Christian Churches; The Noblest Form of Social Life, the Representatives of Christ on Earth, the Dwelling-Place of the Holy Spirit (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: III. The Church: its Government. 40. The government of the Christian church is remarkable for simplicity. Simplicity of 4i- There seem to have been at the theNewTes- first three classes of officers?Bishops, lament system. r,, n T j Elders, or Pastors; Deacons; and, connected with some communities, Evangelists. The first were, speaking broadly, the overseers of Officer""" f e flock; the second visited the sick, relieved the poor, and managed the secular concerns of the church; the third, called sometimes ' the messengers of the church, ' preached or taught wherever the providence of God might call. Sometimes this last office was filled by men set apart to it; sometimes by men who filled other offices? deacons, pastors; more frequently by the members of the church generally, who, when driven by persecution, or invited by hopes of usefulness, ( went everywhere preaching the word.' 42. Of these officers, Pastors were invested with Pastors: authority. They are therefore called their powers, superintendents, or presidents, leaders, fIts Officers. Trpotora/tlvos. " Know them that are mitr you in the Lord." (i Thes. v. 12.) " He that rulctk," (the same word) "with diligence." (Rom. xii. 8.) "A bishop, then, must be ... one that ruletb luell his own house: for if a man knows not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" (i Tim. iii. 45.) "Let the elders that rule -well be counted worthy of double honour." (i Tim. v. 17.) f " Remember your leader whospake to you the word of God; whose faith follow" (imitate),"considering the end " (the issue) " of their life" (conversation). (Heb. xiii. 7.) " Obey your leaders, and or governors; and, indeed, the name " pastor" is quite as descriptive of authority as T01/1V) of t...