Research by Thomas Albin, an American Wesley scholar, has shown that in the 18th century, the average time from hearing a Methodist preacher to making a confession of faith was 2.3 years. There was typically no "altar call" by the preacher, but an invitation to join the local Methodist society to learn more about Jesus and spend time in community with others who were intentionally working out their discipleship. A society was defined as "a company of men having the form and seeking the power of godliness, united in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their salvation." The only condition of membership was "a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins", although this was immediately qualified in the General Rules: "But wherever this is really fixed in the soul it will be shown by its fruits."
Research by Thomas Albin, an American Wesley scholar, has shown that in the 18th century, the average time from hearing a Methodist preacher to making a confession of faith was 2.3 years. There was typically no "altar call" by the preacher, but an invitation to join the local Methodist society to learn more about Jesus and spend time in community with others who were intentionally working out their discipleship. A society was defined as "a company of men having the form and seeking the power of godliness, united in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they may help each other to work out their salvation." The only condition of membership was "a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and to be saved from their sins", although this was immediately qualified in the General Rules: "But wherever this is really fixed in the soul it will be shown by its fruits."