aving ever since been
more and more manifest. In his "Plain Account of the People called
Methodists," Mr. Wesley says, "At first they (the Leaders) visited each
person at his own house; but this was soon found not so expedient, and
that on many accounts." Mr. Wesley assigns several reasons for this
change, and proceeds to answer several objections to class-meetings. The
following passage shows the exact ground on which Mr. Wesley based the
institution of class-meetings:

Some objected, 'There were no such meetings when I came into the society
first; and why should there be now? I do not understand these things,
and this changing one thing after another continually.' It was easily
answered: It is a pity but they had been from the first. But we knew not
then either the need or the benefit of them. Why we use them, you will
easily understand, if you will read over the Rules of the Society. That
with regard to these little prudential helps, we are continually
changing one thing after another, is not a weakness or fault as you
imagine, but is a peculiar privilege which we enjoy. By this means we
declare them all to be merely prudential, not essential, not of divine
institution.

Now, while it is proper for each person, as far as may be consistent
with his circumstances and views of duty, to use every prudential means
of doing and getting good, yet the observance of nothing but what is
Divinely instituted should be imposed as a condition of membership in
the Church of God. To make attendance at class-meeting that condition,
is to require what the Lord hath not commanded, and to change
essentially the character and objects of a means of good which Mr.
Wesley (with whom it originated) declared to be "merely prudential, not
essential, not of divine institution."

That Mr. Wesley conceived the basis of a church should be much more
comprehensive than the rules he drew up and recommended in regard to the
"little prudential helps" which were suggested to him from time to time,
is obvious from the eighth of his twelve reasons against organising a
new church--reasons published many years after the preparation and
adoption of all his society rules. His words are as follows: "Because to
form the plan of a new church would require infinite time and care, with
much more wisdom and greater depth and extensiveness of thought than any
of us are masters of."

[139] The following is the Article of Faith referred to:--

_XVII. Of Baptism.