Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-03-28
CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

Discussing the Advisabaiity Of Forming an
Episcopals Among the Lutherans.
In accordance with . call extended by
the pastors of Lutheran churches in Eas-
ton, there Assem- bled at st. Johns Luthe-
ran church in that town yesterday cor-
ference Of ministers belonging to the old
ministerium of Pennsylvania, to take into
consideration the establishing of an episcO-
pate. It seems that there are about as
many in the church who are opposed to
the movement as there are advocates Of
the church being governed by bishops,
and discussions have been frequent
in small way. This is the
first conference held by the min
isterium. The meeting began at 1880
o'clock with prayer by Rev. DR.. John
koh.er, of Allentown. Rev. Geissinger,
pastor Of st. Johns church, welcomed the
ministers and moved the election of Rev.
Kohler as chairman and Rev. Zugeniuss,
Of Bath, as secretary. Rev. KOhler then
| read an essay on ''The EpiscOpate in the
Early Chur CHI In this he showed that
the apostles had been commissioned by
Christ to 90 into all the world, preach the
Gospel and build churches. The apostles
believed that they were authorized to
ordain elders and deacons, and to transmit
their power to elders who were placed in
charge of churches. The term bishop fire.
quently appears in the New Testament,
and was often sy ynonymOus with elder, but
it was not long before those who were
raised to the office of apostles were called
| bishops, and the terms became distinct.
There were three kinds of ministers-thOse
of the apostleate, the presbyterate and
those known as dcacons. The apostleate
soon merged into the episcopate.
Dr.. Kohler quoted from many writer's
to show how that bishops were put over
churches and were empowered by the
rights of the Office to transmit their power
to others. From the time of the early
church to the reformation, or Tor 800
years, there was no other form of church
government any where to be found. In all
ages and in all times wherever Christians
could bs found, there were bishops, and
where they differed in point Of doctrine Oh
custom, or made schisms and divisions in
the church, yet were they all unanimous
in this, in retaining their bishops. Even
though there was a departure from the
Episcopacy in the Reformation it was real
willingly or of choice on the part of Luth-
eran refOrmers, nOy was it general.
After the reading of the paper the con-
ference adjourned until afternoon, when
it referred to. The main point Of differ
ence was as to o'whether the apostles were
inspired in their actions as we'll as in their
writings and just how far they were in
spired. A letter was read from DR.. f. T.
Horne, of Charleston, 8. G., in which be
said he believed there were no bishops in
the early church. A paper was read by
H. Lewis, showing the view
of laymen on the subject. After
reviewing the history Of the early
church, the paper set forth that
the episcOpacy was the only form OF gov
ernment until the fifteenth century. 1t
was not until 1887 that tho jurisdiction of
bishops was denied. The church of
Sweden, having episcopacy in its success
sion, ami adopting the Augsburg confes
sion is a united church. The church of
Germany is divided, and cannot be termed
Lutheran. The l:.uIt lies in the govern
ment. Visible unity is possible under
episcopacy. The paper strongly favored
it's adoption. Rev. G. J. Cooper. of South
Bethlehem, read Il paper on the episco.
pate in the German Reformation, having
special reference to tho positions and
views Of rsfOrmers on the episcopate. He
showed by the writing of these refOrmers
that they were most anxious to retain the
eplSCDpdJc III itS teuOSdLcu luTm dUtt tuey
recognized the episcOpate, pastOrate and
deaconate as the offices having Divine
authority. Rev. j F. Oil, of Quaker
town. then presented a paper under the
same head but referring more particularly
to tho constitutions adopted in tho KefOr
nation periods and the bishOprics estab-
lishsd under them. These papers occupied
the afternoon, aud there were general
Olson uSs1nns Of tham
Besides those who have been mentioned
tie following are in attendance Rev. f.
F.. Sibole, St. J inns s Church Lewis $.
Houpt general agent of the Northern
Pacific road J. Howard Smith, Rev. W.
X. Freck, Rev. J. L. Sibole, Rev. G. W.
Fredlick, all of Philadelphia Professor
Richards Allentown Rev. Messrs. Gels
singer. Anspach and Pfattcicher, Easton ;
Rev. Enoch Smith, Bethlehem Rev. G.. J
Cooper, South Bethlehem Rev. w. J.
Andres Bath Rev. nj. o. Roth, Allen
town Rev. E. $. Fry. Lancaster Rev,
II. r. Clymer. Quakertown Rev. A. w.
Walter, Sands Cut, and Rev. T. Iiei'ig
Of StrOudsburg.