The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-04-03

raj rule must needs be of this sort, VIZ.
that wicked men are to be allowed to assem-
bic together and choose one of their own sor
and place him in authority over the church
Surely this is something very different from
what I advocate. The correct statement ot
the case is as follows: Our Church has many
duly authorized ministers and licentiates
ordinarily it is the Session who nominate
candidate for the pastorste, and they name
some one of these accepted and approved
ministers or icentiates; and the general
practice has been to allow outside parties
who are regular attendants and willing sup
porters to say by their votes whether they
like this accepted and approved man as
preacher for them and their children. And
then it is the right and duty of the Presby
teries to approve the choice made, or to set
aside the same. Surely our brethren will
not insist that there is here any dangerous
power given to the world over the Church.
But the same party replies: True, the can
didates are to be accepted and approved men,
but yet there is always difference IS to
other points, viz. spirituality and fidelity in
preaching, adaptation to the tastes and views
of church, and the general spirit of the
man on which his acceptability and useful
ness to Gods people generally turn, and in
regard to which the unregenerate are not
good judges" Two kinds of points are re-
ferred to here as to one of which / submit
the unregenerate may judge, even if it is to
be allowed that they cannot form an esti
mate concerning the other. They can judge
of the candidates adaptation to the "tsstes
and views of church they have their
own tastes, and it is right to consult those
tastes. Then as to spirituality and fidel
ity in preaching, and the general spirit Of
the man" may it not be said that all those
points must be considered to have been set
tied beforehand by the Presbytery that sends
him forth, and that it is too late for those
points to come into question when he is NOM
mated for pastor.
The same party says, "the important trath
which underlies this whole discussion is that
the election of pastor is spiritual function
and requires spiritual qualification. But
he is very desirous not to have this state
ment on this point confounded with what has
been understood to be DR.. Stuart Robnson's
theory, viz: That in the election of pastor
the Holy Ghost speaks, and of course can
employ only the communicates for his chan
mel in making known whom he calls. We'll
then, DR.. Robinson's idea being rejected, the
proper view is that voting for pastor is spir
itual work, and demands spiritual quali6ca-
tions, and therefore must not be undertaken
by unregenerate men Now this view, l
submit, will not bear examination any better
than the other. What Are the unregen-
crate to be shut out, as such, from all spir
itusl duties demanding spiritual quslifica
tions? Are they not to be allowed to join
in our prayers, or praises, to read or hear
the Word, to worship God with their SUBJ
stance at the time of church collections, or
in the support of the minister? To what a
length this notion about the spirituality of
voting would carry u.s.
One thing more has been urged in the
same quarter; if you give vote for pastor
to non communicants you virtually break
down the organization of the Church and con-
vert it into voluntary association" If this
be true, then down to this period there have
been very few Presbyterian churches-all
have been mere voluntary associations. Be-
cause the general practice has been to give
some outsiders the vote. But how can this
allegation be accepted as correct? How
does, how can it destroy organization to give
to the body organised such feature? You
have your rules about membership which i'm
ply that there are too classes, communicating
and~non-communicsting and you have your
rules about Office bearers who are of two or
ders, Presbyters and deacons; but the order
of Presbyters is composed of two classes
And then you make it rule of your organi
Estion that in the election of descons, and Of
the Presbyters who only rule, none but COM
muuicating members shall vote; but you
give to your organization this other rule that
in the election of the Presbyser, who preach
es as well as rules, the voting shall not be
confined to the communicating class of mem.
bers. Now whereabouts does the disorgam-
izing feature come in, and how is your
church thus regularly organized made to be-
come voluntary organization?
1t never is to be forgotten that in making
system. scientific, political, or of whatever
sort, no one principle can be suffered to fly
off at tangent, but the various principles
must be made each one to incline towards its
fellows, just as in making basket or bar
rel you must bend the twigs and the slaves
little SO that they shall meet and be in
harmony with one another. The opponents
of the old and liberal rule would construe the
election of minister as an election of him
to pO,Oer. Well, it is true that every minis
ter is ruling elder, and so he is called to
pover. But while this is true, let it be borne
in mind that his main work is to labor in the
Word and doctrine, and that his election is
just an indication that his preaching as accep-
III nn.n;darn ora frnnnantlu axnallanf