The class-leader at work : being a compilation of methods and programmes ... specially written by ministers and laymen for the use of leaders

Front matter

THE

CLASS-LEADER

AT WORK.

Preface

TT is generally admitted that there is no class of Christian workers who need opportunities of interchanging ideas and comparing methods so much as Methodist Class-Leaders.

The Leader has the heavy responsibility of ministering to practically the same group of individuals, week by week the year round, and is often severely tried to find time in these days of stress, to maintain the power and interest of the meeting.

But the ingenuity of Class-Leaders is proverbial in devising means whereby their members may be drawn together for the cultivation of brotherly love and all the virtues of the Christian character. The Class-meeting is the training ground of Christian workers, the armour)- alike of the young recruit and the Christian veteran. It is the business of the Leader to make the meeting so helpful and attractive that those who attend may find it as a spiritual home where they can gain experience and courage to resist " the wiles of the evil one," who seeks, unceasingly, to tempt the weaklings to join the ranks of the " ceased to meet."

Many a Lender is so enthusiastic and so dearly loves his Class that his mind is ever on the alert to discover new methods for the enrolment of additional members and of conserving those already on his books.

viii. The Class-Leadek at Woek.

How often, when, under Divine guidance he has hit upon some fresh plan which succeeds beyond his expectations, he has ardently desired to make it known to his brethren.

The "Class-Leaders' Column" in The Methodist Times, and the pages of The Methodist Recorder have afforded him certain facilities for that purpose, but weekly papers, despite their excellence, are from their very nature, the most easily forgotten form of our literature.

Fortunately, however, I have been enabled to bring under review the communications made during the past five years to the " Class-Leaders' Column" in The Methodist Times, as to methods, etc., and to collate the best of them.

These, together with some original contributions by experts, and other suitable matter, have now been brought together in the hope that they may be found of great value in supplying Leaders with germs of thojjght, material for the preparation of programmes by those who use them, and many practical suggestions which have proved helpful to others in the conduct of their Classes.

Perusal of The Class-Leader at Work will shew that its title is justified, for it will be seen that its pages consist largely of a record of the methods of Class- Leaders at work, and as the index shows, among the names of the latter are many of the most experienced and successful Leaders in the Connexion.

The contributions cover every variety of Class-meeting in city, town, and village. I have studied especially to make the book serviceable to Leaders of Junior Society Classes. Such Leaders deserve all the help we can give them ; for their members being young have but little or nothing to say for themselves. The Leaders, too, are often inexperienced, with the result that they become discouraged, and

Preface. ix.

the Classes tor that reason not infrequently are allowed to lapse.

To assist this most deserving class of workers, special articles have been written by experts. The book also contains practical contributions from many successful Leaders of Junior Classes.

At the end forms are provided for the use of programme makers, as also blank pages for personal memoranda and for recording hymns and tunes used in the Class.

It only remains for me to thank the large number of Leaders, about 130 in all, who have supplied so much material for the book. I should also like to express my obligation to the proprietors and editor of The Methodist Times, who have so generously allowed me to make such selections from their columns, as I required for my purpose.

A word ought to be said about the portraits.

Each of the ministers represented, has in some way or other identified himself with the movement which has set in during the last few years, for raising the status of the Leader, and developing the usefulness of the Class-meeting.

The book, as will be seen, is dedicated to the Rev. Dr. Kigg, twice President of the Weslcyan Methodist Church, honoured and respected by the Evangelical Churches throughout the world.

It was the Rev. Dr. Rigg, himself, for many years a successful Class-Leader, who first in the Memorials Committee, afterwards in the Burslem Conference of igoo, was largely instrumental in carrying the resolution for the appointment of an influential Conference Committee to consider questions affecting the Class-Leader and his work — he it was also at Camborne, in 1903, who materially helped the passage of the report through Conference.

x. The Class-Leader at Work.

