Rules of the Ruhamah Society.

1.—That as many Deacons be chosen, as the circumstances of the Church may require: that they may be men taught of God, and good moral characters, and who are Baptists, both in Principle and Practice.

2.—That the Deacons shall be chosen by Lot, or by a Majority of the Members, at a public Meeting of the Church, when every Member shall be entitled to a Vote, except those who are under Church censure: such cannot be admitted to vote, till fully restored.

3.—That the Minister shall make it a particular point of conscience, to point out the work of Deacons, in the faithful discharge of their office.

4.—That the Minister and Deacons shall be reproved by the Church, for any inconsistency of conduct, or a deviation from any of the fundamental doctrines of the gospel; and should either Minister or Deacons continue to persist in such practises, or errors, they must be suspended, should a majority of the Church so determine,

5.—Should any of the Members act in any unjustifiable way to the Minister, such shall be reproved; and if they continue such conduct, the Church shall expel them.

6.—That the Minister is to have but one voice in the Church, on any occasion whatever.

7.—That the Church meet once a month, at which the Minister, if possible, is to be always present, and the Deacons also to make it a point of conscience to attend all the public and private meetings of the Church and Congregation, as far as they are able.

8.—That the Church Meetings shall always be opened with Prayer, and reading the preceptive parts of the New Testament, setting forth the Duty of Church Members.

9.—That the Minister shall have the privilege to call the Church together on any special occasion.

10.—That no Minister be suffered to go into the Pulpit to preach, without the consent of the majority of the Church, unless on any urgent occasion, when either Minister or Deacons may give their consent.

11.—That the Minister shall appoint some of the Deacons to manage all the temporal affairs of the Church, and appoint one of the Members once a year, to act as Secretary to them, and report the state of the temporal affairs of the Chapel to the Church.

12.—That the particular Affairs of the Church shall not be disclosed to those who have no connection with us; and any unpleasant circumstances which may arise in the Church, or concerning any Member, shall not be exposed to the world—and all Admonitions to offending Persons shall be kept from general observation.

13.—That a Book or Books shall be kept to record the names of the Members, and every important transaction in the Church.

14.—That no Person acting as a Servant in the Church shall hold more than one Office, except by particular request.

15.—That no Member be allowed to bring any grievance of a temporal nature, before the Church, till it has obtained the Consent of the Minister and Deacons.

16.—That the Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper be duly administered every first Lord’s Day in the month, in the Evening, and on particular occasions, when the Minister shall appoint.

17.—That when a Person desires to unite with the Church, to break Bread, and to partake of the various Privileges of the Lord’s House, they are to intimate the same to the Minister or to the Deacons, or to any Member to introduce them.

18.—That the Deacons are to enquire into the state of their souls, respecting a Work of Grace, and if they are satisfied, the Candidate is to be brought to the Minister, who is to propose them to the Church at the earliest Meeting thereof. This Examination is to be in a very faithful, yet candid and affectionate manner. The Deacons are also to take the earliest opportunity of minutely enquiring into the moral Character and Conduct of such Persons, and upon approbation the Candidate must attend at the next Church Meeting.

19.—That Persons wishing to be admitted be also requested to relate to the Church the dealings of God with their souls; but, if timid, they may give in a written account of the same, or the Minister to ask them such questions as relate to the subject; and upon the Candidate’s retirement, the Deacons are to give an account of the report of their moral conduct, and if there is a majority of Votes, they shall be immediately admitted as Members of the Church.

20.—That if such Persons are not baptized by immersion, the subject is to be particularly explained to them by the Deacons and Members of the Church, as they have opportunity, but they are not to be admitted to the Lordly Table till the subject is opened to them.

21.—That any desirous of Baptism, are to signify the same as early as possible to the Deacons, or Minister, that, when there is a convenient number, they may partake of that ordinance. Not less than twelve persons, unless under very peculiar circumstances. And if it be signified, privately, that any Person or Persons are not able to bear the usual expence attending the ordinance, the Church is to bear that expence, as on those occasions there is much damage done to the Chapel.

22.—That the baptized Persons, and all those who were admitted as Members at the Church Meeting, shall be publicly received at the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, when the Articles of Faith shall be read to them, an address be given them, with singing and prayer, when they are to receive the right hand of fellowship from the Minister, the representative of the Church.

23.—That the Minister and Deacons shall enforce the various Duties of Church Members, and stir each other up to every good word and work. That they shall sympathize with each other; study each other’s spiritual and temporal welfare—that they shall deal and trade with each other, as much as their circumstances will admit, in preference to any other, as Children of the same Father. That they warn the unruly, instruct the ignorant, comfort the feeble-minded; give timely, kind, affectionate, but faithful reproof, when needed; restore the Backslider, and endeavour to promote the prosperity and peace of the Church. But if any Member persists in walking inconsistently, such shall be admonished by the Minister and Deacons; but if this has no avail, the Church shall be informed of it, and if no reproof has had any effect, such offender shall be cut off, till some signs of penitence and reformation appear, when, if it be desired, such Person shall be re-admitted.

FINIS.