and do what service we could to our acquaintance, the prisoners, and two or three poor families in the town. But the outcry daily increafing, that we might fhew what ground there was for it, we proposed to our friends, or opponents, as we had opportunity, these, or the like questions:

I. Whether it does not concern all men of all conditions, to imitate Him as much as they can, "who went about doing good?"

Whether all chriftians are not concerned in that command; "While we have time let us do good to all

men."

Whether we fhall not be more happy hereafter, the more good we do now?

Whether we can be happy at all hereafter unless we have, according to our power, "Fed the hungry, clothed the naked, vifited thofe that are fick, and in prifon," and made all these actions fubfervient to a higher purpose, even the faving of fouls from death? Whether it be not our bounden duty always to remember, that He did more for us, than we can do for him, who affures us, "In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me?"

II. Whether upon thefe confiderations we may not try to do good to our acquaintance? Particularly, whether we may not try to convince them of the neceffity of being chriftians ?

Whether of the confequent neceffity of being Scholars ?

Whether of the neceffity of method and industry in order to either learning or virtue ?

Whether we may not try to persuade them to confirm and increase their induftry, by communicating as often as they can ?

Whether we may not mention to them the authors whom we conceive to have wrote beft on those Jubjects?

Whether we may not affift them as we are able from time to time, to form refolutions upon what they read in those authors, and to execute them with fteadiness and perfeverance.

III. Whether

III. Whether upon the confiderations above-mentioned, we may not try to do good to thofe that are hungry, naked, or fick? In particular, whether if we know any neceffitous family, we may not give them a little food, clothes, or phyfic, as they want?

Whether we may not give them, if they can read, a Bible, Common-Prayer Book, or Whole Duty of Man ? Whether we may not now and then enquire how they have used them; explain what they don't underftand, and enforce what they do?

Whether we may not enforce upon them more especially the neceffity of private prayer, and of frequenting the church and facrament?

Whether we may not contribute what little we are able toward having their children clothed and taught to read?

Whether we may not take care that they be taught their catechifm, and fhort prayers for morning and evening ?

IV. Laftly, Whether upon the confiderations abovementioned, we may not try to do good to those that are in prifon? In particular, Whether we may not releafe fuch well-difpofed perfons as remain in prifon for fmall fums ?

Whether we may not lend fmaller fums to those that are of any trade, that they may procure themselves tools and materials to work with?

Whether we may not give to them who appear to want it most, a little money, or clothes, or phyfic? Whether we may not fupply as many as are ferious enough to read, with a Bible, and Whole Duty of Man P Whether we may not, as we have opportunity, explain and enforce these upon them, especially with refpect to public and private prayer, and the blessed facrament?

I do not remember that we met with any perfon who answered any of these questions in the negative, or who even doubted, whether it were not lawful to apply to this use that time and money, which we should have spent in other diverfions: but feveral we met with who increased our little stock of money for the prisoners and the poor, by fubfcribing fomething quarterly to it; fo that the more perfons we propofed our de

figns

figns to, the more were we confirmed in the belief of their innocency, and the more determined to purfue them in fpight of the ridicule, which increafed fast upon us during the winter. However, in fpring I thought it could not be improper to defire farther inftructions from thofe, who were wiser and better than ourselves; and according (on May 18, 1731) I wrote a particular account of all our proceedings to a clergyman of known wisdom and integrity. After having informed him of all the branches of our design as clearly and fimply as I could, I next acquainted him with the fuccefs it had met with in the following words:"Almost as foon as we had made our first attempts. this way, fome of the men of wit in Chrift-Church entered the lift against us, and between mirth and anger made a pretty many reflections upon the Sacramentarians, as they were pleafed to call us. Soon after their allies at Merton changed our title, and did us the honour of filing us The Holy Club. But most of them being perfons of well-known characters, they had not the good fortune to gain any profelites from the Sacrament, 'till a gentleman, eminent for learning, and well efteemed for piety, joining them, told his nephew, That if he dared to go to the weekly communion any longer, he would immediately turn him out of doors. The argument indeed had no fuccefs; the young gentleman communicated next week; upon which his uncle having again tried to convince him that he was in the wrong way, by fhaking, him by the throat to no purpofe, changed his method, and by mildness prevailed upon him to abfent from it the Sunday following, as he has done five Sundays in fix ever fince. This much delighted our " gay oppo nents," who increased their number apace, especially when fhortly after one of the feniors of the college having been with the doctor, upon his return from him, fent for two young gentlemen feverally, who had com municated weekly for fome time; and was fo fuccefsful in his exhortations, that for the future: they promifed to do it, only three times a year. About this time there was a meeting (as one who was prefent at it informed your fon) of several of the officers and feniors of the college, wherein it was confulted what would be the fpeedieft way to ftop the progrefs of enthusiasm in it. The refult we know not, only it was

