The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1882-03-03

during the Apostles time, the Apostles
themselves saw no danger in tho
Episcopacy which was everywhere de.
voloping under their influence. There
Esre the supervision Of Bishops was not
gu ubversive Of Christian liberty.
Secondly. If it can be supposed
that Independent Christian Churches
were the first order established by the
A postl0s it is most clear that owing to
their teachings the natural develop
nsnt oftLis independensy was into
Episcopacy with the appreciation Of
Christ himself, for those who believe
in the inspiration Of Scripture must
accept the words Of Christ 10 the heads
Of seven Churches as direct mcsssxss
from him.
Thirdly. In their time already one
Presbyisr was 70 singled out from
among the rest that they are held re-
sponsibls for The teachers in tbs cities
where they presided: (Rsv. II. 2
The position Of Bisbop ia the
Episcopal Church is that sf supefin-
tenlsnt. He has no more arbitrary
control eiths- over the people or minis
tors or elders. He e'nnot Gxcommuni-
cate or deprive minister or any Of bis
people without the consent Of tho
whole Church and the difference be-
tween a Bishop and bis fellow laberers
in diocese 10 thai to him il committed
the power Of ordination with the con-
seq. ofhh people, bat this delegated
power il from Christ through the A pos
ties.
Compare this with tLese Scripture
Stat>msnts. writing 70 Titus, Paul
say,, "For this cause 4 LETT thee In
CTe,s, that thou shouldst set In order
the things thst are wanting, and srdain
elders ia svery city, as / had appointed
thee, f.r a Bishop must be blsmsless as
the steward Of Cod" Thus We see
the ortainiAy power committed t.
Tituy.
ST. Paul cpnrrits the same power 10
Tim9shy q Tim II "And The things
that thou base lizard Of NE HIncbs
many Witnesses tho same Commit tk7u
10 faithful men vk0 shall Le AJ.s lO
teseh otbers Alse."
Is is commonly taught thzt dis
power Of ordiuatiOu Was committed -
tie twelve Apostles alone and that this
s Destolie Office wzs not 10 continue: il
ID impressed sPoA the minds Of the
people that The twslys were H!-ecial
order and their number hoI ts BE- in
creased. Hsw fsllacieus this thssry
is, esA be readily shown. Paul and
Barnabss are added to the APostolis list:
Act XIV. 4. Is nor is there any
testimony to sh0w that the latter even
saw the Lord. Epaphroditus il called
in Philippians (II, 75) their Apostle,
tho word messenger being taken from
the Greek ArOstls: (sse revised version
note. Titus and ether bsethreE are
given the SAME title (in 2 Corinthians
VIII. 23) cor oar brethren be iLqRir-
Ell of they ara the messengers (APOsiles)
Of the Churches and the Slery of Christ.
Because ST. Peter calls himself an
elder, or Il Peter v. y Prssbyter IL
does not detrsos from bis efiics ~ "A
Apostle: nor does the name Of Bishop"
~ which the successors Of the Apostles
ere called [etrret from their Apo+-
,uIis siEse. IL IS not claimed that they
.uceesd tu the A Apostles - th-ir equals
either in hcnoT or InirzculnI power
but thst there xEs csnmitssd 20 thom
the A poStolic functions cf srdinstiOR
and oversight of the Churcbts To
which they were appointed.
One Of the frat Bisbops Of eur
Church in this country writing as early
us 1907 proeseds as follows.
Let it be noted that the Distinction,
and su6srlination of the odices Of these
three grades Of the ministry is to be in
| ferved not from their names, but from
their practices, from the Powers vested
In them, end from their acts of jurisdio-
tion. Desperate indeed must Le ths
cause of the oPpOaeatH Of EPisOepacy,
when they insist that the grades Of
ministers now distinguished ss Dishsps
and Presbyters possessed originally
the same powers applied to the
same order. Whe weuld think
of inferring that cur Saviour was
no more than an Apostle er Bishop
because these names are applied to
him. Or who would think Of main
tanning that the eOnsirLs ofthe present
day are the same with those Of tho
same with these Of the Roman Repub-
lie, because they are distinguished by
the same namesP