Cotton Mather described the neighborhood societies as being composed of a dozen married couples who would meet at one another's homes in succession for prayer and other religious exercises, and also to consider questions like the following:[3]
Who are in any peculiar adversity; and what may be done to comfort them?What contention or variance may there be among our neighbours; and what may be done for healing it?In what open transgressions do any live? and who shall be desired to carry faithful admonitions to them?
The similar reforming societies would entertain questions like these:[4]
Can any further methods be devised that ignorance and wickedness may be more chased from our people in general; and that domestic piety, in particular, may flourish among them?Is there any instance of oppression or fraudulence in the dealings of any sort of people, which may call for our efforts to rectify it?Is there any matter to be humbly recommended to the legislative power, to be enacted into a law for the public benefit?Do we know of any person languishing under severe affliction, and is there any thing we can do for the succour of that afflicted neighbour?Has any person a proposal to make, for our further advantage and assistance, that we may be in a better and more regular capacity for prosecuting these intentions?
Snipped from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junto_(club)