The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1912-12-11

the Religious Rambler Ellis claims
that Pastor Russeirs ordination as Pas.
tor Is fraudulent The address shows
that Pastor Russell fully understands
the situation. He fully justified his l'o,'
sitton before his vast audience and
showed up the Rambler editor In
the unenviable light of either being
ignorant of the subjects discussed. or
attempting to deceive the public. His
text was. Not of men. neither by man.
but by Jesus Christ. and God the Fa
ther. who raised Him from the dead
{ial. |. L.. He said
The time has come for telling the
people what the Bible teaches respect,
ing ordination to teach aud preach.
The dmtrine Of Apostolic Succession
started in the second century A. -.
The bishops claimed that they had the
same authority that Jesus gave to the
twelve Apostles. Upon this claim they
ordained the inferior clergy.
This principle is wholly unscriptural.
According to the Bible. the Church OF
Christ is not composed Of two parts.
clergy and iaity. Jesus declared. "All
We are brethren: One is your Master.
Christ" st i'anl shows that in tn"
early Church the ministers were the
servants Of the flock They were ot
the people. chosen by them by the
stretching forth of the hand.
Many of the reformerS coveted the
titles accorded the Catholic clergy
They did not care to tell the congrc,
cation that it's word was supreme. and
that its ministers were merely its Serv-
ants. Others realizing that these t.
ties were unScriptural. declined to use
them: prefprring 20 be called pastor.
My Bible Student associates. knowing
nv objection to the title "ReverenG,"
address me us Pastor. am the elected
Pastor Of the Brooklyn Tabernacle
congregation. and also Of the London
Tabernacle congregation. and fail to
see ground for criticism in this respect.
nor do attack Christian brethren who
accept other and unscrip al titles.
MuSS pastors DC oEQdtHSO!
Ordination is necessary to the office
Of pastor. The question is. What consti-
tutes an ordination to preach amongst
the people of God?
This question has received various
answers. The Roman. Anglican and
Greek Churches. claiming Apostolic
Succession. declare that authorization
TO preach must come through their
apostle bishops. and have not allowed
Protestant ministers 70 enter their pull
pits-unti, the Episcopaifans, about a
year ago granted this concession. or
course, it their proposition were cor
rect, am just as much unordained as
all other Protestant ministers-and no
more so.
Each denomination at its beginning
was opposed by all others: yet each
taught that the clergy were separate
from the laity. Only since the organ.
ization OF the Evangelical Alliance
uS46, have the different sects Of
Christendom acknowledged each 9th
er's ordinations. Each denomination
makes use of such ceremonies as it
deems proper If. therefore, the con
gresation of Christian believers in
Brooklyn and London ordain or ap-
point me as their pastor, it is their
own choice what ceremonies. If any.
shall accompany that ordination. Who
can dispute this: No Protestant de-
nomination. surely: for their own or
dinations are on this very basis.
The subject of ordination seems to
have fallen into confusion during the
Dark Ages. St Paul particularly EN-
phasizes the fact that be did not re-
ceive his commission as preacher and
Apostle of Christ from his brother
Apostles. but by Divine authorization,
This is the Scriptural principle underly-
ing Divine Ordination to the ministry
of Christ.
No denomination claims that the or
dination of its ministers either made or
kept them perfect. All admit that
there have been sad failures amongst
their ordained ministers. Neither
would they claim that ordination has
given their ministers superior discern
ment Of Divine Truths. On the con-
trary. it has injured the clergy by
making many Of them domineering
and lordly. contrary to the spirit and
teachings of Christ and the Apostles;
and the laity By leading them to con.
clude that merely secular matters
should engage their attention.
The True Ordination.
Finally the Pastor showed the true
ordination to be the importation Of the
Holy Spirit Whoever receives this
has Gods authority to be HIs aln-
bassedor and meuthpjece. Sach show
the work Of the Holy Spirit regenerat'
Ing their minds and hearts. givias
them Insight into the Scriptures, aud
enabling them to he Gods mouth
pieces, ,ainiSters Of His Truth.