How to Visit by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 29, 1872

How to Visit.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

VISITING from house to house, and talking with people privately, is an important part of every minister’s duty. This cannot be neglected without neglecting the most effective part of his ministry, without losing his strongest hold upon the people. In the family, by the fireside, and in social conversation, is where the minister can get the nearest to the hearts of the people. Here he sees them as they are, and learns their peculiarities and their especial needs. He sees just where they are weak, and where they need help. On their part, the people learn to love their minister more, and have a stronger attachment for him through these social visits. Paul visited from house to house and taught the people.

Yet, like all other privileges, this may be terribly misused. I am inclined to think that our duty in this important item is more poorly done than in any other. How easy for us to go into a family and spend hours in idle chitchat about the weather, the neighbors, and other idle conversation, which really amounts to nothing at all. Such time is worse than lost. It is not only not improved; but a bad example is set to the family. If the minister can spend his time so, if he can indulge in such conversation, so can they; and thus liberty is taken to sin.

The minister should direct and control the conversation. This he can do easily and without injuring anybody’s feelings. Let him follow the example of Christ. How frequently we have it recorded of him, where some one asks him a simple question, relating to worldly affairs, where by his answer he turns the conversation directly upon sacred and religious things. He seized it as an opportunity to teach them some important lesson. That is the reason why people were ever listening to him. His conversation was always instructive. So it should be with us. We ought to be able to teach the people,

not only in the pulpit, but in all our private conversation. How much time is lost by neglecting this sacred duty. We should preach, not only while in the desk, but at all times, and everywhere we go. To do this, we must watch every opportunity to turn the conversation in the proper channel. Generally, the people are anxious to have us do this; indeed, they expect it, and are disappointed if we do not do it.

Of course this could be carried to extremes, so that the minister’s call would be simply a nuisance. But we need not do that. Let us study the character and circumstances of the family or persons with whom we are visiting; and then always give such a turn to the conversation as will benefit them. God will hold us responsible if we do not; and we shall lose our best opportunity to do good. How unlike Christ for a minister to spend several hours, perhaps a day or two, with a family, without saying anything about religion till the last parting word. He waits till the team is hitched up, his overcoat on, his satchel in his hand, and then perhaps as he reaches out his hand to bid them good-bye, he offers them a few words of spiritual advice. Is that the way Christ did? May the Lord help us to think of these things and improve every opportunity, both in season and out of season, to help the people in saving their souls.

D. M. CANRIGHT.