The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1888-12-12
BISHOP HARRISON.
"Clark"in NorIh Carolina Pres
# byterian.

The person to whom I refer has
just been elected 10 the Presidency Of
the United States. IT is not often
that the highest Offices in Church and
State are filed by tie same man. For
the time Bishop Harrison will WELD
far more political power and influence
than the Pope Of Rome This Is once
the Presbyterians have over topped
the Catholics. Never before in the
history of our country has the Chief
Magistrates chair been occupied by
a genuine successor Of the first Bish
ops Of Ephesu. It is hardly probable
that any other church than the Pres.
byterian could put one Of its bishops
in that position without exciting con.
siderable comment from the watchful
secular press. This shows the elias,
ITCHY of our system Ia bishop may
pass without apology from Presby.
terry to the Presidency, ard no ore is
shocked ut the imprupriety. That
such thing is possible might indir
cate that the people are not afraid Of
berg priest-ridden at least Of the
Presbyterian priests Or it might in
dictate that a man may hold the high.
est office in our church and ill bis
eciesiasticism be so inconspicuaus MS
10 attract no attention. How many
people who voted for Mr.. Harrison
know that he was an officer 10 the
church, Dpubtless most who voted
for him were ignorant of his member
ship in the church. He was known
as q lawyer, a statesman, a politician,
an excongressman but not as an els
der. Does this imply that he had not
been letting his light shine as he
should? That while he had been in
dustrious aud efficient in these other
vacations, he had been slOthiu in the
Lords " ,rk! Or does 1t imply that
there is no SEQ ,e c,r the exercise of
his powcts in the field of Christian
fort! Can a man who has accepted
the Office OF bishop discharge fully
h. dates II that ,flice, seeking il
all things first the Kingdom of Cod
and HIS Righteousness, ard stiIl>have
leisure TO sc K the first Office in the
Kingdom Of men? Does the King
dom uf Gpd deTa1d SO little even of
it, hlgh'st officials rs that the must
meet. thuse demands without the
worlds knowing that they are even
SUI jects TO that Kingdom? The only
"bJ Il IN a.kiug III 81 questions is to
'ce II We cann"t g the matter in
snrli light a TO make it appear that
The M OF Ruling Elder in our
church is too much uf the nature of a
.inrcqre. / believe sinecure is an
office with stipend and without work
The elder-ship is a little less than q
,inecure il is AN office with neither
stipend nor work. Mr. Harrison has
discarged the duties of his Office to
the satisfaction of his church, he has
met the customary demands on the
eDdership. an'i TO reflection is cast
upon him by the above questions.
But is there not something remarks
BILE in the fact that q man of national
reputation may Gil scceptably the
highest Office in our, polity, and its
demands on him be 80 light that the
fact Of his holding the office will
hardly be known beyond the bounds
Of the congregation t. which he be-
longs? However this may be, there
u one thin. certain the man who has
the qualifications for tue Office of a
bishop Is not thereby disqualified for
the office OF President Faithful is
the saying: liza man seeketh the
Office Of q bishop, he desireth a good
work The bishop therefore mu>t be
without repruach, the husband of one
wife, temperate sobermindtd, orderly,
given TO hospitality, apt to teach; no
brswler, no striker; but gentle, not
contentious. no lur'r of money; ole
that ruleth we'll his own house, hav-
ing his children IN subsection with all
CAVITY Out IL man knoweth not
now 10 rule mis- own house how shall
he take care OF the church Of CODY
not novice, lest being pulled up he
fall into the condemnation of the
devil. Moreover he must have COED
testimony from them that ae with
out; lest he fall in;o repr.ach and the
snare OF the devil" II all this can
be said about Bishop Harrison, the
interests Of the country. are moi going
% suff.r through his exaltation.
when the righteous are in authors
~ the people rejoice, but when the
wicked bear rule, the people sigh"
Much dephds upon the relative es,
timaies whi"h the Bishop President
,uts on two off es. II he is primar.
ily IN older, and secOndarily Presi.
dent all will BE- we'll. But II he Is
Cub ~ President and only incidently
and unfortunately Elder, then the
cau.e Of righteousness will sutr r.
LIT Us hope that be will have more
prUfund regard for, the interests ot
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