2
ÖHRTSTTA.TST
-------------------- -------- —--- -
tural at the present time ? To in the church, I' did not say one
these questions the Advocate makes word against elders and deacons.
no reply. Now we see no use in Now if the plain statement that
arguing something he does not “about all the ecclesiasticism we
deny, and if he does not intend to have is comprehended in our
meet theTssue fairly, then we do cherislieTrdoI, a plurality of elders
not care to wraste more time with and deacons in every congregation,”
it. If weekly communion is not is not saying “ one word against
Scriptural, let him say so, and we elders and deacons,” then we con
will proceed to defend our practice. fess wo do not understand the
Let him also tell us what is Scrip- meaning and force of the English
language.—It-- was—th io- -wh oles a le"
.iairaL.-AVewautsometliing
sweep at the divinely appointed
along here.
2. For the command for immer officers of the church, as we under
sion we pointed him to the commis stood it, that we called a remnant
sion, and asked, “ Did Christ com of the Papacy ; and w’e are still of
mand immersion in his last com the saine opinion. But as our
mission ?” As w’ell as we remem brother disavows any attack on
ber, he answers this by denying these, officers, of course, we aceept
that Christ commanded the specific his correction, and proceed to Lis’
act of immersion. . Now brother, real position as he defines it.
this is not the question.
The
Just what our brother means by
question is simply, Did Christ in this “our modern deacon ” and “ minis
commission command immersion ? ters of the gospel ” is not very plain
Will the Advocate answer yes or to us. If he means that those
no ? We say yes. Now we ask called deacons in some of our
the Advocate to state definitely if churches jw’ho are appointed to
there was any' thing else- command carry around the bread and wine
ed ? If so, what w’as it ? We and whose duty seems to end with
pause for de/inite answers to these ¡his simple’ act, are nowhere
questions.
____ described in the -New "Testament,
¡hen he is probably correct. But if
PERSONAL MENTION.
le means that there was no particu-
We learn that Bro. Bruce Wol ar class of officers described in the
verton lias a fine girl baby at his. New Testament whose official duty
it was to logk after and attend
house. We congratulate him on
simply to the secular wants and in
his family addition. We look for
terests of the congregation, and
lots of good contributions to the
that the “ deacons ” described by
H erald from his pen now.
Paul were all public proclaimers of
The wife of Bro. L. B. Wilkes the gospel, or evangelists, then we
has just come from Mo. to Califor think he is very much mistaken.
nia to be with her husband. This On the other hand, we submit that
indicates we suppose that Bro. W. there is not an intimation in the
intends making California his per New Testament that teaching or
preaching was any part of the
manent home.
official duty of the deacons. That
We are sorry to learn that Bro. there was a particular class of
R. B. Neal, of the Worker, Louis officers in the church called deacons,
ville, Ky., is quite unwell, He is is certain, for Paul, while giving
improving and will soon be at his their qualification, speaks of their
post as usual.
using the office of a deacon. Now
are we to understand that these
ECCLESIASTICISM.
official servants of the church were
It would seem that our brother, all public teachers and preachers
“ Christian Missionary,” was a little of the word, and that there is no
unfortunate in the use of his langu such thing as the office of deacon
age
o the other week in which he (diakonos) as has been understood
said, “ About all the ecclesiasticisin and taught from the beginning of
we have (and it would be well if we this reformation ? Our brother
had none for there is none in the seems to place deacons on an equali
New Testament) is comprehended ty with “ clerks,” “ trustees,” etc.
in our cherished idbl, a plurality of Do we read of the office of clerks
elders and deacons in every con and trustees in the Bible ? and are
gregation.” In reply to our criti these to be selected and ordained to
cism of this statement, “ Christian their work like the deacons and
Missionary ” in another qolumn of elders ? The latter are divinely
this issue says: “Now while I appointed; the former are human
don’t want ecclesiasticism or idols and unknown to the Bible.
