Chapter 39—Personal Ministry to Members
One pastor said he would rather be horse-whipped than visit—
Elder H used to live here and preach to the people, but he was not a
shepherd of the flock. He would tell the poor sheep that he would rather
be horse-whipped than visit. He neglected personal labor, therefore
pastoral work was not done in the church and its borders. The deacons
and elders of the church have acted wisely and worked judiciously
to keep the church in order, and we find the people in a much better
condition than we had expected. We are happily disappointed. But
when I look over the years, and think of what might have been done,
if the man entrusted with the flock had been a faithful steward of God,
watching for souls as one that must give an account, my heart is made
sad. Had the preacher done the work of a pastor, a much larger number
would now be rejoicing in the truth.—
Manuscript Releases 9:343, 344
.
Seclusion and study must not supersede visitation—The duties
of a pastor are often shamelessly neglected because the minister lacks
strength to sacrifice his personal inclinations for seclusion and study.
The pastor should visit from house to house among his flock, teaching,
conversing, and praying with each family, and looking out for the
welfare of their souls. Those who have manifested a desire to become
acquainted with the principles of our faith should not be neglected, but
thoroughly instructed in the truth.—
Evangelism, 350
.
Ministers who sermonize without shepherding should be dis-
missed—But there have been solemn duties neglected in accepting
ministers to labor in word and doctrine who can only preach. They do
not watch for souls as they that shall give an account. They sermonize;
but the work is left undone which the sheep and lambs need to have
done for them. And this half-hearted kind of work has been done all
through America, and money paid to men employed, when they should
have been dismissed to find work less responsible and care taking....
The flock of God have a right to expect to be visited by their pastor, to
be instructed, advised, counseled, in their own homes. And if a man
fails to do this part of the work, he can not be a minister after God’s
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