undertake the fervices, ufually allotted to minifters, of leading the devotions of the assembly in prayer, "and of reading the fcriptures, together with fuch "lectures, as are beft calculated to give them a right "understanding of natural and revealed religion, and " which beft tend to enforce the practice of every "christian duty. It is prefumed that there might be "found fome in every, or at least most chriftian "focieties, willing to undertake this fervice; as with "the help of written forms of prayer, and the many "ufeful discourses now in print, no uncommon abili❝ties are neceffary for the undertaking. All of them "would cheerfully concur in their endeavours to im<c prove, as much as poffible, that important and de"lightful part of religious worship, the finging of "God's praife.

"In general: let there be a warm and fincere

zeal in all the members, to promote, as far as in "their power, the happiness of every particular mem"ber of the fociety, more especially his fpiritual "welfare. Those who are in poverty and distress " should be relieved by those in more affluent cir«cumstances, as nearly as can be, proportionably "to the several abilities of the latter.

"Harmony of affections, and the fincereft friend"fhip, fhould be carefully cultivated and maintained among all the members, though differing in their opinions, about controverted points of divinity.

1

Let the members of the fociety take every pro per opportunity to be well acquainted with one "another. Let the more knowing take pleasure in "communicating knowlege, in the moft condefcend❝ing, acceptable way, to the more ignorant. Let "the rich be far from affuming a haughty air, and "learn that meek, that humble fpirit, which will "endear them to all their fellow members of inferior ❝rank. It would not be amifs, if these were at "certain times admitted to their tables. It is very

practicable to render table conversation very im"proving as well as pleafant. By such behaviour, "their warmest affections and best wishes will be gained. A grateful, teachable difpofition, a fober "and diligent conduct will be the confequence.

"With regard to all other denominations of "chriftians; let every member be poffeffed of the "most catholic principles, and behave towards them " in the most charitable and generous manner.

"Let all the members fhow their affection to "Chrift, their love to one another, their gratitude "to God for the gospel, by cheerfully embracing the "stated opportunities, weekly or monthly, of join

ing with their fellow-chriftians in celebrating the "lord's fupper: at that time, more especially con"templating the character, teachings, fufferings, "condefcenfion and love of their great master.

"Let all the members, approving these rules and "heartily confenting to the practice, give in their

"names;

names; by which means they would all be known "to one another.

"Vicious and refractory members, after all pru"dent methods have been taken to reclaim them, "fhould have their names erafed.

"Every well-difpofed person, after duly confider"ing these rules and orders, defiring to become a "member, fhould be admitted, and fubfcribe his "name accordingly.

"A church, though fmall, thus conftituted and "moulded, as it were, into one foul, bearing one "another's burdens, confidering one another to pro"voke unto love and to good works; how lovely, "how beautiful the idea!"

You, my friends, can all bear teftimony that Mr. Mort himself uniformly paid the ftricteft attention to the rules which you find he had laid down. You know, for you have often told me, how kind he was to all, how attentive to the wants of the poor, how Having a perfect

mindful of your spiritual welfare. acquaintance with the congregation, he frequently, you recollect, expreffed his concern to you, when he obferved that your feats in the chapel were empty, on that day in the week, which all confefs is best spent in gaining religious knowlege, and in cultivating a chriftian temper. His anxiety for your continuing to improve in an amiable and heavenly frame of mind, would not permit him to quit the world, without leaving behind him that token of his affection, which D 2

you

But the following

A few days after

you will meet with in the following difcourfe. In that, as well as in fome obfervations which have already occurred, you will perceive what an impreffion was made upon his mind by a confideration of the character of the apostle John. anecdote shows it more strikingly. he was first impreffed by meditating upon the humane temper of the bofom friend of Chrift, as he was riding briskly from Manchester, intent upon being home by tea-time, he was fuddenly ftopped by a poor woman, who begged him to give her fomething. He was vexed at being detained, and would not hear her. But as he lay on his bed in the night, and reflected upon what had paffed in the day: his heart (mote him for this conduct, and he could not be eafy, till he had, in the morning, walked upwards of two miles to see her and give her some little relief. He himself thought that he should not have done this a few years before.

That practice of his at your focial meetings, which I have fome times heard you mention, was truly characteristic of the amiable temper of his mind. When others had given as a toast the lord of the manor, or fome other great perfon, to whom they were attached by intereft, it was common with him to give the POOR of Atherton :' reminding you by thefe means of the nobler ties which fhould bind man to man. How happy is it, when even the employments of our more unbended hours, become mementos of our duty

and

and are made to cherish the most generous and benevolent affections.

and

It was from a fimilar regard to your improvement> that he was so earnest in keeping up the converfation club, which he had introduced. The topics which were difcuffed at these meetings, were generally fuch as had an useful tendency. They brought together upon the fame footing, perfons of different defcriptions. They tended to remove every unneceffary diftinction between the mafter and the fervant the characters of both were mutually improved by fuch friendly communications. It is a black ftain upon the complexion of the present times, that a club which had fubfifted half a century, which had neither injured, nor thought of injuring any one, which was compofed of fome of the moft refpectable perfons in the neighbourhood, which hath always been conducted with decorum, with peace, and with harmony, fhould lately have been broken up, in confequence of threat that the publicans who fuffered them to meet any longer in their houses, fhould be deprived of their licences.

You, my friends, are well acquainted with the life of this good man, and it is not neceflary in order to confirm you in the best opinion of him, that I should mention any more inftances of the excellence of his heart. In the following extract from a letter + which

he

D:3

i

* In January, 1793.

+ Written in July 1786.