a moderator. Every meeting should be commenced by reading the scriptures and prayer.

A record should be kept of all the proceedings, by the clerk, and at the opening of every meeting the record of the preceding meeting should be read, corrected if necessary, and approved.

The reception of candidates for admission, if there are any, is first attended to, during which any well disposed and serious persons, not members of the church, who desire it, are permitted to be present; but all who are not members should be requested to withdraw previous to the transaction of church business.

Applications for dismission, and reports of committees are next acted on, and then new business may be introduced.

Every brother has a right to propose any proper business for the consideration of the church, but every question should be seconded before it can properly be discussed or put to vote.

A church should be governed in all its deliberations by the common parliamentary rules, applied and submitted to in the exercise of courtesy and christian love.

In all the church meetings every brother has an equal right to speak on any subject before the church, but he must confine his remarks to the question, must not speak too long, nor too often, and he must be kind and courteous.

All matters of business are decided by a vote of the majority of the brethren, to which it is the duty of the minority cheerfully to submit, though a bare majority should never press any question, especially if important.

SECT. 2. Voting.

As all questions on which a diversity of opinion is likely to exist in a church must be decided by the will of the majority, every member is bound, by his covenant with his brethren, to submit to that will, when fairly expressed. A difference of opinion among brethren should never produce alienation of affection. The cool, deliberate, dispassionate,

prayerful decision of a majority, should, in all ordinary cases, be submitted to, as the will of Christ. There should be no exciting, argumentative debates in church meetings, no offensive personalities, no attacking of each other's arguments. Those who speak, should communicate whatever information they may possess, which bears on the question, and express their opinions modestly, with the reasons for them, and then leave all to the decision of the body. If a question is likely to produce much division, it should be withdrawn, or postponed, unless one of vital importance, and requiring prompt action.

Voting is done by raising the hand, or by rising, except in the choice of a pastor or deacon, when the ballot is used. The method of voting by ayes and noes is not suited to the dignity and sacredness of a church meeting; and it is highly undesirable that they should ever be entered on the church records. This method should never be resorted to unless a vital principle is at stake, on which the members wish their votes to stand recorded.

All the members of a church have equal rights, and are equally entitled to vote. A church is a spiritual society, formed for spiritual purposes, all the members of which hold to it a spiritual relation. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Christians, united to Christ, and heirs alike of an eternal inheritance, have equal rights and privileges, though their duties and responsibilities differ with their circumstances. Their connection and equality in the church do not affect their previous lawful and proper relations in their families and in society, nor impair any previously existing obligations.

This principle may aid in determining whether females and minors have a right to vote in church meetings. Viewed simply as members, their rights are the same as those of other members. But their rights are modified and limited by previously existing relations. A father and his son, yet a minor, are members of the same church, and as such, they have equal rights; but the son owes a filial respect to his

All

father, and is legally and morally bound to obey him. would acknowledge the impropriety of a young son or daughter voting, in church meeting, in opposition to the wishes of a father. Church principles would, in that case, become the authors of confusion, and not of peace, in families. The same is true respecting a master and his apprentice, when both are members of the same church. There is no scriptural precept which annuls the previously existing obligation, which, therefore, remains in full force. It would be obviously improper for a wife to vote in opposition to her husband, to whom she is required to be obedient in all things, Eph. 5: 22-24, and clearly inconsistent with the general subordination of the female sex, which God has himself established, that they should set themselves in opposition to the male members. 1 Cor. 14:

34, 35; 1 Tim. 2: 11–15. If they are not at liberty to vote freely, they are manifestly not in a suitable condition to vote at all.

It does not follow, however, that because females are subordinate in the church, that therefore they have no rights. The civil law makes the wife subordinate, but does not take away her rights. It is sometimes objected, that if females do not vote in the church, their rights are taken away; whereas their rights in the church are just as extensive, and of the same general character, as in the family or in the civil State. The church takes no right away, it only conforms its usages to the established principles of civil law, the teachings of nature, and the direct precepts of the scriptures. The scriptures command, "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as unto the Lord:" yet the Bible is the best guardian of female rights. The husband must exercise his authority with a due regard to the happiness of the wife, and the male members of a church, though they have the general superiority in governing, are bound to consult the wishes of the female members. The females have a deep interest in the concerns of the church, are usually the most numerous, often the most devoted, and, in many questions, they are, perhaps, equally, well qualified

to form an opinion. It would be manifestly as unjust, as it would be impolitic, for a few male members to settle or dismiss a pastor, in opposition to the wishes of many females.

There is some diversity of practice on this subject among our churches, in their efforts to give equal rights to all, and at the same time conform to the scripture precepts. The more approved course, when great questions are to be decided affecting directly the spiritual interests of the whole church, such as the election or dismissal of a pastor or the choice of a deacon, is, first, to ascertain the wishes of all the members, by an informal ballot, and afterwards the male members, in view of all the facts, come to the final decision. Common matters of business, such as the choice of committees, raising money, building a house for worship, &c., are decided by the male members of twentyone years of age, and upwards. The reception of candidates to fellowship is not voting, as will be shown in the next section.

SECT. 3. Admission of Members.

By repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, sinners become the heirs of heaven, and such are to be received by baptism into the church. These are the grand characteristics which distinguish the people of God from the rest of mankind. These are the scriptural terms of membership, and to these every church should adhere, and persons who give satisfactory evidence of this change, and who desire to enter into covenant, and walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, should be received. The church should judge of the character of every candidate by the scriptures alone, without the addition of human standards of christian character and duty.

The nature of church fellowship, according to Baptist principles, requires that each candidate give to the whole church satisfactory evidence of personal piety. For this purpose various preliminary measures are adopted, according to the circumstances of each church. In a city church

Such a

it is desirable that a committee of judicious brethren be chosen, to meet, at stated times, with the pastor, to examine persons who propose themselves for admission previous to their coming before the church as candidates. committee, by inquiring into their previous history, present moral character, and religious views, may prevent much trouble, and greatly facilitate the action of the church. In some churches it is customary to "propound" candidates by announcing their names before the congregation, or before the church only, a few weeks previous to the time fixed upon for examination; and in others, to appoint a committee to wait upon them, and make inquiries in addition.

When the candidates come before the church, they severally relate the manner in which they were brought to believe on Christ, with the evidences of their present hope, and their views, so far as they have formed any, of christian doctrine, duty, and ordinances. Questions are freely proposed by the pastor, or by any of the members of the church. The candidates then retire, and the question of reception is taken on each case, separately. Any member has the right to object, for good cause, to any of the candidates, or to communicate any information touching their moral and religious characters which he may possess. If sufficient cause appears, of if any member is not satisfied in respect to the christian experience of any one of the candidates, the case should be postponed.* If no objection is made, the question of reception is put to the church, and all the members, old and young, male and female, should express their fellowship by rising. Members are not voted into the church. In this case the decision is not made by a majority. There should be unanimity. If any member object to the reception

* When Saul of Tarsus first offered himself to the fellowship of the church at Jerusalem, he was not admitted at once, on account of an objection against him by the disciples, nor until that objection was removed. Acts 9: 26, 27. And Peter did not admit Cornelius and his family to baptism, till he had inquired if any of the brethren present had any objection. Acts 10: 47.