SdS ^\00?*** salary, or pecuniary remur irgued tha: would not have been asked for any elc : but preaching elders. : : . 9 E THE BULLNG ELDERSHIP. On this subjk nneriy said: It must be admitted that the word translated 'honour,' does sometimes denote pay or wages, and that the allu- sions which follow, to the feeding of the ox and the r ew ar d in g of the labourer, seem to favour this interpretation. Some of the best expc a er. quite independently of the question now ag think this a low and narrow explanation of gnage. They understand the ape - ay, that the office-bearers mentioned ought to be honoured in a — ; v ". . ; . _.; _- :':.f -.-_. ;.» :"_= :x s.v.L :„e I.-.": ; .::-:■ l_..ve their appropriate remuneration. But it must be care- fully observed, that this question about the meaning of ' honour/ does not affect in the 5 . _ I .Tee the countenance which this passage apparently ren- ders to the distinction of teaching and ruling efck Grant that honour means pecuniary reward. The apostle, on this supposition, enjoins, that ample recom- pense be given to elders who spend a proportion oft. time in rating well, and especially to those elders who occupy themselves more entirely with the affairs of the church, by not only ruling well, but also labouring in word and doctrine. Where the office-bearers were poor men, as most of them are known to have t there was nothing in this equitable compensation lost time very unreasonable or improbable, and no- thing, certainly, to obliterate that distinction between ruling and teaching elders which the language of the apostle so clearly expresses. Surely the functions of elders are one thing, and the fittest mode of honouring THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 37 Having quoted the above passage, Dr "Wardlaw says, ' I have only to ask, for here lies my argument, whether from any other passages than this, any precept or example can be brought for the remuneration in the way of maintenance of any officer of the church besides such as preached the gospel ? ' * In reply, I observe — (1) That scripture nowhere say3 public teachers alone shall be remunerated for their labours. (2) Much of the language of Paul on this subject would apply equally to ruling as to teaching elders. He lay3 down the principle, that they who sow spiritual things may reap carnal things ; and the office of ruling elder is spiritual, in its character and services. (3) Paul reverts in his argument to the ancient economy, under which support was provided for 'those who ministered about holy things,' although they might have no charge of preaching. (4) Paul, so far from restricting his doctrine about remuneration to a particular department of work, lays down the ge- neral maxim (in immediate connection with 1 Tim. v. 3 7), that the ' labourer is worthy of his reward.' Who can wonder after this, that he should claim a pecuniary acknowledgment for poor elders, sacrificing their business in superintending the church ? But the question, whatever force it may have, may be addressed to Dr Davidson with equal propriety as to myself. He maintains that though all elders might have taught publicly, many of them did not so teach. Why then did Paul claim compensation for these, when they did not 'preach the gospel?' Would they * Congregational Independency, p. 210. C 38 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. be paid for holding functions which they did not fulfil? Let us suppose that Dr Wardlaw and Dr Davidson carry into effect their own view, of having a company of pastors with preaching talents, or without them, for each church. Would all these pastors get abundant pay? Dr Davidson thinks that such muni- ficence would be unnecessary. He thinks that, in- stead of double pay, half pay might suffice in many instances. Nay, in a proportion of cases, he would withhold pecuniary honour altogether. He says, ' all need not be supported by the church.' * And when Congregationalists shall have got elders as we have, 'not supported by the church,' how shall an objection brought against our practice be inapplicable to their own ? 3. It is objected that the system of ruling eldership does not work well, and that our elders in general are equally incompetent to teach and to govern. I have not claimed infallibility for elders. In poor districts of the country, a difficulty is sometimes expe- rienced in getting men who have time and attainments suitable for the office. But these are the very cases in which it would be still more difficult to engage and sup- port a plurality of teaching presbyters. In many parts of the country, and especially in the towns, elders are invaluable ; and it would be difficult to say whether the eldership or the ministry be most essential to the prosperity of our churches. What shall we think * Ecclesiastical Polity, p. 369. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 39 then of such charges as the following being brought against them by Dr Davidson ? ' Judging from the actual duties done by ruling elders, we should say that their services deserve no remuneration. As far as our observation has reached, the majority are the tools of the bishop. In church courts they commonly vote as he votes. His sentiments are their sentiments. Even when inclined to think and act independently, they are restrained in Synods.and prevented in many cases from being troublesome, as it is called, to the clergy.'* I say, with all the calmness and solemnity of witness- bearing, that so far as my knowledge extends, this representation is the reverse of the truth. In count- less instances, I have admired the independent votes of elders : and in presbyterial and synodical meet- ings, the constant effort, frequently carried to excess, is to elicit a free expression of the convictions of our eldership. Not deserve remuneration ! The good Lord will judge differently. He will not forget their work and labour of love. Does Dr Davidson not feel that he incurs a solemn responsibility in hurling such imputations against a body of men of whom thousands and tens of thousands are ready to testify, that they serve the church of Christ with disinterested devotedness? "When Dr Davidson has such an estimate of our ses- sions, it is no wonder that he impugns the purity of our churches. He says of Congregationalism, that 1 the purity of her communion raises her far above * Ecclesiastical Polity, p. 194. 40 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. those denominations which, though outwardly com- pact, are deficient in the vital essence of the unity demanded of God. . . . Let all objectors to our form of government attend particularly to one feature of it, that a church consists only of those who give credible evidence of true piety, and many of their ad- verse remarks will be withheld, or lose their point. We as Congregationalists endeavour with all careful- ness that none other should belong to the spiritual society. Those on whom has descended the sanctify- ing influence of the Spirit, are the only acknowledged subjects of our communion.' * This is high praise ; as much, surely, as could be said of any church not in glory. And what has Dr Davidson to say of Presbyterian churches ? Those of us 'who are unconnected with the state (he observes) allow that the members admitted into churches should be such as profess their knowledge and faith in Christ, together with their subjection to him in ordinances ; or, in other words, those who are true christians in the judgment of charity. We fear, however, that though they admit in theory the scriptural qualifications of church members, they forget them in practice. Their system, however favourable it may seem to the scriptural standard on this vital point, has never secured holiness in the members to any consider- able extent. As long as a palpable line of distinc- tion is not drawn between the hearers composing a congregation, and while candidates for the ministry enter on their studies for the office without giving * Page 409. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 41 evidence of personal holiness, this denomination cannot pretend to attain the character they admit to be so desirable.' * I am glad that I can not merely cherish a favour- able impression of Independent churches in Scotland, but from intimate knowledge can speak confidently of the piety of not a few of them. But the same familiar and prolonged acquaintance with facts, warrants me in saying that Independents take no precautions that we do not take, or for which we have not others equally efficient, to secure pure communion. I never knew a person free of scandal leave us, who was not readily welcomed by an Independent church. In those benevolent exertions and devotional meetings which are regarded as indicative of piety, I do not see that Congregationalists (most favourably as I can speak of them) have any more than their own propor- tion of numerical strength. ' I freely admit,' says Dr Wardlaw, ' that a minister and his session, duly impressed with the importance of purity in fellowship, and acting conscientiously, have a great deal in their power. It were most uncandid to deny or to ques- tion that, with due care, their success may be equal to that of any Independent church.' f And where is the proof that it is not equal ? We have much to confess and lament before God: and happy will it be for us if the censures of others lead us to reply, not in angry language but in improved conduct. Yet viewing the case in relation to men, and as regards other religious bodies, I am desirous, for the sake of our Congrega- * Page G3. f Page 326. 42 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. tionalist brethren themselves, to disabuse them of un- kind impressions ; and I therefore tell them explicitly and positively, that such accusations as I have cited are untrue. If Dr Davidson adhere to them, 1 call on him to substantiate them, or to adduce so much as a single fact in justification of his invidious and cen- sorious comparisons. In replying to the strictures of Drs Wardlaw and Davidson, I have spoken freely, for I am not permit- ted, in defending what I believe to be a scriptural and most important institution, to suppress or compromise my convictions. But I entertain high respect for these writers. Dr Wardlaw has perhaps done more by his example than any other controversialist of his day, to denude controversy of its venom, and to show how possible it is for a writer to do justice at once to his argument and to his opponent. Dr Davidson sometimes indulges in acrimonious language, and, like others with whom it is an honour to be associated, I have got a share of his disrespect- ful diction.* But I will not permit a little rudeness * ' It is curious,' says Dr Davidson, ' to observe how the main point is kept out of sight in King's Treatise on the Ruling Elder- ship, where the real fact of debate between Congregationalists and Presbyterians is never stated.' In the second edition, from winch Dr Davidson makes his quotations, that which he calls the real fact of debate, (whether elders who did not preach had the right to do so,) is both stated and discussed, in my strictures on Dr Smyth. Dr Davidson is incapable of doing me deliberate injustice; and therefore his misrepresentation is the result of mere oversight. Such mistakes, however, are unhappy, and they are damaging to the honour and influence of controversy. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 43 to myself to abate my grateful sense of the services which he has rendered to christian society by his writ- ings : nor will I permit it to keep back the acknow- ledgment even in regard to the particular work in question, that bitterness is its occasional fault, and not its essential or pervading character. The writer leaves no doubt on the mind of a careful reader, that he has aimed to find and develop the truth of God ; and I regard his treatise as an important contribution to its department of theology. Throughout the preceding pages I have, for the sake of brevity, adduced sparingly positive evidence where the views I advocated seemed to me to be con- ceded. I hope, in another treatise, to discuss the same subject more fully and satisfactorily. 44 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. PART II. DUTIES OF ELDERS. CHAPTER I. DUTIES COMMON TO THEM WITH OTHERS — DEPORTMENT IN SECULAR AFFAIRS, GOVERNMENT OF THEIR OWN FAMILIES. Elders have duties common to them with others, which do not immediately respect their office* but of which the performance or neglect very seriously affects their official standing. Here I will remark on their deportment in secular affairs, and on the govern- ment of their own families. Sect. 1. — Most of our elders are engaged in busi- ness ; no small proportion of them are tradesmen, and have to say, with an apostle, ' These hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.' * It is of great importance that christians, and especially christian elders, should so deport them- selves in worldly transactions, as not to convey the impression of being worldly characters. Of course * Acts xx. 34. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 45 it is not meant that they should be remiss in their temporal callings, or place themselves at the mercy of any extortioners who would practise on their simpli- city. Consideration, and diligence, and frugality, in prosecuting their secular vocations, are not only al- lowable, but positively incumbent, that they may walk honestly towards them that are without, that they may provide for their own families, and that they may have to give to him that needeth. Pecu- niary embarrassments in any circumstances, — and, above all, when resulting from culpable indiscretion, — form a decided obstruction to an elder's usefulness. A due regard, however, to such considerations, is per- fectly compatible with an estimable deportment in business communications. It is undesirable that an elder be characteristically a hard man, — that he pass in the commercial circle for what is there termed a Jew. A noted greed of gain, a keenness above com- mon, in looking to self-interest, — these are not traits which recommend his ecclesiastical position. Nor is it certain that his outward circumstances themselves will be thus benefited. Generally speaking, there is little gained by that gait and bearing which evince avarice. A man whom it is difficult to deal with, is not, therefore, in all cases or most cases, the more prosperous in his dealings. To beset, and importune, and flatter, in driving a good bargain, — to hesitate, and stickle, and argue, on the last item of contested terms, while a reluctance is manifested to cede ad- vantage equalling the eagerness to take advantage, — all this may occasionally succeed, but the success is 4G TIIE RULING ELDERSHIP. limited, and is commonly neutralised by injurious tendencies. How much better is it to shun the sem- blance of a sordid cupidity — to evince a still greater dread of wronging than of being wronged — and ever to maintain, broad and wide, the distinction between a reasonable industry and insatiable covetousness ! In such praiseworthy conduct there may be nothing of positive piety — no exhibition whatever of religious truth ; but there is a beautiful harmony with religious profession : and, to act otherwise, and exhibit an unfavourable contrast with many secular men in their own province — the only province in which numbers of them meet with christians at all — is dishonouring to our holy faith, and brings religious principle under obloquy and doubt. Let our elders, then, as busi- ness men, walk circumspectly. Let them remember in the market-place their relation to the sanctuary, and do nothing for gain derogatory to godliness. By all means, let them be diligent in business ; yet so as to be i fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.' * Sect. 2. — Most of our elders are heads of families ; and there is no requisite to efficient rule in the church, on which the apostle Paul insists more particularly than the proper government of one's own house : l A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife :' ' One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection, with all gravity ; for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall * Rom. xii. 11. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 47 he take care of the church of God V * These state- ments are strong and explicit on the subject to which they have respect, and we need not be surprised at the consequence which they assign to domestic superin- tendence. A man's family are so identified with himself, that their good or ill behaviour must reflect honour or dishonour on his own head. When mem- bers of the church know that he commands little re- spect at home, and that all is insubordination and anarchy under his own roof, they cannot be much disposed, by acquaintance with such facts, to yield him, where his claims are weaker, a willing subjec- tion in the Lord. Besides, as the passages quoted above suggest, much the same qualifications are ne- cessary to efficiency in both situations ; and a proved incapacity in the one, is therefore a valid ground of exclusion from the other. Both require a happy combination of kindness and firmness ; in both, a measure of system, and constancy in adhering to it, are quite indispensable ; and if the family suffer from the absence of such attributes in the regulation of its interests, how shall the church prosper under the identical disqualifications ? Such observations may, indeed, be over- extended. A wise father may have a foolish son ; and every elder is not to be denuded of his office whose paren- tal hopes have been miserably blasted by filial mis- conduct. Certainly not ; or Aaron must have lost the priesthood, when Nadab and Abihu offered strange * 1 Tfm. iii. 2, etc. 48 THE RULING ELDERSHTP. fire before the Lord ;'* and the rebellion of Absalom would have been its own justification, showing, by the fact of its existence, that David was not competent to be king of Israel ; and, in a word, our own church would have been deprived, by this test, of some of the best men who have ever adorned its official stations. I might easily give examples, in confirma- tion of the last statement, but I refrain from citing these honoured names in a connexion so painful. All such modifications and exceptions, however, being admitted, the apostolic rule is clear in its import, and searching in its application. When a child of many pious prayers and counsels turns out ill, the excessive odiousness of the result causes it to be observed and mentioned, and hence the cases appear numerous, from being all known. The dispensations of Provi- dence bear out, as a general truth, the statement — 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' j" On the whole, the better class of society have sprung from the better class of society ; and does not this show ' that the chil- dren of God's servants continue, and that their seed is established before him V J It must be farther remem- bered, that all good men have their failings, and that, if their besetting sin should happen to be parental remissness, the mere fact of their being good men will not make that sin less heinous in itself, or less ruinous in its consequences. Eli was a good man, but he was an erring father ; and hence the judgment * Lev. x. 1. f Prov. xxii. 6. t Ps. cii. 28. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 49 of God fell very dreadfully on him and on his off- spring. To all this it may be added, that there is much which christian parents have it in their power to secure. They can uphold the stated and regular observance of family worship. If their children are not of weak intelligence, they can lodge very much of scriptural statement even in the infant mind. And, therefore, if the devotional exercises in an elder's house be irregular and intermittent ; or if his family, when applying for admission into the church, be found, on examination, to be ignorant of revealed truth and un- familiar with its language, at a loss to express one bible doctrine, or prove it by a single text, and still halting and blundering when the commonest passages have been hinted at and half repeated, there is a demon- strated and radical evil in such household administra- tion, and an imperative call for humiliation and amendment. But who of us has not need to institute such reformation? In what circle of kindred or friends is there not too little of religious discourse, too little of devotional spirit and engagement, too little of dissuasion from sin, consolation under trial, and stimulus in duty ? In the prospect of death, men set their house in order ; but the best preparation for that solemn issue is to order it w r ell in life. Let our habitual converse with endeared relatives have a kindness, and faithfulness, and sacredness, befitting the prospect of soon parting from them, with an ulterior hope of again meeting them — to part no more for ever. Would we be found with the seed of Abra- ham, and inherit the promise of having our families 50 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. blessed in liira ? Then let us copy that faithfulness which elicited the acknowledgment : ' I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment ; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.' * Would we be favoured with Joshua in guiding a chosen people to a promised country — a spiritual Israel to a heavenly Canaan ? Let us adopt his pious resolution : ' As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' f Would we sing with David of mercy, as well as of judgment? With him let us exclaim : ' I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me ? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.' J A right discharge of public duty will always dispose us to visit our habitations, and not sin ; and, on the other hand, the transition will be appropriate and joyous from the private tabernacle of the upright to the public tabernacle of the congregation — from a dwelling of Jacob to the gates of Zion. It is time, however, to speak of the duties which devolve on elders as such, and which directly respect their official appointment. These duties are per- formed by elders individually, or in their collective and sessional capacity. It may be well to consider these two classes of duties distinctively and in succession. * Gen. xviii. 19. f Josh. xxiv. 15. J Ps. ci. 1, etc. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 51 CHAPTER II. OFFICIAL DUTIES OF ELDERS VIEWED INDIVIDUALLY — EACH HIS DISTRICT — DISTRICT ROLL-BOOK — VISITATION OF CHURCH MEMBERS — VISITATION OF THE SICK — EXPOSTULA- TION WITH OFFENDERS — ATTENTIONS TO THE YOUNG — PRAYER MEETINGS. Sect. 1. — Each elder should have a portion of the congregation, residing within a defined district, com- mitted to his special superintendence. An arrange- ment of this character is absolutely indispensable to the good of the church. If all the elders have charge of all the members, each will trust to another ; and the infallible result will be, that congregational duty will fall into confusion and neglect. Let no elder, then, want his district ; without it he is a sen- tinel at large, or, in other words, no sentinel at all. The district of each elder should be of such extent as he can effectively overtake. If it be too large, he will not do it justice ; and when he cannot do all the duty, he will find a ready excuse for not doing almost any duty, and for discharging his whole trust in a negligent and cursory manner. A precise rule is not attainable in such cases, because elders have very different measures of time at their command ; and what is moderation for one, might be excess for another ; but, generally speaking, no elder should be charged with the inspection of more than twenty, or, at the most, twenty-five families. Sect. 2. — Each elder, to whose care a section of 52 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. the congregation has been assigned, should also have a district roll-booh. Some might get on without it ; but in most cases it is necessary, and in all cases use- ful. This roll should not be a meagre list of names. The bounds of the district, with the localities it com- prehends, should be first of all stated. After the names of the members, their place of residence, their occupa- tion, the number and ages of their children should be all notified ; and hints may be subjoined of any pecu- liarities in their circumstances and history, which a minister or other friend would find advantageous in visiting and addressing them. There is no difficulty in giving this plan effect. District roll-books are now on sale, which indicate by their headings how they are to be filled up, and leave no room for per- plexity or mistake. A degree of carefulness is required in keeping them correct, as church members come and leave ; and, even while they remain in the same congregation, often shift from one district to another ; but if the lists be corrected frequently, they will be corrected easily, and a reluctance to undergo this small amount of trouble would be a sorry token of fitness for the eldership.* It may seem trivial to dilate on a matter of statistics and registration; but even morals have * I beg to call most favourable attention to Mr D. Robertson's Cburcb Stationery, including tbe Communicant's Roll-Book, tbe Elder's or Deacon's District Roll-Book, the Clergyman's Visiting- Book, etc. A more general use of these auxiliaries to ecclesiastical superintendence would do muck to originate or promote im- portant reformation in our churches. THE RULING ELDEKSHIP. 53 their mechanism essential to their working, and the instrumentality now recommended is of first con- sequence to spiritual superintendence. Its impor- tance will become more manifest, as the scheme of which it forms a part becomes more fully deve- loped. But our elders will bear with us meanwhile, when we entreat them in no case, and on no account, to want this tabular view of their districts, or fail in bringing them up to the existing date with scrupulous fidelity. If professors in our colleges keep catalogues of their students, and carefully record their attendance and appearances, with every circumstance affecting a just estimate of their respective standings — if our elders themselves, in their secular callings, not only register the names of parties with whom they deal, but preserve the most exact account of every circum- stance in every transaction — is it too much to expect that a kindred vigilance be dislayed, and similar memoranda preserved, by responsible stewards in the house of God? Sect. 3. — The preceding suggestion will be the more easily acted on, if attention be paid to another, which we now subjoin, in exhorting elders to visit their districts. The elder may accompany the mini- ster, as is very common, in his regular ministerial visitation ; but the elder should also visit his district alone. The minister has to inspect all the congrega- tion, and a considerable time is required to complete the circuit of all its families. He is often grieved, indeed, that his periodical calls, owing to the pres- D 54 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. sure of other engagements, and the magnitude of his charge, are so widely separated. But if an elder have a small district, he can, without undue effort, see all whom it comprises in a shorter time, and there- fore more frequently. It is also prejudicial to the status of elders, that they be never seen unless in attendance with the minister, as if their presence were only subsidiary and accessory, and too unimportant to be valued by itself. To all this it may be added, that an elder may say much in the minister's absence, which could not be so well said in his presence. There may be an opportunity of removing false im- pressions about his ministrations which obstruct their success, and especially of enforcing attendance on his bible classes, or other means of improvement, without any appearance of personal compliment. In every view, then, it is desirable that an elder visit his district apart. To promote the performance of this service, the ultimatum of time allowed for it should be defined, and a regulation should be adopted, that every elder see all the members in his appro- priated section at least every six months. A day, also, should be fixed for receiving from every elder a report, written or oral, of his half-yearly visitation. Is it objected that the proposal requires too much? Not, it may be answered, if the district be small ; and especially not too much, if, in ordinary circumstances, the elder simply look in upon the family, and ask how it fares with them. Persons who have other ends in view — who are prosecuting, for example, a political canvass, can ransack hundreds of abodes in a THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 55 few days or hours ; and can an elder not see twenty or thirty families, to whom he stands most sacredly related, in the course of six months? But the mere seeing of them, it may be objected, could do little good ; and, unless they are to be exhorted and prayed with, the visit may as well be dispensed with. The objection is not valid. A flying visit, where nothing more is practicable, will suffice to preserve acquain- tance with the people, and to keep all matters of registration in thorough order. But these are minor benefits, and come far short of exhausting the happy results of an elder's stated attentions, however tran- sient. The elder misconceives his position, who makes so little account of his own calls. He does not know how kindly they are taken — how they endear him to abodes familiar with his accents, and every way aug- ment his influence with the flock of which he is an overseer. Let him try the plan ; let him give it a fair and full trial. It will commend itself; it will present opportunities of doing good which he never thought of, and which could not be foreseen. Let him not defer his visits till the last month of the allotted six, and then be driven from them b}' some untoward casualty. Let him accomplish them the first month, and if he can introduce another visit into the remaining five, so much the better. But what- ever may be thought of times and modes, let the ser- vice be performed. With all the urgency compatible with respect, I do say — visit the people. I have other suggestions to give, other duties to dwell upon, but they all suppose and require a frequent communica- 56 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. tion between members of the church and their chosen superintendents. Suspend this intercourse, and all effort relaxes, all interest ceases. The electric chain is broken, and the current of celestial fire is arrested and lost. An eider should attend