Читать книгу A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin - Бенджамин Франклин - Страница 27

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WE once acted on a committee with several others, heard testimony and arguments for a week, and had the parties bound in writing to abide the decision of the committee. When the decision was made the parties acquiesced in it, shook hands over it, and we prayed over them and were all happy. But in a short time, we do not remember whether a week or a month, the whole matter was thrown aside and the parties stood as they did before. Our prayerful and patient work all went for nothing.

When brethren become alienated they frequently do not want to settle their difficulties, but to get an advantage over an opposing party. No court of appeal nor anything we can say will reconcile them. If we, in any part of the affair, agree with them, they there agree with us; but if we in any part of it differ from them they there differ from us. There the matter ends. Still, we will try and give a little attention to the matters in hand.

There are cases where nothing can be done. In other words, there are cases that can not be settled. Church members become like the man’s rails that had been in a crooked fence so long that they would not make a straight fence. Church-members sometimes have been crooked so long that they will not become straight. They continue in their alienation so long that it becomes a kind of habit with them and food for them. They can not do well without it.

If a church is about equally divided by a difficulty and can not settle the matter among themselves, and will not refer the matter to a committee, it simply can not be settled. A case that can not be settled must remain unsettled. We answer, that in that case nothing can be done. Some cases of difficulty will never be settled in this world, and will have to be referred to the last judgment for adjudication. It would be well, though, in such a case as stated, for the disaffected party to consider the matter well, and see to it that they have acted wisely and in the Spirit of the Lord in the whole matter. On the other hand, the church party should review the whole ground carefully, and see to it that all they can do to open the way for the disaffected party to become reconciled and brought into the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace be done. Let no stone remain unturned, no effort untried and nothing remain undone that might bring peace.