St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1912-11-23

tjnent, and alias
the Religious Rambler" Ellis claim:
that Pastor RusselFs ordination as Pas
tor Is fraudulent The address shows
that Pastor Russell fully understands
the situation. He fully justified his po
sition before his vast audience ana
showed up the Rambler editor in
the u~nenviable light of either being
ignorant of the subjects discussed, d
attempting to deceive the public. His
text was, Not of men, neither by man
but by Jesus Christ, and God the ia.
Their, who raised Him from the dead
Cali, l. He said
The. time las come for telling the
people what the Bible teaches respect
ing ordination to teach and preach.
The doctrine of Apostolic Succession
started In the second century A. D.
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 unscrfpturaL.
According to the Bible, the Church Of
Christ is not composed OF two parts.
clergy aud laity. Jesus declared, AN
ye are brethren; One il your Master.
Christ" St Paul shows that In the
early Church the ministers were the
servants Of the flock. They were u
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 congre-
CATION that Its word was supreme. aud
that its ministers were merely it's serv-
ants. Others. realizing that these IL
ties we're unEcrfptural, declined to use
them; preferring TO be called pastor.
MY Bible Student associates. knowing.
my objection to the title Reverend"
address me ais I'astor. / am the elected
Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle
congregation. and also Of the London
Tabernacle congregation, and / fail to
e ground for criticism In this respect,
o do attack Christian brethren who
accept other and unscriptural titles.
Must Pastors BE Ordained?
Ordination is necessary to the Office
OF pastor. The question is, What eonsti
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
apostie-bishops, and have not allowed
Protestant ministers to enter their pui
pts-untif the Ep~iscopalians, about a
year ago granted this concession. or
course, II their proposition were O
rect, l am just as much unordained as
all other Protestant ministers-and no
more so.
Each denomination at its beginning
opposed by all others: yet each
taught that the clergy were separate
from the iafty. Only since the organ
of the Evangelical Alliance
a846) have the different sects of
Christendom acknowledged each 9th
er's ordinations Each denomination
makes use Of such ceremonies as it
deems proper. IL. therefore, the o a
gregation OF Christian believers in
Brooklyn and London ordain or ap-
point me as their pastor. tt is their
own choice what ceremonies, IL ang.
shall accompany that ordination who
can dispute this2 No Protestant de
nomination, surely; for their own ar
iinafons are on this very basis.
Ths subject Of ordination seems 10
hive fallen into confusion during the
DARK Ages. ST Paul particularly en-
phasixes the fact that he di8 not re
his commission as preacher and
Apostle OF Christ from his brother
Apostles, but by Divine authorization
This Is tina S%criptural principle underiy-
Ing Divine Ordination to the ministry
Of Christ
No denomination claims that the or
dtnation Of its minister's either made or
Kept them perfect. All admit that
there have been sad faiinres amongst
heir ordained ministers. Neither
would they claim that ordination has
giYen their ministers superior discern
Of Divine Truths. On the %
.rary, It has injured the clergy by
many Of them ~doInineeFtng
md lordly, contrary 70 the spirit and
seaehings OF Christ and the Apostles:
md the laity By lending them to com
.lude that merely secular matters
engage their attention.
Tke True Ordination.
Finally the Pastor showed the true
ordination to be the importation of tae
holy Spirit. Whoever receives this
las Gods authority to be His am
,assador and mouthpiece. Such show
he work Of the Holy Spirit regenerat
ng their minds and hearts. giving
hem insight into the Scriptures afaI
.nahling them to be Gods mourn
ministers of His Truth.