Ripley County democrat., 1912-11-29

tHtUt, anu ulldN,
the Religious Rambler" Ellis claims
that Pastor Russells ordination us Pas
tor Is fraudulent. The address shows
that Pastor Russell fully understands
the situation. lie fully justified bis po-
sitlon before bis vast audience ard
showed up the Rambler editor in
the uuenvlable 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 Ia
thcr, who raised Him from the dead"
(Gal. /, y. lie said
The time has come for telling the
people what the Bible teaches respect.
ing ordination to teach aud preach
The doctrine of Apostolic Succession
started IN the second century A. H.
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 unscrlpturaL
According to the Bible, the Church of
Christ Is not composed of two parts,
clergy and laity. Jesus declared. "All
ye are brethren; One is your Master,
Christ" st. Paul shows that iu 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 its ministers were merely its serv
ants. Others, realizing that these II
! ties were unscriptural. declined to use
them; preferrlng 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 congregation. and | fail to
see ground for criticism In this respect,
nor do | attack Christian brethren who
accept other and unscriptural titles
Must Pastors Be ordained2
Ordination Is necessary to the Office
Of pastor. The question is, What c0nstl
lutes an ordination to preach amongst
the people OF Godf
This question has received various
answers. The Roman, Anglican and
Greek Churches, claiming Apostolic
Succession. declare that authorization
to preach must come through theil
apostle bishops, and have not allowct
Protestant ministers to enter their pu
pits-until the Episcopallans, about q
yenr ago granted this concession Ol
course, IL their proposition were cor
rect, am just as much unOrdalned n;
all other Protestant ministers-and M
more So
Each denomination at its beginning
was opposed by all others; yet eacl
taught that the clergy were separat'
from the laiU. Only since the organ
lzation of the Evangelical Alliance
QSiGl have the different sects o
J Christendom acknowledged each 9th
er's ordinations, Each denomination
makes use of such ceremonies az /
deems proper II, therefore, the con
gregation Of Christian believers il
Brooklyn and London ordain or ar
! point me as their pastor. II is thei
/ own choice what ceremonies II an,
! shall accompany that ordination Nh
ean dispute thisf No Protestant dt
nomination. surely; for their own OF
alnatlons nre on this very basis
, The subject OF ordination seems {
have fallen into confusion during IA
Dark Ages st. Paul particularly en-
phasizes the fact that he did not r.
ceive bis commission as preacher an
= Apostle of Christ from his hrothr
r Apostles, but by Divine authoriZatiei
, This is the Scrlptural principle underlt
ing Divine Ordination to the minstr
of Christ.
; No denomination claims that the n
. dination Of It's ministers either made q
kent them perfect Al admit Ma
: there have been sad failures amongs
7 their ordained ministers Neithe
] would they claim that ordination ha
0 given their ministers superior discerr
ment Of Divine Truths On the eoi
trary. It has injured the Clergy b
!, making many OF them domneerin
/. and lordly, contrary to the spirit an
I teachings OF Christ aud the Apostles
i and the lalty by leading them to coz
: clnde that merely secular matter
; should engage their attention.
4 The True Ordination.
: Finally the Pastor showed the tru
ordination to be the importation of n
{ Holy Spirit Whoever receives th
q has Gods authority TO he His an
bassadoF and moHtbpiece. Such she
= the work of the Holy Spirit regenera
! ing their minds aud hearts. gisic
them insight into the Scriptures. az
enabling them to be Gods moutl
pieces, ministers Of His Truth.