To Church Elders by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 5, 1867

To Church Elders.

By Editor

As several notices have appeared in the Review from Elders of churches, calling upon their absent or unfaithful members to report themselves, &c., and as others are sending in similar notices to appear in the paper, we would say to all whom it may concern, that there are objections which arise in our own mind, and, as we learn, in the minds of others also, against the further insertion of such matter in the paper.

1. We suppose it to be the duty of the Elder of the church to look after the spiritual standing of the members of that church, whether present or absent. No person should move from a church without a perfect understanding with the officers of the church, and if they do, or if there are those living within the bounds of the church, who should have reported, but have not, it is making a transfer of the duties of the Elder to the Review, to take that as a medium through which to call them to order.

2. Should the practice be adopted to any extent, quite a portion of our space would be taken up with matters of only local interest.