“We met on Friday evenings. The rules that I drew up required that every member, in his turn, should produce one or more queries on any point of Morals, Politics, or Natural Philosophy, to be discuss’d by the company; and once in three months produce and read an essay of his own writing, on any subject he pleased. Our debates were to be under the direction of a president, and to be conducted in the sincere spirit of inquiry after truth, without fondness for dispute, or desire of victory; and, to prevent warmth, all expressions of positiveness in opinions, or direct contradiction, were after some time made contraband, and prohibited under small pecuniary penalties.” From other sources we learn that when a new member was initiated he stood up and, with his hand on his breast, was asked the following questions: “1. Have you any particular disrespect to any present member? Answer: I have not. “2. Do you sincerely declare that you love mankind in general of what profession or religion soever? Answer: I do. “3. Do you think any person ought to be harmed in his body, name, or goods for mere speculative opinions or his external way of worship? Answer: No. “4. Do you love truth for truth’s sake, and will you endeavor impartially to find and receive it yourself and communicate it to others? Answer: Yes.” At every meeting certain questions were read, with a pause after each one; and these questions might very well have been suggested by those of the Mather benefit societies. The first six are sufficient to give an idea of them all: “1. Have you met with anything in the author you last read, remarkable or suitable to be communicated to the Junto, particularly in history, morality, poetry, physic, travels, mechanic arts, or other parts of knowledge? “2. What new story have you lately heard, agreeable for telling in conversation? “3. Hath any citizen in your knowledge failed in his business lately, and what have you heard of the cause? “4. Have you lately heard of any citizen’s thriving well, and by what means? “5. Have you lately heard how any present rich man, here or elsewhere, got his estate? “6. Do you know of a fellow-citizen, who has lately done a worthy action, deserving praise and imitation; or who has lately committed an error, proper for us to be warned against and avoid?”