V. Classes and Class Meetings.

¶ 57. The design of the organization of Classes and the appointment of Leaders is,

§ 1. To establish a system of pastoral oversight that shall effectively reach every Member of the Church.

§ 2. To establish and keep up a meeting for social and religious worship, for instruction, encouragement, and admonition, that shall be a profitable means of grace to our people.

§ 3. To aid when desired, in carrying out the Financial Plan of the Church. ¶ 284.

¶ 58. The primary object of distributing the Members of the Church into Classes is to secure the sub-pastoral oversight made necessary by our itinerant economy. In order to secure this oversight,

§ 1. Let the Classes, wherever practicable, be composed of not more than twenty persons, and let the Leader report at each Quarterly Conference the condition of his Class as follows:

1. Number of Members in his Class.

2. Number of Probationers.

3. Average attendance.

4. Number habitually absent.

5. Number of Class Meetings held

6. Number who contribute to the support of the Church.

7. Number of visits made.

8. Number of heads of families in the Class, and how many of them observe family worship.

9. Number of Church papers taken by Class Members.

10. Miscellaneous matters.

§ 2. Let each Leader be careful to inquire how every Member of his Class prospers; not only how each person outwardly observes the Rules, but also how he grows in the knowledge and love of God.

§ 3. Let the Leaders converse with their Pastors frequently and freely.

¶ 59. In order to render our Class Meetings interesting and profitable, let the Pastor, 1. Remove improper Leaders. 2. See that all the Leaders be of sound judgment and truly devoted to God.

¶ 60. In the arrangement of Class Meetings two or more Classes may meet together, and be conducted according to such plan as shall be agreed upon by the Leaders in concurrence with the Pastor.

61. Let care be observed that they do not fall into formality through the use of a uniform method. Let speaking be voluntary or the exercises conversational, the Leader taking such measures as may best assist in making the services fresh, spiritual, and of permanent religious profit.

¶ 62. Let the Leaders be directed to such a course of reading and study as shall best qualify them for their work. Especially let such books be recommended as will tend to increase their knowledge of the Scriptures and make them familiar with those passages best adapted to Christian education. Whenever practicable let the Pastors examine the Leaders in the studies recommended. Appendix, ¶ 69.

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CHAPTER II.

SPECIAL ADVICES.

I. Temperance.

¶ 63. 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 manufacturing 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 success of the Temperance Reform rests chiefly upon the combined and sanctified influence of the Family, the Church, and the State.

II. Dress.

¶ 64. 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.

¶ 65, § 1. 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.

§ 2. 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.

§ 3. 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.

66. 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.

¶ 67. 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.

VI. Amusements.

¶ 68. Improper amusements and excessive indulgence in innocent amusements are serious barriers to the beginning of the religious life and fruitful causes of spiritual decline. Some amusements in