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5. Do not fuffer the people to fing too flow. This naturally tends to formality; and is brought in by thofe who have either very strong or very weak voices.

6. In every large fociety let them learn to fing; and let them always learn our tunes first.

7. Let the women conftantly fing their parts alone. Let no man fing with them, unless he understands the notes, and fings the bafs as it is compofed in the tunebook.

8. Introduce no new tune till they are perfect in the old.

9. Recommend our tune-book. And if you cannot fing yourself, choose a perfon or two at each place to pitch the tune for you.

10. Exhort every perfon in the congregation to fing, not one in ten only.

11. Sing no hymns of your own compofing.

12. If a preacher be prefent, let him alone give out the words.

13. When the fingers would teach a tune to the con gregation, they muft fing only the tenor.

14. The preachers are defired not to encourage the finging of fuge-tunes in our congregations.

15. Let it be recommended to our people, not to attend the finging-schools which are not under our direction.

N. B. We do not think that fuge-tunes are finful, or improper to be used in private companies: but we do not approve of their being ufed in our public congregations, because public finging is a part of divine wor fhip in which all the congregation ought to join..

NOTE S.

The finging of pfalms and hymns and fpiritual fongs in the congregation, has been allowed by all the churches of God in all ages (one modern fociety excepted) to be a part of divine worfhip; and, from its very nature, it evidently belongs to the whole congregation. It would be unfeemly for the minister alone to fing but if this be the duty of one member of the congregation,,

it must be the duty of all who have voices for finging; and there. are very few who may not join in the tenor part, all the defects of their voices being fwallowed up in the general found. Few things can be more pleafing to the Lord, than a congregation, with one heart and one voice, praifing his holy name. It is indeed to be feared, that there is feldom a large congregation, where every individual is fincere. However, all who do in fince rity defire a bleffing, fhould ftrive to join in the general chorus→→→→ we mean, in every part of the hymn. If one part of it be above the experience of the finger, he fhould adjoin a filent prayer, that the Lord may give him the grace he needs; for the Lord. liftens to hear what the heart fpeaks, and takes all as nothing, if the heart be filert. Again, when his experience rifes above the hymn, his fecret prayer fhould be in behalf of that part of the congregation which it fuits: but in the proper hymns of praise he may throw off all referve, for we are all infinitely indebted to our good God. From thefe remarks we furely must be fenfi ble of the neceffity of confining ourfelves to fimple tunes, as the fuge-tunes have an unavoidable tendency to confine to a few this part of divine worship, which belongs to the whole. And those, we think, have made few remarks on public worship, who have not obferved, on the one hand, how naturally the fuge-tunes puff up with vanity those who excel in them; and on the other hand, how it deadens devotion, and only at the best raifes an admiration of the fingers, and not of Christ.

When it is recommended in this fection to the preacher fometimes to stop and address the people in the course of finging, the fubftance only of what he should fay is mentioned there. It is not intended, that he should fpeak abruptly on fuch occafions, but with foftnefs and due refpect on the neceflity of finging and of performing every act of devotion from the heart.

1 Chron. xvi. 7-9. On that day David delivered firft this pfalm, to thank the Lord, into the band of Afaph and his brethren. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, fing pfalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Pfalm xcv. 1, 2. O come, let us fing unto the Lord; let us make a joyful noife to the rock of our falvation. Let us come before his prefence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noife unto him with pfalms. xcvi. 1. O fing unto the Lord a new fong: fing unto the Lord all the earth. civ. 33. I will fing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will fing praife unto my God while I have my being. Pfalm cxxxviii. 1. I will praise thee with my whole heart; before the gods will I fing praise unto thee. Matt. xxvi. 30. When they [Chrift and his difciples] had fung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. See alfo Mark xiv. 26. I Cor. xiv. 15. I will fing with the Spirit, and I will fing with the understanding also.

Ephef. v. 18, 19. Be filled with the Spirit; fpeaking to yourselves in pfalms, and hymns, and spiritual fongs, finging and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Col. iii. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wifdom; teaching and admonishing ONE ANOTHER in pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs, finging, with grace in your hearts, to the Lord. Jam. v. 13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry [joyful]? let him fing pfalms.

