National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-11-04
THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY
SERMON BY THE REV. J. r. HUBBARD

whs arc Resulnriy OrdnIncd Els Epi-ce-
pal Ordination Indispensable 2 = Shall
"Di-scnter-o be Recognized g.
"Prenrhsr. vs.. "Priesi' -The POSI-
tien Of Evnnseiirni Episcopalirns De
aned.
The following sermon, delivered by Rev. J. T.
Hubbard, rector Of the Church Of tho Strangers,
which meets In Lincoln Hall, 80 clearly defines
tho position OF that Church, and shows that at
least one Of our own Episcopal clergy Thoroughly
indorses the noble and liberal views and acts OF
Bishop Cummlns and the Dean OF Canterbury, In
connection with the Evangelical Alliance, (Which
others Of that persuasion have so vehcmcntly
as,aiicd,) and forms 80 hitting q complement to
the addresses there uttered that We cheerfully
give space for II In full:
"Tcil us by what authority docst thou these
things; or who IL he that gave thee THIS author.
ityf"-Matthew, Na;2. such was inc luesuos
put TO Jesus hy the chief priests anti scribcs anu
elders Of the Jewish Church. They called ioi
his credentials to do the WON OF Col, Inc 10
illness, the purity tho seIsacd,nSe o. ny ~
heavenly wisdom and Spirituality OF his tcach.
ings were not enough. The blessing OF Goo
upon his lahnfs, the multitudcs reclaimed from
degradation and sin, and taught TO aspire to o
better and holier life. even his miraculous works
his restoring sight to the blind and hearing 10
the deaf, AMI healing the sick; his feeding OF
ihousands with few loavcs and nshes; his rails
ing the dead TO llfc-all these things were not
enough; these sticklers for outward credentials
OF authority demanded something more-eOmc-
thing more palpable and more tangible; some
ming which their perverted vision might more
Plainly see and their darkened understanding
might more clearly apprehend.
These moral and splritual-yca, these divine
evidences went for nothing with men 40 carnal
minded, 20 taken up with the more forms and
externals OF religion. our Lord did not dclgn
TO answer these men directly, to convince such
mon OF his authority would have been wasted
time. Such splriiua! blindness conld not be
made TO see. Such dhrNeHcd Apprehension
could not lie made to understand. Clearer EVIL
dence OF his divine commission than that which
was already set before them could not be given
them.
An, brethren, VIC are too apt to forget that the
kingdom OF God "a altogether q spiritual king.
dom, and only to be spiritually disccrned; that
man must he horn again by the spirit OF God be
fore he can have his eyes opened to discern ia
nrst and simplest principles. Men sre ever re-
peatinR the errors Of the past, for human nature
IN ever the same. And so to-day. In the Christian
Church, there are the same tendencies to mag
nifty what IL outward, to rest In forms and cere-
monies and the outward letter OF the word. We
also have our high priests and scribcs and elders,
who are continually asking OF men whose whole
life AMI lahors and teachings is the evidence Of
their divine commission, "By what authority
our Lord did not answer this question directly
hat he put to them q counter question, which
sets this whole matter before us in Its broades
and most fundamental aapects-a question whicl
prObed their conscicpces to the quick, so far q
they had conscicnces to be reached, and pu
them In dilemma Of difficulties: "And he 40
swcTed and said unto them, Also will ask 20
one thing; and answer me: The baptism OF JOIN
was II from heaven, or Of men7" This questio
went TO the root OF the matter. 1t calls up II
lore us the real evidences Of the prophetical, o.
III other words, the ministerial commission
What were the evidences OF JOINS commission
Had he been ordained by the hands OF mer
Never! Had the Church ever recognized b
claim to be q teacher sent from God7 Had
ever been said to him, Take thou authority
teach and preach In the Church Of Goa7" Mo
certainly not. John was "a voice crying In u
wilderncss;' he was recluse OF the desert;
was one who doeth slone In communion wi
tod. When the call Of God came 10 him he co
ferfed not with fesh and blood. The word
the Lord was like q fire burning within him;
was word which he was constrained to utt
Nor was Johns experience 10 this respect
exceptional one. IL was so with all the pr0ph,
OF the old dspensation. They were called
their work directly by God himself. They ney
sought authority from the Church. They We
and sins.
There is broad distinction between the p
phets and teachers OF the Church and the prize
an Leyites OF the hnronic succession. The
latter were commissioned class. No one o.
slie q Their d,vlnely appointed succession co,
tntrude into their ONCE. The terrible punll
ment falling upon KOrah, Dathan and hbiri
shows how jealousy God himself guarded q
81 ,cesson.
