Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-05-23

water must be pressed ny the SORES Oh Tue
Apostles feet, or those of their successors!
Common sense says no; but that as far as
they were able to do so, they should go to
the lost sheep of the house of Isreal, and
among the degraded Gentiles, making no
distinction, but to preach indiscrminately to
all. Take another example: Preach the
gospel to every creature" We ask friend
"ISou1RER" if a succession of Popes and
Bishops will, in this instance, relieve the
Apostles from the charge Of having failed to
fulfil their commission No indeed, for
there have gone down to the darkness OF the
tomb countless multitudes of creatures that
never heard the good news Of salvation, not
withstandng the order Of successors, which
he thinks was appointed to secure perfect
fulfilment Of the commission. 1t is said also
in the conclusion of JOIN MARKS history
that the Apostles after receiving their COM
mission went forth and preached erery pItere.
Certainly they did not come to America, nor
did they go over all the Eastern world, Thus
we see plainly that "strict construction"
Of the words Of the commission, goes avery
little way towards helping out the argument
in favor of Apostolic succession. The rele-
vancy of the quotation from the Epistle to
the Ephcsians, to the argument, we do not
see. We do not and never did deny that
there were given to the Primitive Churches,
Apostles, Prophets, Evaugelists, Pastors, &c.
What we deny is, that the order of extraor-
dinary ministers called Apostles, is continu
ed to the church. We conteud that Saul of
Tarsus was the last one appointed to this
dignity, and until we are shown some Of the
signs of an Apostle in these latter days, we
see no prospect Of any change in our posi-
ton. The passage from Ephesians, as quo
ted by INQUIRER" we remark by the way,
is not correct translation. Any one can
sec this by turning to the Greek text But the
promise was that Christ would be with them
to the end of the world. Well, setting aside
the dispute about the translation of the Greek
" sunteleias tou aionoS," end Of the world, we
are willing to take it in its broadest, largest,
fullest sense. What then! Why simply
that he would be with his church, ministers
and laity, even to the end of the dispensa-
ton. He would be with the Apostles while
they lived, and with other ministers Of the
word who should come after them. He
would be with them by his spirit to comfort
and sustain them, and by his providence to
protect and guide them. And so he has ever
been with them, and so he is with them now,
and so he will continue to be with them un-
til the last soul is saved, and the gospel shall
have accomplished the design of its institu-
ton. But what has this to do with Aposlol-
ic succession! We fully admit that there
has been always succession of Christian
ministers and disciples. One generation
when its work was done would disappear
and another rise up in its place. The rei-
gion of Jesus has always found pious and
faithful hearts in which to dwell. Christ
said the gates of hell should not prevail
against his church. What church is this !?
The Romish church! Then verify the prom.
ise has failed, for the gates Of hell or some
thing else has prevailed against many thous-
ands of its members. Was it the Methodist
church? That only started within the last
century. The Episcopalan is only some
two hundred years older. The Presbyterian
about the same. The Baptist history is lost
in the night of time. None of them, as &C.
clesiastical organizations can claim to be the
Church of Christ to the exclusion Of all
others; and against them all has the power
of evil prevailed in some of their members.
Many of them never were of the Church of
Christ. What then is the Church of Christ
against which the world the flesh and the
devil cannot prevail. Why, it consists ofthe
true spiritual disciples. the faithful followers
of Jesus, who have believed on his name,
and trusted in his sacrifice, and obeyed his
commands, and who, "by patient continu.
ance in well.doing," according to the light
and ability that God giveth, will "inheTitthe
promise" These have been redeemed from
the corruption aud dominion of sin; these
have the promise of Christ that he will be
always with them, and nothing on earth or
in hell shall prevail against them. Not one
of them will be lost. But don't talk about
the gates Of hell not prevailing against an
organization of nominal Christians that has
abounded in wckedness, worn out the saints
of God assumed to tie the keys ofthe king.
dom to the girdles Of her dignitaries, and
deliver over to endless anathemas all who
will not partake of her denominations. This
has been done, else all history is lie, and it
would be done again if the power were not
lacking. We have no confidence in the
flesh and we question very much whether any