METHODS

     With class-leading, as with preaching, the way of doing the thing has much to do with its success or failure. Some have no method, make no preparation, aim at nothing in particular, and accomplish what they aim at. In the absence of aim and method most any kind of disjointed, ranting, rambling self-exploitation, of unseemly and offensive trifling with sacred things, or of rash, rabid, and rasping denunciation is likely to be foisted upon those present, to the wounding of the weak, the revolting of the more intelligent, the grieving of the Holy Spirit, and the dishonor of God's cause. The class-leader who would be successful in his calling must learn to do the right thing at the right time and in the right way.

     In the first place, a wise leader will devote at least some time to special preparation for each service he is to conduct. "For a class-leader to go to his class without special preparation is an impertinence in the sight of God, and he is equally to be blamed with that preacher who presumes to enter his pulpit unprepared. To say that one has only to open his mouth and God will fill it, and to apply it to the regular ministry of the class-leader, is to utterly misapprehend the responsibility of the individual. Every great triumph in the life of Jesus came after great preparation alone with God for nights or weeks. The victory over the devil comes after forty days of solitary prayer. The Transfiguration comes after prayer has worked its transformation. For Moses, Paul, Luther, Bunyan, Wesley, years of preparation in the Arabian Desert, lonely Bedford jail, and meditation in city and wilderness. No great thing was ever done for God or man without ample preparation." ^[1]

     A class-leader who is worthy of his calling will be always studying and endeavoring to prepare himself for greater efficiency in the spiritual guidance and development of those entrusted to his supervision. The burden of his work will compel him to think, meditate, study, pray, and seek by all available means to perfect himself, so far as possible, for winning souls to Christ, and for building up believers in holiness. All such preparation, however, is more or less general, while what is contended for now is a special waiting upon God in prayer, meditation, searching of the Scriptures, looking up of lessons, hymns, etc., for a little season preparatory to each particular service. The leader should come into his class fresh from communing with God in his closet, quickened and inspired by some particular portion of God's word upon which he has been musing until the fire burned within him, and with numerous passages of scripture, hymns, and fragments of hymns at his command, to be used for purposes of doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness, or for exhortation, edification and comfort, as the cases of his members may severally require. For lack of such special preparation on the part of the leader many a class-meeting has been either spiritless and dull on the one hand -- an almost intolerable bore to those present -- or, on the other hand, has drifted into unprofitable, if not positively injurious, disputation and exploitation of personal conceits and crotchets. The class-meeting is generally what the leader makes it, and no leader can make a class-meeting what it ought to be without much of both general and special preparation.

     If it be objected to this that class-leaders are generally laymen, and are too busy with the secularities of life to admit of their giving the requisite amount of time to preparation for class-leading, it may be answered that Christians, whether preachers or laymen, have no right to become so engrossed in business that they are unable as a rule to devote a reasonable amount of time to preparation for and attendance upon the social means of grace. "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;" is the New Testament rule in this matter; and, on the whole, those who observe this rule, who take time to serve God, take time to be holy, take time to be helpful to others, will prosper most in both spiritual and temporal matters. But if it should require some sacrifice of one's temporal interests, such sacrifice should be cheerfully made in His name who gave Himself for the eternal enrichment of us all.

     William Carvosso, that prince among Methodist class-leaders, was wont to feel the burden of his responsibility, until it drove him to wait on God in special spiritual preparation for his class-meeting services, as a divinely called and Spirit-filled preacher of the gospel waits on God for special spiritual preparation before entering the pulpit to declare his solemn message. In Mark Guy Pearse's dialect story of Daniel Quorm, he makes Daniel say: "A leader ought to be a kind o' doctor that can give to each one the prescription he needs; that can deal out his Lord's medicine and make up a strengthening plaster for them as is [that are] weak in the back and can't stand very well, and can clap on a stiff blister to them as have caught the fever of worldliness, and can make a pill for sluggish livers, which is the commonest kind o' ailin'."

     Again, Daniel, realizing that no man can be such a physician of souls as he thought a class-leader should be, is made to say: "Class-meetings be like awls and needles -- they'll go as long as ever you can keep 'em bright; but when they get dull they'll rust, and then it be hard work. We leaders must keep the place bright and cheerful and attractive if we want to keep the members. Why I should every bit as soon think o' goin' to class with the wax and grease on my hands, as soon think o' goin' with my apron on and in my shirt sleeves, as to think o' takin' all my cares and worries. I get away first of all an' lose all my own fears and troubles in the lovin' care of my heavenly Father. I get my own heart put into tune and then the rest'll take the right pitch from me." Here is an invaluable lesson for all class-leaders.

     There should be no unvarying methods of conducting the class-meeting. Everybody tires of uniformity and monotony. We do not like it in our dress, nor in our daily meals. Variety is characteristic of life; sameness of death. The one end for which class-meetings are held should never be lost sight of, by leader or members, but that end may be reached by a great diversity of means. It is less likely to be realized by uniformity of method. Hence, other things being equal, that leader will be most successful in his work who is most versatile in respect to methods and expedients for giving freshness, inspiration and helpfulness to his class-meeting exercises.

