V. The Officers’ Meeting.
The officers of the church are the cabinet of the pastor, and the responsibilities and labors of the spiritual watch-care should be shared with them. A wise use of these assistants will relieve him of many a burden which otherwise he would needlessly bear and will secure a much more general and effective supervision of the spiritual interests of the church. For no pastor can accomplish all that needs to be done; and if left to the church generally, very little effective watch-care is exercised. Such consultation with the officers will often save the pastor from mistakes, while the division of labor greatly simplifies and relieves his work. It affords, also, a sphere of real usefulness for the deacons, and serves to develop their gifts and augment their religious power.
Hints.—1. Have a regular meeting at convenient intervals—say once a month or once in two months—and let each officer be invited and made to share equally in the counsels and responsibility, thus avoiding jealousies. Prepare thoroughly the business to be brought before them, so that there may be no delay. 2. After the opening season of prayer, read carefully the list of church members, and let each member needing special care be definitely assigned to some one or more of the officers to give at once the necessary attention. By this means any member requiring a kindly suggestion or whose position is not understood may be at once quietly reached; and, if in danger, may be saved before the case has gone so far as to be beyond help. If this is faithfully done, nearly all public discipline may be avoided and the tone of church-life may be kept high and vigorous. 3. Let the general condition and welfare of the church and plans for Christian labor and church extension be here carefully considered; for here methods for advancing Christ’s cause through the church most naturally originate and may be most wisely matured. Great care should be taken, however, that the meeting does not lose its religious tone and degenerate into a mere clique for church management. It may be made, by right guidance, a center of religious interest and power in the congregation, while to the pastor it secures the hearty confidence and co-operation of the trusted counsellors and leaders of the church.
VI. Church Meetings for Business.
These are properly classed among devotional meetings, because the transaction of church business should always be done in a devotional spirit and be connected with devotional exercises.
Hints.—1. The pastor is, ex officio, the presiding officer in all meetings of the church, and should ordinarily preside. Ruling, presiding, is a function distinctly assigned in the New Testament to the pastoral office (1 Thess. v. 12; 1 Tim. iii. 4, 5; Heb. xiii. 17)—a function which would seem clearly to include that of presiding in the assemblies of the body. He should be familiar with the established rules of order in deliberative bodies; but in applying them he should not make a parade of parliamentary rules nor ordinarily put them in the form of law. An easy, quiet, prompt manner in presiding should be carefully cultivated: it makes great difference in the effectiveness and despatch of business and the comfort of the church. 2. Unanimity is to be earnestly sought; but when it cannot be attained it is usual to accept the decision of the majority. The reception of members, however, should be unanimous—certainly so far as the question relates to Christian character; otherwise, members would enter whom a part of the church do not fellowship. Ordinarily, objections to an applicant may be avoided by proper care in previous inquiries respecting him; but if made, the case should be deferred, and a committee appointed to receive and examine the objections. If the objections are evidently made in a wrong spirit, the church should overrule them, and the objectors, persisting, should be put under discipline. It is evident that the careful pastor, foreseeing such a result, would dissuade, if possible, the applicant from presenting himself, and thus avoid discord in the church, unless this course would inflict injury on the candidate and cover up wrong in the church. 3. Secure, if possible, a full attendance of members, and make the meeting thoroughly religious in its tone and spirit. The contempt into which church disciplinary action sometimes falls is often due to the fact that few members are present, and the moral power, therefore, of the church is not behind their action, and that the manner, if not the spirit, of their proceedings befits rather the secular character of a political gathering than the seriousness and dignity of a church of Christ. Especially should the reception, the discipline, the exclusion of a member, or the election of a deacon or a pastor be an act of solemnity, and, as far as possible, be done by the whole body.
SECTION V.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE ORDINANCES.
The nature of the ordinances, as well as the obligation of them, should be often and carefully explained to the people. This is the more necessary, since in the popular mind superstitious ideas so largely enter into the conception of them. In doing this, several different methods have been adopted. Some have a preparatory lecture in the course of the week preceding the administration: others preach on the subject either on the previous Lord’s Day or just before the ordinance; and others depend mainly on addresses on the occasion. Whatever be the method, instruction should be carefully given, that true views of the ordinances may prevail. For want of this many church members never derive much benefit from these sacred institutions, while some, doubtless, are injured by them.
The principles respecting the ordinances which we, as distinguished from other denominations, hold as biblical should not be ignored or kept in the background. The restoration of these Divine symbols to their primitive significance and form is a matter of the highest moment, and the pastor who is silent neglects duty. So far as my observation extends, the spiritual success which has attended the Baptists has always been connected with their fidelity to the mission God has given in respect to His truth concerning the church and the ordinances. The most signal manifestations of the Spirit in our churches, whether at home or abroad, have been made where the great principles Christ has committed to us have been most faithfully proclaimed. But in presenting these controverted subjects, statements should always be made with care. Whatever the provocation, we should be careful to maintain a Christian spirit and uniform courtesy; to be just and candid to those who differ; and to avoid all imputation of evil motives. Indeed, it is usually better to avoid the controversial form in presenting the biblical view of the ordinances, especially at the time of administration; but if controversy is necessary, let it rather be presented in sermons on other occasions. A distinct course of sermons on the ordinances, carefully prepared, is sometimes of great value for the instruction of the church and the diffusion of right views in the community.