The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-04-11
NEED OF A HIGHER LAW IN
THE CHURCH..


position, that a minister Of the gospel
to be the means Of accomplishing any
good in the world, should, like C;esar's
wife, be dbos'c suspicion, as to the
purity of his character.
And the reason for this is Obvious.
When a man assumes to be a teacher
of morals and religion, he cannot nee
essarily limit his responsibility to that
of a mere expounder of precepts. In
fact the OnIp lesson he teaches which
has any permanent influence on others,
is that taught by the record of his daily
life. 1t is not the Scriptural lesson
which he so eloquently eXpounds from
the Sacred Desk. 1t is not the wealth
of rhetoric, the convincing logic, or the
pathetic story of Christ's cruc6iNion
that alone sows the seeds of repentance
in the obdurate hearts. 1t is the in
visible but no less potent influence of
high personal example, emphasizing his
appeals, that makes the minister of
Christ the mighty messenger of Gods
mercy to man.
1t follows, therefore, logically, that
the standard of personal purity must be
higher in the ministerial order than in
any other. 1t follows equally as a log
ical sequence that the church, using
that word in its strictly ecclesiastical
sense, must be strict guardian of the
characters of those who compose it,
and that every denominations branch
of the great body of orthodox christ
ians must jealousy guard and assidu-
ously maintain the high moral standard
of its ministry.
1t must needs act in this regard, not
merely on the defensive, but aggres-
sively, by cutting off and pruning away
unworthy branches, that detilc and dis
figure the ministerial body.
Every lover of Methodsm, for in
stance, must feel a pang of regret at
the frequency with which the names of
certain men recently prominent in her
ministry are made the subjects OF adj
verse criticism in secular newspapers.
Church trials of men arraigned on
charges of gross immortality are multi
plying too rapidly for the health of
Methodism.
And it is largely the church's fault.
1t arrai 9ns men on such charges, as
signs counsel for and against them,
summons interested witnesses on each
side, splits hairs as to the legal weight
and value of testimony, and weighing
evidence with the niceity characteristic
of courts in civil causes, decides cases
by preponderance of testimony, gencr-
ally rendering 'Scotch" verdiCts of not
proven. Young preachers backed by
strong social influence, violate the Or
binary maxims of morality, as well as
their VOWS as deacons in the church,
stand up defantly before the confer
ence, browbeat weak brethren by in
science as unchristian as it is unminis,
terial, and the authorities interpreting
the rules Of evidence by the precedents
of the criminal code by giving the &C
cused the benefit of the faintest shadow
of a doubt, "whitewaSh" men really
guilty Of immoral practices. and send
them back upon society with the weak
stamp of ''vindication," to repeat their
practic es in other and newer fields.
The Methodist church to perpetuate
its spiritual vitality and therefore main
tain its UNCONVENTIONAL influence, must
lay ilrmer hand on such Offenders
1t needs to lay ''ncw rule" on young
ministerial brethren who in their con-
ceit and arrogance defy their superiors
in authority, and who secure acquttal
upon serious charges by setting up
technical defences. They must be
taught "higher law" by the church
since their own religion does not
teach it.
important thing as any mans good
character is to him, whether in the
church or out of it, this class of minis
tiers need to learn the fact, that the
reputation of the ministry in the aggre-
gate is of more value to the world than
the individual character of any member
composing it. Yet the retention in it
of one bcsmirched member casts
shadow of reproach upon the whole
body of orthodox christians, which the
good Offices Of many devout men will