4. Immediately they were surrounded with difficulties: all the world rose up against them: neighbours, strangers, acquaintance, relations, friends, began to cry out amain; “_Be not righteous overmuch: why shouldst thou destroy thyself?_ Let not _much religion make thee mad_.” 5. One and another and another came to us, asking, What they should do? Being distressed on every side, as every one strove to weaken, and none to strengthen their hands in God. We advised them, “Strengthen you one another. Talk together as often as you can. And pray earnestly, with and for one another, that you may _endure to the end, and be saved_.” Against this advice we presumed there could be no objection; as being grounded on the plainest reason, and on so many scriptures, both of the old Testament and new, that it would be tedious to recite them. 6. They said, “But we want _you_ likewise to talk with us often, to direct and quicken us in our way, to give us the advices which you well know we need, and to pray with us, as well as for us.” I asked, Which of you desire this? Let me know your names and places of abode. They did so. But I soon found, they were too many for me to talk with severally so often as they wanted it. So I told them, “If you will all of you come together, every _Thursday_, in the evening, I will gladly spend some time with you in prayer, and give you the best advice I can.” 7. Thus arose, without any previous design on either side, what was afterwards called, _a society_: a very innocent name, and very common in _London_, for any number of people _associating_ themselves together. The thing proposed in their associating themselves together was obvious to every one. They wanted to _flee from the wrath to come_, and to assist each other in so doing. They therefore united themselves “in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they might help each other to work out their salvation.” 8. “There is one only condition previously required, in those who desire admission into this society, _A desire to flee from the wrath to come, to be saved from their sins_.” They now likewise agreed, that as many of them as had an opportunity, would meet together every _Friday_, and spend the dinner hour in crying to God, both for each other, and for all mankind.¹ ¹ See the rules of the United Societies. 9. It quickly appeared, that their thus uniting together, answered the end proposed therein. In a few months the far greater part of those who had begun to _fear_ God, _and work righteousness_, but were not united together, grew faint in their minds, and fell back into what they were before. Mean while the far greater part of those, who were thus united together, continued _striving to enter in at the strait gate_, and to _lay hold on eternal life_.