# Lehre und Wehre_St. Louis Missouri_Januar 1859_S28
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

28        On the Right Conduct of the Office of Discipline.

—teaching, according to Sirach 19:7-8: If thou hast heard an evil
word, tell it not again; for keeping silence will not hurt thee; thou
shalt tell it neither to friend nor foe, and reveal it not, wherever
thou canst do so without an evil conscience.

Finally, some sins are doubtful, as when there are indeed
conjecturae and suspicions, so that one cannot think otherwise than
that they have been committed, and yet full certainty is lacking; or
a matter comes before the law, where it is disputed doubtfully and
the outcome is uncertain; or it rests only on common talk, which has
no sure foundation. Sins of which only conjectures exist must, where
this is possible, for the prevention of scandal, be suppressed and
not punished publicly, as though they had certainly occurred, since
apart from the truth (which here is still in doubt) nothing is to be
undertaken in the matter; but rather the suspected person should
first be dealt with, either in the confessional or otherwise in
private, and his conscience earnestly stirred toward improvement;
yet it will do no harm if, on account of the rumor and suspicion, the
necessary general admonitions are made to the congregation. Likewise,
whatever is pending at law (is in process), of that the preacher
cannot speak either, for the reason that the truth of it is not
clearly manifest until the matter is settled. But the conscience must
be earnestly reminded with private admonitions and, if it shows
itself guilty, be alarmed by the office of discipline and held to
improvement. But if this private admonition should not take effect,
the preacher shall take to himself two or three godly persons —
either such as are in the preaching office, or such as are bound to
the offender by trustworthy friendship and whom he can well tolerate
around him — and in their presence rebuke the sin, set before the
accused God's disfavor, strict judgment, and punishment, admonish,
threaten, and entreat him, that he allow himself to be moved by all
this, to betake himself to repentance and amendment, etc. If none of
this helps, the preacher may then bring this matter before the
congregation, rebuke such a sinner before all, 1 Tim. 5:20, and
thereafter that person shall have no complaint whatsoever against the
preacher, as though he had not proceeded in a lawful manner.

3. That, on account of the stubbornness of hearts, he exercise
good caution. Since there are sometimes found rebellious
auditores [hearers] who interpret the preacher's word in the
worst possible sense, he has all the more reason to act
cautiously and to weigh carefully everything he intends to
rebuke, so that the one who is rebuked does not seize the
occasion either to cause a scandal or to bring mockery and
disgrace upon the preacher, or indeed upon his office, whereby
more harm than good would be done. And there is no doubt that a
preacher can do too much in the office of discipline; for he
has, in exercising it, to deal with, first, the sin, and
second, the sinful person. But since the office of discipline
must be carried out with zeal, and zeal is such an affect as
consists in hatred of sins and love of persons, the preacher
cannot go to excess in it, in that he weighs the qualities of
sins