p. 133 | SCOLDING IN SOCIAL MEETINGS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 25, 1878

SCOLDING IN SOCIAL MEETINGS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Generally, people are not fond of being scolded anywhere, not even at home. It is not pleasant to have one's faults dwelt upon, even privately; how much less publicly, particularly by those whom you consider no better than yourself.

My attention has been called to this fact several times, by learning that some of our brethren in different churches have fallen into a very bad habit of taking the social meeting on the Sabbath as a time to correct the faults of all the rest of the church.

These good brethren and sisters are very zealous for God, and for the church, and for the truth; and as the minister does not come around very often, and does not seem to attend to the matter when he does come, they imagine that the salvation of the cause depends upon their efforts in guarding it sacredly. It would be considered backbiting and slandering to talk about their brethren and sisters privately; so the social meeting on the Sabbath seems to be a good opportunity, because the erring brother or sister will be there, and all the church will be there, and it will be a good time to impress everybody with the wrong of such a course.

For instance, if they have heard that a certain brother has been slack about keeping the Sabbath, they are very sure to have all their testimony bear upon the point of the proper observance of the Sabbath. If they have heard that another brother is very cross in his family, they talk at some length, telling how good husbands should be to their wives, and fathers to their children. If they have heard that a certain brother has not dealt honestly, they have a very stirring exhortation on the danger of dishonesty, and the importance of Seventh-day Adventists walking carefully. And so they keep their eyes open, and every Sabbath go to meeting loaded up, ready to fire at somebody. They do not call any names. Oh, no! They do not mean any one in particular, of course not. So Bro. Brown, or Bro. Jones, or sister Smith are always very innocent. If anybody happens to take it, it is all right; or perhaps they will say, “If the coat fits, put it on.”

Now these dear souls imagine they are doing God service, and they are showing great zeal for the right. The fact is, they are simply doing the devil's work. They are driving these brethren farther and farther from them, and hardening them against the truth. They are feeding their own souls on husks, and falling into the snare of the devil themselves, while they are watching the feet of somebody else. We advise these friends to let that work alone. They ought to learn that brethren and sisters of the same standing in the church as themselves are not very apt to take reproof when offered in this manner. It only irritates them, and sours them, and, if persisted in, it becomes a real source of annoyance to the whole church; and what is the use of doing it, if it accomplishes no good? Leave this for your minister to see to when he comes. If your soul is particularly burdened, go to him about it, and let him do his duty. It will have a very much better effect. The Sabbath and social meetings should be occasions for our brethren to give their personal experience, their hopes and joys, and, if need be, their failings and sorrows; but it is not the place to lecture somebody else. Just let other people's failings alone, and attend to your own.

D. M. CANRIGHT.