ONE GREAT DANGER OF MINISTERS by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 10, 1867

ONE GREAT DANGER OF MINISTERS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THERE is great danger that ministers will forbear to reprove and warn rich and influential men when they know that they need it. Paul not only exhorted Timothy to “preach the word,” but also, to “reprove” and “rebuke.” This is as necessary sometimes as it is to exhort and comfort. But this is the hardest part of the minister’s duty. Here is a man who is wealthy, influential, has some, or even many, good qualities; always welcomes the minister to his house and often helps him. This man has serious faults which injure him and the cause of God. The minister sees it, and even talks about it with the brethren. Now what will he do? Often go away without mentioning it to the man himself, though he freely talks about it with the brethren.

But has he done his duty? Nay, verily. If that soul is lost, his blood will be required at the hands of that minister. Is this true? If it is, what an awful responsibility rests upon the man who is set to watch for souls! But let us hear the word of the Lord. “Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman, if when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet and warn the people; then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning, if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head; he heard the sound of the trumpet and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity: but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand.” Eze. xxxiii, 2–8.

This is a solemn warning to the watchmen on the walls of Zion. It is easy to rebuke an open enemy; but to reprove a man who has always been friendly to you is indeed hard. It is an unpleasant job, one which brings no pleasure, nor honor, nor friends to the one giving it. And hereby may be known the man who indeed watches for souls, and the one who goes for the honor and the pay. The former often has this work to do and gets many enemies for doing it; while the latter never meddles with such work, as though it were no part of his duty, and hence is called a clever fellow, and has no enemies. But what a fearful account this man will have to settle in the Judgment! May the Lord deliver me from it. “Them that sin, rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” 1 Tim. v, 20.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Athens, Me.