Wesley Corpus

“9, The Church is so divided, that first the husbands, then the wives, then the widows, then the maids, then the young men, then the boys, then the girls, and lastly the little children, are in so many distinct classes ; each of wnich is daily visited, the married men by a married man, the wives by a wife, and so of the rest.* These larger are also (now) divided into near ninety smaller classes or bands, over each of which one presides who is of the greatest experience. All these leaders meet the senior every week, and lay open to him and to the Lord, whatsoever hinders or furthers the work of God, in the souls committed to their charge. “10. In the year 1727, four-and-twenty men, and as many women, agreed that each of them would spend an hour in every day, in praying to God for his blessing on his people: and for this purpose both the men and the women chose a place where any of their own sex, who were in distress, might be present with them. ‘The same number of unmarried women, of unmarried men, of boys, and of girls, were afterward, at their desire, added to them; who pour out their souls before God, not only for their own brethren, but also for other churches and persons, that have desired to be mentioned in their prayers. And this perpetual intercession has never ceased day or night since its first beginning. “11. And as the members of the Church are divided according to their respective states and sexes, so they are also with regard to their proficiency in the knowledge of God. Some are dead, some quickened by the Spirit of God: of these, some again are untractable, some diligent, some zealous, burning with their first love: some babes, and some young men. Those who are still dead, are visited every day. And of the babes in Christ especial care is taken also; that they may be daily inspected, and assisted to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus.