George Whitefield on Real Christian Fellowship

From 25th November in 'George Whitefield Daily Readings' edited by Randall J. Pederson:

"Content not yourselves with reading, singing, and praying together; but set some time apart to confess your faults, and to communicate your experience one to another. For want of this (which I take to be one chief design of private meetings), most of the old Societies in London, I fear, are sunk into a dead formality, and have only a name to live. They meet on a Sabbath evening, read a chapter, and sing a psalm ; but seldom, if ever, acquaint each other with the operations of God's Spirit upon their souls ; notwithstanding this was the great end of those who first began these Societies. Hence it is, that, they have only the form of godliness left amongst them, and continue utter strangers to the state of one another's hearts. My brethren, let not your coming together be thus altogether in vain, but plainly and freely tell one another what God has done for your souls. To this end, you would do well as others have done, to form yourselves into little companies of four or five each, and meet once a week to tell each other what is in your hearts that you may then also pray for, and comfort each other, as need shall require. None but those who have experienced it, can tell the unspeakable advantages of such a union and communion of souls. I know not a better means in the world to keep hypocrisy out from amongst you. Pharisees and unbelievers will pray, read, and sing psalms; but none save an Israelite indeed, will endure to have his heart searched out."

Strictly-speaking, this is not exactly that quoted by Pederson, but he has added some from elsewhere and I have included part that he did not as I just wanted to cut-and-paste.