HKRALD
“ Christian Missionary ” thinks
no power attaches to the person by
virtue of his official position. Well,
are not the elders to RULE ? If so,
by what authority, if not by vidllg
of their official position ? Or do
we understand that all alike are to
be rulers ’
His allusion to feet-washing has
been sufficiently dwelt on in our
columns. If there was no differ-
TTTCF“betw6cri this institution aiid
the institution of the Lord’s supper,
then we can deal with both of them
in the same way. Hence we can
observe thepf the Lord’s
supper without observing the act
itself which Christ instituted. This
is exactly the view Henry . Ward
Beecher takes of it; hence he says
that milk and cheese will answer
him as well as the emblems the
Lord used, and these can be par
taken of once a year or every week
just as will best suit his fancy and
convenience. It is only the sub-
stauce.lui
♦ is after. It-is truethat
Jesus instituted both, but it is also
true that the one was instituted for
the church, while the other was a
private affair depending so far as
the act was concerned on the cus
toms of the people in that age and
designed simply to teach a lesson
of humility. This is the reason
w hy we can observe the principle
taught in feet-washing without re
taining tlie specific act itself under
all circumstances, while the Lord’s
supper being a church ordinance,
can not be retained in substance
w’ithout doing the thing command
ed. Hence while wre believe in
feet-washing (and a good deal of it)
we prefer to attend to it in private.
If our brother wishes to observe his
part of it in the public assembly, he
will please excuse us, for indeed we
do not see how he can avoid this
conclusion while he holds his pre
sent view of the subject. But he
thinks neither the language nor
idea of “church ordinance ” is in
the New Testament, and thus he
tries to convict us of inconsistency.
Well, Paul talks about the “ordi
nance of God ’ and the “ ordinances
of divine service,” and we naturally
suppose that some of these are in
the church of God. Hence the idea
of “ church ordinance ” must be in
the New Testament, to say the
least of it. When we observe the
lesson taught in the institution of
feet-washing we observe all the
Savior purposed in the command,
and we do it because he has com
manded it. We still contend,
therefore, that we should observe
nothing for which we do not have
a positive command, a plain
precedent or a logical and necessary
inference ; and when we have such
e v id enc e, Wft a re .n o t
neglect any institution or make any
substitutes.
SUFFERING FOR CHRIST.
Peter says, “If any man suffer as
a Christian, let him not be ashamed!
'but Tet him glorify God on this
behalf.
Io suffer as a Christian
is to suffer for Christ and his cause,
and this is a suffering which no
Christian may expect to es cap e:
The world is under the influence of
the evil one, and he who would be
a Christian must stand firm in op
position to all evil.. This will not
only bring opposition but trials
through which he must pass. The
true Christian has buckled on the
armor of God and volunteered for
life, und he who w’ould obey tlie
orders must fight the battle to the
thing as a compromise or failure.
He knows that Jesus is his leader,
and that .He has suffered and died
for every soldier of the' cross.
Hence he fully makes up his mind
to meet and overcome opposition^
to pass through trials, and to suffer
for Christ at the hand* of his op-
poscTS. But ¡¡Tail of tins he is not
ashamed nor cast down, for he
knows that God is his friend and
Jesus his exemplar. He knows the
prize cannot be obtained without a
race, nor the victory won w’ithout
a fight. Hence he glorifies God
on this behalf. He realizes that he
is suffering for Christ and not for
self, and in this thought lies .his
strength of endurance when he is
brought face to face with the trials
and difficulties of life which throng
his . pathway from time to time.
But in the days of Peter, and so it
is now, some men and women seem
to think it strange that they are
called upon to suffer for Christ.
To all such the apostle continues :
“ Beloved, think it not strange con
cerning the fiery trial w hich is to
try you, as though some strange
thing happened unto you; but re
joice inasmuch as ye are partakers
of Christ’s sufferings; that when
his glory shall be revealed, ye may
be glad also with exceeding joy. If
ye-be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye ; for the spirit
of glory and of God resteth upon
you ; on their part he is evil spoken
of, but on your part he is glorified.”
These are" consoling words to the
child of God as he passes through