The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-07-12
The Dcacon's Office.
ACTS W., II.


The following brief discourse was
preached by Rev. DR.. r. X. Smoot, in
the Southern Presbyterian Church 10
this city, on Sunday, July 1, the &C
casion being the ordination of d. S.
Pillow, Il. j. Loving, and Z. B. Mitch
ell, as deacons in that church. 1t is
printed at the request of many who
heard it and desire to preserve it'll
Our subject this morning leads us to
speak of the church and its officers.
The church, according to the Presby-
terrain idea, is the visible kingdom of
Jesus Christ. 1t is the same in all
ages. 1t has for its object the gather.
ing and the training of saints. The
officers of the church are elders and
deacons, by whom all its powers are
administered. Under athese it is ag-
gressive, instructive, governmental and
charitable. The three first belong to
the order of the eldcrship. The fourth
belongs exclusively to the deacons.
The elder, both as ruler and teacher,
was transferred with the transfer OF
the church of God from the Old to the
New Testament dispensation. The Of
flee of deacon is understood to have
originated in the church after the trans
fer, and under the circumstances men
toned in the Scriptures here read.
(Acts vi, s.
The inspired ttoslee, acting as
an Organizeat body, first chosen and
then set apart 10y ordination,
Mark ill.,, ~ were authorized to
mature the constitution of the church
and provide for every rising emergency.
But IN dong so they had to observe
the two great principles which under
lie the whole politY of the church:
/. The participation of the people in
the government of the congregation.
2. The subordination of the peoples &C.
ton to officers Themselves diVinely
constituted. The disciples, at the sug
gestion of officers; chose their dea-
cons (Acts vi, 3, but having done
this they were not qualified to enter
upon the duties of that office till they
had been ordSine by the laying on of
hands and of prayers. (Acts vi, 6. }
This is true in regard to all officers of
the church. The New Testament d. es
not recognize any irresponsible minis
try of any kind. Elders, presbyters,
bishops, evangelists and deacons were
all set apart by ordinations. q Tim.
H., 7, and Titus l., ., and 1 Tim.
w., 14.) They were not independent
men, going and coming at their pleas
ure they were held responsible to the
appointing and ordliping power in the
church. God has hedged in the sacred
work of The church. He has put a
limit to that power which is both de-
rived and conferred. He has done this
for the good of his people, that they
may be safe and secure in the sound
ness of their doctrine as well as the
purity and order OF their government.
Checks and restraints are necessary to
liberty and order.
In the origin of the Office of deacon
we have an exemplificatIon of the prin-
ciples just stated. The nature of the
Office required. that 1t should be re-
ferred to the body of believers in the
aggregate; so the church selected the
descoDs. (Acts W., 81 But the con-
stituted rulers of the church prescribed
the manner of doing it. acts vi, 81
And when chosen they set them before
the official rulers, that by the laying
on of their hands they might receive
the delegated authority to exercise the
functions of their Office. ACTS vi, g.
The concurrent testimony Of the church
in every age has recognized this as the
institution of the deacon's Office. The
practice of the Presbyterian Church
conforms precisely TO the directions
given IN the record.
The nature of the Office OF deacon IS
as clearly set forth in the Scriptures as
the warrant for its existence. q Tim
ill.,, 1-S.) The consideration is two
fold: 1. That the charities of the
church may be properly attended to by
others than the ministers of the Word,
whose business it is to feed souls.
(Acts vi, A. 2. That TO them might
be committed all the temporal affairs
OF the church. Thus separating the
secular from the spiritual in the
church; which latter was committed
exclusive TO the eldership. (Acts xx.,
1850 The deacons thus become the
revenue officers of the church, for col
lecting and disbursIng the funds Of the
organization, for any and all purposes
for which funds may be needed. No
matter what view may be taken Of tho
finances of the church, whether As
business or charity, the importance Of
tins Office stands out as equally necess
sary, for the proper and vigorous work
n -
VIne purpose. A church whose mem