Prof. Decker is professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. We concluded our last article by discussing the question of the relationship between the parishioner’s sickness and his sin. We noted that there are instances where the connection between the sickness and the sin must be pointed out. The drunkard who suffers from cirrhosis of the liver needs to know that his sickness is the result of his sinful, excessive drinking. In other instances, where the relationship between the illness and sin is not clear, we advised the elders to leave the whole matter to the parishioner and...

Prof. Decker is professor of Practical Theology in the Protestant Reformed Seminary. We continue our discussion of the elders’ calling to visit the sick by considering how the elders ought to conduct the sick call in specific instances. When the elder must call on a parishioner who is about to submit to major surgery, he ought to visit the person before the surgery takes place. The elder can make this call either the night before the day of the surgery or he can visit the person an hour or so before the surgery is scheduled to take place. There is...