The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-11-22


and alias the Religious Rambler"
Ellis charged Pastor Russell with be-
ing unOrdalned 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 nen. neither by man. but by
Jesus Christ. and God the Father. who
raised Hin from the dead" (Galatians
1. ". He said" .a..- -. r. e. -:
Evidently the time has come for tell
In. the common people what the Bible
teaches respecting clergy aud laity.
titles OF ministers. and ordination to
teach and preach. We have previously
pointed Oft 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 10 the Twelve Apostles. On
the strength or 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 il wholly wrong. unscriptural |.
According 10 the Bible. the Church OF
Christ is not composed Of two parts.
clergy and laity. Jesus declared. "One
is yOur Master. Christ: and all We are
brethrrn."" Therefore, Call no man
MASTER orl Father" st. PauI's writ
ings clearly show that In the early
Church the ministers were the serv-
ants OF the Flock. and not of differ
ent, lOrdly caste. They were Of the
people: and when chosen by the Eccle-
sia by the stretching forth of the hand
Greek, cheirotone0). they were recog-
nized as of Divine appointment to the
ininistry-t through the Church.
The customs of centuries were so diff
ficult 10 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-
~.
Christian friends and Bible Student
associates we'll know my objection to
the title Reverend" and hence nd-
dress ne lis "pastOr'-shepherd. Fur
thermore, | am the elected pastor of
the Brooklyn Tabernacle cOngrega ton,
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 ordained7
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, 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-un 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 as much unordained as all other
Protestant ministers-and no more so.
Only since the organization of the
Evangelical Alliance t1S46) have the
different sects Of ChriStendom ac-
knowledged each other and each 9TH
er's ordinations. Some of them recoy-
niZe the word ordina ton i'm it's true
light. as meaning simply authorization;
and others of less spiritual discern
ment see merely an outward ceremony
Each denomination does it's own or.
daining. and makes such ceremonies as
1t deems praper. II. therefore. the con-
greSation Of Christian believers In