to all in his district, and to all impartially ; but even a perfect impartiality does not suppose a literal equality in his attentions. There are some who require more of his oversight than others. I notice three classes of these : the sick, the backsliding, and the young. Sect. 4. — An elder is expected, and bound to be specially attentive to the sick. In a time of trouble, his friendly offices are most prized, and are likely to be most useful. He may sometimes have it in his power to benefit the afflicted in temporal respects, as well as by spiritual consolation. When the sufferers are poor, he can bring their case under the attention of those who are able to relieve them ; and they are hard-hearted, indeed, who might relieve sore cala- mity, and refuse to do so on an elder's representation. Many will be glad to help the straitened, having such unequivocal testimony that they can do it with effect — that the persons pleaded for are truly necessitous, and will turn the aid administered to good account. Where a sick person is injured by the officious throng- ing of visitants into the sick chamber, and the rela- tives in attendance have not the discretion or courage to check the impropriety, an elder may sometimes interpose his counsel in a gentle, inoffensive, and yet THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 57 efficacious manner. But while these matters have their importance, and indicate a species of humane attentions very becoming in a spiritual functionary, there can be no doubt that an elder enters the house of mourning chiefly in the character of a religious adviser. Happy is the office-bearer who understands and performs this duty well ; to excel in this province is not the attainment of all rulers, or all teachers, nor is it given even to every master in Israel. There is a certain tact, a certain delicacy, in aptly handling the bruised reed, and fostering the smoking flax, that can neither be written in rules nor learned from them. Yet some hints derived from experience may not be altogether useless. The sick should be visited promptly ; for an elder will be stung to hear that such an one has died in his district, whom he might have seen, and did not, dur- ing illness : and he will poorly satisfy his own mind by saying — I had no idea the illness was of that violent character: had I supposed that any immediate danger was apprehended, I would have gone with all speed. It is unspeakably better to act in these cases with a celerity which leaves no delay to be explained or palliated. The members of the congregation ought to inform the elder when there is any affliction in their families. But, if they do not, he should not reckon such information, when he learns the fact otherwise, an indispensable pre-requisite to his visit. It is an excellent rule, never to take offence at real or supposed slights in connection with illnesses or be- reavements ; for people are not themselves at such 58 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. times, and it is cruel to measure their acts by a rigid criticism. At all events, the sending or not sending for an elder, often lies more with the relatives than with the immediate sufferer, and he should not be punished for their inadvertency. Invited, then, or not, the elder, in all ordinary circumstances, should lose no time in visiting the house of mourning. How desirable is it that he come early, if he is to come in 1 the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ ! ' It is not necessary, and, unless in unusual circum- stances, it is not proper that he stay long. The suf- fering and enfeebled frame is easily exhausted, and therefore the words spoken in such cases should be few and well chosen. Exhortations and prayers should both be brief, and we should be on our guard not to prolong them. It were well that all who visit the sick adopted the suggestion, for there is no just idea of the mischief done by sitting for half hours at a sick bed, and thus taxing unduly the attention of a patient. Besides, if an elder's visits are short, he can make them the more frequent ; and if he soon leave and soon return, he will find this distribution of his time assigned for such duty at once the most accept- able and the most edifying. It is reasonable to suppose that sick persons and their friends will be often desirous to elicit an elder's opinion of the nature of a malady, or its probable danger. He should not, however, affect medical skill if it be not possessed by him, and should be slow to shake confidence in professional advisers. In so far as he remarks on the complaint, he must beware of THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 59 inspiring false hopes. To gratify a sufferer who clings to life, he must not overstate his anticipations of recovery, and thus blunt the edge of providential warnings. It is a false friendship, it is a real cruelty, 'to soothe solicitude and full into security, by speaking of renewed health and pleasure, when thought is pointing to aggravated illness and approaching disso- lution. But, on the other hand, an elder should re- member that there is an opposite extreme. In order to be faithful, it is not necessary to give expression to every foreboding. If he have no right to promise life, he is just as little entitled to predict death. There is One who is Lord both of death and life, who often removes when removal is least expected, and often restores when restoration is despaired of; and, knowing these facts, we do well not to infringe his prerogative. Among the working-classes especially, relatives themselves often give utterance to excessive fears with unrestrained freedom. In this manner they may induce the catastrophe which they foretell ; and therefore they should be restrained rather than en- couraged in this practice, and calmly reminded that we know not, and that it is not for us to know, the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power. Unless in extreme cases, it is enough to remember and to remark, that every disease is evidence of our mortality, and premonitory of our decease — that any disease may terminate fatally, and should therefore be improved as if this were its near and inevitable issue — that whether we are to die or live, it is the same grace which qualifies for both GO THE RULING ELDERSHIP. alternatives ; and, therefore, on either supposition, we should apply instantly and earnestly for its needed succours. A large proportion of scripture has respect to afflic- tion, and an elder can do nothing better, in addressing the afflicted, than cite revelation in its own language. Though he should simply repeat a number of appro- priate passages of the divine word, he will find this rehearsal of heavenly counsels far more impressive and persuasive than the wisest of human maxims, or the most connected and eloquent of uninspired ora- tions. For all that needs to be further said upon this point, it may suffice to add, that next to a true and deep piety, a kind-hearted sympathy with sufferers is the best guide in accosting them with propriety. A heart melted by the sight of woes readily adapts itself to their special exigencies. Let us recall the loss of dear departed friends, and remember the time when we hung in anguish over their pallid cheek and quiv- ering lip — let us verify in prospect our own certain and impending decease, and bethink ourselves what sort of comforters we shall desire in these solemn moments — then shall we ' remember those that are in bonds as bound with them, and those who suffer ad- versity as being ourselves also in the body.' Placing our own souls in their souls' stead, we shall feel for them ; and this fellow-feeling will prompt appropriate sentiment, and seek for itself acceptable words, and breathe into our very tone and manner a considerate and healing tenderness. I have spoken as if piety THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 61 and sympathy were distinguishable — and in a certain measure they are so ; for we find some distinguished for commiseration, of whom a decided godliness can- not be affirmed. But, in another view, they are in- separable ; for piety comprises love to man, and that love, in a case of suffering, must assume a sympathetic character. Indeed, the hard and stony heart is never thoroughly softened, till it is subjected to the influence of the blood of sprinkling ; and then it ceases to be stone, and becomes flesh. Let us come much to Christ on our own behalf, and learn from his condescension and compassion, in composing our griefs, how it be- comes us to comfort them which are in any trouble. "We shall never speak words more seasonable in them- selves, or more blessed from on high, than when we comfort others by those consolations wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. I shall conclude these remarks on the visitation of the sick, by answering one or two objections. (1.) I have been told of elders who objected to visit the sick, on the ground that this is a species of teaching, and that they are not teaching, but ruling elders. The objection is so foolish, that I can hardly suppose it put forward in good earnest by any person who has been appointed to an important office. Yet as several friends have requested me to notice it, I give it these replies : — First : When the apostle of the Gentiles speaks, 1 Tim. v. 17, of only some elders as labouring in word and doctrine, he alludes, as all expositors agree, to public instructions, and cannot be understood as exempting any class of elders from 62 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. doing good otherwise, as they have opportunity. Se- condly : Scripture is sufficiently express in assigning this duty to all elders without distinction : ' Is any sick among you ? let him call for the elders of the church ; and let them pray over him.' * Paul, in addressing the Ephesian elders collectively, exhorts them 'to feed the church of God;'f that is, to dis- charge the functions of shepherds to the church — for so the language in the original signifies. And what w T ould be thought of a shepherd who allowed the sheep committed to his care to languish and die, and gave them no attentions? Thirdly: All christians are bound to visit the sick : ' Pure religion, and un- lefiled, before God and the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.'J Can it be supposed, then, that presbyters alone are exempted from this obligation, or that a social duty binding on all is not peculiarly incumbent on elders of the church, to whom a guardianship of others has been specially and solemnly committed % Fourthly : A minister cannot give all the attentions needed by the sick. In case his charge be of any magnitude, this one department of labour would require his whole time and more to do it justice. If, then, ruling elders are not appointed to aid ministers of the word in this important province, we are shut up to the conclusion, that no adequate provision has been made for the discharge of its duties. Fifthly, and finally : The members of a church could have no sympathy with an * James v. 14. f Acts xx. 28. % James i. 27. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 63 elder in fulfilling any of his functions, who had no sympathy with them in the day of their calamity, — who knew that they were sick, and yet visited them not — that they were in the prison of affliction, and yet came not unto them; and, therefore, if any invested with this office are so heartless as to neglect the dis- tressed on such a miserable pretext, I know not what other official obligation they can discharge with ad- vantage. (2.) Some elders scruple to visit the sick, on the ground that they are not qualified for the service. This objection wears a very different complexion from the former. But, after all, it may be better only in appearance, as it is no uncommon thing for indolence, and even pride, to fly from duty and detection in the guise of humility. Where timidity is unfeigned, I would remark, in alleviating its fears, that the simplest manner of performing this duty is the best. If you have nothing of your own to say to the sick, may you not rehearse some of God's sayings to them ? May you not repeat to them some of his promises, and kindly appeal to the sorrowing soul, whether it do not find them great and precious? If a sense of personal insufficiency be discoverable in your manner, that will promote your object, while you point attention away from man, and direct it for supplies to the fulness which is in Christ. Some elders who have little timidity in visiting the abodes of poor persons in the time of affliction, can hardly command courage enough to visit more affluent fami- lies in similar circumstances. Indeed, the richer 64 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. members of a church are specially apt to be neglected in all the visitations of elders. A plain and unpre- tending operative feels as if it would be presumptuous in him to intrude on the privacy of his superiors, and accost them in the language of exhortation ; and though he may be clothed with office, and they are not, he cannot so far sink the mechanic or tradesman in the office-bearer, as to derive from this circum- stance sufficient fortitude for the undertaking. But these impressions are very unfounded. The rich, it should be remembered, need spiritual counsel as well as the indigent, and instead of proudly repelling a religious monitor, they will often be found peculiarly grateful for an elder's attentions. At all events, an elder should do his duty, and not take impediments for granted until he encounter them. (3.) Some elders object to visit the sick, because the performance of this duty by them appears to serve no purpose ; an elder's visit is not accepted for a minister's visit, and therefore the minister is not aided by co-operation, which leaves the calls on his personal attentions neither silenced nor diminished. I reply, that the light in which an elder's visits may be viewed is no measure of their usefulness. They are eminently fitted in themselves to do good; and if this end be gained, it matters little whether the elder be considered an independent counsellor, or the minis- ter's assistant. That an elder's visits are sometimes undervalued is an abuse, and has arisen from the unscriptural neglect of the office. Let these office- bearers be efficient, and the very frequency of their THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 65 visits will create a dependence on them, and appre- ciation of them, and earnest longing to have them repeated. Were it found, indeed, that a minister discontinued his own attentions because he found substitutes in the members of session, a reasonable dissatisfaction might be awakened. But the atten- tions of elders have quite a different tendency. They make him acquainted with cases of distress, of which he might not have otherwise known ; and while his mind is relieved from the pressure of impracticable toil, he is stimulated to do all he can for the sick, in the certain knowledge that others are traversing the same path, who are necessarily observant of the degree of his faithfulness. Sect. 5. — The backsliding members of a church form another class particularly requiring an elder's attentions. It is his duty to speak with them on the sinfulness of their conduct, and strive by God's blessing to bring them to repentance. This obliga- tion is not indeed peculiar to office-bearers. We find it commanded in the most absolute and compre- hensive form : ' Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.' * Of like extent is the promise — ' Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him ; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.'f Expostulation, in one form or another, is competent to all. Servants * Lev. six. 17. f James v. 19, 20. 66 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. may fitly rebuke fellow-servants, and the youngest children their companions in childhood. Circum- stances may occur, in which inferiors do well to ad- monish superiors, and the child the parent. The ser- vant of Naaman wisely said to him — ' If the pro- phet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it ? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean f ' * And though our Lord himself was in early life a signal example of filial obedience, residing at Nazareth with Joseph and his mother, and being * subject unto them,'f we find him on one occasion exchanging that subjection for censure, and saying, * How is it that ye sought me ? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?' J The duty, then, is general, to 'have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to reprove them.'§ At the same time, the duty of reproving is not devolved equally on all. Parents are bound, in a very special manner, to in- terdict and condemn all misconduct in their offspring. Nor is it a passing expression of disapproval that will discharge this responsibility. Eli, hearing all that his sons did unto Israel, said unto them, 'Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil doings by all this people. Nay, my sons ; for it is no good report that I hear : ye make the Lord's people to transgress. If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him : but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him?'|| This seems to be serious expos- * 2 Kings v. 13. f Liike ii. 51. J Luke ii. 49. § Ephes. v. 1 1 . || 1 Sam. ii. 23, etc. THE RULING ELDEKSHIP. 67 tulation, and yet, because it was tardy, occasional, and irresolute, we find Jehovah afterwards saying of Eli — * I will perform against him all things which I have spoken concerning his house ; when I begin, I wili also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knoweth ; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.'* Is there not many a house — the house of many a real saint— desolate as that of Eli, from the same cause — the relaxation of parental discipline? The ministers of religion are also under peculiar obligations to tell offenders their faults : ' Preach the word,' says Paul to Timothy ; ' be instant in season, and out of season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine.'f Of like speciality is the obligation resting on the elders of the church, to see to the well-doing of its members. They are rulers, and what sort of rule would it be that took no cognizance of transgression ? It is of incalculable moment to sustain the standard of christian morality in our churches; and while all should endeavour, after their own manner and in their own measure, to contribute to this result, yet so much depends on the eldership, that if their part be neglected, the purity of the society is infallibly and fearfully compromised. Any sin, when it becomes known, is a proper sub- ject of remonstrance by an elder. There are some sins, however, which, from their prevalence or danger, will call for his more frequent and earnest dissuasions. * 1 Sam. iii. 12, etc. + 2 Tim. iv. 2. 68 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. Absence from church is among these. It is one of the surest signs of degeneracy when persons desert the public ordinances of religion, not remembering the Sabbath, and not reverencing the sanctuary. Such contempt of divine institutions is very sinful in itself, is always allied with other elements of backsliding, and removes the transgressor from the appointed means of correction and improvement. Some, who do not forsake the church wholly, rest quite contented in a half-day attendance, or every-other-day attend- ance, when they might be present with perfect regu- larity. Such conduct, if it be not checked, is apt to become general, and always to proceed from bad to w r orse, till church-attendance, in this country, as in continental countries, would almost fall into desuetude. Elders, then, should watch over such cases, and not shrink from telling Sabbath-breakers their guilt and danger. — Another sin, of dreadfully menacing aspect in the present day, is intoxication. While other vices slay their thousands, this slays its tens of thousands. It is this sin which empties our homes and churches, and fills our bridewells and cemeteries. Inebriating liquors have been termed strong drink ; and strong indeed they are, when reason falls before them, and the claims of friendship, and the love of a good name, and the comforts of time, and the interests of eternity, are of no avail to withstand their ravages; when multitudes of our youth, far outnumbering the armies which in modern wars defended our country and discomfited its foes, and won its glory, are taken captive almost without a THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 69 struggle, and bound in the chains of a perpetual slavery by this detestable indulgence. The enormity of the evil has given rise to various plans for arresting its progress. To decide on the intrinsic or compara- tive merits of these philanthropic schemes is foreign to my present object. This much, however, is ob- vious, that he who does nothing to promote sobriety must be wrong. None can be innocently idle in the view and amid the desolations of such a deadly plague as intemperance. All may do much individually to bring this immorality into abhorrence, and the ad- monitory vigilance of elders may be of incalculable value in warding it off from the precincts of the sanctuary. Such are some of the offences which warrant and demand the faithful dealing of an elder with the offender. Much depends, however, on the mode, as well as the matter, of expostulation. One rule, which our Lord has laid down as to the maimer of proceed- ing in such cases, is never to be forgotten or violated. He has expressly enjoined that, where the offence is personal, and not known to the public, a private settle- ment of it should be attempted ; and if due acknow- ledgment or reparation be made by the party in the wrong to the party injured, no farther steps should be taken.* Besides observing this rule himself, an elder may have frequent occasion to inculcate the observ- ance of it on others. The rule, however, applies only to private offences ; and when any sin, even though * Matt, xviii. 15. E 70 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. it may have been ever so secret in the first instance, becomes noised abroad, and so brings a scandal on the christian cause and church, then a personal settle- ment of it is no longer admissible. The vindication of the church must be as wide as its reproach. Even then, however, although an elder is not bound to communicate with the person in fault before submit- ting the case to the session, it can generally do no harm, and may often do much good, to speak with the individual apart, and inform him of the measures which the nature and publicity of his transgression render indispensable. Courtesies of this kind evince kind intention, and remove the pretexts which shelter impenitence. When a desire is thus manifested to save feeling in the application of discipline, it always commands respect, if not acquiescence, and seldom disturbs good understanding. Indeed, this is to state the case very feebly. Let an elder wear, in his own blameless character, an impenetrable panoply; let him not only be a just man, but a man of bene- volent worth ; let him enter on the task of censure with manifest pain to himself, and obviously from a sense of duty and a wish to impart benefit, and he wields in these attributes an impressive, an appalling power. The audacity which laughs to scorn the mace and the sceptre of earthly greatness, may quail before his scriptural and spiritual authority. I do not say that it will, in every case, subdue trans- gressors into contrition — that end it can never reach without God's blessing ; but this I say, that the man who despises such admonition, has few restraints left THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 71 between him and destruction. I have known those who have resisted and reviled a faithful and affec- tionate office-bearer in the self-denying fulfilment of his functions; but I have known none of them whose scorn of God's servant has not recoiled upon them- selves. We should pray in hope for all ; but I should despair of such scorners, if I were to despair of any. Seeing, then, that official censures are weapons so penetrating, an elder will do well to handle them with discretion, and to beware in the handling of them of allowing ought that is earthly to impair their celestial purity and strength. Many counsels might be given, but this only I shall remark — that remonstrance, to be effective, must be expeditious. A stone, in down- ward motion, is best arrested at the beginning of its course. When it has tumbled from steep to steep, and has acquired at every stage of its descent aug- mented violence, a resistance, which would have stopped it entirely at the commencement of its fall, may fail at the last to qualify its speed. So is it with downward conduct. A word may reclaim after the first act, where volumes of entreaty impose no restraint on the confirmed habit. An elder, then, should not procrastinate in checking misconduct. One of the best elders I ever knew was very earnest in acting upon this principle, and he related to me an incident which had mainly impressed its importance on his mind. A highly respectable member of the congregation in which he was an office-bearer became suspected of exceeding in the use of spirits. At first the suspicion was treated as a calumny, and the 72 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. friends of the accused spoke of it with indignation. Nothing, therefore, was done in the matter — not so much as to institute any inquiry to ascertain the truth or untruth of the rumours. The suspected individual maintained, on the whole, his prior standing, and no one could be bold enough to confront him on the delicate subject. Suspicion went to rest, but from time to time revived, and always in alliance with new corroboratory indications. Still the respectable man could not be charged, however gently, with the sup- position of inebriety. At length his excesses became more decided and apparent: he was seen drunk one day in the streets: the town rung with the sad news, and no more delicacy remained in subjecting him to discipline. The session took up the case, and the elder I have adverted to was appointed, along with another, to wait on Mr , to converse with him on the fama affecting his reputation, and summon him to their next meeting. He received them with a mournful expression on his countenance. When they had informed him of the occasion and design of their call, he replied to this effect — ' Your visit is kind, but late. Had you come sooner, while I had a struggle with myself, you might have aided my better resolu- tions. But now all is over. My character is lost ; my self-command is gone, and I am a ruined man — for ever and ever.' Shortly after he expired in a fit of drinking. When the elder told me these circumstances, he was much affected by the recollection of them, and said he would brave any accusation of censoriousness rather than encounter another such interview TEE RULING ELDERSHIP. 