Cowley's Talks on Doctrine

by Matthias F. Cowley

In I. Timothy, third chapter, verses 1, 2, we learn of the office of Bishop, with some essential qualifications. "This is a true saying: If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach." Also, in Titus i:7: "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate." These passages show clearly the office of Bishop to be a department in the government of the Church of Christ, and should be held by a married man.

"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia." (Luke i:5.) The order of the Priest as established in ancient Israel seems to have continued in the New Testament dispensation. Although the offering of sacrifice was consummated at least for that period, in the atonement of our Savior, it is apparent that John the Baptist, Philip, and others, were priests after the order of Levi, having authority to baptize for the remission of sins, and to preach faith and repentance, but not to officiate in the higher ordinances of the Gospel which secured the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, nor to preside over the Church of Christ and regulate the affairs thereof throughout the world.

In Acts xiii:1, I. Cor. xii.28, and Eph. iv:11, we learn of an officer called Teacher, though nothing as to the especial functions of that office.

Paul to Timothy, in the third chapter of his letter, refers to the Deacons, and enumerates some of the qualifications essential to the possession of men who bear that sacred calling in the Church of Christ.

In the First Epistle to the Corinthians, twelfth chapter, verse 28, the apostle declares: "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." "And He gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists (patriarchs); and some pastors and teachers," (Eph. iv:11.) "Now there were in the church * * * certain prophets and teachers." (Acts xiii:1.)

Peter and Paul, in their writings, make reference to the ancient patriarchs, and although no definite statement is made, as to such an office existing in their time, it is more than probable that it existed in the Church of Christ whenever that Church had an existence on the earth.

The quotations give us the names of, at least, the following offices as departments of the Holy Priesthood and essentials to the work of the Lord: Apostles, Patriarchs, High Priests, Seventies, Elders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers and Deacons. The words pastors, shepherds, evangelists, etc., are also used in reference to officials in the Church, but it is probable that some terms were used not so much to name the exact title of a man's position or calling in the order of the priesthood as to indicate the nature of the work his calling enjoined upon him. For instance, a pastor is one who has charge of a flock, a shepherd; applied religiously, one who has the oversight of a Branch of the Church (president of conference, for example); and this term would apply to Elders and Bishops, who, according to the New Testament, had watched over branches of the Church in different parts of the earth.

We wish to again call attention to the fact that the exact and full duty in detail of each officer is not wholly explained in the Jewish Scriptures. The precise order in which all of these officers were placed is not clear. The difference between the general duties common to all and the particular labors enjoined upon one officer, which distinguished him from every other officer in the church, is not told. This is not surprising, either, as undoubtedly each man in his order understood his duties from the instructions of the living oracles of God. Furthermore, they had writings, which are referred to in the Testament, but which are not preserved and handed down to us; and it is probable they had still other writings that are neither compiled nor alluded to in the Scriptures.

The New Testament contains letters of instructions, exhortations, warnings and testimonies of the apostles to the Church and to the world, and does not claim to be a complete exposition of Church Organization, etc. The Church was guided by direct revelation, and was to be so guided in all time; and the fact that man, with all his learning and the benefits of researches made by preceding generations, cannot organize a church after the ancient pattern, is indisputable proof that we need more revelation from God. The world by wisdom knew not God. Suffice it to say, that as long as we need divine instructions, which will be the case forever, we need the God-given officers which Christ placed in His Church, and which He designed to continue as long as the Church should exist.

Here is the testimony of Paul to the Ephesians, chapter 4: "And He gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; 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 fullness 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." In this connection it is perhaps sufficient to remark that the history of the world is ample proof that apostles, prophets and inspiration are always needed. The reader is asked to carefully study the chapter on the "Church," given in this work, as it points out the duties of officers in the Church Organization, as given us by modern revelation.