Church Duties
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reproach against your neighbor. If there were no brethren and sisters
to do this, evil tongues would soon cease; for they would not find so
favorable a field in which to work in biting and devouring one another.
Selection of Leaders
The apostle Paul writes to Titus: “Set in order the things that are
wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: if
any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children
not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the
steward of God.” It would be well for all our ministers to give heed to
these words and not to hurry men into office without due consideration
and much prayer that God would designate by His Holy Spirit whom
He will accept.
Said the inspired apostle: “Lay hands suddenly on no man.” In
some of our churches the work of organizing and of ordaining elders
has been premature; the Bible rule has been disregarded, and conse-
quently grievous trouble has been brought upon the church. There
should not be so great haste in electing leaders as to ordain men who
are in no way fitted for the responsible work—men who need to be
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converted, elevated, ennobled, and refined before they can serve the
cause of God in any capacity.
The gospel net gathers both good and bad. It takes time for char-
acter to be developed; there must be time to learn what men really
are. The family of the one suggested for office should be considered.
Are they in subjection? Can the man rule his own house with honor?
What character have his children? Will they do honor to the father’s
influence? If he has no tact, wisdom, or power of godliness at home in
managing his own family, it is safe to conclude that the same defects
will be carried into the church, and the same unsanctified management
will be seen there. It will be far better to criticize the man before he is
put into office than afterward, better to pray and counsel before taking
the decisive step than to labor to correct the consequences of a wrong
move.
In some churches the leader has not the right qualifications to
educate the members of the church to be workers. Tact and judgment
have not been used to keep up a living interest in the work of God. The
leader is slow and tedious; he talks too much and prays too long in