views which we think most detrimental to the cause of Christ. In fashionable circles, a kind of light theological literature is preached with the best success. A class of men who fear not God, and who generally believe not his word, are the preachers. In the days of the Apostles, the ministers of Satan were transformed into messengers of light, and it is most singular that about twothirds of the popular clergy in Germany at this hour, regard the sacred oracles as mere myths-representations of false facts. In England perhaps most of the truly attractive clergy not only doubt the truth of the Bible, but preach a kind of philosophical scepticism; and in the United States many manifest much more confidence in their own peculiar views of expendiency and powers of system-making, than in preaching the word of life. Unitarians, Universalists, modern Spiritualists, intuitive theologians, new-light seekers and speculatists, universally profess not to believe the written oracles as the highest religious authority. Hence they rely not for success upon a preached gospel, and of course they must possess a varied and popular learning, for which their adoring auditors will pay the best price. The consequence is, the flowers of Shakspere, Bulwer, Milton, Young, with the more recent novelties, are retailed for gold under the sacred garb of religious teaching. If we mistake not, many Christians, or such at least as profess the Christian name, are disposed to join with the parties in acquiring this kind of "a theological education." The consequence is, we have in our country many seminaries styled "Divinity Schools. Into these institutions no doubt many pious men are received, but from the character of most of the preachers made, we suppose young men are matriculated, and pass through the course without a serious thought upon the high and holy responsibilities of a minister of the word. On this subject we find some sage declarations in the April number of the London Quarterly for 1856, in an editorial connected with the Haldanes, which we suppose may interest our readers. It seemed to be the ambition of Robert Haldane, to spend a large estate in combatting the "Protestant Infidelity" of Europe. Though unlearned in the languages and popular E literature, he courageously attacked the theological seminaries of Geneva. The reviewer says, "The Socinian professors of Geneva were shallow and flippant Sciolists, utterly unacquainted with Scripture exegesis, and ignorant of the plainest statements in the Bible." Mr. Monad, a student of theology, says, “During the four years I attended the theological teachers of Geneva, I did not, as a part of my studies, read one single chapter of the word of God, except a few psalms and chapters to study Hebrew, and I did not receive one single lesson of exegesis of the Old or New Testaments." This may serve as a specimen of what the world is pleased to call theological education. But our space admonishes us not to pursue this vein of thought. A truly useful theological education is easily defined. The gospel minister should1. Be able to read and speak English. 2. He should know what is written in the Bible. 3. He should be in earnest in telling the truth. These qualifications will make a successful minister of the gospel. While circumstances permit, we are in favor of preachers learning all science and all the languages. But languages and science are more important in affording their possessor independence than otherwise. The best preachers in the world depended not upon human learning, but the teaching of the Spirit, for success. Indeed, we never knew a preacher through whose discourses a rich vein of literature ran, that the word of God was not obscured in exact ratio of the exuberance of the learning. The gospel needs no embellishment, and therefore the more plainly and forcibly the words are spoken, the better. We may be told that preachers should have much school learning, in order to be qualified to entertain educated and refined assemblies." This intimation suggests the necessity of defining our position at once regarding ministerial education. The church of God is the only authoritative theological school on earth; and it is the only one which Christians can consistently encourage. We are more than willing that young men should have the best means of improvement in school education; and we have during our whole life in the ministry also en couraged preachers deficient inthe learning of this world, by all means to avail themselves of every advantage in their power. Indeed, after we had devoted several years to preaching the gospel, we took a full college course, and have had no cause to regret it. Still, we maintain the important learning is obtained in the Church, and if we are correct, each Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is a seminary for instructing the members in the various departments of labor they are to perform; and if we as a people would be successful advocates of the Christian religion, we must rely upon the learning, wisdom and goodness of the Church for the world's con version. Before dismissing this branch of our subject, we wish to suggest very respectfully, that the most of our misfortunes in Churches have arisen from the criminal incompetency of the preachers. Men who knew not God, and loved not his Church, have flattered the ususpecting till they have gained a position so elevated that their fall could but crush the cause. There are several classes of these uneducated preachers. The first is composed of the light hearted, though popular preachers, who sell their pulpit exercises to the highest bidder; and the second, of the indolent, who prefer preaching to honest industry; of the ignorant and ambitious, whose highest aspiration consists in abusing their superiors; and of the ill-natured and self-conceited, who preach themselves, to flatter their own vanity. The genuine ministers of the word are all educated in the same school, and whether learned or unlearned in the world's views, they speak the same thing; and, indeed, there is not a discordant note throughout their ranks. It is the glory of the Church that she brings down the high and exalts the humble. We take this occasion to boast of having heard men from the old world and the best parts of the new— black and white, old and young, rich and poor, educated and uneducated--and we most solemnly declare that we know no people on earth so uniform in their matter and manner of preaching, as the disciples of Christ. We sincerely believe we never heard a preacher superior to Alexander Campbell, and yet we know several sons of Africa, even in Tennesse, who understand the truth as clearly, love it as dearly, and preach it 4. THE ORDINATION OF EVANGELISTS. The church at Antioch consecrated Paul and Barnabas to the work for which the Spirit called them through her prophets and teachers. Acts xiii. 1, "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work And whereunto I have called