p. 61 | MORE QUESTIONS by Editor

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 23, 1861

MORE QUESTIONS.

By Editor

1. Is it in order for an individual to follow his own convictions of duty and reprove openly without counsel? and if so, do all have that privilege?

2. What should we accept as evidence to the claim of any person that God has laid the burden of the church on him?

E. H. Root. Wright, Mich., July 15, 1861.

ANSWERS.

(1.) It may be the duty of those who are called to preach the word to sometimes reprove and rebuke openly. Says Paul to Timothy, "Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." 1 Tim. v, 20. But personal, public rebuke should be avoided unless the nature of the case absolutely demands it. It is no small thing for a minister to introduce such a matter into the public worship of God. He can almost always do his whole duty in this respect at private visits, or at meetings of church labor.

It is the duty of every minister to exalt the pure principles of truth and righteousness, and set them home by the pointed language of the Bible. But if he comes down to particularize too much, and personate unnecessarily, he will assuredly lead his people in a wrong direction, to dwell too much on the faults of others, and pick at straws instead of having their minds elevated to dwell with delight and profit upon the principles of truth and holiness.

But it cannot be in order for a private member of the church to reprove openly, with, or without counsel. We know of no scripture to sustain such a course. It will not do to take those texts which set forth the duty of the minister, or watchman, on whom rests great responsibilities, and apply them to members who have no such duties and responsibilities. If one private member be allowed to reprove openly, and give what he may call the straight testimony, then all may have the same liberty, and confusion must prevail to the distruction of the pure worship of God.

(2.) There is no evidence to be accepted to such a claim; for there is no evidence that it is God's plan to select one or more persons from the church and lay all the burden on them, and leave others, no less consecrated, free from it. God designs that all should feel the burden of the work, and that the church should all move forward in sweet harmony.