man's own weakness and superstitiousness, yet it was never more than an incident, an accident, and no wise essential to the existence of Israel as the true church of God. (2) The second inference sometimes drawn is that Jesus must have given His flock into the care of shepherds, who receiving their authority from Him, passed it on to others. It is said, Jesus would not send forth His sheep without a shepherd. On this purely a priori ground it is concluded that The Church cannot exist without a priesthood, apostolic in origin and succession. Before inquiring into the matter of fact, it may be suggested that this idea has less bearing on apostolic succession than may seem to be the case. Is It may be noted that God's sheep of the old dispensation were, as we have said, much better pastured by prophets whom God raised up than they were by the priests. How many priests fed the flock of Israel of whom mention is made in the Old Testament? there one? But of prophets we know of many. Therefore we might conclude that God has committed the sheep who are Christ's flock not to priests who fatten on them, but to prophets who feed them. And this inference from the Old Dispensation is abundantly verified by the facts of the New, and the priesthood which has usurped authority in the New Dispensation is much like that of the Old. That God has committed the flock of Christ to prophets is clear enough from the fact that never once in the New Testament is any minister called a priest, nor any priestly duty ascribed to any minister. and God's Church, has But prophetical succession, in all the history of Israel always been a matter of the Spirit and not of form. Prophets may recognize one another and recommend one another and help one another and agree among one another; but a prophet is from God direct. There is no succession of prophets. Paul had no successor, nor Luther, nor Wesley. All which the Church, that is God's children, Christ's flock, can do, is to recognize the prophets, try the spirits. It is, then, fact that even when the "Great Shepherd of the Sheep" is taken away from the sight of the flock, Christ will not leave them orphans, shepherdless. He sends the Spirit of truth, the Paraclete, who leads unto all truth. The Holy Spirit is, therefore, the one Shepherd of Christ's flock, and He guides by means of all those whom He inspires to lead the flock of God. It has ever been the custom of The Church to look to such for guidance and the life of The Church is dependent upon its recognition of true shepherds and its detection of those who are wolves, false shepherds. We can safely conclude that Jesus Christ was succeeded, not by priests, but by pastors. The Church is to be served by ministers whom God endows with His Spirit, and whom a church recognizes and accepts. XI THE SELF-ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCHES Spiritual gifts. Organization necessary for order in church. The "Seven." Lindsay's opinion criticised. That the "Seven were elders. The Jerusalem church not distinctly organized. Elders elected under supervision of church founders. Was there a "bishop" over these churches. 1 Thess. 5: 12; Rom. 16: 1-3. First use of episcopos. Relation of deacon and bishop. Réville. Both deacons and elders perform episcopal functions. Was the elder an official? Opinions. Hatch and Schmiedel as to episcopal duties. In Acts 20, the elders perform episcopal duties. The Church at Antioch long prophetic. No threefold order recognizable in Paul's letters. A presbyterial church. XI THE SELF-ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCHES THAT the organization of the primitive churches (we have seen that there was no one organized church) was not effected by the Apostles or their successors in response to authority given them by Jesus Christ, is further seen when we consider the process of the organization of these churches and the evolution of the bishop. It was a natural process. This does not exclude the influence of the Spirit. We have already seen that there is no evidence of apostolic interference or appointment. At the outset, the churches, so we must conclude from Paul's letters, were under the direction of those who had spiritual gifts. Whether or not there was any mistake in the judgment as to the Spirit's working is not of any moment here. The fact is indisputable: the Spirit, working in apostles and prophets and teachers and helpers and miracle workers and ecstatically awakened ones, was the only recognized governor of the local church. That such a condition could not continue permanently is self-evident. There arose disorders in the church at Corinth. Yet it is very significant that Paul does not suggest the election or appointment of an official board. He simply gives suggestions as to the regulation of the spiritual gifts. All must be done decently and in |