them. when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands upon them, they sent them away." Timothy was commanded to "Neglect not the gift that was in him, which was given him by prophecy, with the laying on the hands of the presbytery," and from the fact that Paul exhorts him to “Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands," it is clear Paul constituted a From this part of the presbytery. teaching it is obvious, that the congregation not only has the training and education of the preachers in charge, but it is her peculiar province, when men give practical demonstration of preaching talent, to separate them for the work to which the Holy Spirit calls them. The modern idea of preachers ordaining preachers, is wholly unauthorized; and the plan usually adopted of calling ministers to perform the work of the church, by one preaching the ordination sermon, another giving the charge, a third making a prayer for the occasion, and a fourth presenting a Bible, is a consummate farce of all that is sacred. Surely it is time for Christians to examine the Scriptures on this matter. The word of God will enable us to adopt the same practice. 5. THE WORK OF THE EVANGELIST. His first service is to preach the gospel to sinners; his second is to plant Churches by taking the confession of the taught, attending to their baptism, and congregating them as brethren; the third step is to teach the converts; the fourth is to set in order the churches; the fifth is to ordain elders, or experienced members in all the churches, to the bishop's office; and the sixth is to supervise all the congregations of the Lord. In their teaching and supervision of the churches, the preachers are to see that no one shall be permitted to teach any doctrine save that of the apostles. The practice of teaching and baptizing the people, without congregating them and helping them to keep house till they not only learn to serve God, but also learn to love the service, has been productive of immense evil amongst us. From the nature and extent of the work of evangelists, it must appear that the office is the most important by far-that preachers should be wise and good men--and also that they must have the constant help and cooperation of the brethren, to be successful. We would be pleased to elaborate the points stated under this head, but we must wait for a more favorable season; and in the meantime we most earnestly request our brethren to scrutinize all our propositions. We cannot, however, forbear suggesting that if our teaching is sound, the modern idea of preachers, young and old, seeking pastorates which tend so powerfully to prostrate the spiritual energies of the churches, is foreign to the Scriptures of truth. Evangelists, although they may ordain the bishops, or overseers of the respective churches, cannot assume the bishop's office, or perform the pastor's service in the churches, and still remain evangelists, unless it can be shown that evangelists and bishops are identical in office and labor. The churches that send out evangelists are to see, as far as possible, to their comfort and to the support of their families. There are at least two considerations in determining the support of evangelists. First, the size and wants of the family should exert an influence on the church, and especially upon the officers of the congregation, whose business it is to attend to such matters; and secondly, the brethren should be much influenced by the character and amount of service performed by the preachers. Wherever the evangelists labor, the brethren are bound to promptly do their duty towards them. This should be the serious study of the respective congregations and as circumstances may require their action. It will be observed, this plan entirely precludes the idea of raising salaries on the first of the year for preachers, and before it can be known where they should labor, what they can do, or indeed if their services can be of any value, by subscribing the amount the first of January that we will give for the cause of religion. This system, it must be seen, interferes very seriously with the constant encouragement of benevolent feelings in our hearts, and we conscientiously believe it is a cause, and per haps the chief reason, that so many of our preachers are driven from the field for want of bread for their families, or a decent support for themselves. effort is to encourage the brethren to But we are not complaining. Our adopt a better system, and to endeavor to call forth a hundred well-sustained 6. REWARD OF EVANGELISTS. evangelists, where we have one at preIn the present number we feel no dis- sent. We believe the brethren are disposition to examine the practice of gos- posed to do justice at least on this subpel ministers taking salaries for per-ject, and all that is wanting is time, forming pastoral service in the congregations. To be sure, we are much opposed to the whole plan, and believe it will destroy, in an incredibly short time, any congregation on earth; but we are aware that many of our brethren are opposed to our views on this point, and we are not disposed at present to do more than respectfully suggest our convictions of truth, and leave the results to time. We entertain, however, an abiding confidence that, so soon as we understand one another, all will speak the same thing. with patience and a little more grace, to determine upon the proper course. We are sorry to think we have had evidence that some of our ministers are displeased with our plain teaching on this subject, but we will have a better understanding. Our self-sacrificing and devoted ministers must be sustained on earth, and for their labor in this world of poverty and sin, the Lord will enable them to "shine as the stars when they shall have finished their work on earth. THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY. [We have recently received several articles for the HARBINGER, from Brother James Henshall, now of Mayslick, Ky. For these, as well as for his private letters, we feel greatly obliged. We cannot, however, promise to publish all which he has sent with that object, inasmuch as we cannot perceive the utility of so doing. Much has been lately said and written by our brethren in the United States, on the subjects of Church Government and Organization, which we do not exactly comprehend, and we prefer to leave them in abler hands for comment and elucidation. The article now given will speak for itself, but, as regards the arguments advanced in this and all others, our readers must exercise their own judgment.] WHAT can be the meaning of so many | and adopt that volume as containing a labored essays on the Christian minis- | perfect rule of faith and practice. try? Many of them sound very oddly in our ears. We certainly have no such orders as are contended for in many of these very able documents! Are we passing through an imperceptible but radical change? Self-respect, as well as respect for others, requires