Resolutely refuse to hear, though the whisperer complains of being burdened till he speak.
This is one of the most interesting sentence you have posted. What is it you are doing here? By your participation you have been instrumental in keeping at least the information given here alive. Are you resolutely trying to hear, or resolutely refusing to hear.
Burdened indeed! with a cursed secret which separateth very friends. Go, burdened ones, and free yourselves from your burden in God's appointed way. First go tell your brother his fault between you and him alone. If this fail, next take with you one or two friends, and tell him in their presence. If these steps fail, then tell it to the church. Not an unbeliever is to be made acquainted with the slightest particular of the matter. Telling it to the church is the last step to be taken. Publish it not to the enemies of our faith. They have no right to the knowledge of church matters, lest the weakness and errors of Christ's followers be exposed.
Here is where I would really like a personal answer. Your thoughts, not biblical quotes, as to what should happen when it fails. Leave it or pursue it.
I read this as the church will/should handle it as last resort. Does this always happen?
Whether it be DS or any wrong doing "alleged or otherwise". Should we leave harmful acts to continue to prevent exposing the church? Most of us realize serious wrong doing will be exposed, sooner or later. The most harmful of the two is later because of the proportions it has grown to.
Is it more shameful for the church to step up to the plate, say we acknowledge the problem,we are actively working to prevent future occurrences, or to be found later to have hidden,denied, blamed others,and only when forced acknowledge by "Gee, we are sorry, we didn't know"?
Did EW mean in your opinion to stop action at the leadership door, or is it implied that the church, responsible to it's members will take care of it.
When the church turns a blind eye to fraud, sexual abuse,theft,etc are we to do same?