St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-12-25


- W w. 7. Ellis, field
| llRASIGK RUSSElLJI editor of The Con
tiRent. and alias.
the Religious Rambler" Ellis claims
that Pastor RusseIFs 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 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. mot of men. neither by man.
/ but by Jesus Christ. and God the Fa
Their. who raised Him from the dead"
| (Gal. /. II. He said:-
The time has 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. ID.
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 laity. Jesus declared. "Ah
We are brethren: One is your Master.
Christ" st Paul shows that In the
early Church the ministers were the
servants OF the flock. They were OF
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. and
that it's ministers were merely its Serv-
ants. Others. realizing that these d.
ties were unscriptural. declined to use
them: preferring to be called pastor.
My Bible Student associates. knowing
my objection to the title Reverend"
address me as Pastor. am the elected
Pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle
congregation. and also Of the London
| Tabernacle congrega ton. and ! fail to
see ground for criticism in this respect.
nor 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 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 TO enter their pull
pits until the Episcopalians. about a
year ago granted this concession. OF
course. If their proposition were cor
rect. am just as much unOrdained as
all other Protestant minsters-and nc
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
t1S46I have the different sects of
ChristendOm acknowledged each 9TH
ers ordinations. Each denomination
makes use of such ceremonies as it
deems proper. If. therefore. the con
gregation 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 he 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 it's 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 am
bassadOr and mouthpiece Such show
the work 80 fho EJolv C,,frfk -a~onorak-
ing their minds and hearts. giving
them insight into the Scriptures. and
enabling them to be Gods mouth