73 Sect. 6. — It is one of the greatest improvements of modern times, that so much care is bestowed on early tuition. But though this field of labour receives more attention than formerly, it is not yet adequately cultivated. The offspring of professing christians are received into the visible church by baptism, and the church is solemnly bound to use diligence that all the young thus admitted into its fellowship be suitably in- structed. If no means be employed to secure this end, their admission is a mere ceremony — rather, a positive mockery ; and the opponents of infant baptism find too much pretext in the conduct of its friends for holding it in derision. All the members of the church should derive benefit from their relation to it cor- responding with their state and wants; and if the church neglect the young who are its acknowledged charge, assuredly the rulers of the church shall not be found guiltless. There should be classes of children. These are commonly taught on the Sabbath evening, because the season corresponds with the exercises, and is otherwise the most convenient for pupils and teachers. Some have a prejudice against Sabbath schools. It is evident, however, that to children who would be otherwise neglected, they are invaluable, and that they ought to be maintained, were it for their sakes alone. To the offspring of religious parents they are less necessary ; and did the question lie between school and domestic instruction, a decided preference would be due to parental superintendence. But I apprehend that these means of improvement are best conjoined, 74 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. and that when they are both well conducted, they will be found mutually serviceable. The parent will find it an advantage, in directing youthful attention to prescribed lessons, that a more public rehearsal of them is in prospect ; and the Sabbath school teacher, when he experiences unusual ease and comfort in dis- charging his duties, can generally trace these facilities to well-conditioned homes. As to the manner of conducting these junior classes, a considerable portion of the exercises must necessarily consist in the recital of passages committed to memory. It is of importance that the tasks be select, that they be of practicable amount, and that the performance of them be firmly, though not sternly exacted. Each scholar need not repeat the whole lesson. This pro- cess becomes tedious and monotonous, and tempts those who have concluded to use the freedoms of a pastime. It is better to call now on one, and now on another, to give the succeeding verse, taking care that none be ultimately omitted ; and all are thus held in vigilant expectation. Even the very young should be taught, as they are able to bear it, the meaning of scriptural statements. Where this is done by questioning, great care should be taken not to make the questions lengthened and prosing. Let it never be forgotten that the learners are comparative babes, and that instruction, to be suit- able for them, must partake of their own quickness and vivacity. There is reason to fear that infant training often errs on the side of a dull solemnity. Those who are so commendably occupied, will there- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 75 fore bear with the reiterated exhortation to study cheerfulness, and even sprightliness, in their mode of teaching. The catechising of children, to be at all agreeable to them, and consequently effective with them, must be prompt, and brief, and varied, as their own mercurial and versatile temperament — shifting and sparkling, if I may so express myself, like the playful sunbeams on a rippling stream. Yet the questions should not be frivolous ; nor should they lie so much on the surface as to engage no thought, im- part no information, and merely elicit another verbal repetition of sentences, or members of sentences, al- ready uttered. Children must feel that their faculties are exercised, and their knowledge enlarged, or they soon weary of insipid truisms. From all these obser- vations, the inference is easily deducible, that the first to be drilled by the teacher is the teacher himself, and that unless he has premeditated his interroga- tories, he is not likely to make them either fascinating or useful. As children may pretend to be at school when they are not so, and an institution excellent in itself may thus be perverted to the worst possible evils, parents should be admonished to watch over their attendance ; and teachers will promote immeasurably the value and efficiency of their labours, by keeping lists of their scholars, marking the absentees, and afterwards calling to learn the cause of their absence. These observations have respect to children ; but instruction should be afforded to the more advanced of the rising generation, and there should be classes of 76 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. young men and women. The period of life succeeding childhood is in every view most important. It is the golden age for learning. The season of first feebleness has passed away ; the season of second and sadder infancy has not yet come ; and the mind, all buoyant, inquisitive, impressible, and sprightly, has every ad- vantage in profiting by education. With superior facilities for improvement, there is then also a peculiar liability to intellectual and moral perversion. While the understanding gains strength, so does emotion — so do the passions ; and if youthful lusts, which war against the soul, are permitted to conquer self-restraint, and subdue into crime, alas for juvenile promise, and the fond hopes it had inspired ! At such an epoch there is more need than ever for wise direction ; but it becomes diminished when it most of all requires to be augmented. Day schools are then left, parents are often parted from, other protective influences be- come, in like manner, inoperative; and is not this the necessitous hour for the church interposing — for the members of the church, and, above all, the rulers of the church, supplying a lack of other guardianship by compensating ministrations ? As these classes consist, professedly, of young men and young women, it is desirable to fix a minimum age, that their distinctive character may be preserved. The more advanced dislike to be associated with mere children ; and, when attainments do not correspond with age, the older are especially apt to be shamed by the superior answers of the younger, into silence and desertion. The minimum age should, for these rea- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 77 sons, be somewhat high — fourteen years, or there- about. But, while none are admitted under this age, unless in special cases, it is of great consequence to obtain the attendance of numbers much older; for the term of education cannot be too far extended, or the false shame of being made wiser too much discouraged. The stated meetings benefit more from being regular than frequent. Many young people, in service of one or another species, can scarcely obtain leave of absence so often as one night a week ; and, if they cannot attend always, the temptation is strong not to attend at all. It may be best, in such circumstances, that the young men and women be assembled on alternate weeks. But, whatever may be the interval selected, the time fixed must not be on slight grounds departed from ; for, if the class be this week forgotten, and next week set aside, its ruin is inevitable. The exercises in the senior, as in the junior classes, must consist partly of scriptural recitations. This is the more necessary, that a careful committal of pas- sages to memory is falsely supposed by many to be an occupation only for children ; while the advantage of it is to all incalculable. If recollections of scripture be vague and erring, how can they, in a time of need, — perhaps of temptation, perhaps of death, or to mention duty always incumbent, how can they, in the plead- ings of prayer, — be adduced with certainty, readiness, and power? A few verses, then, should be assigned to be repeated raemoriter ; but they should be few ; for the toil-worn of our youth cannot burden their memories with onerous tasks, and by the attempt to 78 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. impose them, such classes, as facts testify, would be infallibly wrecked. The exercises in these classes, to correspond with the status of their members, must be, to a large extent, of an explanatory nature. It is not meant that the classes should be lectured at great length on the nature of doctrines or duties, for protracted ad- dresses are unsuitable to such meetings, and have not unfrequently the effect of annihilating them. The system of question and answer, already remarked upon in relation to junior classes, is here also the best medium of communicating knowledge ; of course, mo- dified somewhat in accommodation to the altered cir- cumstances. Two or three questions of the Shorter Catechism, with associated proofs ; and two or three verses of some gospel or epistle, may, after being re- peated from memory, form the appropriate subject of query and response. The more varied the illustra- tions are which the teacher elicits or suggests, they will be found the more pleasing and inspiriting. The facts, the principles, the precepts of scripture should all be in requisition ; and, indeed, assistance may be derived, with happy effect, from stores of useful know- ledge not expressly religious — from the observations of travellers, the annals of history, and the discoveries of science. All this requires very little erudition. Enough may be gathered, with little trouble, from popular treatises, and a floating literature, easily and universally accessible. Still, a measure of study is necessary ; and, if any one think to superintend such classes efficiently without investigation and fore- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 79 thought he mistakes his undertaking. He must re- gulate his reading with a view to their benefit, and, so often as other engagements will permit him, should prepare particularly for each particular meeting with them. The ever-recurring secret of success is thus seen to be labour. If any desire the office of a bishop, he desires a good work ; and ruling elders are bishops in the nomenclature of scripture. Miraculous gifts have been withdrawn ; and, though that un defin- able quality genius were as prevalent as it is rare, it would not supply the place of diligence. Indeed, inspiration itself did not release its subjects from exertion, but rather stimulated them to surpassing effort ; for the apostle of the Gentiles, as he excelled others in preternatural endowments, also 'laboured more abundantly than they all.'* Classes of the kind now under consideration are commonly superintended by the minister. Where this is the case, they are best held on a week-day evening ; for the minister is then in better mood for conducting them vigorously, than after being fatigued by his pulpit services; and whoever may be the teacher, it is well to have the week's worldliness re- lieved by intermediate devotions, and the maxim practically inculcated, that religion is not the business of the Sabbath exclusively, but generally of life. Let not impossibility be hastily pleaded. There are flour- ishing week-day classes of this nature both in country districts and in towns, and if others in similar localities be declining or extinct, the cause may be circumstan- * 1 Cor. xv. 10. 80 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. tial and not essential. Let the mode be doubted of, and once and again altered in order to be amended, before suspecting or changing the day, at the expense of resigning six days to unbroken secularity, and crowding all such labours into the day of rest. In some cases, the minister, from age and infirmity, or other causes, cannot hold these classes, and then the charge of them devolves on the elders. They may be often conducted advantageously by both ; but abandoned by both they should never be. In the history of my own congregation, these classes, as formerly conducted by elders, have proved a signal blessing. One who experienced their benefit, thus speaks of them in our last year's congregational re- port: — 'Several of the elders had classes in their respective proportions — a practice, the advantages of which cannot easily be estimated. During the last four years of Dr Dick's life, a class was conducted in the session-house by Messrs James Sommerville and David Anderson. Of those who attended this class during the last two years of its existence, several females have become instructors of the ignorant, and all the male scholars, without exception, have been employed as Sabbath school teachers.' Let all our congregations, then, have their senior as well as junior classes. In regulating youth, we are regulating manhood and womanhood ; for, in all ordinary cases, the one period of life fixes the character of the other. A special difficulty is sometimes com- plained of, in securing the attendance of young men. But the end is too important to be hastily relinquished. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 81 Much should be done to gain their presence and sustain their interest. We thus influence their views and habits at the only time when modelling agency- can be applied with any degree of facility, or any likelihood of success. Soon, very soon, the affairs of the world will be entrusted to them ; soon, very soon, the interests of Christ's church itself will pass subor- dinately into their hands ; and to initiate and ground them in a well-informed, and sober-minded, and vitally- energetic piety, is doing the noblest service that can be done to secure and expedite the glory of the latter days. There is another species of attentions to the young, which it is of great consequence they should receive. It is well known that every year brings a large influx of youth into our commercial cities. Some of these young persons conduct themselves with propriety, and become the ornament and strength of churches to which they attach themselves. But the dangers to which the inexperienced are exposed in our large towns are very great ; and it is melancholy to think how many of them are seduced into ' the paths of the destroyer.' * We have our bills of mortality, and they are gloomy records ; but still more affecting would be the recorded wrecks of juvenile promise and parental anticipation. In so far as these youthful entrants into cities can be induced to attend classes for religious instruction, a great object is accomplished. But not a few of them are debarred, by circumstances, from making * Ps. xvii. 4. 82 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. use of such means of improvement. Are they to be neglected, then, or merely receive a stated visit with other members and adherents of the congregation'? Their case requires more consideration and sympathy. Very possibly their new pastor has received a letter of introduction with them — a letter from their parents breathing all the solicitude of parental affection ; or, from their former pastor, testifying that hitherto they have deported themselves commendably, and soliciting a watchful eye on their future behaviour. A minister has little of the spirit of his office who does not feel interested in the charge so committed to him : but he cannot do all that he would ; and, when he has done his utmost in these instances, he is painfully impressed with the insufficiency of his services. The elders can come to his help. Each member of session can give attention to some of these youths; and, by showing them a little domestic kindness, may augment the effect of official counsels. Elders may also introduce them to church members of respectable standing and beneficent disposition; and thus the pensive and unprotected stranger may speedily find himself at home, and fenced about by all the influences of christian friendship from the perilous snares on which he was stumbling. Sect. 7. — There are some engagements which have not regard exclusively to any class of persons, but which, as being conducted by elders individually, naturally fall under this division of my subject. Of these I shall notice only — district prayer meetings. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 83 Many passages of scripture point to the duty and advantage of such assemblings for supplication : 'Again I say unto you,' declares our Lord emphati- cally, ' that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.'* We find some of the most remarkable manifestations of God's presence and goodness recorded in scripture as being made to companies of disciples who were thus occupied: 'And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.' j* Is it asked in what they all accorded ? The explanation is furnished in the preceding context: 'These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.'^: Peter and John, on their release from imprisonment, ' went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord. . . And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together ; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul.'§ When ' Herod stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the church,' Peter, by his orders was kept in prison ; but ' prayer was made without * Matt, xviii. 19. f Acts ii. 1,2. J Acts i. 14. § Acts iv. 23. 84 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. ceasing of the church unto God for him.' When Herod would have brought him forth for execution, the same night he was delivered by angelic ministra- tion : ' And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark : where many were gathered together praying.'* These were extraordi- nary cases : and yet like facts have occurred in recent times. I shall adduce an example, as told, to the best of my recollection, by Mr Reed, one of the missionaries connected with the London Missionary Society in Africa: — He was labouring in Caffraria while the colony belonged to Holland. The Dutch government became jealous of the British mission- aries, and sent for them to come to Cape Town, without giving them any intimation of the design of the summons. On reaching the seat of rule, they were told that their labours must be discontinued, and that they must not revisit their flocks, even to bid them farewell. The missionaries held a conference — so they intended it to be ; but when they were met, one of them said, ' What can we confer about ? to de- liberate is useless, where we have no power to decide : let us rather pray.' The suggestion was adopted, and the missionaries successively addressed a throne of grace, continuing ' instant in prayer/ They were yet devoting themselves to this exercise when a rumour reached them that a squadron was visible at sea. It was a British fleet, having for its destination the capture of the colony, and it was speedily in con- * Acts xii. 1 2. THE RULING ULDUiSiliP. 85 flict with the Dutch navy. The flames and smoke of battle could be seen from the land, and the cannon's thunders were distinctly audible. In a few minutes the light was over, and the colony belonged to Great Britain. On a representation to the new authorities, the missionaries were empowered to return to their mission stations. When Mr Reed went back to the people of his charge, they received him with rival surprise and joy. Having learned that they were to be deprived of their instructor, they had assembled to consider what should be done ; and the question was raised among the taught, as it had been among the teachers, What can we do but pray ? They en- gaged and persevered in prayer; and Mr Reed's restoration to them, in God's own way and God's own time, was the subject of supplication when he presented himself in their assembly ! In many of the darkest periods of the church's history, when the pulpit has emitted only such instruc- tion as causeth to err, devotion has been very prin- cipally cherished and preserved in prayer meetings ; and it is certain that when a season of revival and reformation comes, these excellent institutions are the invariable cause or effect of such ' newness of life.' — An able writer says: — 'Where the spirit of prayer is dull, the " first love has been left." It must be so, both with the individual and with the church. There is then declension. And the return of the spirit of prayer is revival. The criterion is sure. It is an unfailing spiritual thermometer. Where prayer is cold, the heart is cold ; and as the heart warms, v 86 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. prayer warms Where there is life in the personal, there will be corresponding life in the do- mestic exercises. And in proportion as there is life in both, there will be life too in the prayers of the fellowship meeting and of the church. A praying spirit in the closet and in the family will take delight in the private coteries of christian conference and devo- tion ; and it will come in its full force to the sanctu- ary. — Are prayer meetings, then, on the increase among you ? Why should there be a neighbourhood in which brethren reside, without one ? I know not a more pleasing symptom of a reviving and thriving church, than the multiplication of these, and their spirited attendance.'* To augment the interest of such meetings, some associate with prayer the reading of missionary intel- ligence, others the exposition of a part of scripture, and others the discussion of some important article of faith. Any of these adjuncts may be so regulated as to do great good, and where it is so, I would be sorry to disturb the arrangement. But they may be per- verted into an occasion of personal display and party strife, and very great evil may result from such abuses. So far as my knowledge extends, prayer meetings are generally most successful when their nature is most in accordance with their name — when the exercises are throughout spiritual and devotional — when the assembled worshippers find ample materials of occu- pation and delight in reading God's word, celebrating his praise, and supplicating his throne. While reli- * « Revival of Religion,' by R. Wardlaw, D.D., pp. 38, 39. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 87 gious associations are so conducted, they are among the best indices of congregational prosperity, and surest fountains of future and overflowing good. It is desirable, however, that none of the services be unseasonably prolonged; for those who wish to attend may have little time at their command, and in any circumstances piety is not likely to be advanced where strength and patience are exhausted. These remarks have respect only to the mode of conducting prayer meetings, and do not invalidate the importance of holding them. They are of high and holy conse- quence. Scripture, and history, and present facts, unite in attesting their value. Let every elder form them who can ; and if the attendance be small, and he labour in vain to enlarge it, let him not be dis- couraged, while the numbers fulfil the stipulation of the promise : c "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.' * CHAPTER III. DUTIES OF ELDERS VIEWED COLLECTIVELY — FREQUENCY OF MEETING — MINUTES — CONGREGATIONAL LIST — APPOR- TIONING OF THE CONGREGATION — ADMISSION OF MEM- BERS — DISCIPLINE MEASURES AFFECTING PUBLIC WORSHIP, ETC. — GENERAL ENCOURAGEMENT TO BENEFI- CENT INSTITUTIONS— CONCLUSION. I have now to consider the duties of elders viewed collectively, or in session assembled. Some remarks * Matt, xviii. 20. 88 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. on this department of the subject have been offered in treating of the former ; and it may be necessary sometimes to revert to the former in treating of this, as it is scarcely possible to keep them wholly distinct. Still, advantage results from considering them, on the whole, separately. Sect. 1. — A session should meet with due frequency. If elders be called together only at distant intervals, and perhaps even then at no stated time, but casually and irregularly, the superintendence of the congrega- tion must be in a ruinous state. The reason cannot be, that there is no duty for the session to perform : the only explanation is, that the performance of it is neglected. In ordinary circumstances, a session should not meet seldomer than once a month for its regular business ; and it is greatly to be wished that another monthly meeting should be held, punctually, for de- votional exercises. It would be to no purpose that the session was convoked, if its members did not attend ; and the regular attendance of all the members is quite indispensable to the spirited and successful discharge of sessional business. No elder can say, beforehand, how much is to depend in the guidance of any cause on the information which he may have to furnish, or how much the interests of his own par- ticular district may be involved in the discussions which shall arise ; and, therefore, an elder, by unne- cessarily absenting himself, not only deserts his own duty, but perils the usefulness of his brethren, who are more faithful than himself. In all respects the THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 89 punctual attendance of elders on the meetings of ses- sion is so important, and a contrary practice so per- nicious and disheartening, that if an elder cannot or will not appear in his place, to promote with other office-bearers the interests of the church, he incurs a dreadful responsibility in retaining functions which he is failing to fulfil. It is not denied that an elder may be necessarily absent at times from the meetings of session, but let him beware of creating the necessity, and of allowing occasional instances of non-attendance to degenerate into a culpable and destructive habit. Sect. 2. — The acts of session ought to be regularly minuted. It is of much consequence that the minutes be carefully kept — that they be expressed with toler- able accuracy, and written in a fair legible hand. If possible, they should be completed, read, and approved of, at the meeting of which they record the transac- tions, as this removes all danger of interpolation, and all suspicion of misstatement. Should the suggestion be found impracticable, pretty full notes, at least, should be taken at the time, and the first business, after the session is constituted, should always be to hear and pass the minutes of the meeting preceding. Sect. 3. — Mention has been already made of dis- trict roll-books. Out of these a congregational roll should be formed by the session, and every care should be exercised to keep it in an accurate condi- tion. Admissions and disjunctions of members should be entered into the record immediately on their 90 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. occurrence, that omissions may not happen through procrastination and forgetfulness. A roll of the con- gregation should be kept by the minister, as well as by the session, and both can be derived and corrected from the same data. As each elder is not only responsible for his own district, but has a general accountability for the state of the congregation, it belongs to all of them to make sure that every one of their number is active and faithful in his particular province. If any portion of the flock be really slighted, while nominally inspected, the evil should be ascertained, and a remedy applied. The elder who is remiss may plead want of time, or bad health, or the magnitude of his district ; and in such a case some new arrangement can be made to relieve him. But on no account should a section of the congrega- tion be left to inquire month by month, and one-half year after another, who its elder is, without seeing any of his own doings to indicate the answer. It is a first duty of the session, then, to provide that the congregation be well apportioned among its members, and that the arrangements for each district be in good working order. Sect. 4. — It belongs to the session to admit appli- cants into the fellowship of the church. In the discharge of this duty, they do well to cherish a deep sense of its importance. What is all other congregational prosperity worth, if our congregations be not com- posed of genuine believers — if the principle of selection be not at least acknowledged, and with some THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 91 fidelity acted on, in our ecclesiastical administration ? We may have numerous, intelligent, affluent, and in- fluential audiences ; but if no discrimination have been made between the chaff and the wheat — the living and the dead — these audiences, however respectable, are not entitled to be considered christian churches at all. It is only when reasonable evidence of saint- ship is insisted on, that a stimulus is given to acquire the indispensable qualifications, — it is then only that persons of the same views and spirit, being separated from others, and brought into fellowship, favourably affect each other by reciprocal sympathy, — it is only then the society becomes a spiritual Israel, and can expect to have fulfilled in its behalf the glorious things which are spoken of Zion. It is no valid objection, that we deal harshly with people in denying them church privileges. The cruelty consists in fostering their delusion, and seconding their self-destruction ; and the truest of all friendship is tendered them in restraining their presumption, exhibiting to them their danger, and pointing out to them the only path by which saving privilege can be reached, and its exter- nal manifestations consistently observed. Equally futile is the objection that we are imperfect judges of character, and should not usurp functions which we are incompetent to wield. Our comparative ignorance and liability to err furnish adequate grounds for cau- tion, and gentleness, and charitable interpretation, but not for levelling the land-marks which the hand of God has erected, and which his word clearly defines. Is no distinction to be ma r >3 ? If infidels or profli- 92 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. gates choose to make a sport of the Lord's Supper, and call for the cup of blessing, as Belshazzar did for the sacred vessels of the temple, are we to accede to their demand ? Or, suppose only that persons are, to our certain knowledge, absolutely ignorant of the first principles of Christianity, are we to encourage them in transforming a significant service into a meaningless ceremony, when it is morally impossible they can profit by the engagement? It will be said, these are extreme cases. But, however extreme, they establish a principle — the principle of discrimina- tion ; and when once that principle has been ad- mitted, where shall we stay its application ? — where, with any approach to consistency, or semblance of respect for scripture, or any practical effect, if not in requiring such elements of character and behaviour as constitute a credible profession of faith in Christ? What then is to be done for the protection of the church's purity in the admission of members ? Care must be taken to ascertain that the persons applying have a competent knowledge of divine truth — that they are acquainted with those cardinal principles which are essential to the christian scheme, and of which the faith is therefore indispensable to salvation ; above all, they must have clear apprehension of the facts, that by nature and practice we are condemned and depraved, and to be delivered from this com- plicated ruin, must be justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God. What renders justification necessary? — What is the nature of the privilege so expressed ? — In what sense THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 93 are we j ustified through Christ ! — In what sense are we justified by faith ? — Where, or in what words, is justifi- cation spoken of in scripture? — What is to be under- stood by being sanctified ? — Who is it that sanctifies ? — Wherein does sanctification differ from justification? — What proofs can be adduced from scripture in behalf of these views ? If such questions, kindly put, and in a variety of lights, and with auxiliary suggestions, cannot be answered, the gospel is not understood. How, then, can it be believed? And if such persons were admitted into the church, to what would their admission amount, or w T hat communion could there be between enlightened godliness and practical heathenism? To ascertain the knowledge of appli- cants for church privileges is, in the opinion of many, the prerogative of the minister; but there is no reason why it should devolve on him exclusively. There are many reasons why the duty and responsi- bility should be shared by other members of session. Where a teaching and a ruling elder differ in their estimate of a person's .knowledge, there is ground to pause, and to institute farther examination; where the examiners agree, such agreement confirms the judgment of each, and establishes the confidence of the whole session in the representations given to them. Where persons are kept back on account of defi- cient knowledge, it is a pity that the delay should wear the aspect of harsh rejection, or be in any way so conducted as unnecessarily to wound feeling and discourage renewed application. Satisfaction should be expressed that they are giving their minds to the 94 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. subject — that they have profited so far by the conver- sations held with them — and that good hope may be entertained of their growing proficiency. If it were a common practice to guide the less informed appli- cants through a course of catechetical exercises before receiving them into communion, and if persons so deferred were made aware that theirs was no isolated case, but simply an exemplification of common usage, all appearance of special and personal affront would be done away; and the excellent effects of the system would more and more facilitate its operation. This is, in fact, the plan pursued in many, if not all our congregations ; and where it is most fully tested, causes the least irritation, and is found to be produc- tive of most edification and thankfulness. A minister or elder, in conversing with applicants, should have it in view not only to ascertain their acquaintance with doctrinal and denominational prin- ciples, but also to discover what spirit they are of, and whether they speak of religion as those