Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-11-23

Brooklyn and the other congregation
In London choose to ordnin or appoint
me their Pastor II Is wholly a matter
Of their own what ceremonies, II any,
shall accompany that ordination or ap'
polntmcnt who can dispute thisi No
Protestant denomination, surely; for
their own ordinations are on this basis.
mot Of Men, Nor by Man"
The entire subject Of ordination Of
ministers Of the Gospel seems TO have
fallen into confusion during the shuf.
alngs Of the Dark Ages; and few seem
20 have gotten fully back to the Bible
teachings on this subject as on other
subjects, ST. Paul is particular In EN-
phaszlng the fact that he did not re-
ceiye his commission as preacher and
Apostle Of Christ from his brother
Apostles. He distinctly declares him
self an Apostle by Divine outhorlza-
ton. This is the general ScriptGral
principle underlying Divine Ordination
to the ministry Of Christ
Before we proceed with an exposi-
don Of the Bible teaching on Divine
Ordination, 1t win not be improper for
US TO note the practical operation Of the
different human organlzations-of men
and by men merely.
Have all bishops Of the Catholic
Church, the Anglican Church, and the
Greek Church been models Of proprl-
ETY., patterns TO the aock2 Have all
given evidence Of Divine authorization
to teach and to preach the True Cos
pel2 Their staunchest votarles must
admit that many Of them have been
unworthy; and that from these very
ones have proceeded doctrines and
practlses contrary to the Word Of God.
or what value, then, are their ordIna-
tions by men and Of man2 None what
ever! on the contrary, the claim that
they we're DyInely authorized, and
guided and inspired to be teachers OF
the Church, helped forward the errors
which they promulgated. by reason
Of their claimed authority to teach,
the people believed them too implicitly
and did not sufficiently crtclse their
utterances and practIses In the light OF
the Holy Scriptures.
How II It today In the various Prot
estant denominations Of Chrlstendom?
Are all those who receive sectarlan or
dInatlon, Of men and by man, benefited
thereby? Has such ordination kept
them free from weaknesses Of the flesh
to which others were eIpOsed2 Has 1t
not, on the other hand, exposed them
to greater temptations. because they
were pedestaed by the people and
thereby injured with pride, hnughtl.
ness, ctc,2 Has such ordination in
any denomination preserved It's min
listers from doctrinnl errors more than
the people, who did not have similar
ordination Of men and by man2
The answer Is found In the num-
bcrs who have left various d.
nominations aud ordinations to go
into other denominations and ordl.
nations II Is answered also In the
fact that today the great majority of
ordained minister's In all denomlnN-
tions entirely rcpudlnte the Bible as
Divine Revelation Their ordination
did not protect them from our modern
inndclity called Higher Criticism I'M
der It's Influence they have ceased to
he tcnChcrs Of Bible Christianity, and
have become merely essUyists, leaders
In political aud social reform and In
humanitarian work, Manfestly their
ordination Of men and 10y man did not
hold them to the faith once delivered
to the saints" dude b. 1t did not as
sist them to appreciate the Bible as
being sufficient that the man Of God
might be thoroughly furnished unto
every good word and work.
Let us consider the matter again,
from another standpoint Did any OF
these human ordinations of men and
by man lmpOrt the Holy Spirit or give
n mental illumination by which any Of
these humanity ordained ministers were
qualified for preaching and teaching
the Lords pcoplc2 The answer Is, MOI
As deep spirituality and 0s deep in
sight into the teachings Of the Scrip.
lures are 10 be found outside of the
pulpit us inside The ordination, eyi.
IDENTIFY, brought no enlightenment, no
gift of the Holy Splrt-the thing
above all needed 10y those who would
teach Others and eXpound the Gospel.
Has Served a Bad Purpose.
The ordination Of ministers, Of men
aud by man, has been Injurious In that
1t hus perpeuuted the misconCeption
that the Church Is divided into two
classes clergy ana lalty The ordained
have been Injured by being putted up to
suppose themselves OF higher caste
than their brethren The unordaned
have been injured In that human ordl.
nation has helped TO befog their minds
In respect to the real ordination. Thus
the "lnity' have been hlndered from
cnterlng upon the very service which
God Intended should be their chief aim
and object In the early Church, the
Elders We're considered merely elder
brothers OF the Church-not elders In
years necessarily, but advanced ones
In spiritual things, able to help the
brethren property TO understand the
Word OF God and TO attend to all the
duties and privileges lnculcNted by the
Gospel for their preparation for share
In Messlahs Kingdom, The ordination
Of reverend men 20 be rulers, and In
some cases dlctators OF Church has
taken away FROM the Elders the very
services that the Apustlc tells them