Wesley Corpus

(2.) Give notes to none but those who are recommended by one you know, or till they have met three or four times in a class. (3.) Give them the Rules the first time they meet. See that this be never neglected. Q. 15. When shall we admit new members? A. In large towns, admit them into the Bands at the quarterly love-feast following the visitation: Into the society, on the Sunday following the visitation. Then also read the names of them that are excluded. Q. 16. Should we insist on the Band rules, particularly with regard to dress? A. By all means. This is no time to give any encourage ment to superfluity of apparel. Therefore give no Band-tickets to any till they have left off superfluous ornaments. In order to this, (1.) Let every Assistant read the “Thoughts upon Dress” at least once a year, in every large society. (2.) In visiting the classes, be very mild, but very strict. (3.) Allow no exempt case, not even of a married woman. Better one suffer than many. (4) Give no ticket to any that wear calashes, high-heads, or enormous bonnets. To encourage meeting in Band, (1.) In every large society, have a love-feast quarterly for the Bands only. (2.) Never fail to meet them once a week. (3.) Exhort every believer to embrace the advantage. (4.) Give a Band-ticket to none till they have met a quarter on trial. Observe 1 You give none a Band-ticket before he meets, but after he has met. Q. 17. Have those in Band left off snuff and drams? A. No. Many are still enslaved to one or the other. In order to redress this, (1.) Let no Preacher touch either on any account. (2.) Strongly dissuade our people from them. (3.) Answer their pretences, particularly curing the colic. Q. 18. Do we observe any evil which has lately prevailed among our societies? A. Many of our members have married with unbelievers, yea, with unawakened persons. This has had fatal effects. They had either a cross for life, or turned back to perdition. Q. 19. What can be done to put a stop to this? A. (1.) Let every Preacher publicly enforce the Apostle's caution, “Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers.” (2.) Let him openly declare, whoever does this will be expelled the society.