who feel its value and have experienced its power. There is much need for caution in this province, lest we usurp the office of the Searcher of Hearts ; but still, know- ledge may be uttered with a marked heedlessness and irreverence not easily reconcileable with godly fear ; Tjvhile just views may be associated with a humility and seriousness in stating them, strongly corroborative of simplicity and godly sincerity. Supposing each applicant thus conversed with, repeatedly and apart, what other steps should be taken to test honesty of profession ? Attestations should be THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 9o asked from parties the best qualified to give them. It is good to obtain as many of these as possible, though some of them may be of less value than the rest; because facts of consequence are occasionally developed where the disclosure of them was least ex- pected. Some churches make light of testimonials from certain other churches, and scorn to ask or take them as any evidence of saintship ; but the conse- quence is, that abandoned and impenitent offenders are sometimes admitted by them, whom other societies had rejected. Though written testimonials are useful, still greater benefit often results from asking references to christian friends, and communicating with such parties orally. People will say what they will not write, and speech has much significance w T hich writing wants. It should be asked whether the person, if he be the head of a family, be known to observe family worship ; whether he ever formed or attended prayer meetings ; whether he be regarded and spoken of as a truly religious person, etc. etc. Such inquiries must of course be exceedingly varied, according to the circumstances. Were such faithfulness of scru- tiny habitually and impartially instituted, improper applications for admission into the church would be reduced in number, while those of a satisfactory character would be increased, and the session would find its duties become both easier and pleasanter. A healthful tone of piety in a church has the same tendency to scare the impious. When it becomes understood that all the members of the church give as God hath prospered them for the maintenance of 9G THE RULING ELDERSHIP. his cause, the avaricious and niggardly will not relish such fellowship. When congregational or district prayer meetings become so well attended that attendance on them is expected, and a failure in it is noticed and remarked upon, a prayerless person will connect himself elsewhere. The practical effi- ciency of a church is thus intimately allied with its purity, and the improvement of either is the advance- ment of both. It remains to add, that much perplexity may be looked for in reducing these principles to practice. That none but christians should belong to the church of Christ, is a maxim commanding ready assent. But to know what we should do, and how far we should go, in ascertaining who are christians, is often a problem of very difficult solution. Sometimes there is little evidence to be had, and the case, in its own nature, may not allow of much ; but, when all that exists is favourable, it is a questionable proceeding to deny Christ's ordinances to those who are probably his people. No set of rules can be instituted for our guidance, because piety may be proved or disproved in any one of numberless ways ; and the cases to be considered are so different, that each must be decided on its own merits. It may be said that, where there is any doubt, it is best to err on the side of caution, and exclude for the time. But there is always doubt ; for we have no discernment of spirits, no absolute knowledge of the people of God, and the question still recurs, what degree of doubt demands and vindicates postponement of admission? We must have some THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 97 standard or other in our minds by which we try re- quisite qualification ; and whatever that standard may be, whether it be high or whether it be low, we have still to determine what, in many cases, is very hard to be determined, whether the person applying come up to it or not? The difficulty which thus hangs over the duty should dispose every elder to think forbear- ingly of the manner in which other elders discharge it. Let each for himself elicit all the evidence he can of true christian character. "When a case is sub- mitted by the brethren in the eldership, let him freely and fully express his views of the testimonies prof- fered. But if, after all this, the session receive one whom he would have rejected, let him remember that persons may hold the same principle of pure com- munion, and yet differ in the application of it; and let him give all the rest equal credit with himself for wishing to promote the church's highest interests. Sect. 5. — It belongs to the session, in their collec- tive capacity, to administer church discipline ; for the purity of the church must be respected, not only in the admission, but also the superintendence of its members. The duty is of high importance. ' It was one of the greatest glories (says Bishop Burnet) of the primitive church, that they were so governed that none of their number could sin openly without a public censure and a long separation from the holy com- munion; which they judged was defiled by a promis- cuous admitting of all persons to it. Had they con- sulted the arts of policy, they would not have held in 98 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. converts by so strict a way of proceeding, lest their discontent might have driven them away, at a time when to be a christian was attended with so many discouragements, that it might seem dangerous, by so severe a discipline, to frighten the world out of their communion. But the pastors of that time resolved to follow the rules delivered them by the apostles, and trusted God with the success, which answered and exceeded all their expectations; for nothing convinced the world more of the truth of that religion than to see those trusted with the care of souls watch so effectually over their manners, that some sins which, in these loose ages in which we live, pass but for common effects of human frailty, men were made to abstain from the communion for many years, and did cheerfully submit to such rules as might be truly medicinal for curing those diseases in their minds.' * When persons deny the offences laid to their charge, and the session is constrained to lead a proof of guilt, this province of duty may become delicate and ar- duous. In general, however, it is not necessary to have recourse to a formal trial. Firm and affectionate dealing, based on a well-informed acquaintance with the case, commonly secures a full acknowledgment of the truth, and is also the appointed and appropriate means of reaching the grand end of discipline — the edification of the offender. Very much might be written on this head ; but I deem a prolonged discus- sion of it unnecessary. If the elders extend those attentions to the backsliding which we have seen to * Hist, of the Reformation. Pref. to Part II. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 99 be due from them individually, the same principles will regulate satisfactorily their united and judicial purga- tion of scandal. Let not, however, a hasty dismissal of this subject impair the conviction of its importance. Iniquity cannot be winked at in the church, and the presence of God simultaneously enjoyed ; for evil cannot dwell with him, neither can fools stand in his sight. As the Jews ejected all leaven from their houses before the fifteenth day of the month Nisan, that none might be found with them after the killing of the paschal lamb during the days of unleavened bread, so let us ' purge out the old leaven' (the leaven that is of impure fellowship) from the house of God, still more sacred than our own dwellings, that we 'may be a new lump as we are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.' * It was one of the encomiums bestowed on the Ephesian church — ' Thou canst not bear them which are evil.'f Let us read our obligation in its commendation, and ' he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.' Sect. 6. — The session have to consider any pro- posals submitted to it by its own members, or by the members of the church, for the improvement, in regard to times and forms, of public worship. Here a medium must be preserved between inflexible preju- dice and restless innovation. Those who are for no changes, and those who befriend all changes, are equally unreasonable and antiscriptural in their con- * 1 Cor. v. 7. t Rev. "■ 2. 100 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. duct. The duty incumbent on individuals, is no less binding on church courts : ' To prove all things, and hold fast that which is good.' A session must also learn to respect the will of the congregation, strongly entertained and legitimately expressed, without quail- ing and succumbing, to the utter loss of character and influence, before every breath of opposition pleading congregational authority. Sect. 7. — Even those institutions which are not necessarily or exclusively under the charge of the session, should always be in its view, and enjoy its counten- ance. A congregation is bound, as persons singly are, to do good to all men as there is opportunity, If it can have, it ought to have, its day school and Sabbath schools, for poor outcast children — its home and foreign missionary associations — its christian instruction agencies, for visiting wretched and ne- glected neighbourhoods — its clothing societies, and other instrumentalities of beneficence. Let it not be imagined that these operations will drain away the resources of a congregation from its own pecuniary liabilities. The principle of benevolence, brought into action for one good object, will be found avail- able for other good objects ; and they who are mind- ful of missionaries, will not be niggardly to ministers. Besides, God has promised to compensate a hundred- fold, even in this life, the sacrifices made in his cause ; and are we, in disbelief and contempt of these pro- mises, to Jiazard nothing for the promotion of his glory? This much is certain, that our self-saving THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 101 congregations are in general our straitened and de- caying congregations; while flourishing churches have in many instances to date their prosperity from the day they devised liberal things. Let a session smile, then, on all these enterprises of faith ; and if they have not their origin and direction, let them find their spring, their fulcrum, their associating centre, in sessional approbation. Conclusion. — I conclude these remarks on the duties of elders collectively, with two general counsels. 1. In sessional deliberations, * let all things be done with charity.' * Members of session should not only be at peace among themselves, but should re- gard and treat each other as personal friends. Any feud in a session is most ruinous. A silly quarrel between two elders, settling down into habitual en- mity, may do incalculable mischief; it vitiates the spirit of sessional discussion, and other elders are drawn into the misunderstanding, and become as keen as the original disputants. A quarrel in the session readily extends to the congregation, where each of the parties bids for favour and support ; and thus the strife diffuses and prolongs itself; and, ' where strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.'f But what can I do ? a contentious elder will say. Am I to sacrifice truth to peace, and lay down my privileges to be trampled on by insolence ? Certainly not : but where alienations are formed and perpetuated, this is rarely a fair statement of the case. There are * 1 Cor. xvi. 14. f James iii. 16. 102 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. commonly great faults on both sides ; and supposing all the wrong to be on one side, though the aggrieved party should not sin, in order to conciliate, he should seize opportunities of pacifying where principle is not imperilled, and seek the noblest of all victories, in overcoming evil with good. If any one set his heart on the portion of the peace-maker, it is amazing how he will be brought, sooner or later, in one way or another, to the possession of the inheritance. 2. Elders should observe a general silence out of doors about their sessional proceedings. It is true that sessions are open courts ; equally so as presbyteries : and I often feel desirous that all the world looked fipon them ; for presbytery is nowhere seen to so much ad- vantage as in these lowliest of its judicatories. There we behold men of christian worth making lar^e sacri- fice of time and pains in order to do good. Their remarks may want elocution, but they have the higher attributes of sound sense and upright principle. The time is spent not in talking but in working ; and one is surprised, when so little is said, to see so much transacted. The wisdom, the candour, the kindness manifested on these occasions, have often filled me with admiration, and deepened the conviction, that a system so benignant in its character must be divine in its origin. There are exceptions, no doubt, to such commendatory allusions; but all my experience warrants me in saying, that if presbytery be its own witness anywhere, it commends itself in its sessions. These sessions are open courts. Yet they must have the right of all courts to sit, when they think THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 103 proper, with shut doors ; and as cases which are local, and which affect private character, are often adjudi- cated on by them, they must, in mercy, exercise this right with unusual frequency. Besides, the unosten- tatious efficiency of sessions may result partly from the absence of all temptations to display; and modest operatives may express their opinions freely to brethren, who would be completely silenced by the presence of the public. Such considerations, in the absence of all interdicts, have indisposed our congregations to intrude on sessional meetings ; and it were well that the same consideration and delicacy prevented mem- bers of session from unnecessarily noising about their own communings and enactments. When elders, without any distinct call of duty to divulge their proceedings, must be telling here and there what has been passing among them — what such an one said, and how such another voted — they stir up contention where none existed, they create illicit tribunals to overrule their own, and follow a course of which the whole tendency is to weaken their official influence, and bring their office itself into contempt. It would be better for the session to court a direct and staring publicity, than have its acts reported and canvassed in this discreditable manner. If I remark strongly on this indiscretion, the evil which I know it to have done to some congregations may be pleaded as an apology for apparent vehemence. 104 THE RULING ELDEK3HIP. CHAPTER IV. DUTIES OF ELDERS IN THE HIGHER CHURCH COURTS. It is usual for presbyteries, synods, and assemblies to consist of ruling elders and ministers in nearly equal proportions. But the balance, though respected in theory, is not much exemplified in practice. Generally speaking, the ministers are most fully in attendance; and the part which elders take in the business tran- sacted is still more limited than their numerical strength. It is impossible to witness the proceedings on these occasions with an unprejudiced eye, and not perceive that if the principle of a ruling eldership be sound, the application of it in this province is greatly defective. As ministers are trained and habituated to public speaking, they may be expected perhaps to have always the greater share of discussions ; but no such circumstance can adequately explain or justify the depressed condition of the eldership in all our courts of review. Various remedies have been pro- posed. It has been suggested that the sessions might elect elders belonging to other sessions to represent them in the higher courts, when it was not convenient for any of their own number to be present. No doubt a fuller attendance of elders might be secured in this way, and the most competent persons would also be the most likely to be chosen. But the scheme is attended with difficulties. It is somewhat question- able in its principle : it would give a decided pre- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 105 ponderance of power to elders, in or near the seat of the court; and instead of stirring up sessions to greater activity, it would indispose them for action, by prof- ferring a transference of duty from themselves to others. If the measure remarked on be, for such reasons, inexpedient, much may nevertheless be done to advance the efficiency of elders in our ecclesiastical judicatories. Those elders who can best attend pres- byterial and synoclical meetings, may be appointed to represent sessions ; and all proper steps should be taken to facilitate their attendance. The appointment may be prolonged beyond a half-year, or even a whole year; for when the term is so very brief, an elder is only beginning to know the duties, and to feel some freedom in discharging them, when he is replaced by his successor. The more vigorous performance of other duties by elders, and especially those of a pub- lic and beneficial character, will also be found an admirable preparation for the right discharge of those functions of which we are now speaking. In these days elders are often associated with ministers in visit- ing congregations and rousing them to a juster sense of what they owe to themselves and to the world; and if more of our elders were so occupied, the happy effects of such discipline on their more judicial ser- vices would be speedily apparent. In addition to all this, the treasurers, secretaries, and presidents of important boards connected with Presbyterian denominations, might perhaps be ap- pointed members of court ex-officio — at all events, corresponding members ; and if elders were eligible 106 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. to these trusts, some of the ablest and best men among them would be enabled, possibly for many years, to benefit the church by their advice. They might justly be termed representatives, for they would represent their religious society in some of its most important interests — interests demanding their presence and guidance ; and if the mode of their appointment would be somewhat anomalous, it may be questioned whether any such rigid pattern of presbytery be found in the New Testament as would forbid the anomaly. It is by some such means as these that elders would become more influential in the church courts. To no purpose is jealousy sown between ministers and elders, as if the former wished to keep down the latter, when they meet on a common platform to pro- mote the same objects. Equally vain is it to think of mending matters by urging elders to speak who are strangers to the effort, and cannot even make them- selves audible. Let men be brought into court who can meet its requirements, who have devoted time and zeal to ecclesiastical engagements in other fields of labour, and there acquired the facilities which only experience can impart, and there is no danger but they will receive the attention and respect to which they are entitled. It is not designed by these observations to repre- sent the usefulness of ruling elders in the church courts as wholly dependent on effective speaking. They may render essential service by their general attention to the business transacted. If they would THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 107 use their office well, and set an example to their ministerial coadjutors, let them — . 1. Preserve a decorum of manner befitting the re- collection that they are convened in the name oi Christ, and under the eye of an evil, hut discerning, world. A heedless inattention to the affairs in hand, an idle talking with neighbours, and unrestrained laughter at the jokes of speakers, all these liberties, beyond very narrow limits, are utterly unsuitable to the occasion and circumstances, and cause more injury than is suspected to the interests of religion. Let them — 2. Attend to the entire argument of a case in which they are to give judgment. An elder may not have it in his power to participate in all the proceedings of a presbytery or synod ; but in these circumstances he should not subdivide his time among many causes, and give an ill-informed vote on all of them. It is much better to sift certain questions thoroughly, and to evince his mind on these alone. Let them — 3. Make a careful selection of the business to which their attention shall be mainly devoted. Personal squabbles and bitter controversies have an exciting interest, and commonly secure a full house and ample time for their consideration. Little apprehension need be entertained that such matters will be ne- glected. If an elder would be very useful, he should set his heart, and expend his time very principally, on those measures of beneficence which are apt, from being of a general nature, to be deferred to thin meetings, or summarily disposed of, although they 108 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. vitally affect the reformation of the church, and the conversion of the world. Let them — 4. Beware of yielding to prejudices of their own, or passionate appeals by others, which would disturb tranquil and candid deliberation. A strong effort of self-denial is often indispensable that we may fulfil the mandate : ' Judge not according to the appear- ance, but judge righteous judgment.'* Nor is it enough that a cool and unbiassed temperament be preserved in these judicatories. Their nature and ends call not only for impartiality, but for devotion and spiritual-mindedness ; and he who has not the gift of addressing his brethren with fluent utterance, will perform a far nobler service in looking above men, to address a throne of grace, and entreat the Head of the church to direct his servants by his Spirit, and crown their efforts with his blessing. * John vii. 24. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 109 PAET III. QUALIFICATIONS OF ELDERS. CHAPTER I. AGE, ETC. The word ' elder ' points to age, and supposes, even in its official use, that the functionaries so designated are old enough to have some experience. This re- mark, however, must not be overstrained. We know that attainments are not always in the ratio of years ; and, if a young man be otherwise qualified for the eldership, he ought not to be held disqualified from the mere circumstance of his youth. Timothy was; perhaps, the youngest of Paul's coadjutors; and yet he appears to have been the most efficient of them all. We need the fervour of youth ; and if this quality has been well directed, and a career, though brief, has been usefully occupied, the church may freely elect such of its members to office, on the principle that they have lived longest who have done most. In alliance with this qualification for the elder's office, I may notice the importance of having some time at one's disposal to devote to its duties. A writer 110 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. who has in various ways done good service to pres- bytery, says on this subject — 'An indispensable requisite to the discharge of all duty is time, and, we may add, residence. At the same time, let not any entertain exaggerated ideas on the point. Let it not be imagined that the duties of the elder are such as seriously to encroach on one's leisure. Where the districts or proportions are small, and this can be secured only by the multiplication of elders, a few hours steadily devoted every week to the parochial duty of the elder, I have been informed by those who have made successful trial, are sufficient, in ordinary circumstances, to meet the leading moral and religious wants of the district.' * I might multiply observations on such qualifications for the eldership ; but I think it better to speak of others which are less circumstantial, and more spiritual in their character. CHAPTER II. PIETY. The highest of all requisites to the right discharge of the duties of an elder, is "piety . This will do much alone : all things else, without this, are nothing. If I viewed the subject in the light of argument, I would * Eldership of the Church of Scotland, by the Rev. Dr Lorimer, p. 78. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. Ill pass from this qualification after naming it ; for what need is there to prove that religion is necessary to a religious office-bearer? That is an axiomatic proposi- tion ; and commends itself to acquiescence by its self- evident reasonableness. But the subject is now viewed practically ; and moral truth, to be duly estimated, must not only be heard and owned, but dwelt upon. I feel, too, that I now touch the central mechanism, or rather the very source of all vital action ; and that, failing here, I should fail wholly in this solemn and responsible service. I am desirous, therefore, to di- late a little on this topic, if I may thereby deepen the conviction, that elders should not only be pious, but eminently and devotedly pious, and should aspire at new and unprecedented attainments in the life of faith. True godliness is the one thing needful to all ; and there is no escape from its claims in shunning sacred office. Some, indeed, who pay little attention to re- ligion themselves, remark very solemnly on the re- sponsibility of spiritual guides, as if it were a com- mendation of themselves to think thus awfully of duties of which the performance is devolved upon others, and as if it were a palliation, amounting almost to exculpation of their heedlessness, that they had not attempted to occupy these high places. This, however, is poor consolation. Have these persons, in truth, estimated their merited perdition, and, finding it quite moderate and endurable, reconciled them- selves to the prospect? There is no scriptural de- lineation of future and eternal retribution which 112 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. would warrant in any worker of evil such placid expectation of its approach. Hell will be to all inheriting it the blackness of darkness, an abode of torment, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. If comfort may be, in any instance, derived from minor accountability and desert of punishment, surely it belongs not to privileged Britons. A clearer and fuller revelation of divine truth has been imparted to us than was possessed by Chorazin or Bethsaida ; and are not all who abuse higher opportunities proportionally exposed to the denunciation — 'It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon, at the judgment, than for you?'* Still, they who are set over the house of God are under very special obligations to be themselves religious. They have had many talents committed to them ; and, * unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required : and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.'f At present, however, I speak of piety as qualifying men for office, and if the statement be strong, it is not extreme, that the simplest and most childlike piety is the best of all qualifications, even for the loftiest official engagements. All the duties of an elder have indissoluble relation to piety, and are so dependent on its stimulus and succours, that they must fade or flourish with it. Individual godliness here enters so much into official fitness, that it is often impossible to discriminate them. The remark applies to teaching as well as to ruling elders. It might not seem, at * Luke x. 14. t Luke xii. 48. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 113 first sight, as if goodness and oratory had a very intimate connection ; and yet the close alliance, and almost absolute identification, of moral excellence and true eloquence has been asserted by the Roman au- thor Quintilian, in language very remarkable to have been spoken by a heathen. ' Let our orator, then,' he says, ' be such as Marcus Cato has defined him — a good man, expert in speaking ; but that which he has placed first, is, in the nature of the case, the more excellent and important requisite — the being a truly good man.' * Again, he remarks, still more explicitly, in the same connexion — ' Nor do I contend only that an orator should be a good man ; but that without being a good man he cannot be an orator.'f I have cited this opinion of the influence exerted by moral frame on public efficiency, to strengthen the persua- sion of it where it is still more obvious. Well may we assert, not only that the guardians of the church, should be good men, but that without being good men they cannot be its guardians. Their rarest exploits even, must chiefly result from possessing, in rich abundance, the commonest graces. Advert to those great spiritual benefactors through whom God blessed the world in their respective ages, and to what is their signal usefulness most remarkably traceable ? * ' Sit ergo nobis orator, quern instituimus, is qui a M. Catone finitur, vir bonus, dicendi peritus. Verum id puod ille posuit prius, etiam ipsa natura potius ac majus est, utique vir bonus.' 1 — De Inst. Ora. Lib. 12. cap. 1. f ' Neque enim tantum id dico, eum qui sit orator, virum bonum esse qportere ; sed ne futurum quidern oratorem, nisi virum bonum.' 114 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. They may have possessed genius, acuteness, or fancy, of an elevated order ; but these, without piety, would have been inert or mischievous. They were mainly animated and impelled in their philanthropic career by superior faith in the divine testimony — love to God and man — realising anticipations of future glory — in short, by those graces of the Spirit which are acces- sible and indispensable alike to teachers and taught. If, too, we inquire by what hinderances their efficiency was mostly impaired, it will appear that these were not so much intellectual as moral. The glaring transgres- sions of David and Peter need not to be mentioned— appalling violations of universally incumbent duty, by which the wicked, to this day, embolden and excuse themselves in the commission of their wickedness. To adduce less flagrant examples, no character ap- pears more blameless and amiable in the inspired annals of imperfect men, than that of Daniel. No specific act of iniquity is recorded against him. Yet he participated largely in prevalent calamity. And why? Was it from any defect in his prophetic powers ? — any shortcoming in extraordinary endow- ments ? His own explanation is, ' Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the pro- phets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice ; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the cath that is written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.'