The late Rev. Hugh Price-Hughes, M.A., when President of the Conference, visited the great centres, and strenuously advocated the importance of the Class-meeting and the appointment of fresh Leaders — large numbers of whom date the commencement of their career from that time.

The Rev. Walford Green, D.D., and the Rev. Marshall Randies, D.D., were both, when living, active supporters of the forward policy in regard to the Class-meeting, and did great service in carrying it to the position it now holds.

The Rev. Marshall Hartley will always be remembered with affection by the Class-Leaders of Methodism, not only because when he was in the chair as President at Camborne, the resolutions were adopted by both Sessions of Conference, recommending the appointment of Connexional and District Class-Leaders' Committees, but especially for the brotherly sympathetic and helpful letter which he addressed individually to each of them during his year of office.

To the Rev. Henry J. Pope, D.D., we owe much for his wise counsel and sympathy — it was he who presided at the first Class-Leaders' gathering, held at Newcastle-on-Tyne, in 1901, and by so doing greatly contributed to its success.

In closing these prefatory notes, I desire to thank the Rev. Richard Green for his kindness in writing the introduction. There is no pretence in the book itself to any literary merit — but in the contribution by Mr. Green a charm, peculiarly his own, is added, which will do much to enhance the value of the work.

THOMAS BARCLAY.

The Uplands,

Blackwell, Near Bromsgrove, July, 1905.

Section I. — The Leader. Bishop Vincent on the Class-meeting

Preparation for Class

On the Duties of Leaders ...

Some of the Difficulties of Class-Leading

The Leaders' Meeting

The Training and Appointment of Leaders

Section II. — Methods and Syllabuses

Suggested Rules for the Conduct of Class-meetin Typical Syllabuses A Class Periodical Revivals in Class-meetings ...

Syllabuses for Men's Classes Hints for Home Life A Circuit Syllabus

A Class in Existence since Wesley's Days Some Striking Syllabuses from Dover A Soldier's Syllabus ...

Notes on " Christ as Guide "

A Welsh Syllabus How to Deal with Elder Scholars A Canadian Programme Methods Old and New Hymn Sen ice for Enquirers Advice to Young Leaders ...

Notes on (iod, our Teacher...

Half-hour Talks at the Class-meeting Notes Prepared for Use with a Syllabus i. Jacob at Peniel

2. Life's Certainties

3. Reading : Looks that Help

4. Women's Sphere in the Church

5. A Study of Life : Martha and Mary An Object Lesson to Professional and Pusi Methods of Dr. Dingley Whitsuntide and Easter Programmes Booklets bound in Programmes

PAGE

5 8

18 20

24 25 29

38 42

45 51 54 56

So

The Class-Leader at Woek.

Section III. — Meditations. Are Conversions Usually Sudden ?

On being Easily Discouraged

The Magnetism of the Cross

The One Thing Needful

Hints for Soul Culture

On Worldliness

The New Creation ...

Moral Failure Inexcusable ...

Portioned Out Lives...

Steadfast-mindedness in Class

Vicarious Blessings ...

The Soul's Peril

Nobodies

Good Advertisements for God. i, 2, 3, and 4

The Example of Christ

Three Essentials in the Christian Life

Well-doing

Answer to Prayer

The Joy of Service ...

Christian Covetousness

The Programme of Life

The House of God

Section IV. — New Year anfl Other Festivals

The Class-Leader's Worst Enemy The New Connexional Year An Annual Class Rally Christmas and the New Year The Watchword of the Class New Year's Consecration More Programmes ...

New Year's Meditations Easter Meditations ...

Whitsuntide Meditations Christmas Meditations

Section V. — Miscellaneous. Foreign Missions and the Class-meeting

Class and Ticket Money

Visitation of Members

Temperance ...

Class-meeting the Church "Armoury"

Dr. Parker's Library

Section VI. — Junior Society Classes. Children's Day

Methodist " Confirmation " Day

176 177 177 181

183 184 186 188

204 206 208 210 211 211

213 213

Table of Contents.

xm.

