The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
MINISTER'S K BY LOT.
THE MEM oNITE METHOD SAID TO
WORN "a TISFdCTORILH

No Special Training Required for Preachers
of This S~ect-Divine Guidance Sought
in Selecting Ministers-Prnyers for the
Cnndidatcs-Aim of the People.
C~HuRoHrowN, Pa, Jan. 1.-THE Mennonite
plan Of selecting a minister by drawing lots
may seem like n lottery to worldly people: but
in the minds of the members OF this very
religious sect the method is perfectly proper.
During the last few weeks two very large con-
RreRations in this region have selected minis
ters by this method.
Learned men understand perfectly our Gus
tom" said an old Mennonite. 1T dates from
the beginning of the Christian era. aud earlier
than that. st. Matthias. one Of the seventy
disciples. chosen an apostle to I'll the place
made vacant bv tho trcachery and suicide Of
Judas. was selected by lot. The modern word
clergy is from the Greek clerOs or kleros. and
Is frequently used in its literal sense for lot
Jerome says the word was applied to the clergy
either because the Lord is their lot or because
they were chosen by lot. We adhere to every
thing as 1t was in tho beginning: that is to say.
as nearly as W. can. We like to have things as
they were when Jesus was upon earth. That is
to soy. we would like to preserve His religion
and His religious forms OF worship as near the
original rs we can keen them.
We believe that God directs things. and es-
pecially does he direct the selection Of minis
tiers. We go through the form OF n selection
by lot. but the Divine Hand directs it all. In
this way we learn who the Lord wants US to Sc
lect to preach. Matthias was the twelfth
apostle. and chosen by lot during the ton days
between Ascension and Pentecost. Undoubt-
edly he was chosen by lot Now. II such an
election was valid then. and Matthias was a
companion Of our Lord. surely such an
aFontinp noun haa Tho porfanf enpntion IF Jaaro
1t was done up to the close of the seventh CEN
fury. Why not now? The awarding OF duties
and privileges by lot formed a distinct feature
in the religious customs OF all ancient peoples.
The division OF the land OF Canaan among the
tribes Of Israel by lot illustrates the religious
usages. We cannot say exactly how Matthias
was chosen by lot. but we get'as near to tho
word of God MS we can by using Bibles when
we draw a minister by lot. When we have
a now preacher to select. the fact is made
known to the congregation in advance.
Every man in the congregation is ex-
pected at all times to live n life Of
preparation for whatever God may call
HIM to do. Every member is to be studious
and pious. acquainting himself with the word.
He Ia to acquire knowledge by reading. by
prayer. by faith. and by listening to the teach
ings of others. Then when all are SO prepar-
ing themselves. of course. the result is a Won
derful Outstanding influence in the flock.
When the vacancy is to be filed we do not care
whether twenty men from the plough and har-
row feel that the Holy Spirit ia urging them to
preach for the good of their fellowmen. II
twenty names are handed in. say. by divine
guidance, those twenty are duly examined. one
after another. bv the Bishops. II any are found
wanting or deficient they are advised to hold
off for a time. to wait in prayer. Then tho
- - H. -AI =
lot. The entire congregation assemblies. The
families. relatives and friends of each OF the
dozen or more candidates pray that IL It is the
Lords wish that their father or brother or
husband or relative shall flI the vacancy he
shall be duly blessed. qualified and strength
ened for the great responsibility. You see 1t
II no lottery IN the worldly seaso. It is the
coming together OF the grandest prayer meet
ing. each following of each candidate implor-
ing help from heaven.
When all have had ample time for prayers
and the sermon has been preached the COM
mittee Of brethren retire to the anteroom. II
there are fifteen candidates they have fifteen
Bibles. all alike. A slip of pure white paper is
placed in one of the Bibles and the sacred vol
umes are well mixed up and brought in and
placed upon a table in front OF the candidates.,
who have been sitting in a row in prayer in
front of the Bishop. The candidates are not
seeking the office. They are there ready
and willing to take up tho work II
calls them. but always with the SOL
emn reference Ia the interposition OF God.
Then each candidate advances. takes a Bible
and resumes his seat. You can well imagine
the silence and suppressed emotion in the con-
as the Bishop arises to examine the
Bibles. one by one. beginning at the right end.
the first applicants Bible is examined. If il is
empty it Is handed back. and he goes to the
next, slowly and reverently. If the slip Is not
there he goes to the third. and so on until the
Bishop finds the Bible containing the slip
Of paper. and then follows a scene which
once looked upon is never forgotten. The
congregation bursts forth in hallelujah. the
Bishop kisses the applicant on his cheek and
shakes his hand. and the ordination is begun,
after the other applicants have shaken hands
and retired to their family groups. Everybody
unites in earnest praise and happy congratula-
ton. The congregation is satisfied. happy and
united. They feel that the Lord has directed
The choice.
Now. we know Matthias was not chosen in
that way. because they had no books. but Gods
people had some way like 1t. which was ac- |
,eptnble to the Lord. 1t may have been done
by marking arrows or wigs Surely our use
IF the Bible instead is acceptable in heaven.
ltVi tiiht II 10 "o ave hp cl lilCloIH ~ |
make OF other Christian denominations We
nave no strife in voting nor question of salary
lor difference of opinion as to availability or
capacity. We leave that all to the Lord, and
We heartily wish every Christian congregation
would be as happy when they select a new
of their flock, We have no bitter
less among us.
"Of course we do not pay wages to our minis
ers. They work their farms during the week
lays. study and prepare by night. and on the
day they give us the results of theirla-
Whenthcirunderstanding ofthe Scriptures
8 coupled with good common sense application
he sermon is satisfactory. and need not be ex-
PRESSED In elaborate English with oratorical
gestures. We are plain common people from
he land. that ia. from the farms, and we would
lot feel so much at home in the grand churches
4 the cities. listening to discourses above the
evel Of our understanding. We are not inter-
sted In the splitting OF hairs on d~octrinal sub
ccts. We only seek the palmer truths of the
in a plain way.
Our nearest friends in the valley here. tho