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subject of the rights and duties of the lay members of a Christian
Church。
There are three questions which I propose to examine in this paper：
I。 What was the position of the lay members of a Church in the days of
the Apostles？
II。 What has been the position of the laity of the Church of England
for the last 200 years？
III。 What ought we to aim at； in the matter of the laity； in order to
strengthen and reform the Established Church of England？
I approach the whole subject with a deep sense of its delicacy and
difficulty。 I disclaim the slightest sympathy with those revolutionary
counsellers who want us to throw overboard Creeds and Articles and
Formularies； and turn the Church into a Pantheon； in the vain hope of
buying off invaders。 I desire nothing but scriptural and reasonable
reforms； and I know no reform so likely to strengthen the Church of
England as that of placing her laity in their rightful position。 One of
the best modes of promoting effective Church defence in this day is to
promote wise Church reform。
I。 What； then； was the position of the lay members of Churches in the
days of the Apostles？ Let us imagine ourselves paying a visit to the
baptized munities at Rome； or Corinth； or Ephesus； or Thessalonica；
or Jerusalem； and let us see what we should have found； and what
Scripture teaches about them。 In this； as in many other matters； we
have a right to ask； 〃What light can we get from the New Testament？〃
This is an inquiry which deserves special attention； and I am much
mistaken if the result does not astonish some persons； and make them
open their eyes。
I say then； without hesitation； that you will not find a single text in
the New Testament in which the ordained ministers alone are ever called
〃the Church；〃 or ever act for the Church without the laity uniting and
co…operating in their action。
Are the deacons appointed？ The twelve remend it； but 〃the whole
multitude〃 choose （Acts 6：5）。 Is a council held to consider whether the
heathen converts should be circumcised； and keep the ceremonial law？
The decision arrived at is said to e from 〃the apostles； and elders；
and brethren；〃 with 〃the whole Church〃 （Acts 15：22…23）。Are inspired
Epistles written by St。 Paul to particular Churches？ In eight cases
they are addressed to 〃the Church； the saints； the faithful
brethren〃and in only one case （the Epistle to the Philippians） is
there any mention of 〃bishops and deacons〃 in the opening address。 Does
St。 Paul send instructions to the Church about the Lord's Supper； and
about speaking with tongues？ He sends them to 〃them that are sanctified
in Christ Jesus〃 not to the ministers。Is discipline exercised against
an unsound member？ I find St。 Paul giving directions to the saints at
Corinth； without mentioning the ministry： 〃Put away from among
yourselves that wicked person〃 （1 Cor。 5：13）。Is a man 〃overtaken in a
fault〃 to be restored to munion？ St。 Paul tells those who are
〃spiritual〃 among the Galatians to do it； and does not refer it to
their ministers。 （Gal。 6：1）。Is an Epistle written to the Christian
Hebrews？ Not a word is said about 〃rulers〃 until you e to the last
chapter。 Does St。 James write a General Epistle？ He addresses the
〃twelve tribes；〃 and only names 〃teachers〃 in the third chapter。 Does
St。 Peter write a General Epistle？ He writes to the whole body of the
elect； and says nothing to the 〃elders〃 till he arrives at the last
chapter； and even then he is careful to remind them that they are not
〃lords over God's heritage。〃 As for the Second Epistle of St。 Peter；
and the Epistles of St。 John and St。 Jude； they never touch the subject
of the ministry at all。
Now let no one mistake me。 That there was to be a distinct order of men
to minister to the Church is； to my eyes； most plainly taught in the
New Testament。 St。 Paul； we are told； 〃ordained elders in every Church〃
（Acts 14：23）。 See 1 Cor。 12：28； Eph。 4：11； 1st and 2nd Epistles to
Timothy； and Titus。 But that 〃the Church〃 in any city or country meant
especially the laity； and the ministers were only regarded as the
〃servants of the Church〃 （2 Cor。 4：5）； seems to me as clear as the sun
at noon…day。 As for a Church in which the clergy acted alone； settled
everything； decided everything； judged everything； and managed
everything； and the laity had no voice at all； I cannot find the ghost