* The *Dan. ix. 10, 11. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 115 apostle of the Gentiles laboured abundantly, and with distinguished success. If, in the view of his mighty achievements, one could ask why he did not accom- plish still more ? the answer would be found in such sayings as these : ' In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing ; for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good, I find not: for the good that I would, I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do.' * Modern history furnishes similar attestations. Not to speak of such lapses as Cran- mer's recantation of Protestantism, or Calvin's alleged participation in the cruel death of Servetus — the in- juriousness of which to the cause of truth is too obvious and notorious to require more than passing mention — w T e find all the Reformers, in their autobio- graphical sketches, lamenting their defective piety, and ascribing to this cause their dispiriting repulses and disappointments. ' I have done somewhat,' says Knox, ' but not according to my duty.' ' He acknow- ledges,' says M'Crie, abridging his MS. letters, ' that in public ministrations he had been deficient in fer- vency and fidelity, in impartiality and diligence ; and that his conscience now accused him of not having been sufficiently plain in admonishing offenders. 'f Similar citations might be adduced in great numbers, all showing that these great and good men partially failed, not from wanting ability and facilities, but by relaxing application, or resenting injury, or compro- mising conviction, or in some such way transgressing the common law of Christ. * Rom. vii. 18, etc. f M'Crie's Life of Knox, vol. i. p. 25. . 116 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. It is one of the saddest tokens of ecclesiastical de- clension, when ungodly ministers and elders come to be relished or endured. Even in these cases, it is not so much that piety is wholly and avowedly dis- pensed with, as that the practical standard of it is reduced and shrivelled. Apostacy veils its favour for these reprobate functionaries, under a professed disapproval of their accusers as acrimonious and un- charitable — all implying that genuine piety is neces- sary in such office-bearers; that respect is due to them only on the supposition of its being possessed ; and that a disproval of its existence would divest them, even in the estimation of the profligate, of all title to excuse or sufferance. Those elders among us who labour in word and doctrine, would do well to lay solemnly to heart these admonitory considera- tions. If we be not pious, and if this were known, our ministrations would be abhorred. Suppose a minister, by some infallible criterion, shown to be irreligious, a total stranger to vital godliness, and the prey, as all unrenewed men are, of depraved sentiments and lusts, could such an instructor, amid the certain knowledge of his true character, obtain a hearing or preserve his station? Allow him the finest genius, the most finished oratory, yea, ap- plication the most insense, and energy the most indomitable, still, what would all these avail the acknowledged and convicted impostor? Think of the sorrow or scorn which must pervade an assem- bly, in hearing him elaborately prove what they know him not to believe, and earnestly recommend THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 117- what they knew him not to esteem, and awfully denounce what they knew him not to dislike, and im- ploringly inculcate what they knew him habitually to neglect! A comedian or buffoon may be applauded; he performs to spectators like himself; he avows his dissimulation, of which the perfection is his praise ; and his admitted aim is simply to amuse. But how shall the man be borne with, who, in practising as thorough mimicry, perverts religion into his mask, and the pulpit into his stage, and the church of Christ into his auditory, avowing all the while sim- plicity and godly sincerity, citing revelation as his sanction, and God as his witness ! Were such a man to appear in his true colours, his exhibition would be detested by all; 'men would clap their hands at him, and hiss him out of his place.'* The delineation applies with scarcely diminished force to ruling elders. If their piety were disproved, how could their presidency be tolerated, and who could see, without shuddering, a profane hand bear the symbols of Christ's sacrifice to the guests at his table? Such an exposure can rarely occur. A measure of dubiety is wisely cast over our state and condition, to bound alike our approval and condemnation of fellow-men, either of which might do injury by ex- cess. But though the outward effect is thus modified, the case is not essentially changed. That conduct is not less nefarious for being obscured, which, if it were only developed in its naked and vivid deformity, would elicit such execrations. Though man cannot * Job xxvii. 23. H 118 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. discern it, God can; and what are the plaudits of a world worth, while he who made all worlds is be- holding and abominating the secret fault? The day, too, is coming, when he shall remove the veil that is upon all faces, when he shall try every man's work of what kind it is, and disclose its hidden elements to an observant universe. Then shall the profane usurpers of sacred office, who, like Satan, transformed them- selves into angels of light, stand publicly detected — the detection more tremendous for having been de- ferred, presenting the more guilt and incurring the more anguish and ignominy; and while the Judge of all convicts the holiest pretensions of basest hypocrisy and perfidy, and glorious saints and seraphs contem- plate the conviction with indignant loathing, com- mensurate with their faultless purity, how shall the miserable culprits, who used to court ostentatious publicity and celebrity, call upon the rocks and moun- tains to cover them, and feel as if hell itself would be desirable, if its closing mouth would somewhat shelter them from such divine, universal, and overwhelming reprobation ! This is strong language; but God forbid we should seek relief from dreadful realitiesin gentle designations. Let our comfort be found in fleeing from 'the wrath to come/ and 'laying hold on eternal life,' in making personal and habitual application to the 'blood of sprinkling,' and proving the genuineness of our in- terest in Christ, by the excellence and amplitude of its fruits. We are much in danger of taking our piety too THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 119 readily for granted. Office-bearers in the church are especially exposed to this temptation. A philosopher, versed in the sciences, is necessarily acquainted with their simple and primary elements; and so a superin- tendent of the church, a judge and guardian of the qualification of its members, can hardly suppose him- self devoid of that knowledge which every babe in Christ possesses, and which is supposed in every ser- vice which he performs, and every sentence which he utters. Then, all his friends and acquaintances, and christian society, and the community in general, give him credit, as they ought, in charitable construction, for unfeigned godliness; and how hard is it to distrust this concurrent testimony, when it is all in favour of ourselves! It might seem as if the piety of our elders were demonstrated by the very terms on which they hold their office ; they serve the church gratui- tously; and what else than sincere and decided religion could prompt and carry on their disinterested labours? The genuineness of piety is not safely inferred from such premises. Ungodly men have crept into spiritual office in every age — not excepting the periods of fiercest persecution. Let none rest, then, in such fallacious evidence, but let all of us give all 'diligence to making our calling and election sure.'* To secure and cherish piety, w r e must use the means appointed for the end. It is not enough that we come into contact with these means in relation to others ; we must frequently engage them expressly for our- selves. The word of God should be read daily, with * 2 Pet. i. 10. 120 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. an immediate view to personal profiting. A master in Israel must become as a little child, that he may enter the kingdom, and as a 'new-born babe, desire the sincere milk of the word, that he may grow thereby.' * The importance of prayer cannot be too highly estimated. In this exercise our Lord spent whole nights. The apostles considered its demands upon their time commensurate with those of preaching, and entitled to be mentioned first: 'We will give our- selves continually to prayer, and the ministry of the word/| The constancy of Paul's petitioning is mani- fest from its particularity: 'For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that, without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers.'J ' I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.'§ '"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.' || His epistles abound with such statements; and it will be well for us, and well for our congregations, if they find an echo in our ex- perience. Some of the Reformers speak of having assigned several hours daily to prayer, though it be difficult to reconcile the averment with their numerous and onerous occupations ; and Luther, before being as enlightened in the faith as he afterwards became, was wont to express the assistance which he derived from prayer for other duties by his well-known maxim — ' Bene precasse est bene studuisse ' — to have well * 1 Pet. ii. 2. f Acts vi. 4. t Rom. i. 9. § Eph. i. 16. || 1 Thess. i. 2. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 121 prayed is to have well studied. The following passage on prayer occurs in Fuller's sermon, delivered at the funeral of the Eev. J. Sutcliff: — ' One of the sentences uttered by your deceased pastor, when drawing near his end was, " I wish I had prayed more." This was one of the weighty sayings which are not unfrequently uttered in the view of the solemn realities of eternity. This wish has often occurred to me since his departure as equally applicable to myself. ... In reviewing my own life, / ivish I had prayed more than I have for the success of the gospel. I have seen enough to furnish me with matter of thanksgiving ; but, had I prayed more, I might have seen more. I wish I had prayed more for the salvation of those about me, and who are given me in charge. When the father of the lunatic doubted whether Jesus could do anything for him, he was told in answer that if he could believe, all things were possible. On hearing this, he burst into tears, saying, " Lord, I believe : help thou mine unbelief." He seems to have understood our Lord as suggesting that, if the child was not healed, it would not be owing to any want of power in him, but to his own unbelief. This might well cause him to weep and exclaim as he did. The thought of his unbelief causing the death of his child was distressing. The same thought has occurred to me as applicable to the neglect of the prayer of faith. Have I not by this guilty negligence, been accessory to the destruction of some that are dear to me ; and were I equally con- cerned for the souls of my connexions as he was for the life of his child, should I not weep with him ? I 122 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. wish I had prayed more for my own soul. I might then have enjoyed much more communion with God. The gospel affords the same grounds for spiritual enjoyments as it did to the first christians. I wish I had prayed more than I have in all my undertakings: I might then have had my steps more directed by God, and attended with fewer deviations from his will. There is no intercourse with God without prayer. It is thus that we " talk with God, and have our con- versation in heaven." ' Stimulated by these examples and counsels, let us be * instant in prayer/ The happy result will show that the ' prayer of faith ' has still power with God, and prevails, — that he will 1 regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.' * In response to our entreaties, he 'will create in us a clean heart, and renew within us a right spirit — not casting us away from his presence, or taking his Holy Spirit away from us ; but restoring unto us the joys of his salvation ; and upholding us with his free Spirit. Then shall we teach transgres- sors his ways ; and sinners shall be converted unto him.' | CHAPTER III. KNOWLEDGE. Ruling elders do not pass through a collegiate course in preparation for office, and they are not expected to be deeply learned. They ought, however, to sustain * Ps. cii. 17. f Ps. li. 10. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 123 and to deserve the character of being well-informed men. Without a measure of knowledge, both theological and general, surpassing the average attainments of society, they must discharge very imperfectly their important duties. We have seen that they have to comfort the afflicted, to remonstrate with the offending, to instruct the young, to test the knowledge of others ; and how shall they do all this, if they are not themselves ' well instructed unto the kingdom of God V There are other duties belonging to the eldership, for the right fulfilment of which it is still more needful that they give themselves to reading. They sit as members of presbyteries, for example, when discourses, and other exercises of students are judged of; and what a power would the appropriate remarks of such judges possess in recommending to students juster views, or better taste, or a more disciplined accuracy? Even were they not to speak at all on such occasions, of what importance is it for elders to give an enlightened vote on the proficiency of students, and the licensing of probationers ? Elders should read those works which christians in general read, in consideration of their superior excel- lence, that has won for them a wide circulation ; and also in order not to be found ignorant where ignorance would be most discreditable. They would be reason- ably ashamed if they had to answer, No, when asked whether they had ever read the Pilgrim's Progress, or Boston's Fourfold State, or Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul, or James' Anxious Inquirer. 124 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. But an elder's reading should be considerably in- fluenced by his official station. The best commentaries on the scriptures, the best systems of theology, the best histories of the church, have all special claims on his careful perusal. Those books which the church has adopted as standards of its faith, or seasonable exhibitions of doctrine and duty, or compends of the laws and forms which regulate its government, ought to be ever within his reach for consultation and re- ference. But, above all, let elders study the bible. ' The whole scriptures,' says Dr Dick, * are delivered to us as the rule of our faith and obedience, and are the instrument which God employs for the conversion of sinners, and the advancement of the divine life in their souls. They are the light which conducts them to the Saviour, and guides them in the way of salva- tion. There are, indeed, other religious institutions ; but as they are founded on the word, so, as far as they contribute to accomplish this end, their efficacy is derived from it. Prayer is an eminent means of obtaining spiritual blessings; but the directory of prayer is the w r ord, from which alone we learn what blessings we should ask, and what are the grounds on which we may hope for success. The sacraments, also, are means of salvation; but they would be unin- telligible, unless their design, and the import of the symbols and actions, had been explained; and we should have no encouragement to use them, if we had not been assured that they are seals of the new cove- nant, and the Holy Spirit had been promised to ren- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. ] 25 der them effectual.'* I do not say that elders alone should read the bible, for all are bound to do so, what- ever be their history, circumstances, or position; but I do say that they should read it more because they are elders. From all official doubts, and fears, and difficulties, let them take refuge in revelation. Its aid is boundless and ceaseless. Would you pray with copiousness and fluency? — then search the scrip- tures. Would you address a word in season to him that is weary? — then search the scriptures. Would you instruct effectively your own families, or schools, and classes? — then search the scriptures. Would you repel triumphantly the artillery of error by weapons not carnal? — then search the scriptures. These scriptures are the 'good seed;' — these scriptures are the 'wells of salvation;' — these scriptures are God's 'lively oracles;' — these scriptures are 'the sword of the Spirit;' and all this multiplicity of figures shows that none of them is equal to its subject; that they are all needed, and all inadequate to denote the vast and diversified value of the word of God. Wherever, then, you may be wanting, and wherever you may be weak, seek, above all things, to be 'mighty in the scriptures.' CHAPTER IV. SOUNDNESS IN THE FAITH. Of course every one thinks his own belief orthodox. But Presbyterian churches have symbolic books; and * Lectures, vol. iv. pp. 77, 78. 126 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. elders, when ordained to office, solemnly avow ac- quiescence in the doctrinal principles which these books contain. They would be guilty, then, of heinous dishonesty, if they accepted office in a church and did not hold the doctrines of scripture, set forth in its subordinate standards. It is not enough, however, that an elder coldly assent to a Calvinistic creed. He should be a devoted friend of evangelical religion, and against all contrary errors 'should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.'* These words, however, would be miscon- strued if they were explained as sanctioning a viru- lent advocacy of gospel truth. 'Be ready always,' says an apostle, 'to give an answer to every man that asketh you, a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.'f Thus speaks the apostle of the circumcision; and the same principle is enunciated by the apostle of the Gentiles when he exhorts, that 'speaking the truth in love, we may grow up into him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ.' | Let us show that we have the truth of Christ by dis- playing the spirit of Christ, and ever act as remem- bering that, although we should have a speculative acquaintance with his truth, yet, 'if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.' And are we, then, to be men-pleasers, and avoid offence by compromising faithfulness? Assuredly not. We are to maintain the truth at all hazards; and always de- fend it in its own spirit, just that our defence of it may be more forcible and more effectual. "When so * Jude 3. f 1 Pet. iii. 15. J EpL. iv. 15. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 127 many crude theories are afloat, and old heresies in a new guise are carrying away such multitudes of the simple, it is especially important that office-bearers in the church hear and ponder these words of Paul to the elders of Ephesus: 'Wherefore I take you to record this clay that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto your- selves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall griev- ous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking per- verse things to draw away disciples after them. There- fore watch, and remember, that, by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.'* The importance of this topic would dispose me to discuss it more fully. But I withhold any additional remarks of my own to make room for the following important and seasonable observations. Dr Heugh, in pointing out the particular errors against which the melancholy circumstances of the Genevan church are well fitted to guard the British churches, says: — 'The first I notice is the danger of allowing unsound doctrines to enter into a church. The truth as it is in Jesus, the word of the truth of the gospel, is a sacred trust, committed by God to his people, than which, one more momentous and holy cannot be confided to man ; and the fidelity of the * Acts xx. 26-31. 128 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. church is to be proved by the vigilance with which she guards this grand deposit. "That good thing which was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us," said Paul to one of the primitive teachers. " Thou hast kept the word of my patience," was the approbation of our Lord, bestowed on one of the primitive churches. "Contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints," is a divine command to the whole body of the faithful in Christ Jesus. . . . The Genevan church, and too many of the continental churches as well as she, are, indeed, sad and solemn warnings to us, warnings, reiterating those long ago supplied by the degeneracy of many churches which were planted and watered by the apostles of Christ — warnings to ministers of the gospel, to " hold fast the faith," to " take heed to themselves and to the doctrine," and to " continue " to do so, if they would save themselves and them that hear them ; and I will add, warnings to the whole christian body, to " prove all things, and to hold fast that which is good." It appears that to scarcely any one subject do the inspired apostles more abundantly direct the primitive churches than to this, nearly all their epistles containing solemn admonitions against corrupting, or departing from, the faith ; which, I am sure, were never more needed by the British, as well as the continental churches, than at this day. For, to take but one example, it is not too much to say, that the vast Hierarchial Establishment of England, is at this moment nearer to the deadly errors, the debasing superstitions, and the befooling mummeries THE HOLING ELDERSHIP. 129 of Popery, than a century ago, Geneva was near to Unitarianism and Neology. It has been stated publicly, and without contradiction, by one of the most devout and cautious among the ministers of London, at a public meeting recently held in that metropolis, that of the eighteen thousand clergy of various orders connected with the Church of England, not more than three thousand could be found willing to subscribe any declaration whatever against the new phase of Popery, designated Puseyism. Yes, the enemy is sowing tares over all the British soil, the most unfit of all seasons, assuredly, for men to sleep.'* There are other qualifications for the eldership which might have been introduced and discussed with great propriety. But I have already given a sample sufficiently large, perhaps, to appear formidable ; and of a nature so fundamental and comprehensive, that they cannot be dutifully pondered without suggesting all the rest. After showing how much elders have to do, and how much they have to learn, it is time to direct their attention to more encouraging views of their office. * State of Religion in Geneva and Belgium. 130 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. PART IV. ENCOURAGEMENTS OF ELDERS. Elders have many and great encouragements in executing their office. All of them centre in the fact that it is of divine appointment. It has been impres- sively said of the ministry, and may with equal truth be affirmed of the eldership — ' This subordinate rule is all derived from Christ. It is the Lord who makes them rulers in his household. In that family none has authority, in the strictest sense of the term, but He. No king, no parliament, no man, no body of men, has any right to constitute men stewards over the family of God. That belongs to Him who is Jehovah, " set as his King on the holy hill of Zion," to Him who is set as " a Son over his own house." All church power comes forth from Him. The steward or overseer, though chosen, if such be the appointment of the Master, by his fellow- servants, is to be guided in managing the household not by their will, but by the will of their common Lord.'* Hence it follows, — 1. That the office is honourable in itself. They who would not be the servants of subjects, are yet proud * Discourse on the death of the Rev. Robert Balraer, D.D., by the Rev. John Brown, D.D., Edinburgh, p. 25. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 131 to be in the service of a sovereign ; and the greater and more illustrious a sovereign is, the more eager are the ambitious to fill places around the throne. Shall it be reckoned no distinction, then, no gratifying and animating distinction, to hold a public trust from the King of kings, and Lord of lords — from Him who is God over all, blessed for ever ? Elders may have temporal callings, and spend much of their time even in manual labours ; but all this held true of Paul, without invalidating the authority and dignity of a higher vocation. They may be called lay elders^ as if to divest them of all ecclesiastical status ; but human appellations cannot annul or modify a divine institution; and an elder, entering his ecclesiastical functions in a scriptural manner, and cherishing the spirit while performing the duties of his post, is as truly an office-bearer in the church as were the prophets and priests under a former economy, or the apostles and evangelists under a newer and better dispensation. He is the servant of the most high God ! What a power is there ! what an impulse in that single consideration ! If his heart misgive him, at any time, in struggling with official difficulties ; if he be tempted to be ashamed or dismayed under the odium and sneers to which fidelity may sometimes subject him, he may well be reassured and emboldened on looking at his commission, his divine commission, and seeing it subsmbed by the King's own hand, and sealed with the King's own signet ! From the fact that the office is of divine appoint- ment, it follows, — 132 THE RULING ELDEKSHIP. 2. That all its engagements are of a beneficent cha- racter. They must be worthy of that God who assigns them ; and we know that 'the Lord is good; that his mercy is everlasting; and that his truth en- dureth to all generations.' * It is true, indeed, that God may punish transgressors by the instrumentality of his servants. We find angels not unfrequently employed in destroying his enemies; and the civil magistrate is 'the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.'f Even in these cases the honoured agents of Jehovah have ample assurance that their commission is not malevolent — that in doing what is commanded, they do what is right in itself, and will prove blissful in its tendencies — and that when the end and the effect are fully developed, these will warrant, and from all pure intelligences elicit, the ejaculation, ' Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints ! Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ? for thou only art holy, for all nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy judgments are made manifest V\ But the work assigned to elders is not of this avenging nature. Their office finds its place in a great scheme of mercy, and ranks with the institu- tions of that gospel which brings glad tidings of great joy to all people. They have to be 'with' Christ, and to 'gather with'§ him, when he comes in his pro- vidence as he has come in person, to seek and to save * Psalm c. 5. t Rom. xiii. 4. \ R ev - xv - 3, 4. § Matt. xii. 3. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 133 that which is lost. It is theirs, more especially, to act under the Great Shepherd, when 'he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.'* They are a gift from Christ to his church; and as we may be sure that so munificent a Lord will not make paltry and unprofitable presents, we are informed that he hath given these and like functionaries ' for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.'f To elders it be- longs to tend the sheep for whom the G ood Shepherd laid down his life ; to inspirit them when they are obedient ; to reclaim them when they are erring ; to screen and protect them when they are in danger. Is there no happiness in doing all this good to those whom Christ loves so tenderly? The privilege, it must be owned, is poorly appreciated by multitudes. 8 All,' says an apostle, * seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's ;'i and the averment made of that generation is too applicable to the present. To seek, however, is not to secure one's own. Satis- faction is too noble a prize to be won by selfishness. They who seek their own may so far succeed ; they may acquire their own gain, their own fame, their own power — but not their own happiness. When all the means are apparently grasped, the end still eludes them. If we would reach true joy, we must cherish a true philanthropy, ' not seeking our own profit, but * John x. 3. f EpL iv. 12, 13. % PhU. ii. 21. 134 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. the profit of many, that they may be saved.'* What we must seek is the happiness of others, of relatives, of friends, of the church, of the world ; and while theirs is sought, our own will come unsought, and take us by agreeable surprise. To impose a rein on presumptuous sin, to guide the step of anxious inquiry, to rear the olive branch over subdued contentions, to shed a ray of hope on the realms of despair, or in- sinuate a healing balm into wounded spirits — that is wealth, that is victory, that is bliss ; and that is the daily service of a sincere and strenuous eldership. From the divine appointment of thisoffice it follows — 3. That they who fill it in dependence on God's grace, are secured of all needful assistance in dis- charging its duties. God can give them aid of an external and visible character. He can make them strong in their pastor. A minister owes much to the eldership. He should always treat thern with per- sonal respect ; he should be always consulting them in his official measures ; he should delight in vindicating them from reproaches, and cheering their constancy by just commendations; and elders who are on this footing with their minister will find, in his standing and influence, their own walls and bulwarks. Indeed, the efficiency of a minister is, of itself, an invaluable help to godly elders. Their minds are set on the pros- perity of the congregation ; and when after a time perhaps of decay and trouble, they see jarring ele- ments harmonised, and languishing interests renovated by the impulsive hand of high pastoral fidelity, how * 1 Cor. x. 31. