On Visiting in General
1. Look upon this as a considerable part of your pastoral work. — It obliges your people, it gives you an opportunity of serving them not only by your private discourse, but, by letting you into their circumstances, you may be the more capable of making a proper application to them in public.
§ 2. Endeavour to get proper information as to the state of your congregation and church. — For this purpose, when you come to a place, take a catalogue of the names of the persons that subscribe, — statedly attend, — church members, — and the poor. — Make it a rule to see each of them at their own houses.
—Let two or three of the most judicious be chosen, with a view of getting information with regard to the Characters of the rest. — Entreat them, moreover, to inspect the behaviour of their brethren and friends, — and to inform you of such things as, upon the whole, they think you ought to know. — This, however, will not be necessary, if you have any persons solemnly set apart by the congregation for this pur* pose, which to me appears a rational and scriptural thing. — Have proper times of meeting with the persons appointed to this work, — talk over church affairs ; — and always conclude your conference with prayer. — Every Monday before the sacrament will be a very proper time for this business. — Consult with them before you propose any to communion. — Do not despise flying stories; — either they have a foundation, or they have not, — if they have, they ought to be regarded, — if not, care should be taken to remove the reproach, and fix it on those who raised it, — At the same time, however, do hot be too ready to believe them. A general caution may be grounded on a flying story.
§ 3. Make a pastoral visit to each family, — at least once ti year. In this visit talk to the master and mistress of the family. Renew a solemn charge to them to take a religious care of their family. Then inquire into the state and character of their children and savants. Set down the names of both, the first pastoral visit you make, and alter the list as occasion may require. If you have an opportunity, talk with the several members of the family. At a
proper time cfaarge upon them a duererd to their eternal concerns, especially the tender branches of the family. — Proper addresses weekly or monthly 4o the members of your own family will fit you ibr the regular discharge of your duty on this head.
4. After you return make some memorandums how you find things, — keep a cata* logue of cases, disposed under different particulars. This book must be kept secret. Let no one in the world see it. — Make it unintelligible to every one but yourselve. — Let there be one catalogue of those who appear unconverted, — another of those under serious impressions, — another of those who seem of hopeful disposition, — another of those who are proper to bring 4nto communion, when occa* sion offers; — and another of those who have generally acted very well, but in some instances need to be admonished and censured. — On your day of fasting and prayer, which may be about once a quarter, look over this book, and see what is necessary to be done for the service of religion among your people.
5. In your occasional visits call frequently upon persons of great importance in your congregation, — especially if you live near them; — but endeavour to proportion your visits not merely to the external circumstances of the family, — but to the opportunities of useful« ness. — Visit frequently those under any ex« traordinary affliction, — and those in whose circumstances there has been lately any pe* culiar change.
114 LCCTUBS8 ON PRBACBINO.
5. lo all jour vlsiu take a great deal of notice of children. Give them texts to learn, — and little rewards for learning them. This will often furnish matter for good discourse, and will engage the affections of children, which may 1^ of importance to your future life, and their eternal welfare. — Some chil« dren will listen to a minister, who will not re gard a parent.
.§ 7. In all your visits, remember to behave like a minister, grave and serious; — though sometimes pleasant yet never too much elevated with mirth. — Take heed at entertainments, not to be very much charmed with any thing you cat or drink; — be pleased with all, but do not indulge too nice a palate. — Drop some serious hints, — and take care, if you have a convenient opportunity, to conclude with prayer. ’
§ 8. Be very careful that you retire in time, — and do not outstay the spirit of conversation; — nor spend so much of your time in visiting as to lead people to suppose, that your time hangs heavy upon your hands.^- A loitering, idling, tattling minister is a contemptible character. — Rather appear properly full of business; and let it not be mere affectation. — Every hour will be well filled up if you attend strictly to the various duties of your office.
§ 9. When several of your congregation meet at a private house, be amongst them if convenient; — partly with a view to regulate their hours, — and to oblige them with your company. — You may also have ao opportani* ty of making conversation useful. By all means spend some time in prayer before yoa separate.
^10. Engage your people sometimes to Tisit you; — and always, on these occasions, entertain them with a prudent hospitality, — but never affect grand entertainments. — Set apart one day in the week to attend to those vho wish to come to you upon spiritual ac* counts. — Talk seriously and tenderly to such, and pray with them at large. — Recommend their peculiar cases to the divine regard in the most affectionate-manner; — this will have a tendency to make you experimental preachers.