Page:The church manual (Church of the Brethren 1916).djvu/19

 adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel." 1 Pet. 3: 3.

CHAPTER IX.

CHURCH COVENANT.

Persons desirous of becoming members of the church of the Brethren are received in the following manner:

First the applicants shall be visited by two or more brethren whose duty it is to examine them as to their convictions, their faith in Christ and their agreement with the doctrines of the church as taught in the Scriptures, such as the ordinances, as we practice them, non-resistance, non-swearing, non-conformity and the avoiding of secret, oath-bound societies. If this examination is satisfactory, the applications are then reported to the church and if no objections are made, on the part of the membership, the persons desiring to become members of the church are received as applicants for baptism. They are then called before the church and informed of their reception.

As a rule for the government of their lives and dealing with each other after becoming members of the church, the following part of the 18th chapter of Matthew is read: 