The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-07-04

One man may be better or wiser
than another; this, they hold, cannot
entitle him to the functions of a min
lister. He must show some outward
authority; that he has received pow
ers from lawful source, and compe.
tent to confer upon him that which
ne did not have before. IF a man
should claim to act as judge of the
Court, because of a knowledge of the
law, or personal qualities, this would
not weigh against the previous Dues
ton delegated of authority. What
right have You to assume judicial
powers? Your feeling or believing
that you are worthy of the position,
and competent to do its duties.
may be satisfactory to you, but
it Is no evidence to as that
you have any valid commission to
administer the law. In the same Way.
it is urged, that certain good men
with undoubted ability, may call
themselves ministers, and yet have
no valid authority, because not de-
rived from an Apostolic fountain. 1t
is said that numbers or responsibility
cannot make valid an unauthorized
minority. just as his friends and those
who may be willing to accept as a
Judge an illegal pretender, cannot
override the question of legal ap-
pointment and commission derived.
A succession of orders ig in
fact regarded as necessary by
nearly all Christians. Those who
impugn the doctrine of an Apos-
tolic succession through the line
of Bishops, hold the same
theory in another form. A previous
ordaining power is held necessary, 20
confer ministerial authority. If il is
aot by Bishops, it is by Presbyteries,
or Conferences. or Associations. An
existing right is held needful to make
another right. In any case, there is a
transmission of powers. a Stunning
them does not take the nature Of va
lidity. IF the cobbler should start
up from his bench, or civil magis-
trate from his chair, and take to HIM
self the name of a minister of the
| gospel tomorrow, there is not proba-
| bly, a congregation in the town who
would accept him as minister.
They would not be baptized by him,
nor receive Che Lords Supper from
him. If the butcher should ordain
the cobbler, or the county clerk the
magistrate. it would not affect the
case. The validity in each
instance would be denied. A
man cannot inlpdrt what he does not
| have. A lawful minister cannot re-
ceive commissions from a lawful pre-
| decessor, and that one from the third
in the reUerse series. Thus the sue
session is practically held by almost
| auavrv hndu nf fthriefTone
The real question is, whether this
ordinary authority belongs to dis
tinct order of the ministry higher
any and all orders.
In ali Episcopal Churches through
out the world, it has been, and is held
that, only Apostles ordained men, and
those who succeeded Apostles after
them, called Bishops. And that
this power is transmitted in an un-
interrupted succession from Apos
ties to their successors by the
progressive conveyance of their
powers from one race of Bishops to
another.
| The term nowadays is much used,
and sometimes ridiculed. The views
embraced, as has been said, are based
upon historical facts.
1t can do no harm to know what
really is meant by an Apostolic
Succession" The merit of the ques-
ton can be estimated, when 1t is
known that at least nine -tenths OF
the Christian world entertain this
as fundamental dotrine, and hold il
as the only ground that makes their
ministry valid, and as the sole mark
of distinction between a clergyman
and layman.