The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-10-07
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
The Evangelist.

The Evangelist is fast becoming a reg
ular officer in our Church. In the pro-
ceedings of most of our Presbyteries,
there is some notice of either the appoint
ment or the work of this officer. This
movement was started by the General
Assembly which met at Memphis, nearly
two years ago. 1t adopted the following
resolution:
ResOlved, By the General Assembly
of the Presbyterian Church in the United
States, that every Presbytery under the
jurisdiction of this body be eGjoined to
seek out and set apart minister to the
work of the Evangelist for its bounds,
TO take the superintepdence of its vacant
Congregations, wherever practicable
These Evangelists shall be authorized to
act as moderators of the sessions of the
vacant congregations; to preach the Cos
pei and administer the Sacraments to
them at stated intervals; to counsel the
sessions in holding social worship in the
absence of ministers; to encourage the
organization of Sabbath Schools and BIZ
Bile classes; and the making of oblations
for Systematic Benevolence; and, in
general, to take the pastoral supervision
of the vacant congregations, both white
and colored."
The term Evangelist, it is generally
understood, is applied in the New Testa-
ment, to a certain class of Christian
teachers, who were not fixed to any par
ticular spot, but travelled either indepen-
IDENTIFY, or under the direction of an
Apostle, for the purpose of preaching
the Gospel. Philip, one of the seven
Deacons, is termed, the Evangelist. Paul
exhorts Timothy to edo the work of an
Evangelist. This Office is also mention
ed in Ephesians, as distinct from Apos-
tie, Pastor, and Teacher.
Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical History,
referring to the state of the Church, in
the age succeeding that of the Apostles,
as quoted by Kitto, says: MANY of
the disciples of that time, whose souls the
Divine Word had inspired with an ardent
love of philosophy, first fulfilled our Sa-
viour's precept, by distributing their sub
stance among the poor. Then travelling
abroad they performed the work of Evan
gelists, being ambitious to preach Christ,
and deliver the Scriptures of the Divine
Gospels" These, it is further stated,
prepared the way for regular pastors.
In view of the many vacant churches
in our ,iesofated and down-trodden South
ern country, the Assembly proposes to
revive this primitive office, and to attach
to it a work very similar to that for
which it was originally formed. This
provides for a want long felt in the work
ing of our ecclesiastical system,-some
one to care for our vacant churches
Many churches have session fully COM
petent to this work, but many others
and these the ones needing the most at
tention, have no Elders with the necessa-
ry zeal and knowledge. There may be
vacant church and an unemployed
minister suiting each other, but these
are not brought together, just because
there is no Daysman to go between them
There are other churches not well able
to support pastor, that become diScour
aged, and their membership drops off
because there is no one to visit them with
some right to inquire into their condition
and to whom they feel they have righ
to look for counsel and help. The Evan
gelist could encourage and often save
such churches.
The work of this abOrer is understood
also to extend to missionary fields, wher'
there are no organized churches, bu