Читать книгу The Standard Manual for Baptist Churches онлайн

23 страница из 35

1. Because of the too suspicious and sensitive disposition of some who imagine themselves wronged, neglected, or in some way injured; the matter being chiefly imaginary, and without any real foundation in fact.

2. Because the pastor, deacons, and influential members do not carefully and constantly enough watch the beginnings of strife, and rectify the evil before it becomes serious.

3. Because evil-doers by delay become more persistent in evil, while others are drawn into the strife, and contentious parties insensibly are formed, which tend to divide the church into hostile factions.

4. Because that when the difficulty becomes chronic and deep-seated, the church is likely to undertake the discipline with judicial severity, and not in the spirit of meekness, in which the spiritual should restore the erring.

5. Because that a case of discipline undertaken under excitement is almost certain to be wrongly conducted. Even if the result reached be just and right, the method by which it is reached is likely to be unwise, unjust, and oppressive to individuals, possibly producing more serious and more lasting evils than it has removed.