The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-03-10
Phs Episcopal Church.
BY REV. HOBT. T.. STEVENS.
VII

IL IL our iDtsntion for the next few
papers on che subject Of the Christian
Ministry, ~ enter into an exhaustive
examination Of the Scripture teaching
with reference to il IL j. veil worth |
studying. 81. Paul Gays thai, "no
man taksth tbis honor unto himself, |
but he that ia called Of G0J, an was
Aaron" Tsa Individual claim ~ bs g |
minister must be tried by the laws Of
the Christian Church, Gnd when con-
fusion arisea personal opinion ia not to |
settle the matter, but Scripture Law,
rightly interpreted. end right in |
depreciation must be gaided By univsr- |
sal practice, until it csu 10 shown TO |
be Contrary 70 primitive customs.
Tbs Jcwish Church sndits ordinances
prefgured tho Christian Church Their |
bloody Esc.ifces (or iLe .:ns Of ,se /
people, pre6Rured .bo sacriGces ofi
Christ on Cross, NboEe Dlosd va pour
ed out for the s,uI Of the whole @ofld. |
We Isad in Hebrews tha. tie laz had |
"a shadow Of good things % come."
Christ says that his disciples are To |
learn about Him from what was writ |
ten in MossS, tbs Prophets, and the
Palms Should any dispute as to The
interpretation OF the New Testament
arise surely .ke Old Testament can be
used az evidence ss 10 the mind Of tie
Blessed Spirit.
The ministry OF tho jewish Csurch
was sacred and unalieraLls order Of
men The tribe Of Levi was chosen By
God from 81 the tribes OF Izrlcl and
40 ono however great bis perEanal
4, gaslibcatiObs Hes allowed 10 intrude
upon tifsiF. Sis How sn intrusion
or unlawful clsin 20 minister y tho
CONGREGATION, ass looked upon ~ God,
can be seon ia the Fix esnlk Of Ns.n-
Lera, whtTn koraa, D4tiien and 5 Diisa4
2srished for their presumption. This
became = "a memorial 20 tho children
Of Israel, tb.i no stranger, Which is ns,
Of The seed Of Aaron come I.sar 70 cG.r
Incense before the Lord" Tbeir.aatis.s
even If neglected were net u os per
formed by jealous aud dsvo1t men. A
for example when Uzzah whs WAS
driving the cart which held ths Ark
OF tbs covenant tried to save il from
falling, and was smitten for his act.
These things says ST. Paul happened
unto then for examples aad are written
for cur Edmonition.
How maay OF the Numerous sects,
teach that there is such thing possible
among Christians a. the sin Of Kcrahi
We venture 70 assert that not one in
Eve hundred OF the Non Episcopal
Brethren have heard a sermon upon
bis rebsliion ss teaching truth concern
ing the Christian ministry Yet 10
Jude, we read that there were tho<.
who in his time were guilty of tlIi4
same offence Jude III Tas ain of
Korah consisted in this that belonging
to the lover ORDER Of the Jewish minis
try be sought the higher, and claimed
that lie and kia Brethren were holy
enough to peri .rrn the dut.~s Of 'bo,e
plsc { above hin.
Tie jcsisa ministry obtained their
office hy desce:.t frUm Aaron. Their
gen.a:ogies weIa most carefully pre-
servsd ahl un,ssz uulToken descent
from him could lee shows the candidates
for tbc priesthood was rejected. 1t
VAS not sufficient that lnan claimed
TO be '-cohen:" he mus, prove it by
tho reeorda. After the captivity ~heH
the priests returned with the people TO
Jerusalem those whose record was
doubtful were rejected frou the priest
hood Ezra II 62 } These sought their
register among those thst were reckon
ed hy genealogy, but they were n"'
found; therefore were they. as poilu.ud,
puG from che priesthood
Assurodiy il Ihc Jewish priests were
q sacrs.i oricr of men, the Chris:isu
ministry, As shtir duties were higher,
{ were to be jus; AZ sacred. And If tbs
, former were compelled 10 show sn an
broken recoid, certainly the lattor ma4i
. piove their commission not only hy
aptness 70 teach but hy testimonials
; which put their derived authority be.
yond al reasonable doubt The primi-
; two Christians took ths greatest care
: in the preservation of their records as
! We can perceive from Easebius Chrome
> logical Gsnons, snl We can be- certain as
& to the historic continuity of the Episco-
, pal office, and moro so than the Jews
we're about their records. For the Law
Of the Church while allowing ore
5 Bishop and his Presbytsrs to ordain
Prcsby ters did not perrAit one Bishop
; to consccrate another but required three
! for valid consecration.
The Jewish ministry while a separate
body Of men had three fold order.
There were the Chief priests, the priests
8 and the Levites. Aaron presided over
all as o type of Christ who is cur great
4 high priest (which is passed into the
: heavens" Heb. " IL
, EleAzar the son of Aaron vas frat
! of these chief prieatS as we read in
Numbers III 50. and upon his fathers
death succeeded TO the High PriesthsOd
which was always vested in the eldest
son as shadow of the perpetual high
, priesthood Of Christ The chief priests
mentioned in the New Testament we're
the presidents of the different courses
of priests who ministered in the Temple.
They we're undoubtedly the descendants
of the chief priests mementioned in
Ezra VIII 20. Under the direction OF
these, ministered the ordinary priests,
and under these still the Levites.
Bearing in mind the fact that Aaron
the high priest was the father of the
Jewish priesthood, We see Christ as the
D author ef the the Christian priest
hood. God said to the Isrieal-
tes eye shall be unto me king
lAv, &C vr;asku and q holv nation -