SECTION XXVI.

Of the Method of raising a Fund for the Superannuated Preachers, and the Widows and Orphans of Preachers.

Queft. H preachers, and the widows and orphans

TOW can we provide for fuperannuated

of preachers?

Anfw. 1. Let every preacher, when firft admitted into full connection, pay two dollars and two thirds, at the yearly conference.

2. Let every other preacher in full connection, con tribute two dollars every year; except the conference dispense with the payment in cafes of diftrefs: in which inftances the preachers fo indulged, fhall be entitled to all the privileges of the fund, in the fame manner as if they had paid their subscription.

3. Out of this fund, let provifion be made, firft, for the worn-out preachers, and then for the widows and children of thofe who are dead.

4. Every worn-out preacher shall receive, if he need it, not ufually more than fixty-four dollars annually. 5. Every widow of a preacher shall receive annually, if the need it, during her widow-hood, fifty-three dollars and one third.

6. Every orphan of a preacher fhall receive once for all, if needed, fifty-three dollars and one third.

L.2.

7. But no one fhall be entitled to any thing from this fund, till he has paid fix dollars and two thirds.

8. Nor any who neglects to pay his fubfcription and arrears for three years together, unless he be employed on foreign miffions, or has received a difpenfation as above mentioned.

9. Let every preacher who has the care of a circuit, bring to the conference, as far as poffible, the contribution of every preacher left behind in his circuit.

10. Every perfon who defires fupport from the fund fhall first make his cafe known to the yearly confer ence, which fhall determine how far he is a proper subject of relief.

11. The prefident of the yearly conference fhall give an order on the general fteward of the fund or any of his agents, for any fum of money allowed by the conference, agreeably to thefe rules.

12. The receipts and difburiements of the fund fhall be printed annually in the minutes of the conference.

13. The prefiding elder of each district shall keep a regular account of all the concerns of the fund, as far as they relate to his diftrict, in a proper book which he fhall hand down to his fucceffor.

14. Each member of the fund fhall from time to time receive a certificate from his yearly conference for the payment of his fubfcription.

15. This fund fhall be referved for extraordinary cafes, which the chartered fund may not reach. And no travelling preacher fhall have a vote in the difpofal of the travelling preachers' annual fubfcription, unless he be himfelf an annual fubfcriber.

16. The fund fhall never be reduced to lefs than fix hundred dollars.

NOTE S.

This inftitution is not to be confidered as a charity, but as as agreement among brethren for their mutual fupport when old or worn-out in the work of the ministry; and alfo for the fupport of their furviving widows and orphans. The chartered fund

allows no more than fixty-four dollars a year to an unmarried, fuperannuated, or worn-out preacher, which is far from being fufficient to fupply him with the neceffaries of life, if he have nothing of his own. The fame may be obferved concerning all the other objects of this inftitution. This fund, therefore, is in

tended to supply the defects of the chartered fund, in refpect to those who have fo richly and specially ferved the connection with their strength and lives. And as it is fupported only by the fubfcriptions of the preachers out of their little annual pittance, no one has any right or ground to object to it.

John xiii. 34, 35. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye alfo love one another. By this fhall all men know that ye are my difciples, if ye have love one to another. XV. 12. This is MY commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Ver. 17. These things I command you, that ye love one another. Rom. xii. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love. Gal. v. 13. By love ferve one another. I Theff. iv. 9. But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourfelves are taught of God to love one another. Heb. xiii. 1. Let brotherly love continue. I Pet. i. 22. See that ye love one another, with a pure heart, fervently. iii. 8. Love as brethren. 1 John iii. I. This is the meffage that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. iv. 7. Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God. Ver. 11.' Beloved, if God fo loved us, we ought alfo to love one another. See alfo 2 Kings iv. I-7. concerning the miracle wrought by Elifha, for the relief of a widow of one of the fons of the prophets.

SECTION XXVII.

Of raifing a general Fund for the Propagation of the Gospel.

Queft. Hing on the whole work of God?

may we raise a 'general fund for carry.

Anfw. By a yearly collection, and if need be, a quarterly one, to be raised by every one who has the charge of a circuit, in every principal congregation in his circuit. To this end, he may then read and en large upon the following hints:

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