that we shall atone, as far as we can, for the damage we have done to the popular order, if, after flying off at a tangent, we tack about and return to the old state of things. Moreover, a bad sign in this movement is, that the advocates of this new order of things are generally inexperienced evangelists or teachers, who know little or nothing | about the real working of our system. They may be sure that we shall never receive such changes from their hands. None are qualified to judge in such grave matters but those of long experience in the field-those inured to the work by years of toil, and whose ministry has been blessed by the conversion of many souls. It is much easier to find fault than to correct the wrongs so flippantly pointed out. Is there to be no end of this everlasting tinkering on organization? Be it known to all men, and to many essayists and speakers in particular, that a real, radical reformation commenced in this country during the first half of this nineteenth century. Its grand differential attribute being this that whereas the existing sects and conflicting organizations are the results of human wisdom, expediency, and pride; that, therefore, we fall back upon primitive Christianity, and thus antedate them all, and believe all the facts reported in the New Testament, The churches constituted upon this plan repudiated all connection with councils of ecclesiastics, synods of presbyters and lay elders, conferences of circuit preachers and bishops, and more especially the particular order of things which had denied us the rights and liberties of the Christian constitution, viz. :--Baptist associations; and of course we cannot allow to our own people what we solemnly and conscientiously denied to others. We settled down upon the principle that the New Testament contains all the facts for faith, all the commandments for obedience, and all the promises for enjoyment. The apology of all the sects for unscriptural rites, customs, and discipline is, that the Scriptures do not contain a system of church government. This, we have maintained, was a radical error, invented by the enemy of souls for the purpose of creating those divisions and contentions which we are afflicted to witness. The Devil himself never invented a falsehood more potent for evil than this Bible depreciating sentiment! . Unfortunately for our success on these principles, every few years there is a world of contention about our defective organization, with here and there an effort to change things in a new direction. This is most disastrous, to the extent of the influence of these discontented parties. It is calculated to make the sober part of the community wait and see what we are going to be, and where we are going to stop, in our progress to perfection. It is time we were done with debates about these elementary matters. We had hoped that the brethren had settled down upon the form of church govern ment, the nature of all church offices, and the character of its officers. And so we have; but restless men are writing up new writers, and trying to get, through others, what they could not reach themselves. It has come to pass that every brother who has contended for a new organization, unknown to the New Testament, has lost caste with the brotherhood. How could it be otherwise? Take the first step in that direction and consistency will carry us to Rome. This was the fatal rock on which the pure primitive church was split. Baptized believers, living in one community, form a church, and when the gifts of its members are brought out, some are chosen deacons, and others elders or bishops. These are elected and set apart to their work in the most convenient way the church can adopt. All the officers derive their authority from the church, and confer nothing on the church but benefit or damage, as the case may be, by their labors. If any one has the natural gift to preach the word, the church can call him to that work, and send him forth, and sustain him in the work, or unite with other churches in doing it without let or difficulty, after due deliberation and consultation. This may be done either by letter or by meeting at a central point agreed upon by all the parties. But, at such meeting, the evangelists or delegates are not to forget that their churches sent them upon a special business, to consult about sending this gifted brother forth, to ascertain the amount to be raised, the portion for each church, and the field of labor he is to be sent upon. They are not to discuss organization, discipline, ordination, eldership, evangelical rights, church authority, nor any of all the apples of discord, nor fire-brands of dissension which Satan has thrown into the church during the last millennium! There should be no debate about bishops, deacons, and evangelists. The church is above them all, creates them all, appoints and removes them from office, according to its pleasure. And yet, in some cases, evangelists, or bishops and teachers, build up churches and watch over them until after their regular organization with bishops and deacons. But this is done, not because the evangelist, bishop, or teacher is above the church, but because he is sent out and sustained by some church or churches, to do that work for them. Nothing is done in the name of the evangelist, bishop, or teacher, but in the name of the church or churches of the living God. "THE CHURCH IS THE PILLAR AND SUPPORT OF THE TRUTH." When the Apostles of the Lamb disclaimed dominion over the faith of Christians, and protested that they were not lord's over God's heritage,' but " were examples to the flock," and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake," I confess the assumption of honor and power on the part of some evangelists, fills we with anything but admiratiou of their humility and self-abandonment. 66 66 66 But I am told that Paul enjoined it on Timothy to be "Strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. ii. 2.) All correct. What, now, was he to commit to faithful men ?" 66 No doubt the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus," mentioned just five verses before. Of course it was no gift nor authority which he had received from the Apostle, but, "things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses." Just as he said to the church at Philippi with its bishops and deacons: "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you." Among the things they were to "do" because they had seen him do them, were not miracles, nor the communication of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands; and, therefore, common sense restricts this general precept to the things they had the privilege of doing, which he had first set them the example of doing. Paul delegated some of his own apostolical power to Timothy and Titus, which it would be presumption for any evangelists now living to assume. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee." 66 This word commit, is a word indicat |