of the shadow of such a thing in the Acts or Epistles of the New
Testament。 On the contrary； while St。 Paul tells the Thessalonians to
〃esteem their ministers very highly；〃 it is to the laity； and not the
clergy； that he addresses the words； 〃Warn them that are unruly；
fort the feeble…minded； support the weak〃 （1 Thess。 5：13…14）。 I
trust that Churchmen who remember the Sixth Article of our English
Church will not fail to observe this。
Before I go any further in this paper； I think it right to say a few
words in self…defence； to prevent possible misunderstanding。 If any one
supposes that I wish to exalt and exaggerate the position of the laity
at the expense of the clergy； and that I think lightly of the
ministerial office； he is totally mistaken。 In a deep sense of the
value of the Christian ministry； as an ordinance of Christ； and a
necessity in a fallen world； I give place to no man。 But I dare not
overstep scriptural limits in this matter。 I cannot refrain from saying
that a sacerdotal ministry； a mediatorial ministry； an infallible
ministry； a ministry of men who by virtue of episcopal ordination have
any monopoly of knowledge； or any special ability to settle disputed
questions of faith or ritual such a ministry； in my judgment； is an
innovation of man； and utterly without warrant of Holy Scripture。 It is
a ministry which has been borrowed from the typical system of the
Jewish Church； and has no place in the present dispensation。 The
Christian minister is a teacher； an ambassador； a messenger； a
watchman； a witness； a shepherd； a steward； and is expressly authorized
by the Epistles to Timothy and Titus； where his duties are clearly laid
down。 But there is a conspicuous absence of New Testament proof that he
is a sacrificing priest。
In saying this I do not stand alone。 The learned Bishop of Durham； in
his exhaustive work on Philippians； uses the following language：
〃The kingdom of Christ has no sacerdotal system。 It interposes no
sacrificial tribe or class between God and man by whose entreaties
alone God is reconciled and man forgiven。 Each individual member holds
personal munion with the Divine Head。 To Him immediately he is
responsible； and from Him directly he obtains pardon and draws
strength〃 （p。 174； ed。 3）。
Again； he says： 〃The sacerdotal title is never once conferred on the
ministers of the Church。 The only priests under the gospel； designated
as such under the New Testament； are the saints； the members of the
Christian brotherhood〃 （p。 132； ed。 3）。
This is sound speech； which cannot be condemned。
First published in 1868； it has stood the test of eighteen years'
criticism； and its principles remain unanswered and unanswerable。 To
these principles I firmly adhere； and I press them on the consideration
of all English Churchmen in the present day。
I leave the subject of the lay members of the apostolic Churches at
this point； and mend it to the attention of all who read this paper。
It is my conviction that the prominent position occupied by the laity
in these primitive munities was one grand secret of their undeniable
strength； growth； prosperity； and success。 There were no sleeping
partners in those days。 Every member of the ecclesiastical body worked。
Every one felt bound to do something。 All the baptized members； whether
men or women； if we may judge from the 16th chapter of the Epistle to
the Romans； took a direct active interest in the welfare and progress
of the whole ecclesiastical body。 They were not tame； ignorant sheep；
led hither and thither at the beck of an autocratic shepherd。 The best
regiment in an army is that in which officers and privates take an
equal interest in the efficiency of the whole corps。 It is the ferment
in which the officers trust the privates and the privates trust the
officers； as they did when they fought through that eventful night at
Rorke's Drift in the Zulu war。 It is the regiment in which every
private is intelligent； and behaves as if the success of the campaign
depended on him。 It is the regiment in which every private knows his
duty； and is honourably proud of his profession； and would fight to the
last for the colours； even if every officer fell Such a regiment was a
primitive Church in apostolic days。 It had its officers； its bishops；
and deacons。 It had orders； due subordination； and discipline。 But the
mainspring and backbone of its strength lay in the zeal； intelligence；
and a