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 135 can they but hail the benign dispensation, and be em- boldened, in the contemplation of it, to thank God and take courage! Must it not rejoice their hearts to have a man after God's own heart for their chosen teacher and official fellow-labourer? God can make an elder strong in the other mem' lei^s of session. He can bring into the office men ' full of faith and power ;'* and an elder who quailed when he was alone, and when he thought only of himself, may be ashamed of his timidity, and inspired with new vigour in the assembly of his brethren. God can encourage elders through the church su- perintended by them. The church may do incalcu- lably much to inspirit its office-bearers. It is a great encouragement to them to be, first of all, called by the Lord's people to the Lord's work. On this ground it is deeply to be lamented that, even where the elec- tion of elders is perfectly free, the number who vote is often so limited. This narrow exercise of the suf- frage is injurious in many ways. It brings discredit on christian liberty as of no value in the estimation of them who have it; and it enables any knot of in- dividuals to bring into the session a favourite of their own, who may be little qualified for the trust, and very obnoxious to the congregation generally. But what I chiefly remark upon now is, the discouraging effect of such fractional voting on the elders elect. They might recognise the voice of God in the vote of the church ; but can they recognise the vote of the church in some twenty or thirty uplifted hands amid * Acts vi. 8. 136 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. hundreds of church members ? On the other hand, a well- supported choice is equally efficacious for good. It carries power in its appeal, and is remembered with a soothing and sustaining delight by elders, so chosen, to the last day of their life. If, then, the church would encourage its overseers, let them be borne into office on the full and flowing tide of a congregational invitation. The church may greatly encourage its elders after thev have been invested with office. It if can support them in the firm administration of dis- cipline, instead of seconding the resistance of wounded and impenitent pride. It can favourably entertain the measures which they set on foot for its own immediate benefit, or the evengelisation of the world through its instrumentality; it can defray, cheerfully and liberally, the expense incurred by them in representing its in- terests at presbyteries and synods; and it might place in their hands a small but select library specifically adapted for their official necessities and accountabili- ties. Labour becomes light, when performed for a congregation thus ' knowing them who are over it in the Lord, and esteeming them very highly in love for their work's sake.' * God can encourage elders through the visible fruits of their labours. They may learn of cases where persons, in attending their prayer meetings, have be- come devotional. The children whom they have trained in the way in which they should go, as they become old, ma}' not be departing from it; and they may have to tell of those who have passed from their * 1 Tkess. v. 12, 13. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 137 youthful classes to the superintendence of the young, to the secretaryships and treasurerships of religious associations, to the work of the ministry at home, or the far off fields of missionary enterprise abroad. They may know of sighs, through God's blessing on their words of comfort, transformed into songs; or may meet in the streets the patterns of sobriety whom their timely remonstrance had snatched from dissipa- tion. These are seals of office which sparkle with light from heaven, and lift the heart to the Father of lights, whose image is reflected in his own credentials! But, suppose that all these encouragements should fail; suppose that elders should be weak in their minister, impeded and opposed in brethren, disap- pointed and grieved in the congregation, and unac- quainted with any fruits of righteousness produced by their labours; even on this extreme supposition, God can still uphold them oy his own Spij'it c work- ing in them mightily/ * If they object faint-heartedly, 'Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child,' he can reply, ' Say not, I am a child : for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces : for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.'f He can make the language of David theirs : * I will praise thy name for thy loving-kind- ness, and for thy truth : for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.'J If they have to relate with * Col. i. 29. f Jer. i. 0-8. | Ps. cxxxviii. 2, 3. 138 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. Paul — ' No man stood with me, but all men forsook me,' they may be enabled with him to subjoin — ' Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strength- ened me ; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly king- dom : to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.' * To be shut out from earthly help is doubtless awing ; but if it prove a shutting up to heavenly succours, the gain is greater than the loss. Indeed, the divine faithfulness cannot be fully appreciated till it is trusted alone, and yet trusted absolutely ; and many a time has God demolished other reliances, that he might vindicate the sufficiency of his unaided arm. To trust in God only, and in God wholly; to look away even from his works, and find a perfect, infinite, and eternal inheritance in himself, — this is the victory of faith and the reign of grace ; and happy are they who mourn if they are to be thus comforted. From the divine appointment of this office, it fol- lows, — 4. That all who have filled it, in its own spirit, have borne testimony to its desirableness. The true servants of Jehovah have ever found him a kind Master ; and there ' hath not failed ought of any good thing which the Lord hath spoken unto the house of Israel.'f That elders find themselves happy in the discharge of their functions is in many ways evinced. Though numbers of them have great difficulty in accepting * 2 Tim. iv. 16-18. f Josh. xxi. 45. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 139 the office, very few resign it when it has been accepted and proved by them. The resignation of the trust is a very rare occurrence. Does not this show that facts furnish a confutation of fears? Again, the elders who appear most in love with their labours are generally the first to hail any scheme of enlarged usefulness. And, in a word, the dying attestations of elders to the divine goodness often turn on their official experience. The comforts they have been administering return upon their own heads. The courage they have acquired in action remains with them in suffering; and the grace they had secured to make them useful to others, is the well-spring of their joy in their own time of need. When nature is sinking, and the mind is wandering, the dearest relatives are sometimes overlooked by the departing office-bearer of the church, in the imagined prosecution of his spiritual calling. He is standing by the sick- bed, and exhorting the distressed not to be dismayed; or, the accents of prayer ascend from his tremulous lips, and we discern, in his petitions, the weekly prayer meeting gathered around him, and pouring, through his enfeebled but fervent utterance, their associated supplications! Or, he is in the midst of his brethren, lauding, perhaps, some measure for tJie furtherance of religion, and promising it his 'best support,' in accents which leave no doubt of sincerity, and no hope of performance. He has already left his own dwelling. The spirit of his higher calling has carried him to Zion, and he takes his flight from the temple on earth to the temple in heaven ! 140 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. Such a life may have had its trials : but such a death has no terrors. The worst emotion it awakens is not pity, but envy ; and a Balaam may well say over it — 'Let me die the death of the righteous ; and let my last end be like his.' * From the divine appointment of this office it fol- lows, — 5. That a faithful discharge of its duties shall be abundantly recompensed in a future state. We have no merit, and cannot, therefore, receive a meritorious recompense; but, even to redeemed sinners, a gra- cious recompense is promised, and accessible. Scrip- ture gives us to understand that there shall be an intimate connexion between present faithfulness and eternal happiness. And this holds true, not only in general, but in respect to particular appointments, and even individual acts ; for, ' whosoever shall give to drink,' avers our Lord, 'unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only, in the name of a dis- ciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.'f The promise is here made to benefi- cence: and a very large proportion of the promises have the same application: 'They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.' | The blissful rewards awaiting official faith- fulness are especially enlarged upon in the scriptures: ' Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season ? Blessed * Num. xxiii. 10. t Matt. x. 42. % Dan. xii. 3. ' THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 141 is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, That he will make him ruler over all that he hath.'* No doubt, where the relation is happy and useful to overseers, it becomes so likewise to the church su- perintended by them; but the benefit is greatly en- hanced in being thus mutual and reciprocal. * What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming ? For ye are our glory and joy.'f * Ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.' J The same apostle, after noticing the diversified and extraordinary self-denial which he cheerfully under- went in fulfilling his ministry, tells us, in explanation, 4 This I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be par- taker thereof with you.'§ The end is deserving of all * Luke jrfi. 42-44. t 1 Thess. ii. 19, 20. J 2 Cor. i. 14. § 1 Cor. ix. 23. All the explanations which I have seen of this verse in its connexion, appear to me un satisfactory. 1 Cor. ix. 13-23; 'Do ye not know, that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple ? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. But I have used none of these things ; neither have I written these things, that it should he so done unto me ; for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me ; yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel ! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward : but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel, is committed unto mc. What is my reward then ? Verily, that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that 142 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. the means. Well may we toil to promote the eternal happiness of others, in which we ourselves are largely to participate. The labours of the spring-time will not appear to have been excessive, when we reap our har- vest in the salvation of souls, and meet in the heavenly Canaan with some, or many, whom we have aided in I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews ; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law ; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak •, I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.' Our translation, it will be observed, represents the apostle as saying, (v. 18,) 'What is my reward then? Verily, that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.' By this rendering, the apostle's reward was to consist in preaching without charge, that is, in getting nothing! It is only by a supplement that this most improbable sense is brought out of the words. The precise rendering of them is, 1 What is my reward then, in order that (/^a) when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Clnist without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel?' The apostle then shows, in the succeeding verses, that he was abundantly justified by his conduct in putting such a question. He had not abused his power to obtain money or homage of any sort, but had accommodated himself to prejudices, as if he had been a servant or slave, rather than a free citizen. Having thus shown, parenthetically, the reasonableness of the question, he answers it, I think, in v. 23 : For what reward do I pass through all this self-crucifixion ? ' This I do for the gospel's sake, that I THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 143 guiding to that happy country. Whatever, then, may be the trials and discouragements of the journey, its end at least is inspiriting. We serve under Him who brings many sons unto glory ; and how shall fears and fightings be forgotten when the whole enterprise shall have been accomplished — when the outcasts of Israel might be partaker thereof with you.' The whole passage, begin- ning at v. 13, I would thus paraphrase — ' Do ye not know, that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple, and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar ?' Provision is made, by the Mosaic economy, for the maintenance of the priesthood who conduct its ceremonial. ' Even so hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.' The support of a gospel ministry, by the New Testament church, is just as much a divine ordinance as was the support of the Aaronic priesthood by the Old Testament church. ' But I have used none of these things.' I have not availed myself of my right to temporal supplies, in requital for my spiritual services. ' Neither have I written these things that it should be so done unto me.' I have not staled my claims now with the view of acting upon them any more in time coming than in time past. The enemies of the gospel are eager to wound it through my conduct, and if they found any pretence for saying that I made a gain of you, they would denounce the whole scheme of mercy as a pecuniary speculation. In these circumstances I am determined to forego my rights, and still to preach the gospel gratuitously ; ' for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.' When I speak of glorying, it is not on account of preaching the gospel, by itself considered, but of preaching it without price. ' For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me ; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel ! ' The case is different as to making the gospel with- out charge ; { for if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.' If I spontaneously relinquish pecuniary remuneration, it must be in 144 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. shall have been all assembled — the dispersed of Judah all gathered together — when rulers and ruled shall embrace each other in celestial mansions, and mingle their hallelujahs before the throne of God! Elders do "well to review and ponder these en- couragements, whatever stage they may have reached in their official career. But I would especially urge them on the attention of those who may have been elected to the office, and may not yet have accepted the appointment. It is one of the greatest evils in the church that so many decline this sacred trust. Those who are most averse to take it, are often those, the view of some compensating benefit; 'but if I preached gratuitously ' against my will,' independently of my will, then I would have no credit in sparing you. On that supposition, I am equally bound to preach, and to take nothing for preaching, and have no room to boast my personal determination in the matter ; 'for a dispensation' — an imperative appointment — is committed unto me. But such is not the case. Though I am bound to preach, I am under no obligation to decline carnal things from those to whom I sow spiritual things ; therefore, if I relinquish my dues, I must be giving up one good in expectation of another. ' What is my reward then ?' "What reward have I in prospect, ' in order that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ with- out charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel? For though I be free,' etc.. instead of exercising my freedom, I have acted as if I were every one's servant. • And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.' I make all these sacrifices, and submit to all this servitude, that I may promote the cause of the gospel in your hearts and lives, and may consequently rejoice in your rejoicing on the great day of God. This view of the passage I proposed many years ago, in an anonymous communication to the Theological Magazine. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 145 too, who have most time to bestow on its engage- ments, most means to second their benevolent pur- poses, and most influence to carry the congregation along with them in good measures. Such persons can see all the work of the eldership devolve on a few operatives, sufficiently toil-worn and care-worn by their own hard service, and absolutely refuse to help them with one of their fingers. On such a state of things the Head of the church cannot fail to look with high displeasure. It is every way ruinous. When the office is rejected by persons deemed respectable, more generally than by other sections of the commu- nity, the apparent reason is that they look upon it as vulgar, and deprecate the holding of it as injurious to their gentility ! Whatever may be their motives, the effect is, that contumely is cast on a divine trust, and Christ is slighted and dishonoured in one of his institutions. The session comes in this way, also, to be of one class; and every class has its own snares and prejudices. It would be very disastrous if all elders were gentlemen. But on the same grounds that such exclusiveness would be reprehensible, it is also to be regretted, that the poorest only of the people should be their spiritual overseers. What can be expected of these men, but that their unaided counsels should bear the stamp of their condition ? and whether are they to blame, or the more opulent and educated chris- tians who desert them, and then complain, perhaps, of their 'narrow views' and 'shabby actions?' This absence of the more influential members of the congregation from the session, necessarily weakens 140 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. sessional authority, and tempts the subjects of discip- line to show disrespect and insubordination. Above all, if a juncture come in -which the utmost weight of character is needed to compose differences and main- tain order, a feeble administration is unequal to the exigency. Cases could be cited in which congrega- tions have been troubled for many years by disputes about sessional acts, and from the day that a powerful addition was made to the session, all these misunder- standings and murmurings have given place to a pro- found tranquillity. A clue regard to these considerations should make those who are chosen to the eldership slow in casting it from them. Do they shrink from the responsibility of accepting it? They should remember that the responsibility is not all on one side. Survey these consequences of refusal, and can you be willingly answerable for them ? Think, too, of withstanding the most sacred and authoritative manifestation of the will of Christ. You have inconveniences and scruples ; but can you pronounce these the leadings of Providence rather than the voice of the church convened in Christ's name, and observing, in your election, his own institution ? You profess to have obeyed the call, follow me, when the end was your cum salvation. Will you not obey the same voice, using the same language, when the end contemplated is the benefit of others? Has compliance with the first call proved so bitter, that you have no faith in the recommendations of the second? But it may be still objected by elders elect, THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 147 that they are not qualified for a station of such oner- ous accountabilities. This plea of unfitness is more urged than any other, or than all others together; and, therefore, it may be proper to remark on it more fully. First of all, let it be observed in reply, that a high notion of personal fitness would be a sorry evidence of possessing it, and that a deep sense of personal insuffi- ciency is one of the first requisites to faith in Christ, and efficiency in his service. The office requires men to fill it whose exclamation, in the view of its duties, is, ' And who is sufficient for these things?'* Moses had the same objections to be a lawgiver, and Isaiah to be a prophet, and Paul to be an apostle. But the weakness of these men was their strength ; for when they were weak then were they strong. Secondly, The plea of unfitness may be urged un- der exaggerated impressions of the difficulties to be encountered. Here, as everywhere, the yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden is light. He gives the means of doing all that he commands to be done ; where opportunity ceases, obligation ceases ; and is not this ' a reasonable service ? ' In the capacity of a private christian, you are bound to do all that you can for Christ. In the position of an elder, what more can be demanded of you ? The chief difference is, that the same amount of labour, when allied with office, does a great deal more good. All are bound to minister comfort to the afflicted : ' "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, * 2 Cor. ii. 16. 1 48 THE RULING ELDERSHIP, even as also ye do.'* But an elder's visit has an effect quite its own. The want of it is felt; the enjoyment of it is valued. The sound of his Master's feet is behind him, and he is recognised as a messenger from the Lord of hosts. Others are bound to re- prove sin; but reproof will be taken well from an elder, when it would be resented if it came from a private member of the church. Such things are expected from him, and reckoned becoming in him; and how much all this facilitates the per- formance of duty it is superfluous to demonstrate. All should take part in beneficent exertions; but few can give them the same effective countenance as elders. Their presence is ever mentioned among causes of congratulation and guarantees of success ; and, if they simply look in upon schools, or prayer meetings, or kindred institutions, conducted by others, their occasional presence is patronage and support. In all this there may be no service deserving the name of toil, certainly no greater amount of labour than is incumbent on the private christian ; and yet the good achieved is greatly augmented, if not many times multiplied. Thirdly, The plea of unfitness, while professedly urged in self-accusation, may be really reproachful to Christ. You have great deficiencies : be it so. Can He not supply them ? You see difficulties in your way : granted. But can He not give you to say — ' By thee I have run through a troop ; and by my God have I leaped over a walif'f That you are feeble * 1 Thess. v. 11. f Psalm xviii. 29. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. M9 does not decide the question. Is God as feeble as yourself? Is his grace a phantom ? Are his pro- mises illusory? Can he not put his treasure in you, an earthen vessel as you are, and there keep it safely, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of men? God can do all this. If he be trusted for it, he will do all; and the conduct which says that he cannot, and will not, has only the fair semblance of humility, and the dark reality of unbelief. ' Be strong, and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fithers to give them ; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee ; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee : fear not, neither be dis- mayed.' * * Deut. xxxi. 7, 8. 150 THE RDLING ELDERSHIP. CONCLUSION. Perhaps more than enough has been already said, yet I cannot bring myself to conclude without a few- closing paragraphs of appeal. There is an im- portant movement at present on the part of elders, and it must have great effects, good or bad. If the result were a confirmed indifference, even that effect would be vast and eventful on the side of calamity. But we are not disposed to indulge these gloomy prognostications. It is a delightful token for good, that elders themselves are the principal agents in devising and propelling measures for the fuller com- mendation of their office. The subject has been long and seriously pondered by many of them; and when action is the result of deliberate and prayerful reflec- tion, we look the more confidently for its prosperous issue. The cause must not be relinquished by them. In the exercise of that faith which worketh by love, they must advance with a growing energy, and neither fail nor be discouraged, till they have secured for tins divine ordinance all its scriptural elevation and soul- saving efficiency. It is not meant that teaching elders should stand TUE RULING ELDERSHIP. 151 aside, while ruling elders are aiininjr at sessional im- provement. The ministers of the word must do all that in them lies to second the praiseworthy endea- vours of their brethren in office. There has been a lamentable remissness in this respect hitherto. In- calculably much has been done to advance the pro- ficiency of ministers and students, and also of private christians. Books and addresses, without number, have been written, which present in every possible aspect the obligations and privileges of all these classes. 13 ut our sessions have been nearly overlooked, and a passing notice of their appointment in the more gene- ral defences of presbytery, exhibits most of the atten- tion with which they have been honoured. Up to this hour there are hundreds of them who, in relation to their office, know not what treatises to consult for their own satisfaction and guidance. The progress in this work has been one of declension ; for in older times each presbytery maintained a constant communication with the sessions in its bounds, and strictly inquired into their condition and faithfulness. The like instru- mentality should be instituted afresh. There is no class in our churches so accessible as elders ; none so capa- ble of profiting by wise and friendly suggestions, and none whom it is so important to benefit, for the edifi- cation of others. In every view, then, it is of high consequence that presbyteries and synods open up a correspondence with sessions, and strengthen their hands in the effort now making for the augmentation of their usefulness. The presbyteries of the Church of Scotland, in their parochial visitations, were wont 152 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. to put such questions as these to the minister of the parish, regarding his elders and deacons : — ' 1. Is your session rightly constitute, and all the elders and deacons duly admitted according to the acts of the Assembly ? 2. Do they all attend gospel ordinances and the diets of the session ? 3. Are they grave, pious, and exemplary in their lives and con- versation f Do they worship God in their families ? Is any of your elders an ignorant man, a drinker of healths, a tippler, a drinker excessively to drunkenness, a swearer, an observer of Yule-days, etc. ? Is he one that observes not the Sabbath ? Is he careful to keep his oath of admission taken before God in face of the congregation, not to delate or censure, but as edifica- tion requires ? Do any of them work on solemn fast or thanksgiving days ? Is any of them a mocker of piety ? 4. Are they diligent, careful, and impartial in the exercise of their offices? Do the elders visit the families within the quarter and bounds assigned to each of them I Are they careful to have the worship of God set up in the families of their bounds ? Are they careful in calling for testimonials from persons who come to reside in the parish? Do the elders take all discipline upon themselves without the minis- ter ? Or do they labour to carry things factiously, or by plurality of voices, contrary to God's word, and the laudable acts of the presbytery, provincial or Ge- neral Assemblies ? 5. Have the elders subscribed the Confession of Faith? And are they well affected to the government, worship, and discipline of this church? G. Have the elders and deacons their distinct bounds THE RULING ELDEKSHIP. 153 assigned them for their particular inspection? 7. Does your session always appoint a ruling elder to attend presbyteries and synods? 8. Are the deacons faith- ful in their office, in collecting and distributing all the kirk-goods, and in having a care of the sick poor ? After all these queries are over, the minister and elders are to be severally encouraged and admonished as the presbytery sees need.' * The foregoing list of queries contains some which would now be reckoned of doubtful propriety, and omits others of great and obvious consequence to be proposed. But such as it is, we may recognise in it a plan of operation which we would do well to re-adopt in its essential provisions while we carefully denude it of collateral abuses. This return to former usas;e is in fact commenced. Different presbyteries have set on foot a profitable correspondence with their respective sessions ; and it is to be hoped that these initiatory steps will termi- nate in a matured and well-digested scheme for di- recting and stimulating the devotedness of the elder- ship from one extremity of the land to the other. It is an excellent arrangement which has been lately introduced of inviting all the elders in a pres- bytery to some of its meetings, that they may join in its devotional exercises, hear a word of exhortation on their proper duties, and confer together on matters of practical and general interest. The great apostle of the Gentiles, who addressed the Ephesian elders convened by him at Meletus, would * Collections by Steuart of Pardovan, Book i. Tit. xiii. pp. 51, 53. 