# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_April 1860_S118
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

118 A Contribution to Pastoral Casuistry.

to all. Just as a subordinate may comfort his superior and raise him
up in tribulations, so he may also warn him of sin, lest his soul be
lost. Indeed, even a sinner may correct another, because he has not
yet lost the rational power of judgment, and therefore, although he
himself is caught in sins, can nevertheless judge rightly concerning
the sins of others, and this too without thereby giving offense to
others or drawing damnation upon himself.

Further, the persons to be corrected are sinners, especially those
who give offense, without regard to rank, sex, or age; for where the
sickness is common, a common remedy is also needed; therefore a
superior too may be corrected by a subordinate, an elder by a younger,
a husband by his wife, provided, however, that the right manner and
way is observed, of which more hereafter.

Third, correction can happen in two ways: 1. by a simple rebuke of
those who sin, 2. by reporting the matter to others, namely to the
superior or also to the whole church. Of the simple rebuke, holy James
speaks, 5:19: Brethren, if any of you err from the truth, and someone
convert him, let him know that he who has converted a sinner from the
error of his way has saved a soul from death, and shall cover the
multitude of sins; and holy Paul, Gal. 6:1: If a man be overtaken in a
fault, restore such a one again with a spirit of gentleness, you who
are spiritual. Of the report we have the commandment of Christ, Matth.
18:17: If he will not hear them, tell it unto the church; and the
example of Joseph, who reported his brothers' misdeeds to his father,
Gen. 37:2; of those of Chloe's household, who reported the sins of the
Corinthians to the apostle, 1 Cor. 1:11; and finally of Mordecai, who
reported the crime of the traitors to King Ahasuerus, Esth. 2:22.
There is also the well-known saying of Cato: If thou knowest of a
wrong deed, be not silent, lest thou be regarded as a wicked man.

Fourth, one must carefully observe much if one wishes to correct
one's brother with good success: 1. with respect to the persons to be
corrected. If it is a superior, the correction must take place with
great humility and reverence, so that the subordinate does not give
the appearance of having assumed a lordship over the superior; it
should proceed more in the manner of humble entreaty than of
correction — unless the faith and the true religion are endangered by
the superior's offense, for then one may deal rather harshly even with
such a sinner; here one may apply the example of Paul, 1 Tim. 5:1-2.
The correction should take place first privately and secretly, so that
the superior's standing is not diminished.

2. With respect to the one who corrects. If he himself is a sinner,
let him first lay aside his own sin, and treat the other sinner with
great gentleness, so that it does not appear as though he were mocking
him, and so that he