Wesley Corpus

3. They have now under their care near sixty children: the parents of some pay for their schooling; but the greater part, being very poor, do not; so that the expense is chiefly defrayed by voluntary contributions. We have of late clothed them too, as many as wanted. The rules of the school are these that follow *[This also has been dropped for some time. 1772.]: (1) No child is admitted under six years of age. (2) All the children are to be present at the morning sermon. (3) They are at school from six to twelve, and from one to five. (4) They have no playdays. (5) No child is to speak in school but to the masters. (6) The child who misses two days in one week without leave is excluded the school. 4. We appointed two Stewards for the school also. The business of these is,--To receive the school subscriptions, and expend what is needful; to talk with each of the masters weekly; to pray with and exhort the children twice a week; to inquire diligently whether they grow in grace and in learning, and whether the rules are punctually observed; every Tuesday morning, in conjunction with the masters, to exclude those children that do not observe the rules; every Wednesday morning to meet with and exhort their parents to train them up at home in the ways of God. 5. A happy change was soon observed in the children, both with regard to their tempers and behaviour. They learned reading, writing, and arithmetic swiftly; and at the same time they were diligently instructed in the sound principles of religion, and earnestly exhorted to fear God and work out their own salvation.