Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

children for baptism, that they use all diligence in bringing them up in conform ity to the word of God; and they should' be solemnly admonished of this obligation, and earnestly exhorted to faithfulness therein.

T 49. We regard all children who have bcen baptized as placed in visible covenant relation to God, and under the special care and supervision of the Church.

T50. The Preacher in Charge shall preserve a full and accurate register of the names of all the baptized children within his pastoral care; the dates of their birth, baptism, their parentage, and places of residence.

51. The Preacher in Charge shall organize the baptized children of the Church, at the age of ten years or younger, into classes, and appoint suitable leaders, (male or female,) whose duty it shall be to meet them in class once a week, and instruct them in the nature, design, and obligations of baptism, and the truths of religion necessary to make them "wise unto salvation;" urge them to give regular attendance upon the means of grace; advise, exhort, and encourage them to an immediate

consecration of their hearts and lives to God, and inquire into the state of their religious experience; provided, that children unbaptized are not to be excluded from these classes.

¶ 52. Whenever baptized children shall have attained an age sufficient to understand the obligations of religion and shall give evidence of piety, they may be admitted into full membership in our Church, on the recommendation of a Leader with whom they have met at least six months in class, by publicly assenting before the Church to the Baptismal Covenant, and also to the usual questions on Doctrines and Discipline.

T 53. Whenever a baptized child shall, by orphanage or otherwise, become deprived of Christian guardianship, the Preacher in Charge shall ascertain and report to the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting the facts in the case; and such provision shall be made for the Christian training of the child as the circumstances of the case admit and require.

PART I.-CHAPTER III.

MEANS OF GRACE.

Public Worship.

T 54. For the establishment of uniformity in public worship among us on the Lord's day ::

§ 1. Let the morning service consist of singing, prayer, the reading of a lesson from the Old Testament, and another from the New, and preaching.

§ 2. Let the afternoon or evening service consist of singing, prayer, the reading of one or two Scripture lessons, and preaching.

§ 3. On the days of administering the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, the reading of the Scripture lessons may be omitted.

§ 4. In administering the sacraments. and in the burial of the dead, let our form of Ritual invariably be used. Let the Lord's Prayer also be used on all occasions of public worship in concluding the first prayer, the congregation being exhorted to join in its audible repeti

tion. Let a Doxology be sung at the conclusion of each service, and the Apostolic benediction be invariably used in dismissing the congregation.

§ 5. Let the people be earnestly exhorted to take part in the public worship of God-first, in singing; secondly, in prayer, in the scriptural attitude of kneeling, by the repetition of the Lord's Prayer.

§ 6. Let the Society be met, wherever it is practicable, on the Sabbath day.

The Spirit and Truth of Singing.

¶ 55. To guard against formality in singing:

:

§ 1. Choose such hymns as are proper for the occasion, and do not sing too much at once; seldom more than four or five verses.

§ 2. Let the tune be suited to the sentiment, and do not suffer the people to sing too slowly.

§3. In every Society let due attention be given to the cultivation of sacred music.

§ 4. Should the Preacher in Charge desire it, let the Quarterly Conference

appoint annually a committee of three or more, who, co-operating with him, shall regulate all matters relating to this part of divine worship.

§ 5. As singing is a part of divine worship in which all ought to unite, therefore exhort every person in the congregation to sing, not one in ten only.

Classes and Class-Meetings.

¶ 56. 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 carry out, unless other measures be adopted, a financial plan for the raising of moneys.

157. The primary object of distributing the members of the Church into classes is to secure the sub-pastoral oversight made

« AnteriorContinuar »