DUTIES OF A CHURCH ELDER.
By A. O. Burrill
1. He “must be blameless, as the steward of God.” To be blameless means, both in the Greek and English, to be without fault; not meriting censure. 2. “The husband of one wife.” 3. His children must be faithful; i. e., they must be in subjection to him, and of good behavior not only at home but at the house of God. 4. “Vigilant;” attentive to discover and avoid danger, or to provide for the safety of the church. 5. “Sober;” i. e., exercising cool, dispassionate reason; self-controlled; serious in demeanor, habit or appearance. 6. “Given to hospitality.” Given to receiving and entertaining strangers without reward; kind to strangers and guests; yes, even a lover of this kind of work. 7. “Not self-willed or stubborn; i. e., he should be moved or persuaded by reason. The elder is expected to act a leading part in his church. When there are new plans to be executed, if the elder holds back, then all will be likely to do so. I knew a church a few years since whose elder was continually throwing his church into a questioning condition, and when I visited them he would nearly always stand in opposition to all that we tried to do. The result was that the church was as weak as water. If the Lord is in this work, then those whom he has called to lead out in it are hearkening to his voice; and as they lay plans, it is emphatically our duty to heartily execute them.” 8. “Not soon angry,” but “patient.” 10. “A lover of good men” or, margin, “good things;” “sober, just, holy.” 11. “Not greedy of filthy lucre.” To be covetous is to go still further. Webster thus defines covetous: 1. Very desirous. 2. Inordinately desirous; excessively eager. Syn. Avaricious; parsimonious; penurious; miserly; niggardly. The covetous eagerly desire wealth, even at the expense of others; the avaricious hoard it; the penurious, parsimonious, and miserly save it by disgraceful self-denial; and the niggardly, by meanness in their dealings. Any of these traits of character are censurable, and especially in one who has been set apart to lead God’s people. When men were chosen to assist Moses, they were to be those who hated covetousness, i. e., who had great aversion to it, or dislike for it. Ex. 18:21. The Bible says, “He that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.” “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.” “For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him.” “But fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.” And of an elder Paul says, “not covetous.” Peter says, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” Brethren, who has placed you in your position? Is it not that same Providence which selected the elders in the time of Moses? Ex. 18:21. Is not that God which was leading his people then leading his people now? And if we are found murmuring and filling our brethren and sisters with unbelief, will it not be with us as it was with those in Moses’ time? “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” Appleton, O., July 15, 1879.