Church Discipline and Restoring a Brother
(Continued from page 546.) tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church.” Matt. 18: 15-17. He has no right to tell it to the church till he has followed the first steps above pointed out. He should go in the spirit of meekness (Gal. 6: 1), with not so much a burden for himself as for his brother (Lev. 19: 17), with earnest prayer to restore him to the favor of God. If his brother will not hear either him or the witnesses, who ought to be of the most spiritual, then let the matter be brought before the officers of the church. If the church are so blinded that they cannot see the right, then let the brother bear and forbear, knowing that God will right all wrongs. But let him first be sure that he has done his part in the light of the scripture above quoted, and such others as Gal. 6: 1; James 5: 19, 20. The worldly position or standing of a brother does not affect duty of man or church. “God is no respector of persons.”