Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1855-09-23
A Short Sermon upan DiOtrtphes.

81 wrote unto the Church hut Dotrephes, who oveth
70 have the pIeeminenee among them, reeeiyeth nO
JoHE ill., o.
Macknigbts translation reads, ~ should have
written" eat Either translation sufficiently shows
US the misehevous influence of this ambitious spir-
it in that Church.
In the one case, he prevented an Inspired apostle
from sending the. Church letter. In the other.
he nulliGed the letter actually sent ee
Doctrine Many minister's labors are nullifed
by Diotrepbes in his Church.
!. shall first show who is not Diotrephes.
/. lie is not he, whose godly walk and eonver-
ration secures for him the entire confidence of the
brethren, and thus gives him great influence.
2. Nor he, whose talents and edaeation necessa-
rily taake him a man Of influence -
3. Nor he, whose welLknown and oft-proved
wisdom aud prudence make him much sought unto
in counsel. ---
These men generally do rot seek influence. 1t
is unavoidable. 1t follows them as their =hadoT
II. | proceed in the second place. to show who
Diotrephes is
/. Sometimes, he is man who never had his
will broken. As child, he expected the whole
household to give way to him. Asa Church mem
Der, he expects the household Of Christ to give
way to HIN. He is 8iIful and head strong; often
a. unreasonable as mere animal.
z. Sometimes, he is man Of wealth. His
riches give him authority in the world and be
takes it for granted they ought to do so in the
Church. He can't at all comprehend the idea,
that the vote and the opinion of his poor brother
are worth as much as his own. He is verify per-
suaded that because he has been great wording
and scraped together much wealth, the household
of Christ ough: to defer to him. s .--
3. Sometimes, he is a man Of some learning and
much yolubility; who fancies that his capacity
ought to give his opinion authority.
III. In the third place, proceed to set forth
Diot1ephes in action. If the minister do not take
him for counsellor he is his enemy. His preaching
is not right. His measures are not right. "His
usefulness is at 40 endn In questions Of policy
in the Church, he never suspects there are others
whose opinions should carry as much weight as
lis own. The will of the majority is no rule for
him With every movement does he find farlt,
unless be originated it.
". In the next place, remark upon DlOtre-
pntS tBdTaCtcr
!. He is very unlike Christ, who was meek and
IowIy.
2. He is very disobedient to the word, "Let each
esteem others better than bimself' s G
3. lie is aginst The equality which Christ estab-
lished in he Church.
PRAcrIcsL OBSERVATIONS. i. DiOtrephes IS
most Of the time in trouble, always looking for
difference, he is always liable to think II wanting
.. Tne Church eau take no surer road to trOu-
ble than to give way to Diotrephes -1ti P
8. j. ctrephes will scarce be the fficnd Of the
minister. The natural influence Of the religious
teacher disfarbs him. -4 4
A. Itis best for each one to look for DiotrephCs
in his own pew. Perhaps be may fad him in his
own scat. ....--...
5. Diotrephes is sometimes married and his
partner is true yoke-feIlow. The mantle Of the
ancient troubler in Isreal, sometimes fall, upon
sister in a church.