IV. 1. As the Society increased, I found it required greater care to separate the precious from the vile. In order to this, I determined, at least once in three months, to talk with every member myself, and to inquire at their own mouths, as well as ♦knowledge of their leaders and neighbours, whether they grew in grace and in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ? At these seasons I likewise particularly enquire, Whether there be any misunderstanding or differences among them? That every hindrance of peace and brotherly love, may be taken out of the way. ♦ insert “knowledge” per Errata 2. To each of those, of whose seriousness and good conversation, I found no reason to doubt, I gave a testimony under my own hand, by writing their name on a _ticket_ prepared for that purpose: every ticket implying as strong a recommendation of the person to whom it was given, as if I had wrote at length, “I believe the bearer hereof to be one that fears God and works righteousness.” 3. Those who bore these tickets (these Σύμβολα or _Tesseræ_, as the antients termed them; being of just the same force with the ἐπιστολαί συστατικαί, _commendatory letters_ mentioned by the apostle) wherever they came, were acknowledged by their brethren, and received with all chearfulness. These were likewise of use in other respects. By these it was easily distinguished when the society were to meet a-part, who were members of it and who not. These also supplied us with a quiet and inoffensive method, of removing any disorderly member. He has no new ticket, at the quarterly visitation; (for so often the tickets are changed) and hereby it is immediately known, that he is no longer of the community. V. The thing which I was greatly afraid of all this time, and which I resolved to use every possible method of preventing was, a narrowness of spirit, a party-zeal, a being streightened in our own bowels; that miserable bigotry, which makes so many so unready to believe, that there is any work of God but among themselves. I thought it might be a help against this, frequently to read, to all who were willing to hear, the accounts I received from time to time, of the work which God is carrying on in the earth, both in our own and other countries, not among us alone, but among those of various opinions and denominations. For this I allotted one evening in every month. And I find no cause to repent my labour. It is generally a time of strong consolation to those who love God, and all mankind for his sake: as well as of breaking down the partition walls, which either the craft of the devil, or the folly of men has built up: and of encouraging every child of God to say, (O when shall it once be?) _Whosoever doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother_.