whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear, concerning you?

10. Do you desire, that in doing this we should come as close as possible, that we should cut to the quick, and search your heart to the bottom?

11. Is it your desire and design to be on this and all other occasions entirely open, so as to speak every thing that is in your heart, without exception, without disguise, and without reserve? Any of the preceding questions may be asked as often as occasion offers: the five following at every meeting.

1. What known sins have you committed since our last meeting?

.

2. What temptations have you met with? 3. How was you delivered?

4. What have you thought, said, or done, of which you doubt whether it be sin or not?

5. Have you nothing you desire to keep secret?

Directions given to the Band Societies. December 25, 1744.

You are supposed to have the Faith that overcometh the world. To you therefore it is not grievous,

I. Carefully to abstain from doing evil; in particular,

1. Neither to buy nor sell any thing at all on the LORD's day.

2. To taste no spirituous liquor, no dram of any kind, unless prescribed by a physician.

3. To be at a word both in buying and selling.

4. To pawn nothing.

5. Not to mention the fault of any behind his back, and to stop those short that do.

6. To wear no needless ornaments, such as rings, ear-rings, necklaces, lace, ruffles.

7. To use no needless self indulgence, such as

taking snuff or tobacco, unless prescribed by a physician.

II. Zealously to maintain good works; in particular,

1. To give alms of such things as you possess, and that to the uttermost of your power.

2. To reprove all that sin in your sight, and that in love, and meekness of wisdom.

3. To be patterns of diligence and frugality, of self-denial, and taking up the cross daily.

III. Constantly to attend on all the ordinances of God; in particular,

1. To be at church, and at the LORD's table every week, and at every public meeting of the bands.

2. To attend the ministry of the word every morning, unless distance, business, or sickness prevent.

3. To use private prayer every day, and family prayer, if you are the head of a family.

4. To read the Scriptures, and meditate thereon, at every vacant hour. And,

5. To observe, as days of fasting or abstinence, all Fridays in the year."

In the course of this year, 1770, Mr. George Whitefield passed through Philadelphia, on his way to the North, and calling on our preachers who were in the city, he expressed to them his great satisfaction at finding them in this country, where there was such a great call for faithful la. bourers in the vineyard of their Lord. From thence Mr. Whitefield went on through all the New England states; and on his return he preached his last sermon in Exeter, in New Hampshire state, on the top of a hogshead by the meeting house, the house being too small to contain the congregation. His text was 2. Cor. 13, 5.... Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith. He

spake with much animation; and after meeting he rode to Newburyport in the state of Massachusetts; but on the road he complained of a shortness of breath, occasioned by the asthma.

But

said "Another pulpit sweat or two will cure me.' That night he rested but poorly. The next morning his complaint was much worse; he prayed devoutly for the world in general, and for the orphans at his Orphan House in Georgia in particular; and withal requested, that if his work was done, that the Lord would take him to himself.-Soon after which he died on his knees, on September 30, 1770, which was exactly 30 years to a day from the first time that he ever preached in that town. The first time he ever travelled through that part of the country was in the year 1740. In his journal of this journey he says, "Tuesday, Sept. 30, preached at Ipswich about 10 in the mor ning, to some thousands;-the Lord gave me freedom, and there was a great melting in the congregation. Dined, set out and reached Newbury, another large town, twelve miles distant from Ipswich, about 3. Here again the Lord accompanied the word with his power. The meeting-house was very large, many ministers were present, and people were greatly affected. Blessed be God, his divine power attends us more and more.

Took

ferry immediately after sermon; went with Mr. Cotton, minister of the place, who came to meet me in a chaise to Hampton, another great town, nine, miles from Newbury.'

Mr. Whitefield had often felt his soul so much comforted in preaching in the Presbyterian mecting-house, in Newburyport, that he told his friends long before his death, that if he died in that part of the world, he wished to be buried under the pulpit of that house. The people who remembered his former request, had it now in their

power to grant it; and they prepared a vault in the ground, under the pulpit, where they laid his body. I myself went into the vault to see the bo dy after it had lain there twenty years; and was much surprised to find the greater part of it firm, and hard a small part of it only had putrified.

Mr. Whitefield had separated from the Wesleys in 1741, but always retained a particular love for them, and requested that John Wesley should preach his funeral sermon. As soon as Mr. Wesley received the news of Mr. Whitefield's death, being desired by Mr. Whitefield's executors, he performed that labour of love, on Sunday Nov. 18, at the Tabernacle: his text was Numb. 23, 10. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.

Mr. Whitefield died in the fifty-sixth year of his age. He had crossed the Atlantic 13 times in order to preach the gospel which was more than any other minister had done before him.

Mr. Whitefield's labours as an Itinerant preacher had been greatly blessed to the people in America; and thereby the way was opened for our preachers to travel and preach the gospel in differ, ent parts of the country. And in most places where the people were lively in religion, they were fond of having Itinerant preachers to visit them.

1771-Mr. Francis Asbury, and Mr. Richard Wright, were sent by Mr. Wesley, to America, and they landed at Philadelphia on the 27th day of October, after a passage of fifty-five days. Mr. Asbury had been a travelling preacher four years, and Mr. Wright one year, previous to their coming over.

They soon began to extend their labours fartherinto the country, and did not spend their time in the cities as the other preachers had done. Mr. Asbury spent most of his time among the people in

the country, and formed societies in different places. He preached his first sermon in New-York Nov. 13. He then went into the country, and on the 24th day of the same month he went for the first time to West-Chester and preached, then at West-Farmes, East- Chester, New-Rochelle, Rye and Mairnock. He soon found that their labours were more visibly owned of God inthe country, than in the cities.

In the latter part of this year, some of the preachers visited Delaware and Maryland states, and preached sometimes on the Western shore, and sometimes on the Eastern shore of Maryland.

The first Methodists that came to the Eastern Shore of Maryland, were two private christian men belonging to Mr. Strawbridge's society, who came over to John Randal's, in Kent county, and talked to the family, and prayed with them: by which means there were some religious impressions made on the minds of some of the family. From that time the preachers were desired to come over and help them. Mr. Strawbridge came himself, and preached with them sometime afterwards, old Robert Williams made them a visit, and preached among them a few times, and in Dec. following, which was on the 12th day,in 1772, Mr. Asbury preached. in Kent county for the first time. From that time those people have been much favoured with preaching by the Methodists; and that county has ever since been famous for a number of solid, steady Methodists.

In April there was laid a plan for Mr. Joseph Pillmore to travel to the South,and Mr. Boardman to visit the North.-Mr. Pillmore travelled and preached through Maryland to Norfolk, in Virginia; and left Norfolk in the begining of 1773, and travelled through the lower parts of Virginia, and North Carolina to Charleston in South Carolina;