What to Do in Visiting a Church by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 24, 1873

What to Do in Visiting a Church.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

My experience in visiting the churches here, to set things in order, has deeply impressed my mind with some facts which it may not be amiss to put in the REVIEW. To illustrate: Here is a church which has been organized, and then visited, quarter after quarter, year after year, and the minister receives his ten or twelve dollars per week for it. Yet there is either no church record at all, or one so imperfect that it cannot be told when the church was organized, where, by whom, who joined, who was elder, who clerk, &c.

There are on the record, as though in good standing, the names of those who have made no profession of religion, who have not even kept the Sabbath for years, and some who are profane swearers. Others have moved away, and the church has lost all track of them. No effort has been made to learn their condition; and still their names are retained on the record. Others live within a few miles of the church, yet are in a backslidden condition, neither attending meetings nor taking any part, for months, yet no action is taken in their cases.

Looking at the S. B. books, I find many of them in the same condition. Scarcely one is kept in a proper manner. In a majority of cases, there is nothing to show what has been done with the means received; whether the treasurer has paid it all in to the Conference, or whether he has not. Not less than thirty thousand dollars, cash, are annually handled by our different church S. B. treasurers; and this, too, in very small sums—all the way from one cent to fifty dollars—by hundreds of different persons. If this amount of means was all handled by one man, and in large sums, there would not be one-hundredth part the danger of mistakes that there is now. It seems to me that the most careful men should be selected for our S. B. treasurers, and then these should be thoroughly instructed in keeping their accounts, in making their reports, &c., before they commence their work. But instead of this, I have found, in many cases, that the treasurers have never received the least instruction as to the duties of their office, and how to fulfill them. The consequence is that our S. B. books present a terrible appearance. No one can tell anything about them but the treasurers themselves, and sometimes it is very uncertain whether they can. These men may be perfectly honest, but yet make mistakes of several dollars, every year. Who looks over their accounts? Who examines their books? In many cases no one does, for years together, and sometimes, never. Now, if these things should not be attended to by the minister who visits our churches, then who will do it? It appears to me that they are the men who are largely responsible for this state of things. They organize the churches. They explain the plan of S. B., and are always present at the reception or expulsion of members. They are the only ones to whom the clerks and treasurers can look for instruction. What does it amount to visit a church, preach three or four doctrinal sermons, hold a social meeting, and then go off and leave everything at loose ends? That may be an easy way to fill appointments, but that is not what is needed.

After carefully looking the matter over, I think those who visit the churches should embrace in their labors the following points:—

Examine the church record to see that it is properly kept.
Examine each name on the list, carefully inquiring into the condition of each one.
Take some proper action in the case of those doubtful or entirely backslidden.
See that absent ones are written to.
Learn who should join the church.
Inquire after and see what can be done for any keeping the Sabbath, but not in the church.
See that the ordinances are celebrated.
Examine S. B. books to see if they are correctly kept, and proper reports made.
See that all pay S. B., who have any interest in the truth.
See that proper efforts are made to have all keep up their S. B.
See that all take our periodicals, and that the dues on them are paid.
See who will take shares in the different benevolent associations.
Look after family prayers.
See that all are supplied with our publications.
See that the worthy poor have them.

This may look like a formidable list of duties, but are they not all necessary? and if the preacher neglects them, who will attend to them? If they go undone, the cause must suffer. Would it not be well to make out a list something like the above, put it into your pocket and look it over every time you visit a church, to remind you of these duties?

It strikes me that a large amount of this work might be performed by faithful, intelligent lay brethren, who cannot preach, or even exhort, if they are men of piety, and sound judgment, and business capacity. They might, by visiting the churches once in six months, or once a quarter, keep all these things straightened up. At least, there is a chance here for improvement from some quarter. D. M. CANRIGHT.