Lanterna Rally

Author: John Wesley

Publisher:

Published: 1992

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9780687072705

John Wesley's insistence on strict discipline for himself was early extended to those who chose to join his movement. Persons who wished to retain their membership in Wesley's societies were expected to follow three General Rules: " "(1) doing no harm; (2) doing good; and (3) attending upon all the ordinances of God." First published in 1743 under the title The Nature, Design, and General Rules of the United Societies, these three simple rules constitute Methodism's first book of discipline.As the title hints, the rules were prefaced by a brief history of the Methodist societies and their organization. Examples were offered to illustrate the ways in which each of the three general rules were expected to work out in practical living. John Wesley claimed that both the principles and their application were based upon the New Testament and the practice of the Apostolic Church, especially as depicted by William Caves' Primitive Christianity.