Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1868-04-07

the pleasure in which I will under
take to give the "clear, undisputed
proofofthe existence of tsRpiseopa.
CIV" of the Anglican order any time
within the fir century" by giving
which proof Ishopefyou can perceive
the uselessness of answering your
other questions. since you yourself
say "Tfit is proven to have existed
there is no need to dispute about any
L late period" The Apostles, and they
alone, had power to ordain men to
the sacred ministry. And will say
no more on this subject if you can
| give me pelear, undisputed proof of
d single instance recorded in the
/ New Testament of Ordination at the
bands of either Presbyters or Dea-
cons. As have asked in vain for
this single instance in aprevious ar
ticle, so | think you will look in vain
for il in the New Testament. The
first instance Of ordination recorded
| in the New Testament is that of The
seven Deacons, ''whom they set be.
fore the Apostles, and when they had
prayed. they lad their hands on them
Acts VI 6. The next instance was
To the office Of Presbyter, and was
| by the apostles Barnabas and Paul.
''Aud when they bad ordained them
elders in every church, and had pray,
ed with fasting, they commended
them to the Lord, on whom they bas
iievedn Acts X Nv. "a. The next
scriptural authority for ordination
| by the apostles and their successors,
is in ST. Pauls Epistles to Timothy.
La which he incidentally aludes to
| the existing practice of ordination
! being conferred by those of the first
orde in the ministry. Five years
before writing to Timothy, ST. Paul
had summoned to him at Miletus the
Elders or Presbyters of Ephesus
gave them warnings and directions
with reference to the ''fiock over
which the Holy Ghost had made
them overseers." He gives them not
| one word about ordaining men TO the
ministry. But having sent Timothy
TO preside.ove church at Ephesus
he is explicit in his directions to
Timothy as to the qualifications re-
euisite for the two subordinate off,
ces in the ministry. In the first
chapter of 1st Epistle He says This
charge | commit unto thee, Son Tim
othy' And in I'd and Sd Chapter
specifies the qualifications requisite
for the Office OF Bishop or Presbyter
and for that held by those who
~
bishop described those of the second
order in the ministry, during the life
time of the apostles, we are not to in
fer from this that they were bishops
in the sense this wort was used in
post apostolic times for the three or
derS or offices in the ministry plainly
appear in the first Epistle TO Timo~
thy, and we are in search not after
names but things. Ifthe three orders
appear, each with its respective du-.
ties and authority, then was the
ministry in apostolic times of three
orders; to prove which is what pro-
pose to DO. st. Paul directs Timothy
to "ldy hands suddenly on no man."
from which direction it appears that
Timothy alone had power to ordain
to the ministry at Ephesus, that be
presided over the church al Ephesus.
Hence appears the three orders
Timothy of the first; the Bishop of
Presbyter Of the second and tho Dea-
cons of the third order.
A careful reading OF the two Epis-
ties to Timothy will, / hope, disclose
to you Timothy alone having power
of ordaining, and as the Bishop over
the church of the Ephesians in the
post apostolic sense Of this word.
The next instance where the pow.
or of ordination IS distinctly recog~
nized, is found 10 the Epistle OF St.
Paul to Titus, Bishop OF Crete. St
Paul had already established church
es in some of the many cities of this
Island. And do not see how an
unprejudieed person can read this
Eplstlc carefully without perceiving
that Titus presided over its affairs as
fully as did Timothy over the church
Of the Ephesans. Directions are
given to Titus with reference to all
the churches in the Island, and to
him alone is given the power Of or
daIning-"For this cause left | thee
in Crete, that thou shouldst set in or
der the things that are wanting, and
ordain Elders in every city as had
apI ointed thee" Now if ministers
were all equal, how is it that we find
Timothy and Titus thus presiding
over other ministers, they alone liz
their respective jurisdictions having
power to ordain? Nor is it out of
place here to observe that all early
history of the Church speaks with
one voice in naming Titus the fsrt
Bishop OF Crete.
Christ. through st John, addressed
the Angel, or as the term signifies
the messenger or apostle, of each Of
the Seven Churches of Asia. That
in each of these churches there were,
besides the Angel addressed, also
Presbyters and Deacons we may
safely infer from the time when they
were addressed being toward the
close of the century, when the
church had so increased in numbers
IN the large cities as to require the
illustrations OF several Minister'S
Yet to one only does Christ speak
evidently holding him responsible for
the proper governance of the whole
Church in each city. Thus to the
Angel Of Ephesus he says. Chou
hast tried them which say they are
apostles, and are not, and hast found
them liars" To the Angel of the
Church in Pergamos, He says: II
have few things against thee, be-
cause thou hast them that hold the
doctrine of Balaam." And so does
Christ single out one in each Church,
as responsible for the proper COVER
nance Of its affairs, hence having an
authority over the rest of the minis
ters peculiar to himself. Since we
Lon ~, ~, 10