Published in the August 1916 issue of the Gospel Messenger and in the editorial writings of the Primitive Baptist volume 3 Page 54 with the following introductory remarks by Elder C H. Cayce

August 8, 1916

The following is so timely, and so Scriptural, and so much in harmony with our own views, that we copy it from The Gospel Messenger for August, 1916. It deserves to be published in every Old Baptist paper in the United States, and it is a great pity-yes, a shame and a disgrace, that its teaching is not put in practice. It is a shame that some claiming to be Primitive Baptists will retain men in their fellowship, and shield and protect them, when they are guilty of such immoral practices as some of those things mentioned. No wonder there is trouble, strife, division, confusion and discord in the church, when such men are retained. When men are guilty of such immoral conduct, it is no wonder they claim that the body is still in the same condition as the alien sinner. May the Lord pity us. C. H. C.

THE ARTICLE

DEAR BROTHER STEWART:

For the information and satisfaction of a number of us, will you kindly answer the following questions through The Gospel Messenger:

1. Do you think Primitive Baptists should uphold, tolerate and fellowship preachers or elders who are known to be guilty of gross public offenses, sins or crimes, such as drunkenness, fornication, adultery, lying or fraud, etc. ?

Answer. Genuine, orderly Primitive Baptists do not uphold, tolerate or fellowship such preachers, or elders, for such conduct as that just mentioned is not disorderly merely, but is downright wickedness and violations of the moral law of God, and will not be tolerated by our orderly people any more than would thieves, robbers and murderers, with which they are classed in Revelation xxii. 15. Read it. The royal law governing the ministry provides that the bishop, preacher, pastor, minister, or elder (all these terms mean about one and the same thing) must be blameless, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, a lover of good men, just, holy, temperate, a pattern of good works, in the doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity; must be faithful and be an example to the believers in the word, in conversation, in spirit, in faith, in purity, and must have a GOOD REPORT of them that are without. And he MUST NOT BE given to wine, nor greedy of filthy lucre, nor a brawler, nor covetous, not a novice, etc. St. Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus, read them all carefully. Would you employ an unchaste person to train and educate your daughters? Would you employ a drunkard, a liar, murderer, gambler or any other immoral person to train and educate your sons? Would you put a donkey in a parlor? Then if you would not, do not tolerate and fellowship a man of bad or doubtful character as a preacher, teacher or pastor, for as the other things mentioned would be an abomination among men, so the latter would be a greater abomination before God and men.

2. Suppose there is much common or general talk about a preacher that tends to show that his conduct is not such as becomes the gospel of Christ, and while perhaps there is nothing that has come to light or has actually been proven on 'him to show that he is guilty, yet his conduct is such as to cause general suspicion that he is guilty of dark, criminal, dishonorable practices, what then?

Answer. The Scriptures already referred to answer this question, when the apostle says he must have a good report of them that are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. See 1 Timothy iii. 7. The good report required relates to the moral character of the minister, and not to his doctrine, for many who do not like nor care for his doctrine or religion will give him credit for good character, and I can truly say that I have never yet known a minister that deserved a good report of them that are without who did not have it. A minister who has not a good report of those without is not likely to have a good report of those that are within, and if he has not this good report, then according to the Scriptures just quoted he is in reproach and the snare of the devil. And a minister in that condition preaching among Old Baptists! God forbid! Abominable! Horrible! Demoralizing! There is no more authority for putting a man of bad or suspicious character in the ministry and in the pulpit, than there is for putting a profane, ungodly man, or a heathen, or a Hottentot, there, because all such is forbidden. The duty of the minister is to teach, edify, build up and keep the flock together; but this other sort, the man of bad or suspicious character, will do exactly the opposite. The walk, character, and everyday life of the minister should be encouraging, confirming, inspiring to, and an actual defense for, the people and church of God, and such they are divinely intended or appointed to be. On the other hand, if his life is not above suspicion, many mourn, grieve, scatter and perish visibly. On the common report that a certain man was a fornicator, Paul told the church to put away from among them that wicked person. See 1 Corinthians v. 1 and 13. In that good old church of Jesus Christ, when they wanted deacons, the direction was to look out men of "honest report." John says "Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself." (3 John 12) Hence we should never recognize a man of bad report or suspicious character as a minister of Jesus Christ, because, 1st, it is rebellion against God's law. Second, because such a man cannot edify, but mortifies the church of God, all lovers of truth and respectable people generally. Third, because the church and lovers of truth must droop their heads in shame among the sons of God and before all men. Fourth, because if such a preacher be tolerated, there are only a few places he can go and be tolerated at all, and then not by all perhaps, and because many sincere lovers of truth will not hear him, and if they learn that he is to be at a certain meeting, they will not go there, or if they have gone to meeting and find that such a preacher is there, it casts a dark shadow and a gloom over all to them, and there is no more joy in that meeting for them. Would you undertake to introduce a fallen woman, --a woman of bad character, into good, honest, virtuous, and respectable society, and encourage or persuade them to recognize her as their equal, and to follow her example and teaching? Do you answer, No? Then, for God's sake and the church's sake, never do the other, for it is a far greater abomination before God. Toleration of such a preacher will have the effect of driving away some of the purest and noblest members of our churches and be the cause of many of the bleating lambs of God staying away and never entering or uniting with the church--in fine, such toleration would sooner or later cause the church to become extinct, visibly.

