Accountable!—The minister who baptizes either unconverted or uninstructed candidates —with the rightful expectations and requirements of resultant church membership in these last days—is held accountable before God for such avoidable and unnecessary difficulties as this unpreparedness will inevitably bring to the church. Responsibility for consequent carelessness and lowered standards, or future discipline over adornments, tobacco, Sabbath-keeping, and health reform, cannot be evaded by the minister hastily administering this rite that stands for death of the old life, and the beginning of a new and radically different life. All sorts of justifying excuses and examples are paraded by some in justification of hasty baptisms, in which there is neither time for fundamental change in the life, nor evidence of such fruit. Baptism is not the ending but the beginning of the candidate's relationship to the church, with its necessary standards, its unity to be maintained, and its divinely imposed task to be accomplished. We should put the united frown of the ministry upon baptismal haste and superficiality of instruction, for such a procedure is neither right before God, nor fair to the candidate, the church, or one's brother ministers.
Discussion!—Constructive, considerate discussion, instead of being looked upon askance, is to be encouraged. The candid expression of variant views or convictions on ministerial problems and methods, instead of being a peril is a source of safety and sound procedure. Instead of weakening our united efforts, it strengthens and enforces them. It brings out the fallacies of certain lines of reasoning, so that they become apparent to alI—or at least to the majority. It therefore constitutes a wholesome safety valve. So, instead of avoiding and repressing discussion in committees, boards, or councils, let free and candid consideration be fostered. Then will men know that light and truth are really sought. The best conclusions are those that can be formulated by all, rather than formulated by the few and accepted by all. Then, when matters are talked through, men will rally around the common plan or program accepted because of its merits, and seek as would otherwise be impossible, to make it a success.
Opportunism!—When one capitalizes a convenient but unjustifiable argument, incident, or item, to carry a point or a project within the church or in the world outside, he thereby forfeits his right to the confidence and respect of his fellows. And the actual hypocrisy of it all must, in a man's reflective moments—if he pauses for such—cause his own self-respect to shrivel to small dimensions. Simple, downright honesty and sincerity, and a sacred regard for the sovereignty of truth, must have right of way in our lives as ministers if we are to retain the confidence of others, and to maintain our own self-respect. Fortunately, such strictures apply to but comparatively few transgressors, but the presence of the few is none the less odious, and should be exposed and rebuked where evident.
Propaganda!—Strongly believing in and supporting the full-rounded program of the advent movement, with its varied activities and objectives, we have steadfastly believed that this journal, founded for the specific purpose of encouraging "greater power and more efficiency" on the part of the gospel ministry, and comprising but twenty-four pages monthly, Should be held largely free from the constant stream of promotion materials deemed necessary to the success of these many worthy projects, and that fill a considerable portion of the columns of our union and certain general and divisional papers. That there has been constant pressure to yield to importunate pleas through the nine years of service to date, may be surmised. And that in this policy we have the hearty support of the overwhelming majority of our workers, is very evident from the stream of approving letters received.
Barriers!—When men become estranged through theological controversy and its attendant misunderstandings, they become suspicious and apprehensive concerning each other. Reserve, variance, and estrangement result. Each, believing himself orthodox, and the custodian and defender of orthodoxy, looks upon the other as heterodox, and a peril to the welfare of the church. Each can see, almost, the horns and hoofs about to emerge from the person of the other. These mental barriers prevent fraternal cooperation. But when circumstances bring these men together where they see each other's evident sincerity and honesty,—see how they love and serve the same God, and church, and body of truth,—then they often find that the barriers interposed were largely artificial, and the separating walls shrink into nothingness. The separating elements are then seen in their secondary, minor relationship. It is a wonderful thing to be able to differ from a brother, and yet honor and respect him, and work charitably with him! After all, we are then but giving to others what we claim for ourselves, —the right to differ in matters of conscience and opinion.
L. E. F.
