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Appendix — Miscellaneous Articles
ON CHURCH DISCIPLINE
THE DISCIPLINE OF THE DUTCH ANABAPTISTS. — MY EARLY ADVISERS.
— MY OWN MS. ON CHURCH DISCIPLINE. — A. FULLER ON THE DISCIPLINE OF THE
PRIMITIVE CHURCHES. — FIVE WORKS COME OUT NEAR THE SAME TIME BY BAKER, WALKER,
JOHNSON, HOWELL, AND CROWELL. — REMARKS ON THE EIGHTEENTH OF MATTHEW, ON
COUNCILS, THE DESPOTISM OF THE MAJORITY, AND ON BAPTIST USAGE.
THIS is a subject to which I have paid no small degree of
attention for a long course of years, My first object was to ascertain just what
precepts or examples I could find in the Scriptures pertaining to this business,
and in the next place to examine the principal works of our own writers upon it.
While this class of men, except Robinson, whose writings have been so freely
quoted in the last two chapters, have published but little on preachers and
preaching, they have devoted no small amount of labor in discussing the proper
management of our churches.
The oldest comments I have found on church discipline, date
back about three hundred years. They are contained in the old Dutch
Martyrology or Martyr's Mirror. There I discovered that the people called
Anabaptists, were very strenuous on two points, namely, against their members
marrying out of the church, and having no intercourse with excommunicated
members. The strictly non-intercourse system they called avoidance, by
which they practiced to the literality, the apostles' doctrine, with such a
one no not to eat. But as they were very faithful in their church
discipline, and in the exclusion of unworthy members, in process of time
complaints came from some quarters, that the rigid rule of separation interfered
with the domestic relations of husbands and wives, parents and children,
brothers and sisters, masters and servants, and other social connections. These
representations led to a church action which afforded relief to those who wished
to embrace it.
In my early day we had no theological schools and tutors for
young ministers in the business of preaching and pastoral duties, but they
picked up their information by conversing and corresponding with their elder
brethren and following their examples. My principal advisers were Gano, Pitman,
Cornel,* Baldwin, Grafton, Stanford, J. Williams, Rogers,
Staughton, O.B. Brown, Furman, Mercer, Dudly, Noel, J. M. Peck, of the West, J.
Peck, of New York, and others. These men were spread all over the country,
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* From Elder C. I heard the story of hush, hush hush,
which will appear in the chapter on a model church and a model pastor.
But as I became a cosmopolite in early life, I was a neighbor to them all.
Our lay brotherhood, also, in the times now under
consideration, more frequently probably than at present, took a deep interest in
the rules and regulations of our churches. Of these I shall only name Deacons
Loring and Lincoln of Boston, the last of whom, now an octogenarian, is the only
one that survives of the above list of my familiar advisers, fifty years ago.
He was in Dr. Baldwin's deaconship when I first knew him, and by the line of
succession I have marked out he might retain the office to the utmost bound of
human longevity.
My rules do not permit me to say much of able counselors
among our living men.
At an early period I made diligent search among the writings
of our British brethren, especially those in Wales, where Baptist sentiments, it
is generally believed, have been nourished through all the dark ages, for
information on the subject of church discipline. I examined the most ancient
confessions of faith; but I found them almost wholly confined to what Morgan
Edwards would term the credenda rather than the agenda, of the
Baptists; that is, the things to be believed, more than the things to be
done.
The oldest and most laborious article I have found on this
subject was from the pen of Rev. Benjamin Griffith, of Pennsylvania. It was
prepared at the request of the Philadelphia Association. It is a treatise of
forty pages of small size, and is bound up with the Philadelphia Confession of
Faith, as it is usually called, which is a reprint of that published in London
more than a century before. It was printed by Benjamin Franklin while he was a
Philadelphia printer. The document agrees very nearly with similar ones
published by the ancient Baptists in Bohemia, Poland and Holland.
"Of Ruling Elders," is at the head of one of the
sections of this treatise, the practice of having church officers of this kind
then being common in that region.
