The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-08
STEPHEN THE FIRST DEACON.
REV. A. j. SMITHS ESTIMATE OF AN
IDEAL CHURCH. OFFICER.

The Institution of the DiacOnate by
the ApOstIes-The Qualification at
Deacon Laid Down by the Bible.
Why stephen Was ChOsen-An Ex-
ample Which the Churches of the
Day Would DO Well to Follow.
Rev. Arthur J.. Smith. pastor of the
First Presbyterian church, preached yes
terday morning on The Ideal Deacon"
His evening sermon was on THE Joy
Of the Lord is Your Strength
Mr. Smith is pleased with the interest
his congregation is evincing IN the even
ing services. From very small attend
ances while he was filing the pulpit
last spring as its supply minister. these
services have commenced to draw large
congregations, doubling in fact. the usual
attendance.
The text of his morning sermon was
Acts 6: 3, "and they chose Stephen"
The subject of THE Ideal Deacon was
preached on account of the election of
two deacons next Sunday.
The early church." Mr.. Smith said,
grew with great rapidity At Pentecost
there were 5000, some days later 5000 ana
there were added daily such as were be-
ing saved. The converts were from all
nations, but especially from the Hebrews
and Creeks? They were ostracized from
their families. accommodated from
their synagegues and had to be cared
for in some way. The more fortunate
Christians sold their possessions and gave
their money to the apostles to be dis
tributed as it was needed.
This work became very great and took
much of the time and strength of the
apostles and there appeared to be some
neglect, especially among the Grecians.
The apostles called the church together
and said: 1T is not reasonNt that we should
leave the work of God and serve tables;
wherefore look We out among you seven
men of honest report, full of the Holy
Ghost and wisdom, whom we may APP
point of this business At this meet
ing, IN accordance with the apostles
request, they chose seven deaconS. This
was the institution of the diaconate
The word deacon means servant.
They were the servants of the church.
The temporal affairs of the church were
committed to them and they attended TO
the daily mlnistations thereafter.
To-day, in their divinely appointed way
the deacons take charge of the temporal
affirs of the church. In Timothy 1:3:S-12
and Acts 63 we find the qualifica tons for
the diaconate. They must be grave, not
double tongued, not given to much wine,
mystery of the faith in pure conscience.
They must be proved and blameless. Their
wives must be grave, not sianderous, so
Der, faithful in all things. They should
be men of honest report, full of the Holy
Ghost and wisdom.
And they chose Stephen, a Hillenistic
Jew from Alexandra. There are things
about Stephen that lead me to consider
him an ideal deacon. He was a man full
of faith. The Greek word from which the
word faith is translated has other mean
ings. Conviction is one stephen had
strong convictions about religious truths.
SO should deacon to-day have conv-c-
tons about Gods word and work. An
other meaning is assurance He knew he
was Christs. A deacon to-day should not
guess he is Christian, but know it. An
other meaning still is fidelity. He was
faithful to the work assigned him. Even
in the presence of the sanhedrim, the
not finch, but boldly preached the resur-
rection of Jesus So a deacon to-day
should be a man faithful to every duty
assigned him by his Lord and master.
Stephen was a man full of wisdom,
knowledge, and the ability to use it. He
knew the word of God and made marvel
Gus use of 1t in his address before the
sandhedrim. Most of his address was quot
ed from the old testament deacon
should know his Bible and be able to use
it, Wisdom means discernment and dis
erection also. The church needs men OF
good Judgment on its board of deacons.
stephen was a man full of the Holy
Ghost and power. This was in fulhlment
of the promise in Act rs, "Ae Snail Re-
ceive Power; After That the Holy Ghost
Is Come Upon You and Ye Shall BE Wit
pernatural not mans by nature. 1t was
power to witness for Christ. The Jews
stoned Stephen, but could not resist the
power and wisdom by which he spoke
May the deacons to be elected on the
coming Sabbath be men like Stephen, full
of faith. wisdom and the Holy Ghost"