The Barrow Method of Growing New Members

Notes for Leaders of Junior Classes

A Lesson for very Young Society Classes

A Junior Society Class-meeting

Novel Meetings for Junior Classes ...

Junior Society Class Programmes ...

Notes and Methods for Junior Classes :

Invitation

Trees

Keys

House to Let

Prayer, Mission, and Other Meetings

Topical Meetings (Bible, Flower, Hymn Chain-Prayer, and other Evenings)

Doctrinal Teaching for Young Members Notes on Doctrine for Junior Leaders : i. Sin ...

2. Sin

3. Repentance

4. Faith Justification ...

Repentance and Faith Repentance of Believers ...

Regeneration : Its Necessity The New Birth: Its Nature

,, ,, Its Evidences

The Witness of the Spirit Christian Perfection Temptation ...

The Sabbath

The Christian Church

The Blood

Two Meditations for Junior Class-Leade

5- 6.

9- 10. 11. 12.

15- 16.

Text,

225 228 229

234 235 236 236

237 238

239 243

245 247 248

249 250

251 252

253 254 255 256

25* 259 261

26 2

Section VII. — Programmes. The Programme in the Class-meeting

Suggested Titles

Open Night Programme

Various Examples of Programmes

Programme Making ...

Blank Pages for Leaders' Notes, Syllabuses, etc

INTRODUCTION,

By the Rev. RICHARD GREEN.

(Same time (iuvernor of iJiihhuvij Weslci/an CoUcijc J

"Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am i in the midst of them."

" Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another ; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." — St. Paul.

" Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed." — St. James.

" Then I saw in my dream, they went very lovingly on together, and had sweet discourse of all things that had happened to them in their pilgrimage. "^Thc I'll^inu'^ Pivgn'ss.

"\T EARLY sixty years ago I was asked to attend a Methodist -^ Class-meeting. Having lieeii earnestly seeking salvation for some time, I gladly responded to the invitation ; and at that first meeting, whilst the header was pointing lire to the cross, I was enahled to "see all my sins on Jesus laid," and then and there I found peace through believing. From that hour to this the (.'lass-Meeting lias appeared to me to he invested willi a. very sacred character. In my earlier experiences I had hard battling with fears and doubts and temptations. The Sahhalhs — generally spent in public services or Christian work from seven o'clock in the morning until nine o'clock at night — were hallowed and hlessed days: hut the intervening days brought buffeting and strife. The Wednesday night (lass-meeting was a stepping-stone between one Sabbath and another. How eagerly 1 longed for these meetings! How thankfully I remembered them! They were sweet and helpful hours; hours of xvi. The Class-Lieadek, at Work.

quiet rest, as beneath the shade of palms and near the well's cooling and refreshing waters. They were times when the joy of conscious progress made one's heart dance with thankfulness and delight, or when the pain of remembered failure humbled one to the dust. They were* means of Christian instruction and admonition, of warning and kindly counsel ; means of real Christian fellowship, of happy brotherhood, and of mutual helpfulness. What the Class-meeting was to me, it has been to thousands upon thousands, during the last century and a half.

The Class-meeting as we know it, is the final outcome of many changes through which it passed in the course of time. It is interesting to trace its development from the beginning of Methodism. In a slight degree it is discernible before the word Methodist was applied. Perhaps the first indication of it in Wesley's case is apparent in the form of a reHr/ions comjianionship, the benefit of which he proved as early as 1725, when he was twenty-two years of age ; and when, he tells us, he first met with " a Christian friend." " From this moment," he says, " I began to alter the whole form of my conversation, and to set in earnest upon a new life. I set apart an hour or two for religious retirement. I communicated every week. I watched against all sin in word or deed. I began to aim at, and pray for inward holiness." This was Wesley's first experience of Christian fellowship, which throughout his life he so highly prized. Charles Wesley also proved its utility in maintaining and furthering the religious life at an early period of his career. Thus he writes: — " Providence has at present put it into my power to do some good. I have a modest, humble, well-disposed youth lives next me; and have been, thank God, somewhat instrumental in keeping him so. He had got into vile hands, and is now broke loose. He durst not receive the Sacrament but at the usual times, for fear of being laughed at. By convincing him of the duty of frequent communion, I have prevailed on both of us to receive once a week." Again he writes : — " My first year at college I lost in diversions ; the next I set myself to study. Diligence led me into serious thinking. I went to the weekly Sacrament, and persuaded two or three young students to accompany me, and to observe the method of study prescribed by the statutes of the University. This gained me the harmless name of Methodist."

