The Office of Deacon.

Next to the office of presbyters, we find in all the churches founded by St. Paul the office of deacon. It carries us back to the institution of the seven deacons at Jerusalem; but like the other parts of the ecclesiastical organization, it acquired a more determined character during this second period. It received its appropriate name; it was called the diaconate (Rom. xii. 7; Phil. i. 1). Those invested with it do not seem to have taken such a direct part in the missionary work as the first deacons, amongst whom Stephen and Philip figured. They consecrated themselves more exclusively to the care of the poor and the sick, and made it their business to exercise that beautiful gift of helping, which St. Paul mentions in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. xii. 28). They were the representatives of the charity of the church towards its suffering or afflicted members. We know that the deacons of Jerusalem had been chosen to serve tables. In the second period of the apostolic age, there were no longer any common meals save the agape, which were accompanied by the celebration of the sacred Supper. The deacons were charged with all that concerned this portion of the Christian worship; with their office of mercy was combined the duty of regulating all the outward details of the church service.

Deaconesses.

The churches of the first century had also established an office for women, for the purpose of employing for the good of the church the special gifts which God had vouchsafed to them. What ministry could have been better suited to them than that of the diaconate,-the merciful office of giving help and consolation? It is difficult to describe with exactness what the first deaconesses of the primitive church were. (Rom. xvi. 1.) They had, doubtless, their share in the distribution of the church's alms and in the visitation of the sick; doubtless, also, they had something to do with the agapæ, and lent their aid to the deacons in regard to everything that required their care in the celebration of worship. We know that in the second century the deaconesses assisted the women at the moment of their baptism. This custom, so convenient and natural, must have been already introduced in the church in the first century. The widows of more than sixty enrolled in the church books, of whom St. Paul speaks in his first letter to Timothy, were probably deaconesses. In fine, we could not understand as a whole the obligations imposed on them if we had to do solely with a sharply defined and regular ministry. On the other hand, nothing is more conformable to the spirit of the apostolic church than the giving employment to the activity of all its members, and the establishing of a holy reciprocity between the generous gifts bestowed on poverty and the precious services which poverty is able to render. The widow was far better fitted than the virgin for the office of deaconess, for she had had experience of human life; she was ac.

quainted with its severest sufferings, and she found in her position an altogether special voeation for exercising the ministry of consolation.

The Servants of the Church Elected, not Appointed.

Under whatever point of view we consider it, ecclesiastical office always presents itself to us as a ministry, a service rendered to the church, and never as a priesthood. It is not imparted like a priesthood, but emanates from popular election, which guarantees its delegated character. We saw this, when the question was concerning the first office which became detached, so to speak, from the apostolate. The seven deacons of the upper chamber were elected by the church of Jerusalem. 'Look ye out from among you seven men'-such is the language of St. Peter, and he thereby consecrates for ever the right of the church. The nature of the office of presbyter equally implied election. St. Paul's charge to Titus and to Timothy to appoint presbyters (Titus i. 5; 1 Tim. iii. 1) is no derogation from this rule, for it is evident that in a young and inexperienced church the influence of the apostle, or of his representative, ought to preponderate. But never did this influence become transformed into despotic authority, and Luke shows it us in combination with the election of the church, when he says that Paul and Barnabas caused to be elected (XELрOTOVÝαTEç; 'Acts xiv. 23) presbyters in all the churches. The apostle presided over the election, but he did not suppress it. It is certain, besides, that the right of election was preserved intact during more than two centuries. The Coptic constitution of the church of Alexandria bears witness to the permanence of the right of election in the middle of the second century. But since it is incontrovertible that the second century did not invent it, and that its natural tendency was to become enfeebled and to wane, it follows from this that it must be traced back to the first century, and that it is of apostolic institution.

Imposition of Hands.

The imposition of hands which was conferred on deacons, on presbyters, and on evangelists, did not possess the character of an ordination. It was not reserved exclusively for the investiture with church offices. Jesus Christ had laid his hands on the children who were brought to him that he might bless them. Hands were laid on the sick in order that they might be healed. The imposition of hands was regarded as a solemn form of benediction; sometimes also it coincided with the impartation of the supernatural gifts peculiar to the apostolic age. At a later period it was conferred in the ceremony of baptism, in the celebration of the Holy Supper; and thence at the restoration of excommunicated sinners to the church. It was always accompanied by prayer. St. Augustine goes so far as to ask, 'What is the imposition of hands but prayer over a person?' Prayer, then, was the essential act. 'The neophytes,' says Cyprian, receive the Holy

Ghost through our prayer, and the imposition of hands. It had only a symbolical meaning, like baptism itself. It was an emblem of the grace communicated by prayer; and since all Christians have need of grace, it was conferred on all. Further, the prayer cannot be regarded from any point of view as a clerical act; it is the expression of the Christian feeling of the whole assembly; hence it follows that the imposition of hands could not have possessed, any more than the prayer which constituted its moral and essential part, a sacerdotal character. It was given in the name of the church. Tertullian acknowledged that the laity had a right to baptize; they, therefore, had also the right of imposition of hands. Meanwhile we do not deny that the imposition of hands may have had a special application when received by deacons or presbyters. It marked in a solemn manner their entrance upon their office, according to a usage borrowed from the synagogue for the new rabbis. But between the church's imposition of hands and that of the synagogue, there was the same difference as between the two institutions. It was, in fine, the prayer of the church which gave its value to the outward act; the church took an active and definite part in the consecration of the man who was destined to be her minister and representative. The person set apart seems, moreover, to have been called upon, from apostolic times, to make an explicit profession of his faith before the church; which, since its responsibility was concerned, had a right to know exactly the doctrine taught by its messengers. The outward act was so little regarded as communicating a sacred and indelible character, that the same man could receive the imposition of hands on several occasions. This fact, which is incontestable, absolutely excludes every superstitious idea.