     Of course with reference to the more general features of the class-meeting service there will probably always be a more or less regular order, just as there is with our Sabbath morning and evening services in the churches. But even these need not become stereotyped and formal. In order to avoid it the preparation of which we have been speaking is necessary. A leader who is blessed and filled with the Spirit on entering his class-room will have little difficulty in avoiding monotony. He may, and probably will, announce a hymn, pray, or call on some one in whose piety and judgment he has confidence to offer the opening prayer, read a scripture passage and comment briefly on it, and then proceed to the more direct work of leading his class; but in all this opening service there will be freedom from dullness, tediousness, conventionality and formalism. The leader will hem his place to greet his members as they arrive, and will greet them each with a refreshing cordiality, and with some word of cheer -- a "God bless you," "Praise the Lord," "Hallelujah!" "Look up, brother," "Have faith in God, sister," "Get ready for a blessing, everybody," "God is with us, and we are going to have a season of refreshing from His presence." A few greetings like this, if cordial and in the Spirit, will put everybody in good frame, and generate an atmosphere in which formalism can not abide. Then, in all his opening exercises the wise leader will be brief, pointed and lively. He will not announce a long, dirge-like hymn, read a lengthy and ponderous chapter from those scriptures which are "hard to be understood," pray fifteen minutes, and then harangue his class for half an hour. The leader who does these things is always a bore to his class, and after awhile will have principally empty seats for auditors. All introductory exercises in the class-meeting should be very brief, else the opening ceremonies will leave insufficient time for that which is the chief object of the class-meeting. There is no objection to a class-leader's preaching, provided he does not preach in the class-meeting! He should not ordinarily take up more than ten or fifteen minutes with the entire opening service. If he cannot come within these limits otherwise, let him keep his watch before him, and when he has reached the proper limit, promptly call time on himself.

     It is when the introductory exercises are over that the leader's more important work begins. Now he is to deal not only with his class collectively, but with each member of his class separately. "It is the business of a leader," said Wesley, "to see each person in his class once a week at the least, in order to inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort or exhort, as occasion may require; to receive what they are willing to give toward the relief of the poor." This in substance is repeated in all the Methodist Disciplines with which the writer is familiar. The things indicated above were at the first done by visiting the members at their homes or places of employment, as Mr. Wesley tells us; but, for reasons heretofore noted, it was later found more expedient that they should all meet in class for these purposes.

     The chief object of the class-meeting, therefore, is to afford the leader a favorable opportunity to inquire of each member present regarding his or her spiritual condition, and that with a view to ministering to each in such a way as may be best suited to his or her spiritual advancement and edification. In the very nature of the case, therefore, the class-meeting is not a meeting for preaching, lecturing, speech-making, lengthy exhortation, or for the relation of spiritual biography. In no place is display of oratorical ability more inopportune. The class-meeting was instituted originally, as we have had occasion to note in the chapter on its origin, that those belonging to each class might the more frankly confess their wrongs and shortcomings to one another, the more effectually watch over each other in love, and the more suitably help each other in every way to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. It was understood, desired and agreed on the part of all that belonged to the early Methodist classes that the leader of each class would deal kindly but thoroughly with every member. The usual method was for the leader to address each person separately, asking them to relate in few words their exact spiritual state; to tell of what progress they had made, what conflicts they had encountered, what temptations had beset them, what victories had been gained, what defeats they had suffered, etc., etc. Then the leader was free, and frequently used this freedom, too, to ask each member, in a kindly manner and with a view to helping the member into greater freedom and usefulness, any questions by which to draw out such information as would better enable him to accomplish the spiritual end in view. In the writer's early Christian experience all the class-meetings he attended were conducted on this method, and he is prepared to testify unqualifiedly of its excellence and helpfulness. Class-meetings were both more helpful and more appreciated by the members when they were places for this kind of plain, honest and faithful personal work on the part of all, than they appear to be where, in these days, they are turned into mere experience meetings or testimony meetings. The old method has scarcely been improved upon for effectiveness in the promotion of spirituality and holy living.

     The class-meeting, then, is in a most important sense an inquiry-meeting. The leader neglects a plain and important duty who fails, when dealing with his members in class, "to inquire how their souls prosper; to advise, reprove, comfort or exhort, as occasion may require." This, however, need not and should not be done in any offensive way. Impertinence here would hardly be pardonable. Nor need this duty always be performed in the same way. It is well usually at the beginning to request definiteness, frankness and the utmost honesty of expression as to each one's personal state of experience, and then to be guided by circumstances as to asking personal questions, never asking them as a mere form, never so asking them as to indicate suspicion or captiousness, never pressing a member for an answer publicly who seems embarrassed and unwilling to answer, and never using any but the kindest possible words or indulging any but the kindest possible manner. It is not always necessary to question every member in every meeting, especially if, in the opening of the service, all were asked in a general way for such a statement of their case as the leader desires, or if he has been in personal consultation with any of them outside the class-meeting, and so is already apprised of their condition. As a rule, however it would be well for the leader to call on the members personally for a statement of their case, instead of simply throwing the class-meeting open, as we do our love-feasts, for everybody to speak when and of what they please. In this latter way preaching, speech-making and exhortation are apt to creep in, take up the time, protract the service unduly, and turn the exercises entirely out of the channel of a class-meeting proper.

