The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-16
For the Central Presbyterian.
Admission into the Church

Admission into the Church.
The writer has long hoped to see an
interchange of views by older ministers
on the subject of the admission of mem
bers into the Church Such discussion
might do good OF course no special
rules can be given, but there are some
general principles to be observed, which
might well be made the subject of fire.
quent review, for the benefit of Younger
ministers. No more delicate or impor-
tant matter can come before church
Session than this, viewed in its relation to
the Church at large. The spiritual and
moral character of the Church is fixed bv
these acts of the Session. Here it is that
witnesses" and lights" are chosen and
accredited. Surely the utmost caution
should be exercised in such acts: and
young ministers need to be guarded from
mistakes into which they are very liable
to fall, and which will seriously affect the
spiritual tone and power of their congre-
cations afterwards.
The Central recently contained an
article signed "Elder," in which griev-
GUS complaint was made of "the ten
dency among professors of religion to 90
as near as possible to the boundary line
between the Church, and the world: and
In your own article in the same number
you say that worldliness in the Church is
the main cause of her troubles and the
great evil of the day. This is and al
ways has been the truth. A body which
is constantly receiving poison into itself
must seriously suffer.
Now this worldliness, this spiritual
poison, comes in whenever the Session re-
celves unregenerate members. The rem
edy for the present unsatisfactory state
OF affairs In many churches, might be
found IN more faithfulness in the exami
nation of applicants, Of course no de-
gree of caution will keep out the tares
altogether; but the complaints so often
made in public and private of the con-
duct of church members, raise the cues
ton whether the church of to-day main
tains the strait gate as set by the Mas
ter in His visible kingdom.
Let every man take heed holO he
6ltaldeth," is caution perhaps lost sight
OF at times. There is desire to report
additions; other denominations resort to
" measures and gather in the fruits
hastily: A spirit of competition is de-
veloped, and ministers are sometimes
tempted to receive members on slight
grounds lest they should be carried away
and lost to them altogether Besides the
Church is popular now, and many seek
admission for other than spiritual ends.
There is a call for frmness and fidelity
on the part of the Church's guardians.
John the Baptist demanded "fruits meet
for repentance before he would receive
the Pharisees. He was not satisfied with
a few commonplace questions, which
often afford no real test of the state of
heart So in Jonah iii: 10, it is said
that God saw their works that thew
turned, ETC., before He "repented Of
the evil, etc. Can the Church afford to
dispense with such safeguards?
The Presbyterian Church possesses a
glorious heritage in her Confession, Cat
echisms, and History She has the truth
and the form. What she needs is to en-
body this truth in living witnesses, "a
peculiar people" Charity to her Mas
ter, herself, and the world, demand that
she should carefully guard her ordinances
and name 1t may at least be questioned
whether her practice is not at times too
loose Regeneration is great thing and
works great changes in the heart and life
wherever it is experienced. Our Churchs
doctrine requires regeneration before ad.
mission. Do we in practice, wait and re-
quire to see the fruits of this change?
And how can Session best determine
when it has been wrought? This is a
question on which the writer would like
to see some discussion. JULIUS