Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-11-22

! sSSSixsA ~ Mr. w. T. Ellis,
tRASI0R-- --RUSsELD) field editor Of
- "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 situat ton. He
fully justified his position before his
Tast 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
t. II. 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 ont that the doctrine of
Apostolic Succession started in the
second century, \. u. 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
man, Anglican and Greek. The prin-
ciple is wholly wrong, unscriptural.
"a ~ -
Christ is not composed of two parts,
clergy and laity. Jesus declared, zone
is your Master Christ; and all We are
brethren Therefore, "Call no man
| Master orl Father" st. Paul's writ
ings clearly show that in the early
Church the ministers were the serv-
ants of the Flock. and not of a differ
ent, Iordly caste They were Of the
people; and when chosen by the Eccle-
sia by the stretching forth of the hand
Greek, cheiOt0Heol. they We're recog-
| niZed as Of Divine appointment to the
| ministry-through the Church.
The customs of centuries We're so diff
iicult 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 We're merely by the grace of
God it's servants. Others of the reform
crs, 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 ana Scandinavia. My
Christian friends and Bible Student
associates we'll hnOW my objection to
the title "Rcvegcnd." and hence ad-
dress me as "PaStur"- shepherd Fur
thernore, | am the elected pastor Of
the Brooklyn Tahrrracic congregation.
and also of the London Tabernacle
congregation. | fail to see any ground
for criticism of my course in this re-
spect; nor do make any attack upon
Christian brethren who accept other
and unscriptural titles.
Must Pastors Be Ordained?
There is no question that ordination
Is necessary to the proper holding of
the office of pastor. The whole cues
ton is: What constitutes an ordination
to preach, teach and be q pastor
amongst the people of God?
This question has received wide va
riety Of answers. The Roman, Angi-
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 a year ago granted this conces-
sion. Their charge has been that Prot
estant ministers are unordained. OF
course, IF their. proposition be correct, /
am just MS much unordained AZ all other
Protestant ministers and no more so
only since the organization of the
Evangelical Alliance 1S46l have the
different sects of Christendom ac-
er's ordinations. Some of them recog-
nize the word ordination in its true
light, as meaning simply authorize ton:
md others of less spiritual discern
ment see merely an outward ceremony
Each denomination does its own or
naining. and makes such ceremonies ns
t deems proper. IT, therefore, the con-
yregation of Christian believers In
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