     Occasionally, but only occasionally, it may be well, for variety, for the leader to say after the opening exercises: "Now, brethren and sisters, we will vary the order somewhat for this meeting, and allow you to speak as you feel moved to speak, without being called on; but please remember that the object of the class-meeting will best be realized by talking out your present state just as it is, good, had or indifferent, and with reasonable brevity; and then after you have all spoken I may take up a few moments with such observations, advices or exhortations as seem to be in place."

     Whatever form the class-meeting takes, one of the most desirable things is to avoid all that is stereotyped and monotonous. The utmost freedom of the Spirit on the part of all should be encouraged. All should be urged to follow the moving of the Spirit in respect to singing, praying, praising God, etc., as nothing will more effectually and hopelessly kill a class-meeting than running it according to iron rules, repressing freedom and spontaneity, discouraging expressions of religious joy, discountenancing testimony to full salvation or entire sanctification, and making the service more like a funeral than like a festival of holy love and joy. Spontaneous responses, outbursts of praise, fragments of appropriate song, the utterance of audible ejaculatory prayer -- these, if they come in the Spirit, help much to enliven the class-meeting service, and should not be discouraged or repressed, but rather encouraged, as tending to keep the meeting out of the ruts of dead formality, and as making for the individual arid mutual edification of all.

     It will sometimes be found helpful for the leader, in the midst of his calling on the members for their testimonies, to change the order, and introduce a brief season of prayer, led either by himself or by some one whom he may designate. This would be especially in place after some one has spoken who is in any kind of trouble, or who has expressed a felt lack in experience and an earnest desire to come at once into a better spiritual state. It would be very encouraging and helpful to the burdened soul, and would at the same time break up anything like monotony and throw new life into the service.

     Whatever may be his methods the leader should diligently strive to adapt himself and his instructions to the individual as well as the collective needs of all present. Is there a soul present desirous of fleeing from the wrath to come, but who has not the witness of acceptance with God? The leader should, with much tenderness, wisdom and perseverance, endeavor to bring that soul into peace with God before the service closes. Are there believers present who are deeply hungering and thirsting after full redemption? They should be helped at once to see that now is God's time to sanctify them wholly, and then brought to the point of full surrender, entire consecration, and appropriating faith, which are conditions of full salvation. Are there tried, tempted, or sorrowing ones present, none should feel a deeper, tenderer sympathy for such than the class-leader, who, in the way that best commends itself to his judgment -- whether by the reading or quotation of an appropriate scripture passage, the singing of an appropriate verse or hymn, the offering of a few words of comfort, or a commendation of the troubled one's case to God in a few well-chosen words of prayer -- should minister to them so helpfully that they can but feel it has been good for them to be there. A leader who can thus adapt himself wisely and helpfully to the various conditions and needs of all who attend his class, will find his class usually well attended, and will also find a joy in such ministrations that will abundantly compensate him for all the toil and sacrifice incident to a faithful class-leader's work.

     In a former part of this chapter frankness has been insisted on as the duty of members in stating their condition of heart and life in the class-meeting. There needs to be a return to primitive usage in this respect. This end is sometimes defeated, however, by a practice that is highly censurable among members. It is that of repeating, out of class, and sometimes with unfavorable comment, what a brother or sister has said in class in the way of personal confession, or, it may be, in the way of speaking of things unpleasant to be borne in the home life, and which are hindrances to spiritual progress and freedom. The statements were made without intention to reflect on any one, but simply to get the troubled one's case before the leader and the members with a view of securing helpful sympathy, counsel and prayers. Repeated by some one out of class, and as likely as not before those who are unsaved, what was said innocently and with the best of motives is thereby put in circulation, and, by and by it reaches the ears of parties who suppose their own family secrets have been divulged, and that they themselves have been reflected upon in the class-meeting; and by this means all parties are put to great mortification, and almost irreparable harm is done to the cause of God. It may be that, where all are urged to speak freely and very frankly in class, some one will occasionally drop remarks that are not altogether wise; and it will ever be the part of a skillful leader to reduce the possibility of such risks to a minimum, without at the same time repressing the freedom and frankness that should be encouraged. Moreover, it should be definitely understood by all that repetition out of class of confessions or statements made in class, particularly when giving currency to such confessions or statements tends to reflect upon or injure the person or friends of the member who first made them, will be regarded as not merely a gross discourtesy, but an offense against a fellow-member, and against the whole class as well, sufficiently grave to warrant disciplinary action against the offender. The leaders and the church must be very strict in such cases, or the class-meeting will be made more injurious than helpful to the work of God.

     "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt. 7:12). 

1 "The Drill-Master and His Class." p. 55.