154: THE RULING ELDERSHIP. have looked with profound interest on these kindred assemblies, and would have been stimulated by their importance to bring into requisition his utmost power and utmost influence to promote their objects. That apostle is gone, but his Lord reigns, and though ascended up on high, he speaks the more authorita- tively as speaking from heaven. He addresses us in his word; and we shall do well to inquire, through its pages, Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do ? He speaks to us in his providence ; and we should not be unobservant of the signs of the times. The duties of the eldership are, indeed, at all times urgent. They have an essential and abiding importance which can be sparingly affected by temporary considerations. I am aware, too, that so far as passing events may be acknowledged to create special claims, every epoch has its own peculiar exigencies and resultant obligations. Without, however, exaggerating the distinctive con- sequence of our own day, we may find in it ample stimulus for a diligent discipleship. Our large towns are becoming every year larger, and the augmenting vice and misery of their poorer population cause se- rious disquietude to a considerate philanthropist. A spirit of discontent and jealousy pervades no small section even of the better-behaved and more comfort- ably situated labourers — producing a disrelish for all existing institutions, civil and ecclesiastical, and in- disposing them for the salutary control of religion itself. Not a few of our congregations consist mostly of handloom weavers, whose reduced and disabled condition it is most painful to contemplate. Mean- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 155 while, error is active. Every species of delusion, ad- dressing itself to popular prejudice, is indefatigably propagated. Popery extends itself on the continent, and there glories in the recovery of its lost conquests. The same antichristian system gains the ascendancy in England, and advances under colours more dan- gerous from being more insidious. There are compensating and cheering considera- tions. We see them in the ecclesiastical state of Scotland. Different views are entertained of the dis- ruption which has lately taken place in the National Church ; but on all hands it will be admitted to have added another, and one of the most influential, to our Evangelical and Presbyterian denominations, and to have quickened the zeal of the Establishment itself. If that section of the church to which the writer be- longs do its part in the drama of providence, these fellow-labourers will be fellow-helpers. Live coals, when brought in contact, will burn the brighter for burning together. But, on the other hand, unfavour- able contrast will be as injurious as honourable com- petition would be beneficial; and if we be not stimu- lated, we shall soon be superseded by the energetic action of other denominations. At the same time there are interests at stake, and events in prospect, which sink all merely denominational considerations. * Who/ says a distinguished minister and professor, lately deceased — ' Who can contemplate the character and aspect of the present times, or the present condi- tion and prospects of the church and of religion in our country, and not discern much that is fitted to arouse 15 G THE RULING ELDERSHIP. both ministers and private christians from that state of comparative lethargy in which they have long indulged, and which is the natural consequence of a lengthened period of external peace ? " We can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; how is it that we do not discern the signs of the times'?" "Coming events are casting their shadows before." The present is preg- nant with the buds and blossoms of the future. It might almost seem that all nature is desiring with un- wonted ardour, and expecting with unwonted confi- dence, some new and unexampled " manifestation of the sons of God." If "all creatures are not sighing to be renewed, and calling on the Prince of Peace to come forth from his royal chambers," all things both in the political and the religious hemisphere are in a state of feverish excitement, of unusual commotion, giving tokens most unequivocal, of vast, and it may be hoped, of beneficial changes. The Supreme Ruler has re- cently " shaken the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, and all nations;" now he is "shaking the hea- vens," and while the hearts of those who are interested in the perpetuation of ignorance, and misrule, and injustice, are "failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth," the friends of freedom are confidently anticipating its triumph ; and many at least of the friends of religion are expecting not less confidently that "the daughter of Zion will soon arise and shake herself from the dust, loose herself from the bands of her captivity, and put on her beautiful garments," emerge from her present state of comparative obscurity, and burst on the gaze THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 157 of the astonished nations, "fair as the moon, resplen- dent as the sun, and terrible as an army with ban- ners." Still farther, an unwonted spirit of prayer for the effusion of divine influence is appearing in numer- ous districts of our country, and already " drops have fallen from heaven," and produced partial and local revivals. And may not these be regarded as precur- sors of " a plenteous rain to refresh the languishing heritage of the Lord" — as auspicious presages, indi- cating that soon "the Spirit will be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest." '* These are bright anticipations, and ultimately sure, but they are not likely to be immediately realised. According to present appearances, we must pass through much gloom before we enter millennial glory, and fight a hard battle before we be decked with the trophies, and enriched with the spoils of final victory. Are we in a befitting condition, then, to meet the juncture? Have we put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand in the evil day ; and having done all, to stand ? I fear not. That there is much true piety in our churches is readily and joyously conceded. "We see it in the holy life, we see it in the peaceful death, of many of their members. There is much true piety in our churches; but there is also much of undoubted and inexcusable apathy. Too many follow a course which compels us to stand in doubt of them; and the more decidedly good have, in many instances, a very inadequate im- * Address to Elders, by Robert Balmer, D.D., p. 15. 158 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. pression of their true responsibility. I do not reiterate the complaint, that the former days were better than these. A fair comparison of the present with the past would present, in some views, improvement, and in others, deterioration. But, without estimating the collective character of the change, it is too certain that antecedent and existing usajre, both exhibit a lamentable discrepancy with the standard of revela- tion. Look at the measure of visible saintship with which multitudes, called christian, content them- selves ! Mark all they do bearing even the semblance of religious profession! Note how far the day is oc- cupied otherwise than it would be, if there were no God, no judgment, no eternity at all! A short prayer in the morning, and another at night ; an occasional remark on death in the sight of its desolations; a stated ap- pearance in the church on the Lord's-day, with now and then a pittance to a religious object, — these ele- ments nearly exhaust the amount of discernible godli- ness. Was it for this, then, that Christ died? and in such slight modifications of constant and devoted secu- larly, can he see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied? Are these professors of religion travellers to Zion ; and is this their preparation for its glorious services? Is it thus that Christ is honoured in his people, and his religion vindicated in its efficiency ? Have we, in such agents and such actions, the ap- pointed and congenial instrumentality for the world's conversion? The questions answer themselves, and the answer covers us with confusion. ' Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 3 59 mercy to tliem that love him, and to them that keep his commandments ; we have sinned and have com- mitted iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgments : Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; O our God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies.'* If we are sincere in presenting such confessions and supplications, they will be accompanied with active endeavours, in humble reliance on God's blessing, to escape from acknowledged sins, and achieve a true and thorough reformation. Personal piety will be advanced ; and, with it, relative fidelity and usefulness. Christians will ' not look every man on his own things, but every man also on the things ofothers.'f The office-bearers of the church especially, knowing that office has been assigned them expressly for the benefit of others, will engage all its powers in serving their generation by the will of God. They will seek first to operate on the church, for that is their immediate charge ; and they will not rest till ' Lebanon be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest; till the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness ; till the meek shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor * Dan. ix. 4, etc. f Phil. ii. 4. 1G0 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.'* Our Presbyterian churches possess great resource?. That the Established Church has great pecuniary ca- pabilities will not be disputed, as it retains, next to the Episcopal Church, the wealthier portion of the community. The exertions of the Free Church have made it impossible to question its plentitude of means. Indeed, the history of its beneficence is highly instruc- tive. The National Church was supposed to be doing great things before the late disruption; and yet the Free Church has not only replaced national endow- ments by spontaneous contributions for the mainten- ance of its own ordinances, but has contributed far more in a state of separation, for missionary objects, than the Establishment supposed itself equal for while it continued in its integrity. But even the minor bodies of Presbyterians could do much if they were disposed. The Reformed Presbyterians, or Covenanters, form one of the smaller sections of them; and, of late years, they have conducted missionary operations on a liberal scale. The United Presbyterian Church is in pro- portion much stronger. To it many talents have been committed, for which it is eminently responsible. We may not think it to be affluent, if we compare it with wealthier denominations, or if we view the classes whence its members are derived relatively to other and richer grades of the community. But the pecuniary means of this religious connexion will appear great if * Is. xxix. 17, etc. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 161 we compare them with those of the primitive church, in regard to which an apostle said, l Hearken, my he- loved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath prepared for them that love him?'* Yet we do not find that the church, as then subsisting, was prevented from undertaking or prosecuting any good work, owing merely to pecuniary straits. Estimate, also, what our churches might do for religion by the amount which their members expend on personal or family comforts, and we shall discover no want but of mind and will. When I speak, however, of resources, I would not remark on money alone, or chiefly. Here are hun- dreds of thousands professing godliness, who have placed themselves under our inspection, and who look that we declare to them the whole counsel of God. What intellectual — what moral stores are here, all avowedly placed at the foot of the cross ! If the prin- ciple of dedication to Christ were fully carried out — if our people were not only missionary congregations, but congregations of missionaries, every one striving to be useful in his own sphere and own manner, then what good might not be accomplished? These re- sources it is the duty and the privilege of elders to bring into application. If eleemosynary funds were given them in charge, they would think it dreadful to keep back one farthing of them from its charitable destination. But if the beneficence of a congrega- tion be intercepted by the apathy of its overseers — * James ii. 5. 1G2 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. by the supineness of those functionaries who were ap- pointed to prompt and regulate that beneficence, — is there not a breach of trust, outwardly different, per- haps, but essentially similar in its character? Elders are bound to promote the well-doing of a church. In all the degree, then, that they might accomplish this end, and do not, are they not responsible for the defi- ciency? It is not said that a church will do all that is recommended by the members of its session ; but it is meant and maintained, that the means of usefulness within a congregation are, to a great extent, at the disposal of those who are over it in the Lord ; so that a congregation cannot be inactive and its eldership be innocent. Let elders, then, not think their work done till they have set others — till they have set all others a-working. Let them look on the rich in the congre- gation as the custodiers of its funds — on the children and youth in a congregation as arrows for the hand of a mighty man, and rejoice to have a quiver full of them — on the mature and strong in the congregation as an available agency for arduous enterprise, where energy and discretion are both essential to success — on every gift and grace of every church member as a vessel both fitted and intended for the Master's use ! That a new and nobler reformation is required be- fore millennial glory be attained is painfully obvious. Why, then, should it be deferred ? Let us set our hearts on it, and plead with God to have it now, and look and live, and labour for its coming. The power must be from on high ; for the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. But the Spirit works by THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 163 means ; and by what means more suitable than by the constituted authorities in his church? The con- summation, holy brethren, is, under God, in your hands : believe it : and all things are possible to him that believeth. The father of an afflicted son, who was a lunatic, and sore vexed with an unclean spirit, brought him to the disciples, and they could not cure him. Afterwards the disciples came to Jesus apart, and said, 'Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a, grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove ; and no- thing shall be impossible to you.' * Let these and similar assurances embolden you to act with a zeal and fortitude becoming the work which you perform, the God whom you serve, and the inheritance which you anticipate. ' Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.' f Have done with those apologies which incredulity suggests. The old may net say, * I am excused by age from novelty of movement, and have no elasticity of mind or body for these modern ameliorations.' A spring-time will be the more marked that the veteran oak puts forth its leaves, and renews its youth in the exuberance of its foliage. The work will be the more manifestly of God, when grace stimulates the fire where nature would let it languish, and guides to new fields of christian achievement where habit and * Mutt. xvii. 20. t 1 Cor. xvi. 13. 1 64 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. association would rather commend a beaten track. What a comfort "were it to these aged servants of Christ, to see this revival of his cause both begun and prospering in their hands — to see the sun rising on Zion when their own sun is going down — to see not only their children's children, but peace upon Israel ! The youthful among our elders may not say, 'It were presumptuous in us to stir in these matters.' We vindicate the appointment of such to the office, on the principle that the church needs not only the wisdom which years teach, but the valour and enterprise which youth inspires. That the argument is sound, it lies with them to demonstrate — to prove, not by words, but by deeds, by infusing a freshness of fer- vency into all our operations. The apostles, when chosen to the apostleship, were almost all young men. Consider what they did, and be followers of Christ, as ye have them for examples ! There is not a little to discourage us in present prospects. The decline of Protestantism, and return to Papal error, in England, is particularly appalling. But show us that Presbytery reforms itself, while Episcopacy matures and multiplies its corruptions, jind we shall not fear the aggressions either of prela- tical or papistical intolerance. Give us an eldership succeeding to the spirit and to the labours, as they do to the plainness of the apostles, and we cede all that remains of apostolic succession to the eulogists of its virtue. What, then, is to be done ? I have answered the question already; and I would have all whom I ad- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 165 dress to answer it now for themselves. Let each take counsel in his own soul, and earnestly and prayerfully deliberate with himself what he might do which he is leaving undone for the bringing again of Zion. Let elders take up the subject in session assembled. Let session communicate with session, and those in one presbytery with those in another, till all our eldership be as one man in elevating christian practice to scrip- tural principle. Begin such measures and suspend them not till something good, till something great emerge from this movement, till God overrule it for establishing Jerusalem, and making her 'a praise in the earth.'* * Is lxii. 7. L REMARKS ON THE LIABILITY OF ELDERS AND OTHER ECCLESIASTICAL OFFICE-BEARERS TO ACTIONS FOR DAMAGES FOR THEIR OFFICIAL ACTS. " Actions of slander are of two kinds, — either the defender has " or he has not a right to speak of the pursuer. If he has not, he " is liable in damages, if the accusation is false. If he has the " right, then he is protected, unless he maliciously makes the ac- " cusation. In the first case, it is not necessary to state malice, as " it is sufficient if falsehood and injury is proved ; hut in the second " case, malice must be stated and proved, as it is the ground of " the action." — Lord Chief Commissioner Adam. In the exercise of their official duties, elders are called upon to inquire into, and pronounce judgment on the character and conduct of the members of the church. If a member be charged, either by com- aion report or otherwise, with immorality, it be- comes the duty of the elder, either with or without sessional authority, to investigate into the truth of the matter, and with this view to apply to parties sup- posed capable of affording information, and when he has done so, to report to his brethren in session the result of his inquiries. Sometimes, too, an elder may be called on to act the part of a prosecutor, either before the session or presbytery, and in that character 1 C8 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. to make a formal charge against an individual, and bring* forward evidence in support of it. As a ses- sion, also, elders are called on to deal with offenders, or persons accused of immoralities — to state their opinions in regard to the guilt of such persons ; and, if satisfied of the proof before them, to pass and re- cord a sentence of adequate censure, rebuking the party, suspending him from church privileges, or, it may be, expelling him from the communion of the body. Now, the law does not, in the case of general society, permit such interference on the part of one man w T ith the character and conduct of another, as all this plainly implies; and were any man to attempt it with regard to his neighbour, he would subject himself in damages, if he could not plead such a pri- vilege to do so as the courts of law will sanction ; — and seeing that the duty of elders, according to the Presbyterian constitution, requires such a procedure, it becomes an important question, whether, in dissent- ing communities especially, elders or other ecclesias- tical office-bearers have the right referred to in the quotation prefixed to this paper, and how far they may deal with the characters of those under their inspection, without subjecting themselves to actions for slander and defamation ; for, if the law makes no exception in their case, it is obvious that their duties cannot be safely discharged. I have no hesitation in saying, however, that the law T of the land does make an exception in their fa- vour — that it w T ill protect sessions and other church courts collectively, and the members of them indi- vidually, so long as they act according to and keep within the rules and usages of the denomination to which they belong. And I found this assertion on these three maxims : 1st, Internal government is es- sential to the existence of every established or tole- rated religious society ; 2d, The connection which THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 169 any person, as a member, has with such a society, and the authority which the office-bearers of it have over him, arise from his own voluntary act in seeking admission to its privileges, and in assenting to its principles and rules ; 3d, The office-bearers are entitled to exercise that control over the members which the known constitution and usage of the so- ciety, under which the members have voluntarily placed themselves, prescribe and warrant. Acting according to these, therefore, and keeping within the hounds which they sanction, elders have nothing to fear. I do not mean by this that an action of damages is incompetent against elders or other ecclesiastical office-bearers, for acts done by them injurious to the reputation of those with whom they deal ; or that in all cases where an action of this kind is brought, they are entitled at once to have it dismissed, as one which a civil judge cannot look at or enter- tain. I only mean that, when prosecuted for alleged injury sustained through their official actings, they are entitled to plead privilege — (that is, that there existed a legitimate occasion or call for them to act as they did;) and that no action will lie against them for subjecting them in damages, unless malicious motive be averred and can be proved. In many cases the statement of the pursuer will give rise to this plea, and show its application, to the effect of procuring the immediate dismissal of the action. If a party, for instance, were to bring an action, averring that he, being a member of a parti- cular congregation, had been called before the session of it, and charged with some immorality, and that after some inquiries made, but without any legal evidence, A B the minister, and C, D, E, etc., the elders, had falsely and calumniously pronounced and recorded a sentence against him as guilty of that 1 70 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. immorality, and on the ground of his alleged guilt had deprived him of Iris rights and privileges as a member of the congregation, and thereby injured his reputation and good name, — such a statement, on the very face of it, would give rise to the plea of privi- lege : it would show that the acts complained of were done by the parties against whom it is directed in their official character, as the ecclesiastical office- bearers of the voluntary society to which the pursuer had attached himself; and the action would in con- sequence be dismissed as irrelevant. It may be, however, that the summons would be so laid as not to bring out the application of the plea of privilege; that the facts might be so disguised as to leave it in doubt, till proof should be led, whether the conduct complained of was within the line of official duty or no. It might be alleged that the party was not subject to the ecclesiastical control of the de- fenders, or that the rules and usages of the society did not warrant them to take cognizance of his con- duct ; or the facts might be represented so as, if true, to exclude the plea of privilege. And in such cases, especially where the subsequent pleadings or record do not elicit an admission of the true state of matters, the court may be necessitated to allow the case to go to trial or proof, in order that the actual facts may be established. If, however, on evidence being led, the relation which existed between the parties, and the right of the defenders, according to the usage of the religious body, to take the pursuer's conduct under their review and pronounce upon it, are proved, the defenders will be entitled to a verdict in their favour, as not liable in damages ; and no alleged irregularity of the procedure, or apparent rashness in deciding, will avail the pursuers. In questions of this nature the law, I apprehend, makes no difference between the protection afforded THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 171 to members of the Established Church courts and to those c.f dissenting communities, but what may arise from the circumstance that the rules and procedure of the one are matters regulated in some measure by statutory law, while those of the other are the subject of private arrangement and constitution or usage. The Judges know the powers and duties of the former, while they cannot know, judicially at least, those of the other until they are proved. But, except where this specialty interferes, the same rules which regulate the rights of the one set of office-bearers regulate those of the other also. The law of toleration im- plies a power of internal government on the part of the tolerated communities, without which they could not exist ; and the rules which they adopt must be held to be known to all who connect themselves with them. In both Established and Dissenting churches the right, on the part of the office-bearers, to judge and deal with character and conduct, which is the foundation of the privilege to which we have referred, arises from the voluntary act of the party. He is not compelled, by birth or residence, to subject himself, or his character and conduct, to the authority of the kirk-session of the parish, or other courts of the Established Church, any more than he is to subject himself to the authority of the session or presbytery of a dissenting community. It is choice, his free, voluntary act, which alone can give to either a right over him ; and he has the power to disown the authority and put an end to the ecclesias- tical jurisdiction at his pleasure ; but so long as that connection, thus established, lasts, he has no right to complain to the civil courts for redress of any supposed wrongs he has sustained at the hands of his ecclesias- tical superiors. The privilege, however, is and must be limited to acts properly in the discharge of official duty. Elders 172 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. have no right to claim privilege for anything they do beyond this. So long, therefore, as they are acting officially, and within the line of duty, they are safe, but beyond that line they are to be treated as men ultroneously meddling with the character and conduct of their neighbours. Accordingly, as it would be unbecoming in them to make what passes in the session-meeting, or what they do officially, the subject of conversation and tattle out of doors, so neither is it tolerated. If they make the failings or the delinquencies of those over whom they are set as overseers in the Lord the subject of discussion or remark to others, they are at once acting a part unworthy of their office, and one which exposes them to the law of the land; and their conduct, instead of being protected, willie looked on as aggravating the grounds of complaint against them, from the greater injury it is calculated to inflict arising from their standing in society. In th.Q first place, then, I would remark, that in all cases where privilege, or the right to speak or act in reference to character, is pleaded, it must be made evident that the right existed in the defenders ; and it may be a question how far the relation in which the parties stood called for or entitled them to act as they did. The pursuer may assert it did not, the de- fenders that it did. The court, before whom the case comes, is not to be supposed cognizant of the usages of all the religious bodies in the country. In Presby- terian bodies it is the session who have the right to take cognizance of the conduct of members ; in Con- gregational bodies it is the whole church. In others the right may be in the pastor alone ; and more extended or more restricted duties may be assigned to different office-bearers. Greater publicity, also, may be given in one society to the sentence of the ruling body than in another is ever thought of. In ail cases, therefore, the right of protection will depend THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 173 on the answer that can be given to the question, Were the acts complained of within the line of duty of the defenders or not, according to the usage of the body to which they and the pursuer belong ? That question, however, can only be answered to the satis- faction of a civil judge by a proof of the usage itself. And in such cases, the issue to be sent to a jury and tried must be, Whether the defenders did so and so, in violation of their duty, and to the injury of the pursuer ? In the next place, it must be apparent that the right, if it ever existed, remained in force at the. time of the acts complained of. The law of privilege will only avail elders in their dealings with a party truly amenable at the time to their ecclesiastical jurisdic- tion. Sessions or presbyteries have no right to make the character or conduct of those who do not belong to their religious society the subject of their dis- cussions or reproofs. This, I believe, will rarely if ever, occur. But it may be that a member of a congregation, so soon as his conduct has been such as to call for sessional inquiry, leaves the body, and renounces the authority of its courts. In such a case their proceedings should be immediately arrested, for the right of the court or its members to inquire into the alleged immorality has ceased. The connection out of which that right, and, consequently, their pri- vilege in dealing with it, arose, is one of an entirely voluntary character ; and, the moment a man disowns his connection with them as his ecclesiastical su- periors, their right to speak or judge of his conduct terminates with his connection. All they have to do is to declare him no longer of their communion or CD entitled to the privileges to be enjoyed in it; or, if he bore office among them, to denude, or declare him to be denuded of it ; and the reason of the sentence should be his declinature or fugitation from discipline, 174 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. not his guilt, or presumed guilt, of the matter laid to his charge. And lastly, though an elder, or other ecclesiastical officer is protected by the plea of privilege, the pro- tection is not an absolute one — it is liable to be lost, if malicious intent can be averred and proved. No man is entitled, under the cover of his official station, to gratify a spirit of malevolence or revenge, by ruin- ing the character of his neighbour. If, therefore, it should be made obvious that the proceedings of an elder, or of a session, were actuated, not by a desire to do their duty, but to gratify their malice — that their official situation was only a cloak which they assumed or took advantage of for the purpose of in- flicting injury on the person against whom their sen- tences were directed — an action will be sustained, and damages will be awarded. It is not enough, however, that a mere general allegation is made that the conduct complained of was malicious. Circumstances must be condescended on, affording, at least, a colourable case in support of the charge of malice. Something in their conduct, apart from the proceedings themselves, or which gave a peculiar character to these, must be stated, which, if proved, w T ill entitle a jury of impar- tial men to say that they were not acting in good faith, but were dishonestly perverting the office which they held into an instrument of injury and oppression. In corroboration of these remarks I may now al- lude to some of the cases which have occurred and been decided bearing on these different points. And the first I shall notice is that of M l Queen, c$*c., v. Grant, 25th July, 1781, and 21st November, 1783.