John Wesley more fully writes : — " In November (1729) four young gentlemen of Oxford [himself, his brother Charles, Mr. Morgan, and Mr. Kirkham] began to spend some evenings in a week together in reading chiefly the Greek Testament." The next year two or three of his pupils, and afterwards one of Charles's, " desired the liberty to meet with them." Two years

Introduction. xvii.

afterwards Mr. Ingham and Mr. Brought* >n joined; then Mr. Clayton with two or three of his pupils, and Mr. Hervey : and, in 178r>, Mr. Whitefield. This was the first— the ' Oxford Methodist Society ; and its meetings exhibit a prominent element of the Class-meeting in that they were held for mutual help and orersifiht in the pursuit of a religious life.

We next find Wesley at Savannah, in Georgia, in 173(5, advising the more serious part of his congregation " to form themselves into a sort of little society, and to meet once or twice a week in order to reprove, instruct, anil eehort one another ; and further to select out of these a smaller number for a more intimate union with each other." Here is the germ of the Band Societies, which were organised before our type of Class-meeting, and were almost identical in character with the present Class-meeting. The Rules of the Band Societies date from December 25, 1738; the Rules of the present Methodist Society from May 1, 1743*. Again, in June, at Frederica, " on Sundays in the afternoon and every evening" (afterwards on Wednesdays and Fridays) he spent " some time with the most serious of the communicants in singing, reading, and conversation" — a form of social worship and mutual helpfulness. The next year (1737) he writes : — '' Some time after evening service as many of mv parishioners as desire it meet at my house (as they do also on ^ ednesday evening) and spend about an hour in prayer, singing, and mutual exhortation." Here is an organised meeting for social uorship and mutual ministri/ — distinctive elements of the Class-meeting. This is what lie calls the second Methodist Society.

After his return to England, and particularly after I he. Aldersgale Street meeting, the preaching of the Wesleys became very powerful, and multitudes were affected by it. "One and another," Wesley says, "came to us asking what they should do . . . We advised them, ' Strengthen you one another. Talk together as often as you can, and pray with and for one another." But they said, ' We want you to talk with us often, and to direct and quicken us in our way, to give us the advices, you well know we need and to pray with us, as well as for us.' " Thus the keenly felt need in the hours of deep religious conviction and in the experiences of the incipient religious life finds expression. " So 1 told them." lie adds, " If you will all come

* Wh.it we now call a Band-meeting, which is open to all the members of the Society, was originally a meeting of the members of the Rand Societies only On s"ome of the quarterly tickets a small "b" in addition to the large capital letter appears. These were given to those members of the Society who also met in " Private Bands,'' and gave them admission to the " Meeting of the Bands." The private Bands have now almost entire!)' disappeared.

xviii. The Class-Leader at Work.

