Presbyterianism [pp. 546-567]

Presbyterianism.
courts. 3. The parity of the elders and ministers in these
representative assemblies, is also included in the one system as well as in others. 4. The unity of the church was
avowed on both sides, and was not claimed as peculiar to
either. This is not an after thought. All these principles
were presented years ago, in the tract, "What is Presbyterianism?" and shown to be involved in those which Dr.
Thornwell repudiated as any just description of our system.
The true peculiarities of the new theory, Dr. Thornwell
left out of view in his rejoinder. Those principles are, 1. A
new doctrine concerning ruling elders. 2. The doctrine that
all power in the church isjoint and not several. 3. That every
thing not prescribed in Scripture is forbidden. We shall say
a few words on each of these points in their order.
First, as to the eldership. There are only two radically
different theories on this subject. According to the one, the
ruling elder is a laymen; according to the other, he is a
clergyman. According to the former, he belongs to a different order from the minister, holds a different office, has a
different vocation and ordination. He is not a bishop, pastor,
or teacher, but officially a ruler. According to the latter, the
reverse is true. The ruling elder belongs to the same order
with the minister. He is a bishop, pastor, teacher, and ruler.
This is all the minister is. They have, therefore, the same
office, and differ only as to their functions, as a professor
differs from a pastor, or a missionary from a settled minister.
It is to be noticed that the point of difference between these
theories is not the importance of the office of ruling elder,
nor its divine warrant. According to both views, the office is
jure divino. The Spirit who calls one man to be a minister
calls another to be an elder. The one office is as truly from
Christ as the other. Nor do the theories differ as to the parity
of elders and ministers in our church courts. Both enter
those courts with the same credentials, and have the same right
to sit, deliberate and determine. The vote of the one avails
as much as that of the other. On all these points, the theories
agree. The point of difference between them which is radical,
affecting the whole character of our system, relates to the
nature of the office of the ruling elder. Is he a clergyman, a
1860.]
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