ADMISSION OF MEMBERS. 65 
of imitation to others, and would exert no ordinary 
influence on the community at large. It was 
therefore gratifying to behold them humble, prayer¬ 
ful, watchful, and diligent. The weekly meeting 
with the candidates for communion, whose num¬ 
ber was greatly increased, we constantly attended, 
and recommended the church members not to ab¬ 
sent themselves unnecessarily. 
At these times we endeavoured to explain the 
truths in which they were most interested, and, 
with regard to the members themselves, leaving 
the first principles of the doctrines of Christ, we 
endeavoured gradually and gently to lead them on 
to a more extensive acquaintance with the grand 
and varied doctrines of the gospel, and the im¬ 
portant relative and other duties resulting there¬ 
from. 
These meetings were exceedingly interesting, 
from the simple yet unequivocal evidences often 
afforded of the operation of the Spirit of the Al¬ 
mighty upon the hearts of the people. Our little 
church, from time to time, received considerable 
accessions of such as we had reason to hope were 
also members of the church of the first-born, whose 
names are written in heaven. 
In the admission of members, we acted with 
what perhaps many would consider the extreme of 
caution. Individuals whose moral character has 
been irreproachable, whose views of divine truth 
have been clear and scriptural, and whose motives, 
so far as we could judge, have been pure, have 
remained two, and sometimes three years as can¬ 
didates, although we could not prefer any allega¬ 
tion directly against them. The admission of such 
has been declined, because we feared, that though 
their knowledge was commendable, and their con- 
III. F 