together every Thursday in the evening, I will gladly spend some time with you in prayer, and give you the best advice I can." This agrees with the account given in the preamble to the Eules — an inimitable- document : — " In the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten persons came to me in London, who appeared to be deeply convinced of sin, and earnestly groaning for redemption. They desired (as did two or three more the next day) that I would spend some time with them in prayer, and advise them how to flee from the wrath to come, which they saw continually hanging over their heads." Thursday evenings were appointed as the times for their meeting ; many joined with them, and Wesley gave them those advices which he judged needful, and they concluded their meetings with prayer suited to their several necessities. This was the third Methodist Society, and it was " no other than a company of men, having the form and seeking the power of godliness ; united, in order to pray tot/ether, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch orer one another in lore, that they may help each other to work out their salration." Could Christian fellowship find more apt expression? Here the true idea of the Class-meeting is applied to the entire S3ciety ; the division of which into small companies for spiritual purposes was not thought of for more than two years after this (not until April 1742). It was thus brought about. The Society at Bristol had been divided into companies or classes of twelve persons, one of whom was styled the Leader, whose duty it was to wait on the members at their homes once a week, to receive their contributions of (at least) one penny per week towards meeting the cost of their newly-erected preaching-room. Wesley, having at this time the pastoral oversight of the whole of the London Society, scattered " from Wapping to Westminister," all of whom he visited at their homes, found the work beyond his time and strength. Accordingly he invited " several earnest and sensible men" to meet him, to whom he showed the great difficulty he had long found of knowing all the people who desired to be under his care. " They all agreed that there could be no better way to come to a sure, thorough knowledge of each person than to divide them into classes like those at Bristol under the inspection of those in whom he could most confide." This, he tells us, was the origin of the Classes in London. In a most interesting pamphlet entitled A Plain Account of the People called Methodists — which every Leader should read — he says, that at first the Leaders visited each person at his own house ; but this was soon found to be inexpedient on many grounds, and it was then agreed that those of each Class should meet all together. Well might Wesley exclaim, " It can scarce be conceived what advantages have been reaped from this little prudential regula-

Introduction-. xix.

tion. .Many now happily experienced that Christum fellowship of which they had not so much as an idea before." It may seem a little surprising that Wesley did not see in his early Band Societies a type of meeting which would answer the end he had in view.

Then came the quarterly inquiry by Wesley, when he '• talked with every member himself, inquired at their own mouths as well as of their leaders if they grew in grace : and to those of whose seriousness and good conversation he found no reason to doubt," he gave a ticket. Thus the Class-meeting at length attained that character with which we are familiar.

There had been various instances of persons who were driven to form little meetings of this kind by the very stress of their religious necessities. As for instance, we read: — "Three women agreed to meet together weekly with the same intention as those at London, viz., "to confess their faults one to another, and pray for one another, that they may be healed ;' at eight, four young men agreed to meet in pursuance of the same design." — ■Jnurnal, Ap. 4, 173!).

"In April I went down to Bristol, and soon found a few persons agreed to meet weekly with the same intention as those in London. These were swiftly increased by the occasion of several little Societies which were till then accustomed to meet in divers parts of the city, but now agreed to unite together in one." — Keel. Hist. iv. 171).

It is not easy to describe in detail the benefits that may arise from attendance at a well-ordered Methodist Class-meeting. One of the first and most prominent of these is the helpful assurance of recognition, of being regarded, cared for, even loved. The individual member is no longer an outcast. He is a brother in a, family, a, member of a spiritual community, and that not in an idealistic way, but as a discernible reality. This brings the strengthening joy of comradeship. True, it is actual fellowship with a few, a small company only, but this gives it deliniteiiess. It is difficult, if possible, to have communion with a crowd. It is vague and indeterminate. The ideal communion with the whole body of ( 'hrist is realized in the Sacraments— - the Sacrament of Baptism, which admits into the fellowship of the outward community ; and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, whereby the communion, externally and spiritually, is declared, maintained, and nourished. There is only one Church, one body of Christ, and every believer is in that body. No one of all the many denominations in all Christendom is the one Church, even though it may be assumed. There is one majestic wide-spreading tree of many branches, and the one sap. the one xx. The Class-Leadee at Work.

life of the tree, reaches to and nourishes every individual branch, and twig, and leaflet.

