The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-01-05
For THE CENTRAL Presbyterian.
THE OFFICE OF DOCTOR OR TEGGHE.

withreferenee to avs" criticism of the title
Doctor or Teacher. If he will examine the
whole section "of the minister of the word,
he will see that this title is used among the
others mentioned as ordinary functions of all
ministers. All ministers, however employed.
if lawfully engaged in their sacred work, are
PresbyterS, pastors, doctors, evangeliSts, am
bassadors, etc. But in perfect consistency
with this, the Church has required one man
to give himself diligently 20 those duties in
diested II the title pastor; another to shose
, a2tiss II la teeeher md "a
eaothsr ,se li,,seatea BY the title elangel.
ST. Whether the statement which w
objects to be correct or not, it is exactly de-
scriptive of what the Church is doing, always
has done, and always must do He is moi
correct in saying the Book does not give the
true scriptural meaning of the word, if he
will look in the right place to find it. The
clause criticised simply authorizes the ap
pointment of ministers to the especial dis
charge of duties pertaining to particular
function of their Office.
The meaning of the whole of that section
is, simply, that while every function belongs
to all ministers; yet, as ministers differ in
their gifts, and the necessities of the Church
vary, it is the right and duty of the Church
to appoint them to such special works, or to
the exercise of such special functions as its
necessities require, according to the gifts in
which they respectively excel. Hence, one
ministey is designated to the charge of a
congregation, and is called its pastor; not
because the Church means to deny that all
ministers are pastors, nor that he is thereby
excluded from all his other functions. But,
simply, that that title is most descriptive Of
the relation established, and that that fune
tiOn is the preeminent one in this relation.
He is the pastor of the congregation, by way
of official designation; but at the same time,
he is bishop, elder, ambassador, minister,
etc. In like manner, the Church designates
another minister to the work of preaching
the gospel among the destitute, and calls him
Evangelist, because that title is especially
descriptive of his work; but it is not exclu-
sive, but rather inclusive of all his other
functions. Again: the Church calls man
to give instruction to youth assembled in
schools, not in science, literature, or Ian
guages, but Sin the doctrines and duties OF
religion, and sets MIN apart to his office, as
"a doctor or teacher of the Holy Scrip
lures" This is another important function
of all ministers; but, here, the Church ap-
points man to the special discharge of that
particular duty, the teaching of the Holy
Scriptures, and the doctrines and duties of
that religion revealed in them. This title,
again, is not exclusive of his other functions,
but simply made special or preeminent, for
cit always belongs to his Office" Has the
Church right to enjoin on ministers the
performance of special duties? to say to him
that teacheth, to wait on his teaching, Rom.
xii: Z; that is to attend to that particular
function with diligence and fidelity. Ger
tainly this will not be denied.
But does the title of Doctor or Teacher
belong to a man employed to instruct stu.
dents assembled in schools, Theological OF
otherwise To this the answer is manifest
The titles of Office do not belong to those
with reference to whom the duties are dis
charged, but to the man who discharge,
them. All the titles belong to all ministers
and they are bound to fulfil them whenever
God in His providence opens the door. 1
man is pastor of church, he is neverthe
less a teacher though his pastoral Office il
pre-. eminent and inclusive to that church
if he is an evangelist to the heather, he il
at the same time, teacher to the heather
and his title of Evangelist is inclusive of al
others. Now if he be appointed to teacl
youth the doctrines and duties of religion
from the Holy Scriptures, by what process
of reasoning shall we arrive at the conclu
sion that we are giving an unscriptural It'll,
to him, because his congregation or hi
scholars are youth? 1t is perfectly imma
terial whether Paul organized Theological
Seminary or not; Christ did. He is tn
Great Teacher and great exemplar; anC
our Doctors or Teachers are appointed il
like manner to teach CIrist's teachings ovel
again, everywhere in the great congregation
and out of it, to adults and to youth. AnC
if the Church needs ministers to fill sucl
positions, in Theological or other schools
assuredly there is nothing unScriptural il
appointing them to the work, and in givinl
them that scriptural title indicative of tn
work they are called to perform.
The right of the Church to do this, cal
scarcely be called in question, even b,
"W." Nearly all the Reformed Churches
and especially those of Scotland, and tn
Westminster divines recognized the use o
this title employed in the New Book S
that the usage has good authority for it, an
is no innovation. There was some differenc
of opinion among the Reformers as t
whether the Doctor was authorized to ad