Among my own papers, I find one "On Church Discipline,"
dated 1826. It appears to be the rough draft of an essay which was read before a
Ministers' Meeting. Among the greatest defects of our churches at that
time, according to the document under consideration, were,
1. The want of more strictness in the duties of
personal and family religion, and of pious instruction to children and
domestics;
2. Of more faithfulness in following the directions of the
18th of Matthew, relative to private offenses, whereby an abundance of extra
trouble came upon the churches;
3. Of plain dealing with erring church members;
4. Of procrastination and hurtful delays in instituting
church dealings with such members, under the false plea of patience and charity;
5. Of more frequent, friendly, old-fashioned, Christian
intercourse, and familiarity with each other, in consequence of which coldness
and distance ensue;
6. Of liberality in contributing to the support of the gospel
at home and abroad;
7. Of giving more explicit instructions to new members at
first, and of enforcing obedience to them afterwards. Such were my views of the
state of church discipline among the Baptists one third of a century since; and
it is to be feared they have not made much improvement in the business since.
Fuller on Church Discipline
A number of years prior to the date of my short essay, there
came over from England, a small treatise on The Discipline of the Primitive
Churches, by Andrew Fuller, which was well received by the American
Baptists, a few extracts from which I will here insert:
"When the apostles, by the preaching of the word, had
gathered in many places, a sufficient number of individuals to the faith of
Christ, it was their uniform practice, for the further promotion of his kingdom
in that place, to form them into a religious society or Christian church. Being
thus associated in the name of Christ, divine worship was carried on, Christian
ordinances observed, holy discipline maintained, and the word of life, as the
light by the golden candlesticks, exhibited. Among them, our Lord Jesus Christ,
as the High Priest of our profession, is represented as walking; observing the
good, and applauding it; pointing out the evil, and censuring it; and holding up
life and immortality to those who should overcome the temptations of the present
state.
"Let us suppose him to walk amongst our several churches, and
to address us, as he addressed the seven churches in Asia. We trust he would
find some things to approve; but we are also apprehensive that he would find
many things to censure. Let us then look narrowly into the discipline of
the primitive churches, and compare ours with it.
"By discipline, however, we do not mean to include the whole
of the order of a Christian church; but shall, at this time, confine our
attention to that part of the church government which consists in a mutual
watch over one another, and the conduct we are directed to pursue in cases of
disorder.
"There is often a party found in a community, who, under the
name of tenderness, are for neglecting all wholesome discipline; or, if this can
not be accomplished, for delaying it to the utmost. Such persons are commonly
called the advocates for disorderly walkers, especially if they be their
particular friends or relations. Their language is, 'He that is without sin, let
him cast the first stone.' 'My brother hath fallen to-day, and I may fall
to-morrow.'
This spirit, though it exists only in individuals, provided
they be persons of any weight or influence, is frequently known to impede the
due execution of the laws of Christ; and if it pervade the community, will soon
reduce it to the lowest state of degeneracy.
"In opposing the extreme of false tenderness, others are in
danger of falling into unfeeling severity. This spirit will make the worst of
every thing, and lead men to convert the censures of the church into weapons of
private revenge. Persons of this description know not of what manner of spirit
they are. They lose sight of the good of the offender. It is not love that
operates in them; for love worketh no evil. The true medium between these
extremes, is a union of mercy and truth. Genuine mercy is combined
with faithfulness, and genuine faithfulness with mercy; and this is the only
spirit that is likely to purge iniquity.*
"Connivance will produce indifference, and undue
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* Proverbs 16:6.
severity will arm the offender with prejudice, and so harden him in sin. But the
love of God, and of our brother's soul, are adapted to answer every good end.
"And if we love the soul of our brother, we shall say, 'He is
fallen to-day, and I will reprove him for his good. I may fall to-morrow, and
then let him deal the same with me.' LOVE is the grand secret of church
discipline, and will do more than all other things put together, towards
ensuring success.
