Christian herald., July 06, 1883, Page 5, Image 5

CTTHIST1AN
IIKRALD.
5
individual group was like a family church, and his perfect law for its rule by which to live themselves, dignity was formed in the church
in a great city. Each congregation governments to secure the perpetual and by which the church is to be by investing the bishop of Romo
of disciples had the privilege of en­ love of the church to himself, and fed and ruled by the elders of that and his successors with the title of
Prince of Bishops. Then began the
joying the society of all, and of to save his chuich from the danger church.
associating with the whole fraterni- or certainty of apostasy, by making
The Savior said of the finalty of perverted or modern proverb “ Like
..ruloa
fcxtr
i£u
z»u?n^gnvpinmpnf
priest like people.”
~^”'a^-^^oopemti^-
The opinions and speculations of
The apostles of Christ were brother will not bear jjou nor those
virtual upbuilding, with as many as
men
without wisdom or inspiration
were interested in the same enter­ supernatural men, and had the au­ you take with you, “ Tell it unto
prise. Yet each family or church thority directly from Christ to dis­ the church, but if he neglect to hear were listened to in the church in
had the right to transact its own ciple the people and organize the the church let him be unto thee as place of the gospel. The people
affairs and interests .without inter­ church and then subject themselves an heather man, and a publican,” allowed those foreign and strange
speculations of an unholy bishop to
rupting or being interrupted by to the government of the church. Matt. 18:17.
any other congregation"
These See the apostles receiving ordina­
The church being the highest ex­ be read and taught and adopted by
churches had each one its own tion of the church at Antioch, Acts ecutive authority its decision is an the church in place of the pure
elders, »who had been selected anc 13 chapter, to give church authority end of controversy. The minister word of God, which alone had been
ordained by fasting, and prayers, or sacred authority to their preach­ should have nothing to do with the read as the only rule of church gov­
and die laving on. at. the hands of ing, or ministration of the gospel of executive business of the church; ernment.
the minister, or evangelist. On Christ to all the world. The Holy therefore the “ Law^ the”Spint " ■“nNTGeiFt^^
this point hinges all my argument Spirit said do this, therefore it was provided for elders in every church authority and government of an
for the high executive authority of right that the inspired apostles to attend to all the executive apostate bishop in place of their
own ruling elders it was a fatal
the church.
should acknowledge the high sacred work.
As we accept the sacred author­ authority that Christ had given to
But the minister thinks it is too departure from the right way of the
ity or privilege centered upon the church. The church at Antioch bad for him to have to organize a Lord to as many as fell into it.
elders by ordination to rule one by the authority of the Holy Spirit church to rule him—that he ought And in this way the church fell
congregation, we hold the church ordained the apostles by fasting and to rule the congregation that he or­ under the iron hail of an inexorable
together by sacred law. Wherever prayer and the laying on of the ganizes. So thought the Pupacy. ministerial madness for supremacy
this sacredness is rejected the spirit hand of the ruling elders of that But will any truly converted and having left all loyalty to Christ
there followed in place of Christian
of-..disorganization and division church, and sent them to.preach the
rules. But the objector cannot see gospel’ and to organize ' other minister and his services had been love and fellowship one of the moat
that ordination can be of any bene­ churches. And this they did by accepted by parties in the forming cruel and unhumanly bloody perse­
fit. He thinks he can act as bishop making the sacred tour round, and of a new family organization, that cutions that has ever befallen our
or deacon as well by an agreement ordaining elders in every church, he is, therefore, at liberty ever unfortunate race.
with the‘church as by being or­ Acts 14: 23.. It is the duty and thereafter to stick his face against
When the right to rule was first
dained.
taken
from the elders by the minis­
privilege of the church, then, their windows at night, as his right
The government of the family through its acting elders to ordain to see and know of the affairs of try, it ruined the purity and useful­
and of the church both have the the minister and send him to that family, because he solemnized ness of both ministry and church,
same divine aullnn^ and” sacredness preach, not “call him.” Who- -ean | -the marriage I l am afraid if he and leaves the family of Christ
belongs to the one as well as to the find where one apostolic preacher does somebody will say he is a to-day in division and weakness,
other. But what father would ordained another preacher ? We “ busybody in othdrmc’n’s matters.” by hearing an uninspired minister
think of ordering the estate and have just shown that the church That Christ has a church on the in place of Christ, and being gov­
honor and happiness of his family ordained the preachers, and the earth, but few religious people deny. erned by a human law in place of
without a marriage ceremony re­ preacher ordains the elders in the But without that church is to be the law of Christ. And this condi­
corded. Every such family is in organization of new congregations governed by a theological Sanhe­ tion must continue until the right
imminent danger of disrepute, alien­ Who will be kind enough to show drim, or by a one man power, in a to rule is returned to the elders of
preacher, bishop, or pope, or whether each local congregation. Then you
ation and abandonment, as the U3 an exception to this rule ?
When the decrees for the relief the church in the full enjoyment of will see a prosperous church, a
history of the world abundantly
proves. Wherever there is a low oT the*Genti!e. converts- were to go divine love for the Savior has happy membeiship and a contented
estimate of the sacred law that out "they were ordained by the Scriptural right to select bishops and zealous ministry. Then it may
governs, there is as surely a low ap­ apostles and acting elders at Jeru­ ami deacons, as ruling elders in be said like Christians like preach­
preciation of sacred love. To lose salem, a statement of which was each church, not with authority of ers. As in the days of Hosea,
sight therefore of the necessity of spread upon the sacred record, to be masters, but with zeal and diligence where the wickedness of the people
law, or to stagger off from the con­ read for all time, Acts 16: 4. Thus of faithful and loving servants of led the priests astray, it was “ Like
scious sacred obligation to tho law showing that the sacred privilege Christ and his church, is a question people like priest.” ^ut in the
of either domestic or church rela­ of executive power was acknowl­ that needs to’ be well settled. As apostasy from Christ the priest led
tionship is fatally dangerous to as edged by the apostles to be lodged long as the church gives strict ad­ the people astray.
It is a joy to see our church
many as practice it. And to under­ in the church of Christ. There herence to Christ and his law the
take to amend or make better that were acting elders in every church, prosperity and happiness was en­ bringing the ministry to Scriptural
which God has given to us perfect, or city, Acts 14 : 23, Tit. 1: 5, Acts joyed. The only «rulers were the terms and holding it to the govern­
is simply to introduce that much 20: 17, who were neither apostles elders of each local society. The ment of the church according to the
human error into the law <ff sacred nor evangelists, but elders to rule only ride of church government was law of Christ. The ministers from
relationships. Eph. 5: 23 says, the one church as a loving father the word of the Lord. The New the apostles to the present are all
“ For the husband is the head of the rules over his own house. See the Testament Scriptures, which Mos­ natural men and have no sacred
wife even asC’hristis the head of the wteping apostle in Acts 20: 28 ad­ heim says was read before the privileges or authority , but that
church,” &c. Here are the two monishing the acting elders of the middle of the second century, in they have received from the chuich.
nearest relationships on earth. The church at Ephesus to feed the every Christian Society throughout The church cannot confer a greater
husband takes the side of every church over wbidhThe Holy Spirit the world. But when the ministry religious privilege or Authority than
danger and generalship in the pro­ had made them overseers, commend­ became captiously ambitious for it possesses; therefore no minister
tection of the object of his love. ing them to God, and his word, and clerical supremacy, corrupt in heart since the apostles has received from
So Christ gave himself for the the word of the Lord Jesus as the and- impure in purpose, an extra any source a religious authority
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