foon

foon publicly reported, that Dr. and the cenfors A were going to blow up the Godly Club. This was now our common title, though we were fometimes dignified with that of the Enthufiafts, or the Reforming Club."

Part of the Answer I received was as follows:

"GOOD SIR,

But I

A pretty while after the date yours came to my hand. I waved my answer 'till I had an opportunity of confulting your father, who upon all accounts is a more proper judge of the affair than I am. could never find a fit occafion for it. As to my own fense of the matter, I confefs, I cannot but heartily approve of that ferious and religious turn of mind that prompts you and your affociates to thofe pious and charitable offices; and can have no notion of that man's religion or concern for the honour of the University, that opposes you as far as your defign refpects the Colleges. I fhould be loth to fend a fon of mine to any feminary, where his converfing with virtuous young men, whose profeft defign of meeting together at proper times, was to affift each other in forming good refolutions, and encouraging one another to execute them with conftancy and steadiness, was inconfiftent with any received maxims or rules of life among the members. As to the other branch of your defign, as the town is divided into parishes, each of which has its proper incumbent, and as there is probably an ecclefaftic, who has the fpiritual charge of the prifoners, prudence may direct you to confult them: "For tho'

dare not fay you would be too officious, fhould you of your own meer motion feek out the perfons that want your inftructions and charitable contributions, yet fhould you have the concurrence of their properl paftor, your good offices would be more regular, and Jefs liable to cenfure.""

Your fon was now at Holt; however, we continued to meet at our ufual times, tho' our little affairs went on but heavily without him. But at our return fromTM Lincolnshire, in September laft, we had the pleasure of Seeing him again: when, tho he could not be fo active with us as formerly, yet we were exceedingly glad to

fpend

spend what time we could in talking and reading with him. It was a little before this time my brother and I were at London, when going into a bookfeller's fhop (Mr. Rivington's in St. Paul's church-yard) after fome other converfation he asked us, Whether we lived in town; and upon our answering, "No, at Oxford: " Then gentlemen, faid he, let me earneftly recommend to your acquaintance a friend I have there, Mr. Clayton of Brazen-Nose. Of this, not having leifure for contracting new acquaintance, we took no notice for the prefent. But in the fpring following (April 201 Mr. Clayton met me in the street, and giving Mr. Rivington's fervice, I defired his company to my room, and then commenced our acquaintance. At the first opportunity I acquainted him with our whole defign, which he immediately and heartily clofed with: and not long after, Mr. M- having then left Oxford, we fixed two evenings in a week to meet on, partly to talk upon that fubject, and partly to read fomething in practical divinity.

The two points, whereunto by the blefling of God, and your son's help, we had before attained, we endeavoured to hold fast; I mean, the doing what good we can, and in order thereto communicated as often as we have opportunity. To thefe, by the advice of: Mr. Clayton, we have added a third, the obferving the fafts of the church; the general neglect of which we can by no means apprehend to be a lawful excuse for neglecting them. And in the refolution to adhere to these, and all things elle which we are convinced God requires at our hands, we truft we fhall perfevere, 'till He calls us to give an account of our ftewardship. As for the names of Methodists, Supererogation-Men, and fo on, with which fome of our neighbours are pleased to compliment us, we do not conceive ourfelves to be under any obligation to regard them; much lefs to take them for arguments. To the law and to the tefti- ! mony we appeal, whereby we ought to be judged. If by thefe it can be proved we are in an error, we will immediately and gladly retract it: If not, we have not fo learned Chrift, as to renounce any part of his fervice, tho' men fhould fay all manner of evil against us, with more judgment, and as little truth as hitherto. We do indeed ufe all the lawful means we know, to pre