The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-09-15

word OF God does not decide 30 PLAINLY VINO
shall handle any other funds. And if this
conjecture be correct-as there is much iu
the circumstances of the times and in the
history of the Church to make it probable
our law departs from the older Scottish
symbols in two directions. Q.) by limiting
the control of the session over the poor fund,
and z by leaving it an open question, to
be determined by each church for itself,
whether the remaining funds shall be ham
died by the deacons, or by the elders, or by
some other parties. And as matter of
fact, each of the three courses has been
adopted. In the Established Church of
Scotland, the elders gradually superseded
the deacons altogether; SO that the deacons
being found to be useless piece of machin-
cry, they were no longer elected. In the
Irish Presbyterian Church, committeeman,
representing both the ecclesiastical and the
civil authority, have largely taken the place
vi ucdCouo' LII Lut hmtTlCdu CuuiCucc, uoIh
methods are in vogue: Baird's Digest show
ing that the highest court has openly ap-
proved of temporal committees" and also
of trustees to hold and manage fiscal affairs;
the members of which bodies need not be or
dained men, or even communicates. Such
has been the practical working of the dis
elimination made between the management
of the poor fund and of other moneys, what
ever may have been the unexpressed opinion
of those who drafted the law in its present
shape. And it is hopeful sign of return
to better views. to find strong voices on both
sides of the Atlantic, pleading for the divine
right of deacons. DIR. Lorimer, in his trea-
tise, points to the evils which have, in his
opinion, grown out of the neglect of Christ's
Office, reminding his brethren that the two
Books of Discipline have not been set aside
by the Westminster Confession, and are
therefore parts of the organic law of the
Church of Scotland. Prof. Wilson turns
the main force of his able discussion against
the experienced evils of trustees and commit
tees. Chapter III. of his Essay treats "of
the substitutes for the deacon" and this he
manages under the following heads: 81.
Boards of trustees are an innovation. <
There we're no such officers in apostolic times.
There were no officers sustaining such re-
lation to the Church in the congregations of
Geneva, France, Holland, and Scotland, at
the time of the Reformation. Their intro
duction has been gradual; but no doubt
keeping pace with the downward progress in
doctrine and godliness that has been mani
fest among most of the descendants of the
Reformers. II. Boards of trustees are
unscriptural. The authority, or even the
permission, of Scripture is not often pleaded
in behalf of trustees. The argument in their
defence seems generally to take for granted
that upon this system alone can all the rights
of the people be secured. The scrip
tural order does by no means deprive the
members of the church of an interest in the
management of the ecclesiastical goods; for
deacons are chosen by the people, and are
the representatives of the church; not, in
deed, the agents of the people. Trus-
tees have no scriptural warrant, can stand
upon no principle that does not impugn the
wisdom or the goodness of the Church s
Head. If it is necessary for human wisdom
to devise system of pecuniary management
for the Church, then it follows that on this
point her arrangements have been left in
complete by her blessed Head, etc. =
III. Boards of trustees are anti scriptural. "
Under this head Prof. W. argues that the
Objectionable system embodies the serious
error that church property belongs exclu'
sively to the people, instead of being trust
managed for Christ, to whom it has been
solemnly consecrated, and by officers of his
appointment. CIV. Boards of trustees are
of dangerous tendency" His argument is,
that bodies composed wholly or in part Of
worldly men, will assuredly develope dis
position to accommodate themselves to out
side sentimeurs, which may embarrass the
minister and hinder the spirituality of the
church. "V. Boards of trustees are not, as
depositaries of church property, so safe as
deacons. And that because they are, com,
paratively, irresponsible. Trustees are not
indeed, without responsibility to the laws OF
the land; and provided they are church
members, they are individually accountable
to the courts of the church for immoral OF
scandanus conduct. But they have no such
responsibility, as trustees, to any ecclesias.
tical tribunal, as deacons have" Every
competent witness of the working of the
trustee or committee system, must have seen
the reality of the evils thus pointed at. DR..
Miller gives an incident which places in an
almost ludicrous light the incongruity of put
ting worldly men to control important inter,
ests in the Church: "A minister, at one
time pastor of church in Philadelphia, in
formed the writer that, during his ministry
in that church, the president of the board Of
trustees was rich Jew, who often complain
ed of the trouble he had in keeping the ses-
sion of the church in order" DR.. Miller
also signalises the objectiOnableness of throw
ing the deacons work into the hands of the
elders; but we shall have occasion to direct
attention to this in connexion with other