The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-03-01

seen, the eva st is named before the pas
tor and man y as expressing distinct
function of t! linisterial Office. The word
evangelize" the English form of the
Greek word that means, to bear good
news, and is constantly rendered to preach
the gospel. The word gospel in the New
Testament is the translation of the same
word in its substantive form. The promi-
nent and foremost ministerial work in the
New Testament times, was evangelizing.-
Though the twelve Apostles were charged
with the special duty of being personal wit
nesses of the resurrection Of Christ, yet
they were at the same time evangelistS. An
apostle was a messenger; an evangelist was
the bearer of good news. Paul's chief work
was that of an evangelist. Others as Bar
nabas and Silas, were associated with him as
evangelists who were not Apostles.
"Paul preached (evangelized) .unto them
(the Athenians) Jesus and the resurrection. !"
Acts xvii: 18, "For though I preach the
gospel, evangelical, have nothing to glory
of; for necessity is laid upon me yea, woe
is unto me, if 1 preach not the gospel. =
Paul charged Timothy, "Do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry"
II Tim. iv: 5. The apostolic commission,
GO ye into all the world and' preach the
gospel to every creature, was a command
to evangelize. The commission is therefore
not only the warrant, but the command to
engage in the work of missions. 1t is what
Wellington called, "The marching orders Of
the church, and indifference or neglect Of
missionary labor is disobedience of orders,
and violation of the Sacramental oath"
Or. 7. V. Moore.) Is it not apparent to the
careful reader Of the New Testament that a
prominent part of the work Christ commit
ted to his ministers was evangelization p
So far therefoMfrom the pastoral work Gov
eTluS OH tuo l./& GiOuo VI VIC uiniouy ~ ap'
pears to hold Fer subordinate place, not
in official ra} ut in the sense that the
evangelist 6 fore the pastor; the evan.
gelist carries good news and makes dis.
ciples, the watches and feeds the
flock.
In the prde Bid down in our Form oi
Government dinary ministers, the pas
the minister, y the evangelistic work only
as incidental. In all ordinary cases licen
tiate is required to receive call from con
gregation to become their pastor before th'
Presbytery is authorized to ordain him Il
the full work of the ministry, while the or
dination Of an evangelist is permitted in ex
traordinary cases, "as it is sometimes desir
able and important" Is not this reversing
the New Testament order !? Ought not tn,
evangelist to take the precedence of the pas
tor in the arrangements for ordination, al
the ordinary rule? Christ's command il
" CO. not "Settle." The natural inclina
tion of ministers to settle, and the desire o
congregations to secure a pastor, will leat
to the settlement of pastors where they ar
needed, though the rule were ordinarily OBJ
served to ordain ministers principally to tn
evaDgelistic work;
Do we not q her here the evident rea
son why we q efficiently prosecute tn
evaDgelistic " So long as our minis
ters are traine believe that their prim
business is to |aS pastors, and that tn
eyangelistic wd only sometimes desil
able and imps so long will eficien
evan gelists be and far between" Th
stream will mol above its fountain. Th
natural desire Iost ministers is to settl
and the rule Of book requires it. b
sides the book makes arrangement for th
support of the pastors, but none for the evar
gelists. Is it at all strange that but litt
! should be accomplished in the Self-denyin
work of evangelizatiOn when the Churc
does not recognize it as necessary part
q her system, and makes no provision for i
Y maintenance
AS the reader will doubtless ask, how tt
+ church is to maintain system of eVangel