"Finally, a watchful eye upon the state of the church, and of
particular members, with a seasonable interposition, may do more towards the
preservation of good order, than all other things put together. Discourage
whisperings, backbiting and jealousies. Frown on tale-bearers, and give no ear
to their tales. Nip contentions in the bud. Adjust differences in civil matters
among yourselves. Bring together, at an early period, those in whom
misconception and distrust have begun to operate, ere an ill opinion ripen into
settled dislike. By a frank and timely explanation, in the presence of a common
friend, that may be healed in an hour, which, if permitted to proceed, a series
of years can not eradicate.
"The free circulation of the blood, and the proper discharge
of all the animal functions, are not more necessary to the health of the body,
than good discipline is to the prosperity of a community, If it were duly
considered how much the general interests of religion, and even the salvation of
men, may be affected by the purity and harmony of Christian churches, we should
tremble at the idea of their being interrupted by us."
In this country, in the course of five years, from 1842 to
1847, there came out as many works on the proper management of our church
concerns. The authors of them are still alive. Their names are J. BAKER, W.
WALKER, W. B. JOHNSON, R. B. C. HOWELL and W. CROWELL. All these men, except Mr.
WALKER, have the title of D. D. affixed to their names. BAKER, then in Georgia,
and JOHNSON, in South Carolina, are both now in Florida; WALKER, then in Homer,
New York, is now in Elgin, Illinois; HOWELL was in Nashville, Tennessee; and
CROWELL, then in Boston, is now in St. Louis, Missouri.*
All these works are now before me. HOWELL'S book, to which
reference has already been had, is wholly devoted to the deaconship. The others
treat of the matters of church discipline, generally, in a more or less copious
manner. Each one has suggested some new ideas, and given some new directions as
to the best manner of performing this important business. There are some
diversities in the rules and regulations
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* I am not aware that any other of our men have written on
this subject of late years, except in our papers, and other periodical works,
which they prescribe; but they all unite in representing a Baptist church as a
very plain affair; that it is a self-acting, independent, religious body, which
owes no allegiance to either prince or prelate; and that it is very easily
managed, when right principles are adopted and proper measures are pursued. They
all agree with our famous English divine, lately quoted, that "the free
circulation of the blood," etc., "is not more necessary to the health of the
body, than a good discipline to the prosperity of a Christian church."
Our men, above named, have pointed out very clearly the
importance of nipping difficulties in the bud, and that, where this is done,
corrective measures will less frequently be needful. Also, that churches, like
armies and families, may be said to be well disciplined, not when punishments
are often inflicted, but when, by due care and faithfulness, they are seldom
required.
The rule laid down in the 18th of Matthew, for the treatment
of private offenses, has always been strongly insisted upon by all our writers
on church discipline. To this rule my own attention was called at an early
period of my pastoral charge, which was gathered under my youthful ministry, by
seeing how prone many of my people were to introduce their troubles with each
other, in an informal manner; and, also, from witnessing the embarrassments
which followed this unscriptural practice.
And now, late in life, my conviction is very strong, that by
far the greatest portion of cases of discipline in our churches, grow out of the
complaints of church members against each other, partly by offensive words, but
mostly on account of disagreements in their secular concerns. And, furthermore,
I am most fully persuaded that these churches, as a general thing, experience
more embarrassment and perplexity in their discipline, and suffer more
alienations and divisions, by permitting their members to introduce their
complaints in an informal and unscriptural manner, than from all other causes
put together.
"No personal offense," says Fuller, "ought to be admitted
before a church, till the precept of Christ has been first complied with by the
party or parties concerned."
In former times, if, by inattention or mismanagement, a case
of this kind got into a church wrong-end foremost, instead of attempting to
manage it in that position, our best disciplinarians among the ministers and
laymen would enter a nol. pros., as lawyers would say, that is, a stay
of proceedings, and insist on the complaining party following the gospel
rule. "Let him come to me and confess," is the common language of
offended members. "Your Master has told you to go to him,” says CROWELL.
In some cases we are obliged to spell out our duty by
inference and construction. Here, we have plain directions from the Head of the
church himself. He could foresee, for all time, the liabilities of his people to
trespass against each other, either by indiscretions of speech, or in their
various worldly transactions. And he has left an explicit rule for them to go
by. One of his chief apostles has recorded it in his own code of laws, and there
it stands, for the guidance of his churches in all parts, and in all ages of the
world.
