The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-02-17
BY REV. RoBT. L. STEVENS.

We noticed IN our last taper that
the Brownists, o. independents. ~ they
were Afterwards called. were tl.s cauge
Of tho Gist division anon, EaeIi.b
ProtestaDts. From these cam. tie lou.
gregationalists Of N-~ England. Tbsi,
fundamental principle, that zach con.
grogation IL entitled 10 Ghost ~ o.,
officers, and Is responsible to no ao
thority,ssving the Supreme Head If The
Church, Christ, II. NE ,oay hey apoliel
n, wss something unhesrd Of in seris
turo or history. They have fa,tcrsd
the idea, that ~ the people are the
source of all civil power, 80 also that
all ecciesiastical power comes from tb.
people who believe in Christ who can
II necessary, appoint their our Ministers
aud give them charge Of congregation.
without the concurrence Or helm sf the
ministry already established. Thus
every effort to prove the Christian
miEistery as apoaitive and unalterable
institution Of Christ, Is looked uton a.
an attempt TO wrest from Christian
people one Of their inalienablc rights.
Owing TO the comparatively small
number Of EpiscOpalians in thi. coun.
try, any attempt TO call public sttcn-
tion 10 this question Of an Apostol;c
ministry has been looked upon a.
tit subject for ridiclue. Masy mem
bsrs Of different denominations have
been bre1ght up in ignorance of the
fact that there IL such a ministry The
children Of Sunday Schools are sduest-
ed into settled prejudice sgairs. il,
which IN sfter times renders them ii.
capable Of estimating, in any fair way.
the true force Of the evidence f.r what
Is the practice Of tho vast majority Of
Christians throughout the world
Witness for example these questions
IN tho Congregational Catecliikm.
Question IL. Where does ali ecc,e
aiasticsl power and authority r.sife
AHs. Primarily in the indi,iduai
communities or local Churches.
Question Il. Did ordination CONVEY
to the person official powers which he
could not otherwise possess .fns
no. The ordination was rather a rec
ognillon Of HIN as enc already clothed
with Official powers by virtue Of his
previous election or appointment 70
office. "The 5GM gaessioa and anzrsr
state that the ordAining power lay in
those who ehsse their officers. and
questioa 81. did tie officers of the
primitive church hy virtue of their or
dinsiion become distinct order Of
nen, etc = Aas No They did 30;
become distinct order OF men, etc
Compare thasc statements with the
following texts, remembering tha; the
above opinions we're unknown NJ the
time the sec, started. All ecclesiastical
powsT primarily resides in Christ, aud
10 them t. whom lie commits IL St.
Matt. XVIII 1920. "All power
ID given INTO me IL heaven and on
Garth. Go ye therefore and teach ali
nations, blptizing them in tie Name
OF the Father, and Of the Son, and OF
the Holy Ghost t-sching them to oh
ssive all things whats.overtI have com.
mandei you and 10 am with you al
way, even unto the end of the wstll.'
And st. John XX. % And when
He had said this He breathsd on lhem
and said, receive ye the Holy Gaost
Whosoever sins We remit. they arc lie
mitted unto them, and whoseso6ver
sins ye retain, they are retained"
These verses show that the frs
ministers of the Christian Church er,
net chosen by the people but by Christ
And that their official powers did no
come from the people at all there j.
not a trace that this order was to b,
revoked.
They became inv ested with powe
entirely out OF the peoples gift name
ly "to remit sins" While the word
"Lo, am with yeu Away even un;t
the end Of the world" shows that tn,
powers deputed "a them were perpetual
and cosld only he altered by Chris
who gave them.
In the sixth Chapter of Acts, w
read If the first ordination of deacons
Verse .. Then the twelve called th
multitude of the dis ciples unto them
and said. 1t is Eot reason that W,
should leave the word of God IN,
serve tables. Wherefore, brethren
look We out among YOU seven mon o
honest report, full of the Holy Ghos
and wisdom, whom zee may Gppoin
orer this business "And .he savini
pleased the whole multitude aud the
chose" the sevea "WhoRi they Sc
before the Apostles and when the,
had prayed they laid their hands OF
them" From this we clearly see, il
the light OF established usage, and al
ordinary methods of Interpretation
that at the Apostles direction the
people seIt cted seven good men, whom
the Apostles endued with their powers
and not the people.
This Apostolic method is precisel.
similar to what is practiced 10 th
Episcopal Church to-day. The doacol
InuSN nave IH0 iCSOhihCuo"eioh vi III
congregation before he can be ordaine
by the Bishop. Every minister, o
whatever rank, is chosen first by tn
people, but his fitness for Office, Will
attssted by them, must also be tried b
those who make the word of God thei
life long study in the higher orders 0
tho miaistry. They have powers cor
ferred on them, not from the people
but from Christ by means of His az
pointed ministry.
If the Apostles established certain
| form Of Church government, under th
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, it can
not be altered by the will of man. I
must at oree he evident that no uniol