p. 108 | HOW SHALL WE ACCOMPLISH IT?

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 5, 1877

HOW SHALL WE ACCOMPLISH IT?

By Dudley Marvin Canright

There are several evils which I know to prevail quite generally among our churches, but especially in New York. I refer to the celebration of the ordinances, attention to absent church members, backsliding persons, and to the regular payment of s. B. The church at Roosevelt, N. Y., had not celebrated the ordinances for eight years! It is a shame to say it, but that is the truth. I know of other churches who have not had the ordinances for five years, some for three years, and many not for a year. In fact, there are scores of persons who have been in the truth and members in our churches for years, and yet have never attended the ordinances once, or even seen them celebrated. Now this is not only a shame, but it is worse, a sin against God. It is despising the ordinances of his house.

If these ordinances were of no account and no consequence, then they never would have been given to the church. Whatever the Lord commands is important, and it is of some consequence that we respect it, and practice it. In the Old Testament they had their regular sacrifices. Could a man, then, enjoy the favor and blessing of God while continually despising these, paying no attention to them? No. Instead of these sacrifices, which then pointed forward

to Christ, we now have the ordinances, which point back to Christ, viz., the Lord’s supper and baptism. Paul says, “As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” 1 Cor. 11: 26. This is a very solemn and affectionate ordinance. It is to call up the remembrance of the terrible sufferings and death of our divine Lord. It is to remind us of our continual dependence upon him.

But, says one, “The reason we do not have the ordinances is because we are not prepared for them: we have some trials in our church, and we want them settled first;” and so they wait from one quarter to another, and from one year to another, and finally never have them at all. Now I believe that one object for celebrating the Lord’s supper is to cure these difficulties, or better still, avoid them. The apostle thus states how very solemn this ordinance is: “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” 1 Cor. 11:27, 29.

Well, says a brother or sister, that is a very solemn test, I do not want to take unworthily and be condemned. Exactly; and that is just what this ordinance is for,—to rein us up frequently to this solemn nearness to Christ and view of ourselves, so that we shall correct our wrongs, repent of our sins, and draw near to God. Hence Paul says: “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” Verse 28. That is it; before partaking of the Lord’s supper, every one should solemnly and searchingly examine himself with prayer and supplication. If he will do this, any existing wrongs will be discovered, and then they will be corrected.

Suppose it is understood that the church will celebrate the ordinances regularly on such a Sabbath. What effect will it have? Just what the Lord designed. Every person will feel as that day draws near that he must prepare for it; he must get his heart right. If there are any divisions among brethren, an effort must be made to settle them up. If there are vows to the Lord unfulfilled, they must be attended to. Hence, it will have the effect to rein up the whole church to self-examination, and preparation to commune with the Lord. It is the very thing to prevent trials, or to secure their correction if they have occurred. Hence the ordinances should not be postponed on this account.

Another thing I observe by examining the church records. There is frequently a great slackness in attending to the business of the church. For instance, I find names on the clerk’s book of this church, Adams Center, which have been here for six or eight years, or even more; yet these persons have moved away, and have never written to the church, nor been written to. Other names stand on the book as members in good standing, where they left the truth years in the past. This thing is entirely out of order.

It is the duty of every person to report to his church once in three months, either personally or by letter. And it is the duty of the clerk and officers of the church to see that it is done. But unless there is a regular time appointed to attend to this, it never will be done. And then every person, as far as possible, should form the habit of paying his s. B. regularly every three months.

It seems to me that these are very important matters. How shall we remedy these things? I think a plan can be adopted which will regulate these matters very much, and greatly relieve the difficulty. That is this: Let the church have a meeting for the express purpose of attending to all these things, the first Sunday in every third month, commencing with January at the beginning of the year,—on the first Sunday in January, first Sunday in April, first Sunday in July, first Sunday in October; that is once a quarter. Let it be understood that without any fail, on these days there will be a meeting of the church for the express purpose of celebrating the ordinances, looking over the list of the church, attending to any difficulty, receiving in members, paying up pledges, etc.

Before this meeting assembles, the clerk, deacons, and elder of the church, should come together, take the church record, and read over the names belonging to the church. As the names are read, let any inquiry that is necessary be made with regard to them. If they live near the church, are they living out the truth? Do they attend meeting? If not, why not? What is their condition? Have they been visited? Has an effort been made to help them? If they are absent, have they been heard from? Have they been written to? and what is their condition? Are there any that should be received into the church? Let them be looked up and invited to come in. Are there any trials in the church to be seen to? Then let the clerk make a list of all these matters that should be attended to, and read it before the church at the meeting. This will tend to keep all church matters straightened up.

Then the s. B. treasurer should be there with his book, and call the attention of the brethren to their pledges, and what is due; and, as far as possible, all should pay them up. After these matters are attended to, then the church is prepared to celebrate the ordinances, and do it with the blessing of God.

The brethren at Roosevelt heartily indorsed this plan, and unanimously voted to carry it out. Adams Center did the same thing. Shall we not adopt it throughout this State? Why not? What objection is there to it? Would it not remedy many of these evils? To me it would be an interesting thought to know that on such a day all the churches in our Conference were assembled in their places of worship, attending to these matters, and celebrating the Lord’s supper. I believe God would bless such a course.

D. M. CANRIGHT.