The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-08-30

the case, and also with the general prin-
ciples given in Gods Word and the pro-
per method of the application of each
principle in each particular case.
The labor and care which this will en-
tail upon each minister and each elder
can only be appreciated by those who
honestly and perseveringly endeavor
fully to accomplish it. To state or to
read the difficulties attending this branch
Of Church work, can only produce a
meager realization of them; still some of
us may be aided in the undertaking by
such statement, and by having our atten-
ton pointed to the extreme to which we
might go on each side.
The general principles 1 understand to
be two only. % The purity of the
Church. ~ The good of the offender.
If these two ends are honestly aimed at,
and the circumstances in detail, of each
case, are carefully considered, there need
never be serious error, either towards
leniency or harshness for there never
can arise a case in which the purity OF
the Church requires action which is un-
deserved by, or unnecessary for, the of
fender; nor can any case occur in which
the good Of the offender will call for ac-
ton detrimental to the Church. This
statement will hold true in every imag-
Unable case. shall test in few only.
First, take a case of open, willful sin,
and no sign Of repentance. Here clearly
both the purity of the Church and the
good of the offender call for the same
stern discipline Again, take more dit
icult case. Suppose in our age of nerv-
BUSINESS, that there is lady of good sense
and education, who knows her duty con-
corning the Lords table and the control
of her temper. Previously she was exem-
plary in these respects. Now, however.
she has for years been under medical
treatment for nervousness. Her near
friends have seen her increasing petulance
and marked her absenting herself from
the Lord table. Frequent remonstrances
are made by q Christian father, and when
she is in moderately good health, deep
sorrow is evinced, and she is seen really
to strive against the sin. But the Church
at large hear a great deal more of her
sins than of her struggles and her sick
ness (many of them discrediting the real
effects of nervous diseaseD She becomes
notorious for anger and neglect of the
church, and the Session visit her and be-
gin to investigate. On one visit she APP
pears deeply penitent, and promises to
try again to reform. On the next visit
she flies into rage and refuses all coun-
sci. The physician informs the Session
that this is the effect of her disease, and
that she may or may not overcome it ac-
cording to the resulting effect of the dis
ease upon her.
Here now we have complicated case.
AS read in this article, nearly, or per-
haps, every one will say at once, that
there ought to be nothing but kind for
bearance shown her by the church. But
not so would it prove in an actual and
exactly parallel case. There some would
be found who would be ready to talk
loudly and say that Mrs. -- is no more
nervous than any of the other members
Of the church, and that she ought to be
made to do right that the Session were
partial to her because of her husband
or fathers wealth or influence, etc., etc.,
etc. Here then is scandal in the church,
and scandal which has apparently sprung
from this sick womans sin. Ought she
not to be suspended in order to remove
the scandal? Some say that she should
be: but the writer is of the opinion that
this course would be extreme severity.
The purity of the Church and the good
of the poor disease-ruined offender both
call for the same kind and gentle for
bearance, and any who are ignorant and
conceited enough to decide against the
medical science that nervous diseases do
not produce such effects ought to be kind
ly but firmly taught better. Then ii
they continue to be censorious enough to
decide that Mrs. - is no Christian be-
cause she has been tempted and over
come in such manner as they never were,
they might well be pointed to Gal. V
1-3.
The views here presented may be
thought by some to conflict with one OF
the rules Of our Discipline" Book of
Discipline, chap. " :, sec. 81, which states
in substance that definite suspension
should sometimes be inflicted eUen where
the offending member gives satisfactory
evidence of penitence. But let it be OBJ
served that this provision in our Book
refers expressly to cases in which "the
credit of religion, the honor of Christ,
and the good of the delinquent" all de-
nand it. And also that the cases re-
ferred to in this article are those in which
the sin or SHINING Of the offender is as
much or more the effect of physical dis