The Pleasantville press., 1912-11-27

tHAOlEJk- kUOOLLLJI Helu III ~ u
"The Continent"
and alias the Religious Rambler
Ellis charged Pastor Russell with be-
ing unordained and claimed that his
ordination as pastor is fraudulent The
address showed that Pastor Russell
fully understands the situation He
fully justified his position before his
vast audience and showed up the
rambler editor in the unenviable
light either of being ignorant of the
subjects discussed or of attempting to
deceive the public. His text was.
Not of men, neither by man, but by
Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who
raised Him from the dead.' Galatians
|, u. He said:-
Evidently the time has come for tell
ing the common people what the Bible
teaches respecting clergy and laity.
titles of ministers, and ordination to
teach and preach. We have previously
pointed out that the doctrine of
Apostolic Succession started in the
second century, A. D. The bishops
claimed that they had the same au
thority that Jesus had originally given
exclusively to the Twelve Apostles. On
the strength of this claim they appoint
ed and ordained the inferior clergy.
This custom still prevails in what
are known as Catholic Churches-Ro-
man. Anglican and Greek. The prin-
ciple is wholly wrong, unscriptural.
According to the Bible. the Church Of
Christ is not composed of two parts.
clergy and laity. Jesus declared, "One
is your Master, Christ; and all ye are
brethren" Therefore, "Call no man
master or1 Father" st. Paurs writ
ings clearly show that in the early
Church the ministers were the serv-
ants Of the Flock. and not of d differ
ent, lordly caste. They were of the
people: and when chosen by the Eccle-
sia by the stretching forth of the hand
Greek, cheirotQneo). they were recog-
nized as Of Divine appointment to the
ministry through the Church.
The customs of centuries were so diff
ficult to throw off that many of the re-
formers coveted the titles accorded the
Catholic clergy. Nor did they care to
tell the congregation that its word was
supreme in the matter and that its
ministers were merely by the grace Of
God its servants. Others of the reform
ers, realizing that Jesus and His disci-
pies were not styled Reverend, Doctor
ETC., declined to US these titles, prefer
ring to be called pastors. This custom
still prevails very generally in Protes
tant Germany and Scandinavia. My
Christian friends and Bible Student
associates well know my objection to
the title Reverend and hence ad-
dress me as Pastor shepherd. Fur
.thermore, l am the elected pastor Of
the Brooklyn Tabernacle congregation
and also of the London Tabernacle
congregation. fail to see any ground
for criticism of my course in this re
spect; nor do i make any attack upon
Christian brethren who accept other
and unsciptural titles.
Must Pastors Be Ordained?
There is no question that ordination
is necessary to the proper holding of
the Office of pastor The whole ques-
ton Is: What constitutes an ordination
to preach, teach and be a pastor
amongst the people of God?
This question has received wide va
riety Of answers. The Roman, Angli
can and Greek Churches, claiming
Apostolic Succession. declare that the
authorization to preach must come
through their apostle bishops. For this
reason Protestant ministers have not
been allowed to enter the pulpits Of
these denominations until the Episco
palians year ago granted this conces
sion. Their charge has been that Prot
course, if tfeir proposition be correct, |
am just as much unordained as all other
Protestant ministers and no more So
Only since the organization of the
Evangelical Alliance qS46) have the
different sects Of Christendom ac
knowledged each other and each 9th
er's ordinations. Some of them recos
nize the word ordination in its true
light as meaning simply authorize tion
and others Of less spiritual discern
ment see merely an outward ceremonz
Each denomination does its own Or
daining. and makes such ceremonies Il
it deems. proper. If, therefore. the con
gregation of Christian believers in
w s4i4. .f.v --3 NJ t fi