184
THE WATCHMAN
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE
SOUTHERN PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Price, $1.00 per Year Single Copy, 5 Cents
G. I. BUTLER
. S. N. HASKELL Associate
L. A. SMITH } Editors }
E. J. BURNHAM | Editors
ENTERED AT THE POST OFFICE AT NASHVILLE, TENN.,
AS SECOND CLASS MATTER, APRIL 12, 1906.
Nashville, Tennessee, March 19, 1907.
ORGANIZATION—No. 6
A Synopsis of New Testament Organization
N Article No. 5 we clearly demonstrated
that our Lord in the gospel dispensa-
tion had an organized church. It is
likened to a living temple, a building
which groweth to a holy temple in the Lord.
It is likened very forcibly to the human body.
These are most certainly organized bodies.
We should ever remember that to organize
anything is to so arrange its constituent parts
that each will find its proper place, that all
may work in harmony for the best results of
the body organized. Organization is an ab-
solute necessity for the best success of any
cause dealing with various elements. Confu-
sion and disorder are the sure result where
it is lacking. The grand work of the gospel,
the most important thing ever introduced into
this world for the benefit of humanity, is no
exception to this principle.
What Is a Church?
The word church is used in at least three
senses: I. A building used for the worship of
God; 2. A collection of believers in any place
or community who associate themselves to-
gether because of a common belief, for wor-
ship, or religious benefit and service; 3. The
whole body holding a common belief, a denomi-
nation, as the Presbyterian Church, the Ro-
man Catholic Church, or any other. The con-
nection always shows in which sense the word
is used in each case. .
A Multitude of Churches
In our age of the world there are a multi-
tude of churches or denominations, all calling
themselves Christian. In the nature of things
this was not so when Jesus sent forth his dis-
ciples to preach the gospel. First of all, they
all taught the same thing. That was, in the
truest sense, the church of Christ, the church
of the living God. As numbers greatly in-
creased, and false doctrines were taught, di-
visions came in, and at last a multiplicity
of churches resulted.
[}
The New Testament Church
Our inquiry at this point is confined to the
church of the New Testament and the nature
of its organization. There are some who teach
that all the organization then existing was that
THE WATCHMAN
of the local church, with its elder or elders,
deacons, clerks, etc; and that such should be
the limit of our organization at the present
time; that each local church was distinct from
all others and sole judge of its own affairs,
and that no other body existed to whom it
was amenable; that it looked to no other
power on earth but its own authority for
guidance, that none could call it to account
or exercise any supervision over it, and that
it was alone unto itself.
Was the Organization of the Christian Church Inferior
to That of the Church in the Wilderness?
If these things were true, then there could
be no central authority or supervision, no gen-
eral officers to decide questions of difficulty
arising between these small local bodies. How
much inferior, then, is the New Testament or-
ganization,— the gospel plan,— to that of the
“church in the wilderness.” That was an
organization of great efficiency. Would God
give that dispensation an organization so su-
perior for efficiency over that of the New Tes-
tament? The light of that dispensation is
compared to the light of the moon, while that
of the gospel dispensation is compared to the
light of the sun. The work of God to be ac-
complished in the gospel age is far greater
than that of the Jewish age. Tt is to extend
until the earth is enlightened with its glory.
To carry out such a purpose, an organization
of mere local, detached, separate churches
would be but a mere “ rope of sand.”
Let us now study the New Testament teach-
ings on this subject. In the preceding articles
we noticed 1 Corinthians 12. Paul here illus-
trates the gospel church by the human body,
with all its various members. What is that
“body”? Is it one mere local church?
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and mem-
bers in particular.” Verse 27. Was that
“body” merely the church at one city, Cor-
inth? Who will dare say so? “And God
hath set some in the church, first apostles,
secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after
that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, gov-
ernments, diversities of tongues.” Verse 28.
How many apostles were “set” in the church
at Corinth? How many prophets, govern-
ments? etc, etc,
Of course such an application of the scrip-
tures would be simply preposterous. Paul
was one of the apostles, but he never was
“set” in Corinth. To “set” is to fix firmly,
to make fast, permanent, or stable.” Corinth
was but one of the many places where he la-
bored and had supervision. His field was the
world, and his influence world-wide. And so
of the other apostles. The © body” here il-
lustrated by the human system embraced all
the local Christian churches of Christendom
then in existence, and all that should follow.
These “prophets,” apostles,” and various
gifts were for the whole body of believers in
Judea, Greece and Rome, Spain, and every-
where that Christians were to be found.
[3 »
An Impracticable Theory
What, then, becomes of this mere local-
church theory? — It vanishes into thin air.
It is utterly out of the question to harmonize it
Scriptures the same thing.
with facts of revelation. For what reason
did God “set” these various gifts in his great
body of believers? —* For the perfecting of
the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ.” For
how long? — “Till we all come in the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure.
of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Eph.
4:11-13. These experiences demonstrate that
the “church” of which he is speaking is the
one body of Christ, 7. ¢., true believers over
the whole earth, wherever they are scattered,
and to the end of all time. It is one body, not
little dissevered companies or knots of be-
lievers, each independent of all the rest.
The Office of the Apostles
To show that leading laborers represented
one general cause, and not a little company
with no connection with the rest, we will con-
sider Paul's charge to Titus: “ For this cause
left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in
order the things that are wanting, and ordain
elders in every city, as I have appointed thee.”
Crete was quite an extensive country, contain-
ing various cities. St. Paul the apostle had
a general supervision of the whole Gentile
work. Gal. 2:7, 8. He called upon Titus
to do this general work of ordaining elders in
various churches in a given field.
The whole body of the apostles were ap-
pointed by Christ as under shepherds over the
whole flock. Christ is the great Shepherd.
They were shepherds under him, i. e., bish-
ops, or elders. The two terms mean in the
But there were®
certain ones who had a larger supervision
than others. “Let the elders that rule well
be counted worthy of double honor, especially
they who labor in the word and doctrine.” 1
Tim. 5:17. Peter, though one of the highest
in station among the apostles, who had a spe-
cial superintendency over the work among the
“circumcised,” called himself an “elder” and
under-shepherd under Christ, the chief Shep-
herd.
These officers were all to be esteemed and
respected because thus honored by Christ with
positions of trust and responsibility. “Like-
wise ye younger submit yourselves unto the
elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to an-
other, and be clothed with humility; for God"
resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
humble.” 1 Peter 5:1-6.
Here is gospel order. Here is brought to
view a system of organization including the
whole body of Christ, all his apostles, men
of God's own appointing, standing at the head
of the cause. An apostle is “one sent with
a message,” a leading man of God's choice
fitted for a high and holy position. Here we
see leading men raised up to do an important
work, with others to assist as they have abil-
ity and wisdom from God. Here a system
of organization is clearly brought to view, em-
bracing all the local churches over which el-
ders are appointed and ordained.
we will speak further on this subject.
In our next
G. I. B.