The herald., 1896-02-24
Rev. John GRAY

AT st. Faults church, the rector. Kew.
John Gray, preached before congregation
that nearly filled the church upon the SUBJ
ject. The Bishop in the Church, taking for
text Thessalonians; 5:12:l3. And we
beseech you brethren, to know them which
labor among you and are over you in the
Lord and to esteem them very highly in
love for their works sake.
He said the thoughts OF churchmen are
iustinctively turnsd at this time to that
home and place where on tomorrow the
first bishop of Los Angeles will be con-
secrated and set apart to the first order of
the ministry in the church of God. 1t is a
matter of large importance that we should
understand the place and mission of the
preface thereto, in the Book of Common
Prayer. which declares in plain and un-
eQuivocal terms that from the Apostles
times there have been these three orders of
ministers in Christ's church, bishops,
priests and deacons, and that the warrant
of holy writ, and ! the ancient
authority of the church. To our
people the bishop is sue
cessor of the apostles. His commission
dates from the ascension of our Lord into
heaven, and is witnessed to by the Holy
Spirit, under whose divine energy and
blessed guidance its terms and RESPONSE.
name of the assembled and risen Christ. 1t
will be perceived at once that the prayer
book does not date the beginning Of This
order OF the ministry at any time subse.
quent to apostolic times Or in the persons
of any individuals later than apostolic
men. With us the historic Episcopate is
not a matter of expediency, but of divine
appointment, with ito genesis rooted in the
commission of Christ himself. OF this the
New Testament gives abundant warrant,
but the church herself, which was before
the New Testament, and to whom we owe
the New Testament, having been its wit
ness and keeper, out of her own history
confirms the teaching of the sacred
deposit, appearing everywhere and in all
places by tho time of the later life of St.
John the apostle, under Episcopal govern
ment, which, il it had been an intrusion or
non.essential factor in the life of the
church, would have been speedily
banished by the apostles or con-
instead te OF being a universal fact every.
where then accepted as an essential and
universal condition of the pollty of the
church, but the fact of the Episcopate with
its Divine Genesis and it's apostolic ccntin-
uance must not be confused with it's gifts
and its benefits, The highest gift of the
the power of the Blessed Spirit, the gift
of God, the Holy Ghost, not in the hands
which are laid upon the head, but by the
laying on of hands-the outward and Wis.,
ible sign-with which comes the gift of
God, the certification by which the church
is made cognzaut that the inward grace
has been bestowed. We are then to look
to our bishop for an exemplifcation of
these special gifts of the spirit. And these
gifts we are to prize and esteem above all
other gifts which God may have given him
by nature or aided him in acquiring. With
out these gifts, whatever else he may pos
sess, he cannot govern and feed the flock
of Christ under the requirements of his
VOWS and meet necessities of the church.
First, and above all else, we are to look to
him as our spiritual leader. His voice must
have in it the Christly ring, and the glowing,
matchless and all-constraining energy of
the Holy Spirit. Then the sheep, If their
lives have not been choked with the cares
and pleasures of this world, will hear that
voice and know it. But granting all this
blessed bestowment which is as sure
as the promise of God, still it will be re-.
flected in greater or less degree through
the lnan-our humanity. We are to re-
member then that our bishop is a man,
and that what he brings to us will be re.
flected through his personality, and then
we are to remember-ah! serious thought
what kind of Christian personality we
shall meet him with, as he comes fresh
from Gods altar, with highest vows yet
lingering on his lips and unspeakable emo
tions still agitating his heart. Let me say,
then, we are to recognize him at once as
our spiritual leader. We are to exalt his
spiritual office and lift UP his hands to-
ward our ascended high priest with one
accord and with instant prayer. In the
administration of the diocese he will have
the assistance of constitutional authority,
but in the shephertling OF the
people and in the commenting
of the gospel to all men you
brethren of the city must give him your
united prayers. You must help him to
magnify his office. not in the spirit of lordly
rulership, but in the exercise of that guild
ance and government of the flock which