What is beautifully ideal in the " Church of God " is most happily realized in the little •communities, where all are one in faith and charity and hope, and one in happy intercourse. Nor is this oneness destroyed by difference in station. " One is your Father which is in heaven, and all ye are brethren." The workman may meet in class with his master, or the maid with her mistress, as is often happily the case ; the cultured may join with the illiterate, the wealthy with the poor. Yet there is no rude disturbance of just relationships. The servant obeys his master and the master respects his servant. This is having " all things common " in a spiritual sense, of which the common fund was but a parable. All have a common interest in a common salvation. Although the ideal communion is very effectively realized in the Class-meeting, it is not assumed that it is so there only. It may be found in many modes of brotherly intercourse, fellowship, and good-will.

How peculiarly is the Class-meeting adapted to aid the young believer ; to bring to him comfort and guidance and defence ! Here his timid faith may be encouraged and strengthened, and his misconceptions corrected. He may be instructed in ,the principles of practical religion, and led to devote himself to Christian service, the Class affording him suitable opportunities for its first exercise. Here he may learn that he is not alone in his exposure to the word of reproach, or to the temptations of evil. Here new sources of comfort and help are opened to his view. But it is not in the initial stage of the Christian life only that the Class-meeting is of value. It is helpful throughout its course in the patient cultivation of the highest type of the Christian character. The elect spirits of Methodism whose names are embalmed in her history all held the Class-meeting in high esteem. For the diffusion of the benefits of matured experience, for consolation and help in hours of depression, for warning and admonition in times of peril, for the resolution of perplexing difficulties, for the inspirations of patience in trial or disappointment, in sorrow or loss, for the reviving of flagging energies, for keeping alive the glow of holy devotion, for the preservation of faith, the encouragement of hope, or the stimulus of charity, what can compare with Christian fellowship ! The Class-meeting is always prized in times of spiritual revival and activity. The earnest Christian eagerly seeking a deeper spiritual experience hails it. But in times of lukewarmness, or spiritual declension, the fellowship is not so keenly desired ; and how often has it happened that the

IXTltOIH'CTION*. Xxi.

relaxed attendance has been but the precursor of a greater relapse, and of irreparable spiritual loss.

In some cases a Bible-class has supplanted the Class-meeting, but without fulfilling its entire purpose. The Class-meeting may be — should be — a true Bible-class. Bible truth may be read and searched, for the biblical delineations of the religious life and the biblical expositions of religious duty are far more accurate than the imperfect experience and examples of individuals can be. And it is better to frame the religious life after the model of the "Word than after any faulty exhibitions of it. If we imitate an Apostle it must be as he was an imitator of Christ. Thus the kind of Bible-study suited to the Class-meeting is incomplete until it becomes the direct application of Biblical tiachiiifi tn the Christian life of the Class-members, testing and correcting them by it.

But the true and full purpose of the Class-meeting is not accomplished merely in the profit which the individual member may gain for himself. A distinct duty and obligation of the ( 'liristian profession is the i-enderimj of a measure of help to others. Apostles and prophets, evangelists and pastors and teachers, were given for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministering unto the building irp of the body of Christ. One should go to Class not only for the good that can be gained, but also for the service that can be rendered, for the body is " fitly framed and knit together by that which every joint supplieth," and "the working in due measure of each several part niaketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love." i'.jdt. iv. l(i. This great service the Class-meeting is specially adapted to serve. Even an \postle could rejoice in the mutual ministry of faith — "that I wilh you maybe comforted in you. each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine." limn. i. \'l.

Some persons complain that thev cannot find Leaders who are able to instruct them. If it were so. is it not an indication that they who thus judge have approached the time when it becomes duteous on their part to prepare to lead others'.' How many sink in the narrow channel between independence of the help of others and the neglect to use the power to aid their weaker brethren which increased experience gives them.

"Whatever Methodism is as a compact religious force in this country and ol hers is due- next to the faithful preaching and the saving appropriation of the (lospel- to the defensive, strengthening, uniting, stimulating power of the Class-meeting. It is interwoven into the very texture of Methodism : it is of its very essence : and wherever in all the earth the true spirit of Methodism is found, there the Class-meeting is found also.

THE CLASS-LEADER AT WORK.