This order OF priesthood, with their multipll
cerenonals and offerings, prengured the hi
priesthood OF Christ, and the Offering up Of
Lamb ,n q On to sse away the sins Of the , woI
ceased. There Ia now no more offering for :
BJ the one Offering OF himself Christ hath p
ieciea forsyer them that are sanctiiied ey IA
passed away. In the Christian Church Their
no priesthood, there are no priests. Any 7
, ,sn no, % ms Is 6asphem0us intrusion
the sin OF korah, &c. Hut the order Of the r
pneis " continued and greatly enlarged 10
satlon OF the spirit. To US Is fulfilled the pre-
Use OF the Old Testament, at shall come TO p
alterward that will pour out my spirit upon
pophesy your OH mem mem sSa dresm area
your young mon shall see visions; and also vi
the servants and upon the landmarks, In IN
thus teI RHHs G 10 ,hs hs APE
iv:I-l9: "Unto every one Of us Is gwen ct
according TO the measure Of the gift Of Chr
ses he led eaptISt1 csn,iYo 9 and ssys IN, a
men" And he gave some, apostles;
some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
OF the saints, for the WORK Of the ministry,
the edifyiDg OF the body Of Christ: till we
come IN the unity OF the faith, and Of the kno
edge OF the Son Of God, unto perfect man, u
the measure OF the stature OF the fulness
Christ"
when the Lord was upon the earth he him
IN person selected aud sent forth his minst,
and after his ascension 10 heaven, still BY
Holy Ghost, he called and sent them forth. n
great office was to preach the word, not to n
lister the sacraments, as 81. Paul witness
the Gospel" They were to publish abroad
glorious tillngs of salvation, through the me
and love OF GOd they were TO offer free par
TO gaiiiy sinners through the blood OF thcCr
they were to gather into the Church OF sucl
should be saved. 1t was altogether propl
teal, not priesily, office-this preaching OF
Gospel, with the Holy Ghost sent down Il
heaven They were the mouthpleces OF
HOLY Ghost, telling OF what Jesus had dc
the ascendcd and everything Saviour, the Ii
nigh priest, pleading for his people In the
OF hoiies OF the sanctuary above. As the al
OF the apocalypse witnesses, the spirit OF
phecy Is this testimony for Jesus.
What the prophets OF the old dispensatiOn 4
told dlmly by type and shadow and mystic ut
Ance-they themselves searching for the m,
ing OF their own prophecies-the ministers
Jesus, the prophets OF the New Testament,
clam with full and lucid utterance, level To-
apprehension OF even the fool and the wayfal
man.
Bear In mind, then, brethren, this distInc,
between tue priest and the prophet. Their
much confusion IN the minds Of many on
point. Because there was q succession in
priesthood OF the old dispensation II is suppc
by many that there must be In like mann
succession OF IKE KIND IN the Christian minis
Bear In mind that the Christian minister Is n
priest. This word, as used In our PRAYER Ii,
lsa contraction for presbyter, and means e
only.
And now, again, let me ask, what were
evidences OF Johns commission? How v
men to know that he was a true prophet?
Church did not recognize him as such.
priests and elders and scrlbes would not
knowledge his clam. What, then, were the
dences OF his c1liing7 Upon what were
common people TO rely7 Their Churchs aut
~ was against him; their priests, their teasl
were against him. Evidently, they were thr
back upon the testimony OF their own he
and consciences, upon their own private 4,
ment, upon their own individual respons bi
God. Johns character and teachings challeI
their regard. Ills blameless, self-deny wing
was above all suspicion. Even the cor
HeIod, though Iepr0yed by John for his 81
life, recognized Win AZ "a lust man and an h,
The burden OF Johns teaching was to rel
sin and enforce righteousness OF life. Multi
were. by him, brought 10 repentance an
amendment Of life.
Docs the light need evidence TO prove that
light? Does truth need evidence to prove
it's TRUTH Does righteousness need eyld
to prove that II IL righteousness Nay, all /
bear with them their own eyldence-they
with their own light.
Lord, when warning us to discriminate bel
bidding US to rely upon churchly authority,
the credentials OF human ordination, upon
being In the line Of a duly appointed apo,
succession. By their fruits We shall know
Parallel 10 the case OF JOhn was the ca
Jesus himself. The common people, In
heard him gladly whilst those In places OF
authority derdnRiy asked, "Have any G
rulers or OF the rharisees believed In him
this people who know not the law are curst
The miraculous works OF Christ were !
themaflyes his tfup rFplentials A teach