Maintaining Gospel Order
By H. S. Gurney
Dear Bro. White:—I perceive that you are at work on the subject of Gospel order. I hope that you will be able to present the subject in a manner that will honor God, and promote his cause. Certain it is that we cannot honor God better than by taking diligent heed to his word, and making it our only rule of faith and practice. The brethren in this vicinity have for sometime considered on the importance of Gospel order, and of maintaining such order in the church. Consequently, in a meeting of the church, a few weeks since, the subject was investigated in the light of the Gospel, which seemed to lay us under the necessity, of entering upon the work of maintaining Gospel order, and of taking such action as the Bible seemed to warrant, and as circumstances seemed to demand, that we might preserve a healthy state of religious feeling. We therefore selected two brethren, one in Fairhaven and one in Dartmouth, to act the part of “deacons,” as denominated in the Bible. The cases of these brethren were to be presented before those assembled in general conference at Dartmouth, then and there to meet the approval or disapproval of the brethren assembled. The action of the Church-meeting, met the approbation of all the brethren in conference without a dissenting voice. Bro. Wheeler was fully satisfied that the action of the church was in Gospel order; and reference was made to the necessity of such order from the fact that if the church would be in a healthy state, she must be in a suitable position to attend to the Lord’s supper. And as the messengers are called to travel, the church should not depend on them to administer the Lord’s supper, therefore it seemed proper to set apart some one in the church for the purpose of more fully maintaining Gospel order. See Acts vi, 1–7. After weighing the matter for a short time, Bro. Wheeler saw his duty clear. Sabbath afternoon, he presented the subject of Gospel order in a plain, interesting and profitable manner. At the close of his discourse, he proceeded to set apart those brethren, by prayer and laying on of hands. While thus engaged, the Spirit of God was manifestly present, to bless. And we felt that in answer to prayer the work was ratified in the Heavenly Sanctuary. The peace of God rested upon us. All seemed clear and free. H. S. GURNEY.
North Fairhaven, Mass., Dec. 18th, 1853.