The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-07
THE OFFICE or II
What the Title signifies I'm the Neth-
odist Episcopal Church.
New York AdvocatI

From time to time correspondents send
letters written on paper stamped with titses
and officers OF organizations. IN viii n
Methodist bishops are entitled Right Rev
erend," and a tendency appears in the sscu-
lar press 70 refer them by these .erms-
Gently received a letter addressing him as
Lord Bishop"
1t is to be hoped that nothing Of the kind
Right Reverend is a title whi-h has its
primary origin in the arbitrary distinctions
OF Rome. a part Of the general policy OF
successive orders, eliminating in prosna-
ton before the Pope. Ii persists also. in
the c-ommunions allied to it,
IL IL has any meaning. II is a sign Of
prelacy and the claims that under'ie IL.
Of bishops by bishops and elders: but there
cause there should be no bishops. elders
knows nothing of the order of bishops n
the sense in which those officers calei
right reverend, or is equivalent, by Ro-
tors. are bishops Mr.. Wesley declared
himself TO be as scriptural an episcopos as
any man in England; and every elder in
the Methodist Episcopal Church is as scrip
tural an episcopos as any bishop in that
church.. having all the inherent rights OF
the said bishop. except those established
the Methodist Episcopal Church. whose
functions are fully defined, who have the
P Pc deno to resign ser at any moment no sssrc; and t may
functions, for inefffciency, heresy, or dis
obedience TO the rules and regulations or
the General Conference duly enacted. when
ticn.
Were We to pause here doubtless certain
copaiians would seize upon what is writ
ten for the disparagement Of the Metho-
dist ep.scopacy. Probably they viii do so
without regard to what may follow. n
doctrine OF Methodism concerning the
episcopacy. therefore,, may we'll be stated
81 bisb hnas pi Is aereesb Ieat 10 the scrintures.
though not enjoined therein: that any
church, in the exercise OF its inherent
Itself. subject to the word OF God. may
erect an office, or, in that sense OF the
word. an order. not inherently distin-
guished from that Of elder or presbyter
the holy sacraments, or even TO ordains
but that such an Office is OF the highest
cumbent be deprived by due process or
voluntarily resigns. Bishops in the Meth
odist Episcopal Church are primus inter
a ~presbyter. ordained Thomas Coke, who
was already a presbyter, superintendent
Thomas Coke; with the aid Of others or
elder, and also a superintendent; Asbury
and Coke ordained Whatcoat a bishop, or
superintendent.
The title of a Methodist bishop is moth
ing more nor less than bishop.
We should be the first TO resent any dis
paragement of the Office of bishop in the
Methodist Episcopal Church. 1t is the
most responsible position which can be
given by a supreme act of confidence, ele-
waiting those who fill il by the nature or
the duties imposed, the confidence re-
posed and the powers exercised III pos
sesses a prerogative greater than any ex-
ercised over ministers and churches by
bishops in the Protestant Episcopal
Church: that of fixing the appointments
Of all the ministers. and thus imposing
whom they will upon the churches.
From the Methodist episcopal point OF
view, the claims Of Protestant Episcopal
bishops to the exclusive power Of ordination
to the episcopacy are without foundation,
their assumption that only those who have
been ordained by bishops in their sense Cf
the word are rightful ministers OF christs
gospel or administrators OF His
| and that such ordination is essential 10 the
validity of the church.. we believe to be "A
Pigment Of the Imagination which no
man ever did prove or can prove. Iney
are, however, consistent with their own
claims in calling their bishops Right Rev
| erend to distinguish them from presbyters.
whom they believe to belong 70 a radically
distinct and inferior order.
The ground on which our church rests its
claims to public consideration IL not that
il is allied TO or descended from the Roman
Catholic Church or the Church OF England:
but Tor general recognition as a Christian
body we rest upon Iour doctrines. spirit.
| history and works. and recognize all evan
gelical Protestant denominations as
branches of the visible Church OF Christ
| would not be compatible either with hon.
esty or self-respect to seek influence by
adopting any of the titles of prelatical
bodies in the absence Of that which those
titles signify.
0nnEfIoG