The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-04-17
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
CHURCH-DIsCIPLINE.
No. 3.

In our last article we settled ana uetermlneu, as
we believe, the rule which must guide church
court in every case of discipline which takes the
form of actual process viz this every church court
must require abstinence from that which Is GER
tainly sinful even as the individual must abstain
from all things apparently sinful Now in add.
ton to these two questions supposed to be answer
ed, third of great Importance presents ITSELF
What is to be done with that great field in morals
and religion which begins with apparent evil and
ends with uuquestionable sin +? The whole field has
a bad look about it, and yet it cannot be reached
by actual process Are all professors to be allowed
to roam over this dangerous field without restraint
Nay verify and just here comes in the distinction
between church discipline in the wide and church
discipline in the narrow sense OF the word. That
which we considered in the last article is church
discipline in the narrow sense OF the word, but
there is q wider sense, to which We shall shortly
attend. We shall see also that this part OF the
field is sufficiently guarded; and BY two means
The Saviour has placed upon the walls OF Zion
watohmen who are commanded to cry aloud and
spare not, who are commanded to warn the people
of every approach of danger, and that too at the
risk of mourning the blood of souls This warning
is cotermnous with the rule given by Paul to indi-
viduals; l. e, the minister warns his people against
ell things which appear to him to be evil. This is
one of the means of safety. But this is not all,
God has ordained elders in all the churches (preach
ing and ruing) whose duty it is to warn, instruct,
and rebuke the individual members Of the church,
personally and privately in order that the parties
in question may escape the threatened danger
Now this faithful and affectionate visitation of the
people on the part of the pastor and other elders is
only the exercise of discipline in the wider sense.
As it respects this dangerous field which begins
with apparent evil and ends with upquestionable
sin, few things are to be said.
The first is this Whenever the individual Chris.
tan ventures upon it, be does it at great risk for
he who forsakes the known path of duty can hardly
expect the Saviour to grant him entire safety.
The second is this Whenever church court
ventures to enforce requirement which cannot be
supported from the Word of God they do it at the
peril of the peace of the church. Indeed, this
doubtful field is peculiarly that One over which the
devil roams as roaring lion seeking whom he may
devour and no one who is found upon it is safe
from his teeth, be they private church members or
members of Session. But when a faithful pastor
or elder goes and warns the person in danger, that
he flee while yet he may, then, in most cases the
party will turn away from the evil and the devil
will find no chance to bring trouble upon the
church.
This is the outline of the theory Of church gov
eminent which we deem to be laid down in the
Word of God. To our mind it covers the whole
ground meets all cases given in the Bible, accords
with all its teachings and provides principles which,
if applied will solve every case which can possibly
arise in practice. Were this rule put into universal
practice many of the difficulties which now vex the
churches would vanish. Those amusements which
so many believe to be sinful, such as dancing, the
atre going, cardplaying etc., etc., would be great
" checked and at last removed. People who mean
to do light fall in with the truth when it is plainly
and kindly presented; thus the majority would be
easily won, and in.the case of ungodly churCh-mem
bers they would set oil warning and exhortation at
defiance, plunge into deeper sin, and thus subject
themselves to actual process.
This is the theory. If it gives light to any one,
we shall be glad to have written these articles. II
it is erroneous or defective discriminating public
are cordially invited to show the error or supply
the deficiency. If the field of discipline can be ac
curately marked out and understood many an officer
of our church courts will rejoice at the achievement
ALFRED JONES