Letters of Recommendation.
By J. Clarke
A is an exemplary man; wishes to remove; asks of the church a letter; the church grant it with full hearts; all know what A will do; the letter is hearty and full. B wishes to remove; asks a letter; the case is different from that of A's; B is devoted in many things, but inconsistent in others; is passionate and fretful. What can the church do; will they endorse his character as they did A's? Had they better not do as a good business man would do in like circumstances? tell the whole, or give no letter at all? C is a good man himself; but his children work and attend school on Sabbath. The fact is, C loves his family; is a lovely man, but stands in fear of his wife, so that his children obey her, rather than him, although they all are yet in childhood. He wishes to remove; wants a letter. Will the church deceive their sister church, and give C a letter like the one A has? I think not. Would a London merchant recommend an unfaithful clerk? I think the church should be as particular how they endorse an unfaithful member, as a merchant in endorsing an unfaithful clerk. So of D, E, and F, who are careless and lukewarm. They must by the same rule, be truly represented by letter. Should you receive a member by letter into full membership, and afterward find him very different from what the letter represented, you would hold that church which had imposed upon your good faith, as guilty as the individual whom they had palmed off upon you, and perhaps more so. When churches take an honorable course in this line of things, members will know what to expect, and act accordingly. It is good to see that a blow has been struck by the S. D. Adventists in favor of order. Let us as churches and members, endeavor to hold up the hands of our leaders in this thing.
J. CLARKE.