HOUSE VISITATION

Part II

The forms of ordination of ministers and elders bring forth the pressing necessity of the care for the individual. So is said in the form for the ordaining of elders of our Churches, “Therefore, in the first place, the office of elders is, together with the ministers of the Word, to take the oversight of the Church, which is committed to them, and diligently to look whether everyone properly keeps himself in his confession and conversation.” For them the prayer is that they might be diligent “in taking heed unto the doctrine and conversation, in keeping out the wolves from the sheepfold of Thy beloved Son; and in admonishing and reproving disorderly persons.”

From the above we may clearly see the great value our fathers attached to house visitation. It is also notable how many synodical meetings have dealt with this matter. At the convention of Wenel in 1568 the following was decided: Without a doubt their office (namely that of elder) includes that they, every one in his own part of the congregation or district, keep diligent watch over the members of the church entrusted to them, visiting from house to house at least once a week, and (further) as often as is custom in each particular church but especially before the Lord’s Supper, that they inquire painstakingly after the purity of their daily life and morals, after their faithful teaching of their families, and the prayers that they do for their households in the morning and evening (for thenwhole family) and other relevant matters; that the elders calmly but seriously confront the members, as each case and occasion requires, be it either to admonish them to be steadfast, to encourage them to endure, or to arouse them to true Godly fear; giving each member what he needs, be it either comfort or admonition; and wherever this is necessary, bringing the case to the consistory, which, in essence, is ultimately responsible as a body for the task of admonishing. Together, the consistory must come to a decision as to what reprimand shall be given, depending on the transgression. They also must remember to exhort everyone in their district to send their children to catechism.

The third article describes the method by which to execute that which the second article prescribes, namely to divide the membership of each church into districts in accordance with the number of people and the convenience of the believers in each area; also, to place several elders at the head of each district, who must, at a fixed day each week, give an account of their district. These elders must conduct themselves in a way that shows that they know that they are not only accountable before the Church, but also will have to give account before God of the souls that are entrusted to them.

In one of the stipulations regarding the Lord’s Supper, we read the following; “We deem it very profitable, to announce to all the people, two weeks in advance, the time when the Lord’s Supper is to be held, not only in order that each member of the church will have sufficient time to prepare himself, but also that the elders may do their official work in visiting their districts in the proper manner.

We should take special notice of the fact that in these stipulations the elders are charged with the house visitations and not the Preachers or ministers of the Word. This was done for a special reason; the number of ministers at that time was very small, and the persecutions were fierce. The preachers often had more than one congregation to serve, and had to travel around, while the elders had more opportunity to fulfill the task of shepherd to the congregation, without great risk to their lives.

At Dordrecht in 1574 house visitation was not separately discussed, although from more than one of its statements it is clear that also this synod approved of regular house visitations. Article 73, for example, dealing with the official work of the office bearers and consistories states: Office bearers must diligently take heed, who the members are, or have been before; whether they constantly take part in the Lord’s Supper and, if not, they or other qualified persons must confront them personally about this matter. Here then, unlike the Council of Wenel not only the elders but the ministers as well are obliged to visit the members of the congregation. Here the weekly visitation is no longer required.

Probably this practice had been found practically impossible. But this synod did add an odd requirement for the ministers and elders to fulfill while doing house visitation; they had to check the personal belongings of the members in order to see if they owned any of the heretical books so prevalent in those days, the kind that were spreading false doctrines among many. If any were found, they would have to be done away with immediately.

The Synod of Dordrecht held in 1578, emphatically declared that before every celebration of the Lord’s Supper, house visitation should be done, particularly with the weak in the faith. In article 67 the synod stated; “Before the Lord’s Supper the ministers and the elders shall visit the members of the Church, especially the weakest and those that are concerned the most, and as much as is in them, teach, admonish, comfort and clear that which stands in the way, so as to prepare the congregation for this honorable and solemn celebration in the right manner.” We see that also here the ministers as well as the elders, are instructed to do house visitation.

The Synod of Middelburg 1581 also dealt with house visitation and declared: When the time of the Lord’s Supper draws near, to visit those that have before been to the Lord’s Supper, so that they can prepare themselves better. A similar decision was made at the Synod at The Hague 1586, where in article 21 it is said of the office of elders, that they must do those visits, as time and place permits, to the edifying and enlightenment of the congregation, before as well as after the Lord’s Supper, to especially comfort and teach the members of the congregation, also to exhort and admonish others to the Christian faith. The difference with the statement of Middelburg, is thus; that the house visitation is not only confined to directly before but also extended to after the service of the Lord’s Supper. The meaning here is then that there not only be a good preparation for the celebrating of this sacrament, but also the congregation’s spiritual well being in general, yes even the exhorting of others to the christian faith. So the elders are appointed to bear the burdens with the ministers except in the preaching of the Word and administration of the sacraments, so that this caring comes to its rights, especially in the house - and sick-visitation. Also it is noteworthy that again and again the emphasis is laid on house visitation in connection with Holy communion.

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