* This was an action of damages against a parish minister for refusing tokens of admission to the com- munion table to certain parishioners on the ground of alleged misconduct. In the first instance the action * Mor. Decisions, pp. 7466 and 7468. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 175 was limited to this ground of injury ; and the Lord Ordinary, while he disapproved of the minister's con- duct, found ' that as in the refusal the defender was ' acting in his capacity of minister of the parish, he 'is not, on that account, amenable to the civil court of ' law, and therefore finds the condescendence not rele- vant, and assoilizes the defender.' The court af- firmed this judgment; but, the pursuers having in a reclaiming petition alleged that the minister had in- dustriously circulated the calumny, the libel was al- lowed to be amended. Accordingly, the pursuers hav- ing offered to prove that he had said to several persons that they (the pursuers) had perjured themselves be- fore the Justiciary Court, ' the court thought the facts, ' thus qualified, injurious and actionable. To refuse 1 admission to the ordinances of religion, or to give ' reasons for that procedure either in the church courts ' or in private admonition to the parties themselves, 4 was a matter merely ecclesiastical, but to propagate, 'in public companies, a story highly prejudicial to ' the reputation of a parishioner, or even to give a 1 reason for his conduct, could not be justified by the ' character of a minister.' A proof was consequently allowed, and damages were found due. A similar decision was given in Robertson v, Preston, 11th Aug., 1780.* There, it had been reported, at a kirk-session, that Robertson had been guilty of immoralities. He was summoned to attend ; and, having disobeyed, a sentence was pronounced that he was unworthy to be admitted to the Lord's Supper. An action was raised before the Commissaries, charging the minister and elders with having scandal- ised his character both in the session-house and out of doors; and a defence, declining the jurisdiction of the Commissaries, having been repelled, the case was advocated to the Court of Session. The Lord * Mor., p. 7468. 176 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. Ordinary (Hailes) remitted to the Commissaries to refuse a proof of what was said or done by the de- fenders in the kirk-session, or in their collective capacity, but to allow a proof of what they did as individuals. To this the Court adhered. These cases related to sessions of the Established Church, but the principle is equally applicable to dissenting church courts. Hence, in the case of Auchin close v. Black, 6th March, 1793,* a minister belonging to the Burgher synod having been de- posed for the sin of fornication from the office of the holy ministry by a sentence of his presbytery, which was affirmed by the synod, he raised an action of slander and damages against the members of the presbytery. In this action, to make out, if possible, a relevant case, he alleged that the charge and pro- ceedings upon it were the result of a foul conspiracy on the part of his brethren, in which, by importunity and threats of persecution on the one hand, and pro- mises of tenderness and absolute secrecy on the other, joined with his own bad health and spirits at the time, they had succeeded in wringing from him cer- tain confessions, expressed in equivocal and qualified, terms, which truly related to an accidental instance of intemperance in liquor, and had been unduly ap- plied by the presbytery to the charge of fornication. The members of presbytery pleaded their privilege ; and the Lord Ordinary, ' in respect he does not con- * sider it competent for this court to review the pro- i ceedings of Associate congregations, commonly called ' Burghers, when sentences are pronounced by them ' in their ecclesiastical character, therefore sustains * the defences, assoilizes,' &c. Auchinclose reclaimed to the court, and detailed circumstances in support of his plea, that, though under the colour of judicial proceedings, all had been truly done in prosecution of * Hume's Cases, p. 595. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 177 a malicious conspiracy against him. 'At advising, 'the Judges' (says Mr Hume) 'were generally of ' opinion that the defenders were answerable if it : could be shown that though made in a judicial form, : the charge against the pursuer was truly a calumny, ' and was made and prosecuted in a malicious spirit. ' But all agreed, in thinking that the pursuer had not ' condescended relevantly, and that the contents of a ' certain letter were a sufficient answer to all he al- ' leged.' They therefore refused his petition. Mr Hume, in connection with his report of this case, mentions another — Brownlie and Scott, v. Session of Carluke, 1st July, 1819 — as having been decided on the verbal report of a Lord probationer. It was an action of damages raised by two individuals, who had been deprived of their privilege as members of the con- gregation on account of certain alleged irregularities in their conduct relative to the affairs of the meeting- house ; but it was found that no complaint lay in the civil court, what was complained of having been done in the course of judicial and ecclesiastical procedure, and in matters which were competent to the session. ' The case of Greive v. Smith, 12th Feb., 1608,* is also in point. There both parties, a master and servant, were members of a congregation of Bereans. Smith charged his servant with acts of dishonesty and immorality ; and, according to the usage of that denomination, he brought Greive's conduct be- fore the church, through their pastor, by a written communication, charging him as a person devoid of truth, filled with malicious thoughts, abandoned to a reprobate life, given to wicked and dishonest practices, and unworthy of fellowship in any chris- tian society. The church held several meetings for the investigation of these charges, in the course of which both parties lost temper, and Smith called * Hume's Cases, p. 637. 178 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. Greive a vagabond and. a villain. The result was, that Greive finally separated himself from the society, and brought an action of damages. Besides found- ing it on the statements made to the pastor and church, the action charged Smith with having ex- pressed himself to the prejudice of Greive's honesty and credit to two or three different persons. The Lord Ordinary held him liable generally in £100 of damages. But, on a reclaiming note, ' the court * thought that everything must be laid aside that had 1 passed, judicially in some measure, at the meetings * of the congregation, and according to the rules and 4 usages of the Berean Society. The exceptionable c matter was what passed in conversation on other ' occasions elsewhere, and for this damages may be 1 due, but not to so high an amount, especially as * Smith seemed not to be altogether without some 6 excuse.' The damages were reduced to £20. The quotation prefixed to these Remarks, from a speech of Lord Chief Commissioner Adam, is taken from his charge to the jury in a case, JPLean v. Fraser, 19th May, 1823.* Damages were there claimed against a minister for his hav- ing accused the pursuer, in a meeting of the presby- tery, as guilty of gross violation of the Sabbath. The defence was that what the defender said was in the exercise of his duty, while the pursuer denied this. It was admitted, however, that, if a person made his public station a cloak for private malignity, he would not be protected ; but it was at the same time argued that, in such a case, not merely injury but direct malice, or some previous ground of malice, must be proved. The Lord Chief Commissioner remarked that, as the case was limited to what was done in a church court (it had not been so at the outset), there might be some doubt of its legality ; and, if the action had been • .Murray's Cases, III., 353. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 179 brought on this ground alone, it probably would not have been sent to trial ; and that no proof of any grudge or act showing malice had been offered. The jury gave, under his directions, a verdict for the de- fender. In a late case, that of Sturrock v. Greig and others, 15th Feb., 1849, * the Court went even farther than in some of the previous cases, and ex- cluded part of a libel which claimed damages for ecclesiastical proceedings and sentences, even where an allegation was made that these had been originated and carried on maliciously and without probable cause. It was an action at the instance of an assistant schoolmaster against the parish minister and elders. The grounds of the claim for damages on the part of the schoolmaster were — 1st, That in certain sessional proceedings against him minutes were recorded, and that in a petition by the session to the General As- sembly statements were made, setting forth that there existed nfama against him that he had been guilty of fornication, and representing him as guilty of falsehood and of conduct unbecoming the character of a christian, of a communicant, and of a teacher of youth, and that a sentence had been pronounced, suspending him from church privileges, by all which he had been greatly injured : 2d, That a minute of the session, containing statements injurious to the pursuer's character, and assigning reasons why, notwithstanding the decision of the superior church courts reversing their sentences against him, the session regarded him as guilty, and considered that his restoration to the enjoyment of sealing ordinances would be injurious to the discipline of the church and to the promotion of true religion, was read from the pulpit by the minister with the sanction and by the authority of the session: 3d, That an extract of one of the sessional minutes had been * Cases in Court of Session, New Series, Vol. XL, p. 1220. 180 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. sent to a local board, having the charge of a mortifi- cation for defraying the education of poor children, some of whom were taught by the pursuer, as a rea- son for the session's declining to fill up a vacancy in the number of children under his charge. The Court distinguished between these different charges, and dealt with each in a different way. The first they regarded as relating to sentences pronounced and proceedings taken by the session in a proper case of discipline duly brought before it and within its competency and province as a church court ; and, although it was alleged that the statements were made maliciously and without probable cause, they decided that no action of damages could lie against the mem- bers of session in respect of these, and refused to send an issue to a jury. In regard to the second, they viewed it as not ex facie zl case of privilege, and sent an issue to the jury to say whether the publication from the pulpit was made in violation of duty and to the pursuer's injury. And as to the third, they treated it as an ordinary case of defamation, and authorised an issue whether the minute was false and calumnious, and whether it was wrongfully published to the pursuer's injury. Here, then, it will be seen, a clear distinction was taken between (1) sessional acts in the ordinary course of a case of discipline, — (2) sessional conduct out of that course, publishing statements to the party's prejudice after he had been acquitted by the superior judicatories, — and (3) communications made on the subject of his character to third parties. For the first, the session were found not answerable ; for the second, liable in damages only if in violation of duty ; and for the third, simply if false, calumnious, and wrongful. This case related to the conduct of a kirk-session of the Established Church ; and in the consideration of it, the Judges were led to speak more directly in re- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 181 ference to the powers vested in the church courts by the statutes establishing the Church of Scotland. But many of the expressions used show that the law, as expounded, was considered equally applicable to dis- senting church courts. The Lord Justice-Clerk said — ' We are not now discussing the right principles of church government, according to the Scriptures, neither are we to consider the extent of the autho- rity over the members of a dissenting establishment, flowing from the principles sanctioned among themselves, and submitted to by the act of joining the same. I avoid the question as to whether simi- lar protection extends to their church courts, solely because that is not the case before us — but not from any doubt now entertained by me that they may claim the same. 1 take simply the fact that the Church of Scotland, as established by law, has adopted ; and that statute has declared and pro- claimed, that according to the Word of God, as in- terpreted by the Church of Scotland, its church courts are invested with the right and duty of dis- cipline over its members ; and that such right flows from the divine institution of the christian ministry, and of the presbyteries which the Church of Scot- land holds to be, although not of divine prescription, as the only form of church government, but as founded on and as agreeable to the Word of God. 'No one need be, unless he chooses, a member of the Church of Scotland, or of any particular sect, in the constitution of which there are things to which he objects. If he joins the same — and if I under- stand the statements here, the pursuer did so delibe- rately, after being employed in the teaching of youth, and therefore of mature years — then he must take its constitution as he finds it. He must be subjected to the authority and discipline of the church, and he must be content to acknowledge the authority under M 182 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. * which that discipline is exercised to be of divine in- 4 stitution, and bestowed by the great Head of the * Church on the office-bearers of the church over 4 him — if such shall be the view taken of his sub- jection to church discipline by the laws of the Church * of Scotland. * No doubt all this is a very grave and weighty 1 question — one of the most serious with which legisla- 4 tion or the arrangements of voluntary churches have 1 to deal with. No doubt such views of the origin 4 and character of the authority of the church over 4 its members, whether an established or dissenting ' church, entrust much to the weakness and frailties * of human nature. But if the church which the in- dividual has joined, being the Church of Scotland, * has proclaimed and announced its views of scripture * on this subject, and placed its members under the 4 discipline of the church, by reason and in respect of 4 the authority bestowed on the church acting through 4 its office-bearers by divine ordination and appoint- 1 ment ; then, according to that very theocracy, 4 so established, the member of the church must 4 acknowledge and submit to the authority under 4 which the discipline is exercised over him. In an ' establishment he may have this advantage, that the 4 grounds on which discipline can be exercised over 4 him may be defined by, or must be consistent with 4 law ; and whether some think this interferes with 4 the spiritual liberty of the church, at least in this 4 question it removes one great source of objection to 4 the plea contended for by the defenders, and affords 4 the members of the Established Church a protec- 4 tion which it may be — I only say it may be — the con- 4 stitutions of voluntary churches may not have given, 4 as clearly as they have established the subjection of 4 their members to ecclesiastical discipline.' . 4 We have to deal only with a party who has delibe- THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 183 rately by choice, we must presume, and still more by the acceptance of an office, but still voluntarily, subjected himself to the discipline of the Church of Scotland, whatever that may be/ Subsequently, his Lordship said — 'From this, I think it necessarily follows that, in matters clearly within the cognizance of church officers or courts, as subject to church censures (I keep to the exact case before us, and the law within the statute), when the church judicatory is thus exercising the government so entrusted to it, its judicatories and officers are not amenable to the civil courts of the country in damages for alleged wrong. They have been trusted as a separate government. The declaration of the authority under which they act, assumes that it must be separately administered — free from control — free from subjection Or subordination to civil tribunals. 4 The inquiry into their motives — which is the very essence of the pursuer's case — by other civil courts — it may be by men not even of the church — is abso- lutely repugnant to the freedom which, must belong' to a church in matters of discipline. ' To any party alleging wrong by such courts, the answer, then, is plain — if these courts were acting wholly within the matter committed to them, they are distinct and supreme — and the authority under which they sit, excludes any inquiry into their mo- tives by civil courts. But hardship, in truth, there is not, whatever the party may feel, for he has chosen to subject himself, in all matters which can come within the discipline of the church, to the Church of Scotland as established by law ; and the authority of that church in cases falling within dis- cipline, has been announced and fixed. k The view that may be taken of this matter by in- dependent religious bodies, unless their constitution is very express, may go much farther ; and it may 184 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. be that their church courts may have, as against their own ministers [members], the sole right to decide what is competent matter for church disci- pline and ecclesiastical government. And such bodies may consider it an objection to the purity and independence of the Established Church, that it does not possess such power uncontrolled. But to the members of the Establishment there is, on the other hand, the benefit of the protection which the establishment of a church by statute implies — viz., that the church courts must act within the limits assigned to them. Now, the opinion I give applies solely to a case in which, as here, it is distinctly admitted, or plainly appears, that the church cen- sures were enforced in respect of matters clearly falling within the discipline competent to the church, and of winch the church courts had entire cog- nizance.' In like manner, Lord Medwyn remarked — ' The Scottish Confession is declaratory of this distinction, and of the independence of the church courts of the 'Established Church of Scotland : but the rule is not confined to these. I ascribe the right of indepen- dent church government to a much higher source, and give it a much wider application : accordingly, our courts respect it in the case also of all tolerated sects — those other religious bodies where the mem- bers submit themselves voluntarily to the jurisdiction of the office-bearers of their church, whatever it may be, so that no member can come to the civil court with a claim of damages in a proper ecclesiastical question, implying a review of the proceedings of the church court on its merits, on an allegation of a wrong done by that court.' And his Lordship referred to Au chin close's case, and Greive v. Smith, both above mentioned. And Lord Moncrieff said — It appears to me that THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 185 ' no one can have any just right to insist in such an ' action against the members of the kirk-session of ' the Established Church, or, indeed, of any church, of 1 which he holds himself to be a member, when he ' reads the terms of the Confession of Faith, in sections ' 3 and 4 of chapter xxx., which he professes to re- ' ceive as the confession of his faith in this matter.' ' The pursuer has voluntarily 'submitted himself to the jurisdiction legally consti- i tuted for dealing with such things ; and I think 1 that, in such a case, the privilege in the sentences * pronounced, and proceedings connected with them, 'is absolute against the competency of such an action ' in the civil court.' Lord Cockburn dissented from the other Judges, in so far as their opinions went to exclude action even where malice and want of probable cause was alleged, which he regarded as introducing a new and dan- gerous principle, and giving kirk-sessions ' an abso- lute licence of defamation ;' but he also viewed the principle as equally applicable to dissenting churches. After stating, in strong terms, what would in his judgment be the effect of such a principle, he says, — ■ '^or is this frightful system confined to the Estab- ' lishment. The principle, if it be followed out, must i apply to all our Presbyterian dissenters, in their ' dealings with their own adherents, and, indeed, to ' every religious community. So that the whole coun- ' try is studded with little inquisitions ; from whose i fatal but irresponsible censures, no man has any i safety except he who, in reference to such a system, ' is in what must be considered the comfortable con- ' dition of belonging to no religious community at all; ' though even he is by no means quite secure against ' the general censorship of theEstablished session.' The case on the issues which were allowed, I may add, went to trial, and pretty heavy damages were awarded. 186 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. Iii this case, I think, the Court went rather far in excluding an issue in reference to the sessional pro- ceedings where malice was alleged and offered to be proved ; and in a later case, that of Dunbar against the Presbytery of Auchterarder, 11th Dec, 1849,* where a presbytery, who had deposed a schoolmaster under the Schoolmaster's Act, on a charge of adultery found proven, and whose proceed- ings were reduced by the Court of Session in conse- quence of irregularities, were prosecuted for damages, the Court (First Division) threw out the action, but solely on the ground that it was not specifically averred that they had been actuated by malice. And in a still later case, that of Edwards v. Begbie, fyc, 28th June, 1850, f the general principle was very fully argued. This was a case where the vestrymen of an Episcopalian chapel were sued for damages foi having ejected the pursuer, a brother vestryman, on charges of gross lying and falsehood, and as unworthy to take any part in the business and counsels of God's house, and got their sentence read from the pulpit. Their title to the character of a church court was much doubted. But Lord M'Ken- zie — the ether Judges concurring, said, — ' Supposing ' the defenders could be regarded as having acted 'judicially, I conceive the general rule to be, that 'judges, civil or ecclesiastical, if they, in the exercise 4 of their function, commit a wrong maliciously and ' without probable cause, must be liable in damages ; ' and I am aware of no exception applicable to this ' case. I think, therefore, the pursuer must get his ' issue/ The defenders then proposed to allow an issue whether the facts complained of were done ' in violation of their duty as vestrymen,' etc., and this being accepted, the case went to trial, and damages were found due. * Cases, &c, Vol. XII., p. 284. f Itid., p. 1134. THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 187 Before closing this enumeration of authorities, I may refer to another, as illustrative of the remark previously made, that it is not safe to pronounce sentence of condemnation on parties who, before such sentence, was issued, renounce or disown the authority or jurisdiction of the ecclesiastical court to which they were for a time subject. I refer to Dunbar v. Skinner, 3d March, 1849.* The bear- ing of this case on the point in hand will be suf- ficiently seen, without any detail of it, from the rubric given to the report : * A clergyman of the Church of England subscribed, under certain conditions, the canons of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and sub- mitted himself to the authority of one of the bishops of that church. He afterwards withdrew his sub- scription, alleging, as his reason, that the conditions on which he had subscribed had been violated by the bishop. An ecclesiastical sentence against him was subsequently issued by the bishop. In an ac- tion of damages at the instance of the clergyman against the bishop, on the ground that the sentence pronounced was libellous, — Held, 1. That the bishop had no authority at law to pronounce such sentence. 2. That his authority, if he ever had such, depended on the contract of submission by the clergyman, who was entitled to withdraw from it if its condi- tions were violated. 3. That the court has jurisdic- tion to try whether the contract was violated. 4. Defence that the act of the bishop was privileged, repelled, the clergyman having offered to prove a violation of the contract.' These decisions, to which others might be added, show, I think — 1. That sessions, proceeding according to the rules and usages of the church, and acting in the spirit which ought ever to guide them, have no cause to * Case?, &c, Vol. XL, p. 945. 188 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. fear the results of any actions of damage with which they may be threatened, but will be protected by privilege. But, 2. If they make matters of discipline the subject of conversation and remark out of session and apart from their official actings, they are liable to be dealt with as other defamers ; or, 3. If they proceed to pronounce sentences, find- ing guilty of immoralities or other misdemeanors persons who have left their communion and dis- owned their authority, they expose themselves to prosecution ; or, 4. If they allow themselves to be actuated by ma- licious motives or revengeful feelings, even their judicial actings, if proved to have originated in, or to have been influenced by these, may subject them in damages. Against these limitations of their privilege of pro- tection, church rulers have no right to complain. Even with these exceptions they have all they are entitled to demand ; and they enjoy an equal privilege to that which the civil judges of the land (other than those of the supreme court itself) Dossess. Public rebukes, or the publication to congregations of the sentences of sessions or presbyteries, are now, at least in the ordinary run of cases of discipline, comparatively rare, but they are sometimes re- quired ; and as it is part of the law of the church that sentences of suspension or deposition of office- bearers are to be intimated to the congregation at large, and that occasionally rebukes to private mem- bers are to be publicly administered, — it follows, from the principles above stated, that where such publica- tion is ordered by a session or presbytery, both the members of these courts and the minister who is their mouth in the announcement or rebuke, being in the THE RULING ELDERSHIP. 189 execution of their duty, will be protected by privilege. But this privilege will not extend to a minister who shall so far forget himself, as from the pulpit to calumniate or brins: charges against either his own hearers or others, whether by name, or in such a way as leaves no room to doubt of their intended application. The place and the circumstances, instead of affording protection, will aggravate the oifence in the eye of law, and increase the amount of damages. Several cases of this kind have occurred ; but, as they do not fall particularly within the subject in hand, it is only necessary to mention them below.* Neither does it fall strictly within the object of these remarks to consider how far private members of the church are protected in the communications they may make to sessions or to individual elders, in reference to the conduct of their fellow-members. But the general principles above stated apply to them whenever duty can be pleaded ; and the case of Greive v. Smith is an instance in point. It may be remarked generally, 1. That when persons are called on to give evidence, or to state what has come under their obser- vation, they are as safe to do so to ecclesiastical office- bearers as in civil suits — and 2. That as it is their in- terest that the membership of the church to which they belong should be kept pure, so it is their right to com- plain of or bring under the notice of their elders any conduct of their fellow-members bv which they have been offended, or which is calculated, in their estima- tion, to bring discredit on the religious society. In doing this they will be safe from an action of damages, providing they have probable cause for their complaint, and it is not made maliciously. AVere * Scotland v. Thomson, 8th Aug., 1776. Morrison, i\ Dili- gence, Ap. No. 3. Adam, v. Allan, 23d Feb., 184], Cases, &o, iii. s 1059. Smith, v. Gentles, 31st Jan., 1844, Cases, &c, vi., 565. 100 THE RULING ELDERSHIP. such a case occurring, the right and duty of com- munication might be denied, and it might be incum- bent on the defender to prove its existence according to the usage of the body ; but, that right being established, effect would be given to the plea of privilege. GLASGOW: PKINTED BY S. AND T. DUNN, 14 Prince's Square.