3. If the church where a man has membership tolerates such things, then what should the sister nearby churches do?

Answer: If the church where such a character has membership, will not stop him from preaching and exclude him, too, then the sister churches in that section should labor with the offending church on account of her inconsistency and great sin before God, and then, if she refuses to deal with that man, they should, after due course of gospel labor, withdraw fellowship from her, and publish to all that they have withdrawn from them; for in this way only can the reproach and burden be taken off the church and cause of Christ. But if other churches refuse, or fear, or neglect to act, then the sin, and shame and reproach rest upon them all, and upon the ministry in particular, for if such a condition obtains or becomes a matter of toleration, you may ascribe it to a slothful or cowardly, or unfaithful ministry.

4. Where a minister has been expelled from the church on account of gross immorality or conduct, such as lying, stealing, public drunkenness, fornication, adultery, seduction, etc., and then repents and desires to be restored by the church to fellowship and to the ministry, can the church scripturally restore him to his former position?

Answer. Let me answer your question by asking you one. Can a woman who has justly forfeited her respectability, good character and standing with good society be restored to her former or good character and standing in society? If so, how? Or can a church by the act of restoring such a character as the one now under consideration give, impart to, or cause him to have the good, blameless character which God's law requires him to have? Can the church by such act of restoration cause the churches generally to love, and have confidence in him as a faithful minister and to be received and welcomed by them, if not as an able minister, yet as a faithful and true servant of God--cause him to be an example in word, in faith, in purity, to all the flock, and cause him to have a GOOD REPORT of them which are without? If she can do all this, then she can consistently restore him: otherwise, her attempted act of restoration is nothing but a sham and a farce. A true minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, while he feels and confesses his inbred corruption of sin, and is made to mourn on account of it daily, yet maintains a good character with his brethren and before all men' but a minister of bad or suspicious character, loving his own sensuality, lust or greed more than he does the church and people of God, will do all he can to sustain himself-will lie, defraud and resort to all the tricks and trades of the hypocrite to sustain himself. A true minister would rather shut his mouth and abide on the outside forever than to be the cause of reproach and suffering to the church and people of God.

5. Does not the blessed Jesus, His apostles and the spirit and tenor of the whole Bible teach that we should forgive, bear with, and labor with one another, and that, if we forgive not, neither shall we be forgiven, and so on?

Answer. It certainly does; but these directions and admonitions relate to the everyday life and conduct of the people of God and church members in their relation to each other; for we all, being weak, fallible, and sinful in our very nature, are prone to do wrong, and we do wrong, more or less, daily, and if we do not bear with and forgive one another, we never can live together in peace, love and harmony; but such directions should never be so construed or interpreted as to shield and retain members, whether they be private members or ministers; for to do so is a misapplication and hurtful perversion of the Scriptures relating to private offenses or trespasses against one another, to the sustaining of corruption and disorder. I am sorry to have to confess that we, in many places and instances today, are guilty of perverting God's law of discipline as any other people are in reference to the doctrine of grace. Did the Lord direct the first church to labor and bear with Ananias for lying, which was a gross public offense? No; for He killed him at once for it. Did Paul direct the church to labor with and forgive the fornicator? No, but he directed them to put that wicked person from among them. But you may ask, did not Peter lie, and was not that a gross public offense? Yes, Peter, under the excitement of fearful events and of natural terror, lied in saying that he did not know Christ and was not His disciple; and under the excitement of expected personal danger, any of us are apt to do just what Peter did; but oh! notice; just as soon as Peter came to himself and realized what he had done; how sincerely, deeply, and bitterly he repented and wept! It is not such a liar as that that is so abominable and offensive; it is the cool, calculating, premeditated liar that you cannot put up with, but must exclude. Suppose a man steals or commits unjustifiable murder, and then repents, confesses and asks the church's forgiveness. Can she forgive him and retain him in her body? Show me one instance in the New Testament where a gross public offender, guilty of willful, deliberate public offense was labored, borne with and retained by the church, or where the church is directed to do such a thing. There are sins unto death, and for which we are not directed to pray. (1 John v. 16)

6. If, after all, there is a preacher of bad or suspicious character, and the churches of his section, knowing of it, allow him to go on anyway and refuse to deal with and stop him, and suppose that you know all this, and that preacher were to come to your section and church, would you recognize him and preach with him?

Answer. I would not, any more than I would an Arminian in an official way, for the reason that, if churches ignored the law of the Lord, then I certainly would ignore them to the extent of refusing to honor and recognize him as a minister of Jesus Christ. The fact is, I am not able to command language sufficient to express the wickness, horror and abomination of such things; and, if it were possible, there ought to be a disciplinary dynamite placed under all such disorder to explode it into invisibility. G.W. STEWART