p. 251 | How a Minister Should Visit

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, April 21, 1885

FromAdvent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 62, No. 16

How a Minister Should Visit.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

That visiting from house to house is an important part of every minister’s work, all admit; but how to do that work is quite another thing. Merely going to see, being there, staying there, visiting there, may do no benefit at all to the family. In fact, it may be positive injury to them. The way it is done tells for good or for ill. On this point Bishop Simpson makes these pertinent remarks:—

There are, however, some ministers to whom pastoral visiting is not of great service. They have been accustomed to mingle with the people; they enjoy society, shake hands with every one they meet, and are at home everywhere. Such men need their books more than they do society. They are loving, earnest, constant preachers, but are seldom profound and solid thinkers. Their congregations love to meet them; they think more of their conversation at the fireside than they do of their work in the pulpit. Such ministers may be met at almost every funeral, and take time to go to the cemetery, even if it be three or four miles distant. They attend every festival in the different churches, mingle in all gatherings, know everybody, and learn everything except how to honor the Master and his cause in their public sermons. Sometimes young men who aspire to nobler things, behold a radiant glory in gospel truth, and have a longing desire to unfold it, are repelled from visiting by the superficial character of the pulpit exercise of this class of men. Yet they should remember that these men do but little true pastoral work. They call familiarly in various families, and join in fun and laughter, sit down in a circle to smoke cigars, and are ready to join in recreation or amusement, and leave without a word spoken for Jesus, or a prayer offered in behalf of the family. Seldom is a man found in the cabins of the poor, by the side of the sick, or in close, sympathetic conference with the prodigal young man who is breaking the hearts of his father and mother, and is wandering to the depths of sin. Seldom is he found pleading with such a one to reform his life and turn to his God. Seldom is he found in earnest conversation, endeavoring to bring heavenly consolation to the heart of the suffering widow, or to drop a word of instruction and comfort to the orphan child. Seldom is he found visiting the man of business who is in embarrassment and distress, and whose heart is wrung with agony under the pressure of difficulties and responsibilities.

As the result of long observation, I am satisfied that those who are the closest students, and are by nature the most timid, become the best pastors, when they conquer themselves and instruct the people from house to house; for they go not to spend the morning in trivial conversation, but they go under the conviction that Christ has sent them as his servants, in his stead, to bear his benediction to the house. Their words are not words of mere compliment, but of light and joy drawn from the Holy Scriptures. They tell of the wonderful love of Christ, of the exhaustless store of spiritual riches in reserve for those that love him. Their touch is as the helping hands of brothers who lift up the lowly, the discouraged, and the sorrowing.”—Lectures on Preaching, 257–259.

This is the kind of visiting that God will bless, and which we shall not be ashamed to meet in the Judgment.

D. M. CANRIGHT.