On Councils generally, and among the Baptists
Cart loads of books have been written on the history of these
bodies, from the early ages up to the Council of Trent, which was held about
three centuries since, and was the last great convocation of the kind. For many
ages the popes were fond of great councils, and were pleased to have them
convene, as they found them good auxiliaries to the support of the power of the
papacy, especially in their persecuting measures against the Waldenses and other
reputed heretics. The members of these bodies, of old, generally talked one
language; but at length, and especially in that of Trent, there was a good deal
of sharp-shooting among the delegates from different quarters; and the
reformation of THE church, in its head, and in its members, was too
strongly insisted on to be pleasing to his Holiness. I think there is no
probability of another general council ever being called.
I have examined as many ponderous volumes as a strong man
would want to carry, on the history of all councils, but mostly those of
Constance and Trent, of which I shall give some account in my ecclesiastical
compendium.
For a few centuries after the apostolic age, they had
councils twice a year, in the spring and in the fall; but so contentious
did they at length become, that one of the Fathers resolved that he would never
attend another.
The main business attended to in these semi-annual
gatherings, was to settle the difficulties of bishops and churches with each
other.*
In my early experience among the Baptists, small councils,
for the settlement of church difficulties, were much more common than at the
present time. In
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* When the first general council met at Nice, in Bythinia,
325, composed of more than three hundred bishops, bundles of documents of the
kind above referred to, were handed in to Constantine, then newly converted to
Christianity, and who acted a conspicuous part in this great Convocation. But
the emperor, instead of examining them, threw them all into the fire, and
advised the complaining bishops to go about the main business of the meeting,
which was to settle the Arian controversy, then a very troublesome thing.
some cases they were called to canvass very small affairs.
To call a council was then the first idea, when feeble
churches found knotty questions, or impracticable members among them. I find
from Backus' old papers that he was often called upon to take part, and commonly
to preside in the small local councils which were convened on account of
individual members, ministers, or churches.
I approve of councils for all the different purposes for
which the Baptists have been accustomed to convene them, if they are not clothed
with undue power, but are held to their advisory character, according to
the old Baptist doctrine on this subject. But when these self-constituted
tribunals assume a controlling influence, and, most of all, when they continue
their sessions, by adjournment, at pleasure, they become ecclesiastical
institutions, which are at variance with Baptist usage.
We have no regular custom of appealing from the decisions of
our individual churches to any higher power, as the Presbyterians have; but the
doctrine of absolute church independence has always been a favorite one with our
people. Under it they have greatly flourished, and very few have complained of
its operation. In some cases, however, in times of high excitement, there is
danger of so far running this principle up to seed, as to go over to what some
have termed, the despotism of the majority. And here an aggrieved member,
to whom a mutual council is denied, has no remedy, but in an ex parte
one. If he fails in this, he must remain without church fellowship, or else
unite with some other party, where he will generally find a welcome home.
For our own churches to receive members who have been
excommunicated from sister communities, while remaining as such, has been
considered hitherto contrary to Baptist usage. But for some time past, my
apprehensions have been very strong, that amidst the many excitements of the
times, and the post facto laws of many of our churches, this custom will
more and more prevail, unless our people show more favor to ex parte
councils, for advice in hard cases of excommunication, than they have hitherto
done.
There is one kind of councils, namely, for the dismission of
pastors, which are seldom, if ever, held by the Baptists; while they are very
precise to this practice, when they settle them. Amidst the great instability of
our pastors of late years, I have sometimes thought whether, we had not better
follow the practice of some of our neighbors in this business. We should, in
this way, learn more of the whys and the wherefores of ministerial
changes, if we could not prevent them.
Again, if a change of this kind is about to be made, on account of a very few
members, it is a serious question with me, whether this few had not better
change their church relation, and let the pastor remain. Some more explicit
views of church discipline will appear in the chapter on a model church
and a model pastor.
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Fifty Years
Among The Baptist