The colored American., 1900-12-08

clalmlDg TO set forth the life OF Christ
300 years after 1t was founded. The
Old Testament Is the document of the
jewish Church, that Church having
been in existence for LOCO years before
Its document was completed. There
fors this Church of the Acts can not
be set aside for one claimed to be found
ed upon the Bible.
For three hundred years, then this
Apostolic Church existed with A postol.
ic doctrine, ministry, sacraments and
prayers before she gave the New Testa'
ment to the world with her certificate
that 1t was the inspired Word of God.
The Episo opal Church>of America as
the daughter OF the Church OF En-
gland has ever possessed and does now
possess and hold most sacred. these
four marks that identify her unmistak.
ably with the primitive and Apostolic
Church, as true branch Of the same.
First. As to doctrine tnis Church
holds and defends the pure teaching of
the early Church, without taking from
or adding to the same. There are few
indeed who would question this.
The Holy Trinity [John IA 16, 20;
Acts 2 SS; Gal. 46
The Incarnation of Gods Son Luke
l 30; John IA; Matt 23
The Redemption of man by Christ
Jesus [ Matt. 1.21; 20 %; Gal. LA.
Regeneration in Holy Baptism Tit.
3 5; Rom 6 4; Gal 397
The Holy Communion Matt 2e 26.
e.; Mark IA % "a; Luke % 19, 20
Confirmation ACT s; Heb. 6
The Resurrection of the dead Luke
IA. IA; John 1881
The judgment Acts 1871; Heb. 9 27.
Belief In these statements and other
fundamental teaching of Holy Scripture
Is In accord with the mind Of the Apos
tolic Church.
Secondly. AS to the unbroken line of
Bishops, Priests and Deacons, who
have succeeded for more than eig hteen
centuries otner ministers Apostolically
ordained, that has been most jealously
guarded and, maintained by the Epis
copal Church:
There may be some who have never
given any study to the Apostolic Sue
cession of ministers in the Church
founded by Christ. No one could well
doubt the fact or deny the doctrine
who had patiently investigate the mat
ter. The New Testament is itself wit
ness to the fact that the Apostles ap.
pointed others to do Apostolic work
and to be their successors; at least
thirty Apostles are mentioned in the
New T testament Among them were
Paul, Matthias, Barnabas, Andronicus,
Silas, Luke, Titus, whom st. Paul ap'
pointed Bishop of Crete, and Timothy.
whom he appointed Bishop of Ephesus;
there were also al least ten Others whose
names are recorded, space does not per-
nit us to mention.
Now, If the original twelve could have
eighteen Successors, certainly they
could and have had q continuous line
of successors down the centuries. The
titles of the three orders Of the ministry
may, at first, mislead the unIesrned.
l) n the New Testament the high
est order were Apostles. The second,
'ordained in every city," were pres
byters. (presters or priests), also called
bishops, and the lowest order deacons.
As the Apostles began to die of, the
title "Apostle" was limited to them
and their successors who had probably
seen Christ, at the same time the title
'Bishopn was set apart to denote the
highest order which succeeded the
original Apostles. This is stated by
Clement of Alexandria IN the second,
and Jerome in the fourth century.
While Theodoret in writing 440 says:
"Tne same persons were in ancient
times called either presby yters or