OFFICERS.
"We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive Church, viz.: Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, etc."
The Apostle Paul taught that there was "one Lord, one faith, one baptism," and said of the Redeemer, "Wherefore He saith, when He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And He gave some, Apostles; and some, Prophets; and some, Evangelists; and some, Pastors and Teachers" (Eph. iv: 8, 11). He also preached: "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarily Prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues" (1 Cor. xii: 27, 28).
God set these in the Church, is the Apostle's testimony. Shall man say that they are not proper? The Lord has never changed the organization; on the contrary, these officers were given "for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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; that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Eph. iv: 12-14).
Is there work for the ministry? Are the Saints yet to be perfected? Are we still far from the unity of the faith? Are we less than the stature of the fulness of Christ in the knowledge of God? With the present spectacle of jarring sects, religious discords, and disputations of doctrines, no intelligent person would venture to give other than an affirmative reply to these inquiries. There is evidently abundant work for the ministry, and therefore a necessity for Apostles, Prophets, and all the officers that God has set in His Church. Wherever that Church is organized upon the earth, there will these officers be found, with all the authority, gifts and powers that accompany the offices. The church which has them not is not the Church of Christ, according to the evidence presented by the word of God.