, which is the only rule, and the sufficient rule, both of our faith and practice. And all these we know his Spirit writes on truly awakened hearts. If there be any among us who observes them not, who habitually breaks any of them, let it be known unto them who watch over that soul as they who must give an account. We will admonish him of the error of his ways. We will bear with him for a season. But if then he repent not, he hath no more place among us. We have delivered our own souls. 31 CHAPTER III. SPECIAL ADVICES. I. Temperance. 34. Temperance, in its broader meaning, is distinctively a Christian virtue, enjoined in the Holy Scriptures. It implies a subordination of all the emotions, passions, and appetites to the control of reason and conscience. Dietetically, it means a wise use of suitable articles of food and drink, with entire abstinence from such as are known to be hurtful. Both science and human experience agree with the Holy Scriptures in condemning all alcoholic beverages as being neither useful nor safe. The business of manu facturing and of vending such liquors is also against the principles of morality, political economy, and the public welfare. We therefore regard voluntary total abstinence from all intoxicants as the true ground of personal temperance, and complete legal prohibition of the traffic in alcoholic drinks as the duty of civil government. We heartily approve of all lawful and Christian efforts to save society from the manifold and grievous evils resulting from intemperance, and earnestly advise our people to cooperate in all measures which may seem to them wisely adapted to secure that end. We refer to our General Rule on this subject (30), and affectionately urge its strict observance by all our Members. Finally, we are fully persuaded that, under God, hope for the ultimate suc cess of the Temperance Reform rests chiefly upon the combined and sanctified influence of the Family, the Church, and the State. II. Dress. ¶ 35. Let all our people be exhorted to conform to the spirit of the apostolic precept, not to adorn themselves "with gold, or pearls, or costly array" (1 Tim. ii, 9). III. Marriage. 36. We do not prohibit our people from marrying persons who are not of our Church, provided such persons have the form, and are seeking the power, of godliness; but we are determined to discourage their marrying persons who do not come up to this description. Many of our Members have married unawakened persons. This has produced bad effects; they have been either hindered for life, or have turned back to perdition. 37. To discourage such marriages, 1. Let every Minister publicly enforce the Apostle's caution, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" (2 Cor. vi, 14). 2. Let all be exhorted to take no step in so weighty a matter without advising with the more serious of their brethren. ¶ 38. In general a woman ought not to marry without the consent of her parents. Yet there may be exceptions. For if, 1. A woman believe it to be her duty to marry; if, 2. Her parents absolutely refuse to let her marry any Christian: then she may, nay, ought to marry without their consent. Yet even then a Methodist Minister ought not to be married to her. IV. Divorce. ¶ 39. No divorce, except for adultery, shall be regarded by the Church as lawful; and no Minister shall solemnize marriage in any case where there is a divorced wife or husband living; but this rule shall not be applied to the innocent party to a divorce for the cause of adultery, nor to divorced parties seeking to be reunited in marriage. V. Slavery. ¶ 40. We declare that we are as much as ever convinced of the great evil of Slavery. We believe that the buying, selling, or holding of human beings, to be used as chattels, is contrary to the laws of God and nature, and inconsistent with the Golden Rule, and with that Rule in our Discipline which requires all who desire to continue among us to "do no harm,” and to "avoid evil of every kind." We therefore affectionately admonish all our Ministers and people to keep themselves pure from this great evil, and to seek its extirpation by all lawful and Christian means. CHAPTER IV. MEMBERSHIP. I. Reception on Probation. ¶ 41. In order to prevent improper persons from gaining admission into the Church, and in order to the exercise of the power of godly admonition and discipline (444), § 1. Let great care be taken in receiving persons on Probation, and let no one be enrolled as a Probationer unless he give satisfactory evidence of an earnest desire to be saved from his sins, and to enjoy the fellowship of God's people. § 2. Let the Pastor and the Class Leaders see that all persons on Probation be early made acquainted with the doctrines, rules, and regulations of the Methodist Episcopal Church. § 3. Probationers are expected to conform carefully to all the rules and usages of the Church; they are entitled to all its spiritual privileges and aids; but they may not be members of the Quarterly Conference, nor take part in judicial proceedings except as witnesses. II. Admission into Full Membership. ¶ 42, § 1. Let no one be admitted into Full Membership in the Church until he has been at least six months on Probation, has been recommended by the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting, or, where no such meeting is held, by his Leader, has been baptized, and, on examination by the Pastor before the Church, has given satisfactory assurances both of the correctness of his faith and of his willingness to observe and keep the rules of the Church. ¶ 445. § 2. Nevertheless, a Member in good standing in any Orthodox Evangelical Church desiring to unite with us may, on giving satisfactory answers to the usual inquiries (¶ 445), be received at once into Full Membership. § 3. Let the Pastor and the Committee on Church Records be careful to see that the names of all persons received into the Church are duly recorded; and |