Conclusion.

Thus, to sum up our observations, the ecclesiastical offices did not, during this second period, any more than in the first, constitute a new priesthood. They were not instituted directly by God in the way o authority, but were created one after the other, according to the manifest necessities of the Church. They are not of immediate divine institution, like the ancient priesthood, but they flow from heavenly inspiration, and are agreeable to the will of God. It is at all times necessary to be on our guard against the thought, that if the churches of the apostolic age possess a democratic organization they allow their liberty to degenerate into license. Revealed truth exercises in them a true authority. Paul speaks in his name the firm and energetic language of a representative of Jesus Christ. He does not impose the truth; if the churches reject it he has no means of forcing them to submit to its rule. But he declares that in rejecting his teaching, it is not him they reject, but God himself, and he proves it. He desires also that this truth, accepted in the churches, should abide, to be to them a touchstone by which to recognise heresy. If there is no outward organized authority in the Christianity of the first century, there is for all that an effective authority. Let us acknowledge, besides, that

if each church has its own peculiar life and distinct physiognomy, there is nothing in the primitive ecclesiastical organization to condemn an ulterior federation of churches amongst themselves, and a synodal government, provided it can be reconciled with the liberty of the separate congregations. We are only bound to affirm that, in point of fact, this government did not exist in the first century. But the Church has the right, and it is sometimes her duty, to modify her organization in the course of time; to depart, in more than one respect, so far as details are concerned, from the type of the apostolic churches, on condition of not discarding the general principles of their constitution. For these principles are immortal, and are based on absolute truths.

4

Wichern and the Inner Mission' of Germany.

BY PHILIP SCHAFF, D.D.

THE most distinguished representative of practical Christianity in Germany, who converts the ideas of modern evangelical theology into deeds of charity, and goes forth from his study to the lanes of public life, the dens of misery, and the hells of vice, to do the work of the merciful Samaritan, and, as far as in him lies, to reclaim society to the gospel of peace is Dr. Wichern.

We do not hesitate to pronounce Dr. Wichern one of the greatest and best men of the age. He stands foremost in the ranks of Christian philanthropists on the Continent of Europe, and, since the death of Chalmers, we know of no English or American divine who equals him in fervour of spirit, and incessant activity of love to God and to fallen man. His name will ever be identified with the noble work of Inner Mission, and the regeneration of German Protestantism. History will assign him a place by the side of Vincent de Paul, the father of the Sisters of Charity, Augustus Hermann Francke, the founder of the Orphan House at Halle, William Wilberforce, the emancipator of slaves, and other truly great men, who, filled with the love of Christ and generous sympathy for their suffering brethren, went about doing good, and became practical reformers and benefactors of the race.

The Rev. Dr. Wichern was born at Hamburg, in 1808, and is therefore now in the prime of life-although his grey hair gives him already a venerable appearance. He studied at Berlin under Schleiermacher and Neander, and still holds these teachers in grateful remembrance. He is a well-educated divine, of strictly evangelical, and yet truly liberal and comprehensive views, an earnest Christian, a dignified and accomplished, yet plain and unostentatious gentleman. He has an eminently practical genius, great power of organization, untiring energy, fiery and commanding eloquence. Even before he

had completed his studies he felt a strong desire to devote himself to works of charity, in a free, untrammeled way. He has since amply proved to the world that this is his peculiar mission.

Destitute of worldly means, but full of faith in God, like Francke, he founded, in 1833, near the village of Horn, about three miles from Hamburg, a vagrant school, under the characteristic name of the 'Rauhe Haus.' It was, at first, an old broken-down farm-house; but it has grown since to be one of the most important and interesting benevolent institutions in the world. An English traveller calls it the 6 House among the Flowers,' which is true, both in a literal and spiritual sense; and an American tourist, Brace, in his 'Home Life in Germany' (p. 96), states it as his impression, on a visit in the year 1850, that the friend of man, searching anxiously for what man has done for his suffering fellows, may look far in both Continents, before he finds an institution so benevolent, so practical, and so truly Christian as the Hamburgh Rough House.'

This noble establishment is a large garden full of trees, walks, flowers, vegetables, and adjoining corn-fields, with several small, but comfortable, wood-houses, and a neat, quiet chapel. It embraces various workshops for shoe-making, tailoring, spinning, baking, &c.; a commercial agency (Agentur) for the sale of the articles made by the boys; a printing and publishing department; a lithograph and wood engraving shop, and a book bindery--all in very energetic and successful operation. Many excellent tracts and books are annually issued from the institution, also a monthly periodical, under the title 'Fliegende Blätter,' which is, at the same time, the organ of the central committee of the German Church Diet for Inner Mission. The children are divided into families, each about twelve in number, and controlled by an overseer, with two assistants. These overseers are generally theological students, who prepare themselves here for pastoral usefulness. Many of them have already gone out to superintend similar institutions in Germany, Switzerland, and Russia, established on the plan of the Rough House. The general management is, of course, in the hands of Wichern, who is universally respected and beloved, as a spiritual father.

And who should not venerate the man who, from the most disinterested motives, picks up the orphan, the homeless, the outcast, from the filth and squalor, the dark cellars and vicious corners of Hamburg and other cities, to rescue them from temporal and eternal ruin, to transform them into useful men and pious Christians! He succeeded in some most desperate cases, with boys of whom the very devil seemed to have taken full possession. In this work he has gathered a rare amount of psychological knowledge and spiritual experience.

How strange! Dr. Wichern is one of the purest men; and yet he has a rare familiarity with the history and statistics of vice. He knows all about the horrible mysteries of society in such cities as Hamburg-one of the most corrupt in Germany-Berlin, Paris, and