Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1860-04-19
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
WaTtten Jor the Fayetteville Observer.
A Novelty that is NOT a Novelty.
MO. g.

twelve men whom ne GenOmlEated
his Apostles, as the chief ministers
in bis church; investing them with
authority to preach his gospel, ad-
minister the sacraments, and exer-
else discipline in bis kingdom. He
moreover authorized them to send
others, in his name, with like powers.
He also sent forth the "serenty" to
preach his word. (Luke x: ~
Here then, as under the old dispen-
sation, we find three grades Of the
ministry: Christ, the APOSTLES, and
the Elders, or the seventy" On
the Dightof The Saviour's betrayal, be
instituted the sacrament Of the
Lords Supper. Just before his as
cension, be gave to bis apostles
their great commission "to 60 into
al the world and preach the gospel to
every creature" 60. lMalhew %
and 5000 Their authority 10
60. and to SEND others, came to them
in these words, which constituted a
commission that never can expire,
until the Church has done its work
in the conversion Of the world:
AS my Father hath sent me, eren
so send I you" John 20 and 2l.)
Christ did not call bis disciples to.
gether and organize them into a
church, and then empower them to
elect and ordain their own ministers.
He did not do this, because these
ministers were his ministers = the
ministers of God; and tn cir
successors, to the end Of the world
were to be his ministers, deriving all
their power and authority as such
from him, and fiom him alone. In
accordance with this commission, the
apostles soon after the ascension Of the
Saviour, proceeded to ordain class Of
ministers called Deacons, whom they
empowered to preach and baptize.
(Acts 6: SO and s; II, 38. l
Tim 8: 8, 10-13.) Here again
appears the tbree.fold ministry:
APOSTLES, Presbyters, and Dsacons.
Why God saw fit to have High
Priests, Priests, and Lerites in the
Jewish Church, it is not for
us to say. 1t might have please d
him to appoint one order, and in
that case, ono order would have
BEEN enough. But for wise reasons,
he saw fit to have three, and there
fore neither one order nor two or.
dets would have answered tie pur-
pose of the Priesthood. This mat
ter Of the three-fold Priesthood is
not a notion of Moses, but a
fiat of God. Why Christ saw fit
to establish a numerical distinction in
the ministry Of the church ! do not
know. All we know about it is the
fact, and that is all we need to know.
The Saviour was on earth for the
spnce of forty days altes his res.
direction and before his ascension.
During this period, be instructed bis
inspired apostles in matters pertsiB-
ing to bis kingdom. Christ pron-
ised that the Comforter whom he
should send,who was the Holy Ghost,
would teach them all things. John
1920 lie told them TO remain
in Jerusalem until they had received
the baptism ofthe Holy Ghost. (Acts
l:45) On the day Of Pentecost
the Spirit was poured out upon
them. Acts II.) While they were
yet inspired with the Holy Ghost
aud so we're taught by it. they or.
dained men to the third OF lowest
order of the ministry. (Acts VIZ
This distinction was. therefore, not
a mere fancy Of the apostles. 1t
was the revealed mind of the Great
Head of the Church, in beautiful
harmony with the mind of the un-
changable God, as it had been heard
and needed BY "Moses and the proph.
cts" For aught we know, one order
Of the ministry in the Christian
Church might have been as good as
three, and it certainly would have
been as good if Christ bad seen fit
to so ordain. But be was pleased
to appoint three orders, and therefore
neither one nor tvo are or can be
sufficient.
1t is to be observed, that all this
occurs before the New Testament
vas written, and before the. Christian
Church had any organization, except
10 its ministry. The ministry had
is mission and. commission from