Manuductio ad ministerium. Directions for a candidate of the ministry

Another Thing that I advise you to, is This. Form a SODALITY. What I mean, is, Prevail with a Fit Number, [Six or Seven may be a Competency, or Fewer, if you can't find so many,] of Sober, Ingenious, and Industrious Young Men, ⟨p. 73⟩to Associate with you, and meet One Evening in a Week, for the spending of Two or Three Hours, in a Profitable Conversation. At this Interview, Let there be always a sort of Director, who shall propose this Question, (and see, that without needless Digressions and Excursions it be kept close unto,) What Remarkable and Memorable Matter has occurred in late Studies, that is thought now to be offered? Let the Question be Articulated, and more particularly and successively turn upon these Articles. I. What in Philology? II. What in Philosophy? III. What in Geography, and the rest of the M thematicks? IV. What in History? V. What in Illustrations of the Sacred Scriptures; Or, Biblical Curiosities? Let each Person, in what Order they shall agree upon, give his Report as Concisely as may be. But it will not be expected, that each Person should be prepared, at every Time, with something on every Head: It is enough, that he bring in, for that Cell, which he happens to be best furnished for. All Altercations, and all Impertinences, are to be forever banished from those Communications of the Sodality. But how much could I wish, that you could gain one Quarter of an Hour in the close of all, to relate, What rare Flight or fine Stroke of the Christian Ascetics, has been met withal; and what for the Animation of Practical PIETY? Behold, a way to clench the Nails that have been struck into your Minds; and a Compendious and Charitable Course to come at the Wealth, which the Diligence of your Brethren has made them the Owners of; together with the generous Pleasure of making them the Partakers of yours. 'Twill have a Tendency also to qualify ⟨p. 74⟩you for Useful Conference in other Company; and make you a Speaker, whose Words may always be as the Choicest Silver, and as Fruits from the Tre• of Life to such as you Converse withal. It was a Remark that Plato made a good while ago; That the true Manner of Teaching Sciences, is by Conversation. And, We never well understand a Truth, if we are not in a Condition on all Occasions to make it known unto such as are for the receiving of it.

Another Thing that I advise you to, is This. Form a SODALITY. What I mean, is, Prevail with a Fit Number, [Six or Seven may be a Competency, or Fewer, if you can't find so many,] of Sober, Ingenious, and Industrious Young Men,