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the which the holy [spirit] hath made you overseers
[(Greek) episkopous].’’ (Acts 20:17, 28) That Greek
word is rendered by Strong ‘‘officer, bishop, overseer’’.
Not the congregation, but the holy spirit, acting as
the representative of the Lord absent, made such men
- ‘overseers’’. All the apostles were overseers or epis-
kopoi. The word so often used by religionists, ‘‘arch- bishop,’’ does not once occur in the apostle’s writings. Those faithful men were made overseers, not by any vote of any creatures, but by the holy spirit, as shown by the testimony of the apostle Paul himself. In the various epistles by the several apostolic writers there appears no instruction whatsoever to the congregation as to the holding of regular election of officers of the congregation or company. Nothing is said about sep- arate congregations’ voting their respective officers into positions of service. Paul's letter to the Philip- pians is addressed ‘‘to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons”’ (Phil. 1: ~); no instructions are given as to the elec- tion by voting or stretching forth of the hand. AUTHORITY 25 As the apostle Paul was clothed by the Lord Jesus Christ with power and authority to appoint offi- cers in the church, it clearly appears that the apostle had authority to delegate such power to act to others and that he did select and delegate such authority to Timothy and Titus for that purpose. (1 Tim. 1:3; §: 21, 22; Titus 1:5) Concerning the organization cf the congregation or company and the appointment of officers and servants Paul did give instruction to Tim- othy and Titus. To Titus he said: ‘‘For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge.’’ (Titus 1:5, A.2.V.) If Timothy and Titus were mere voters in the con- gregation, whose votes did not count for more than that of others in the same congregation, surely the apostle would not have specifically instructed them as to how the organization should be arranged. These scriptures therefore show that Paul was commissioned to bestow upon Timothy and Titus the power and authority to perfect the organization of the companies or congregations.
- ¢ Religionists have misapplied these Scriptural texts
by reserving to themselves the power of appointment, so that they, the clergy, might hold control of the members in their own hands, and that for selfish pur- poses. Thus they have made themselves bosses, exalted and glorified themselves, and made themselves to ap- pear far above the ‘‘common herd”’ of the congrega- tion, which they have called and still call ‘‘the laity’’ as a class distinguished from the clergy. To avoid such improper distinction between clergy bosses and the common people the practice was adopted and followed, during the Elijah period, of cach congregation, by each member, voting, thus appointing or electing elders she WATCHTOWER. Brooxrtyn, N. Y. and deacons, and as many as were available were so selected, so that all might have something to do. Now the time has come for a different procedure. And why ? The strongest reasan is, because the Lord Jesus Christ is at the temple and all in Christ have come to a ma- turity, that is to say, to the status of elders or mature ones, and all are on an exact level, and the Lord Jesus Christ is in complete control. 7 The ‘‘higher powers’’ are Jehovah and Christ Jesus, and the authority to ‘lay on hands’ is restricted or limited to a number to be overseers, such as the apostles, Timothy, and Titus. This is in clear reeog- nition of the Higher Powers, and acting under au- thority and direction of the Higher Powers. Such restriction of laying on of hands is a safeguarding measure, in this, that the younger, ignorant learners and ones less mature are therefore less qualified and less discreet, and hence not so fitted to fill such places as the more mature ones, Therefore Timothy was in- structed to lay hands on no man without first giving the matter careful and prayerful consideration, acting cautiously under the direction of the Lord. The lay- ing on of hands did not make the person thus selected a superior order of Christian. It merely meant that such had a definite responsibility placed upon him within certain limits, and that the congregation ac- quiesced in such arrangement and acted accordingly in full harmony. It still remains true, as written, ‘* All ye are brethren,’’ and, ‘‘Ye are all one in Christ Jesus’’ (Matt, 23:8; Gal. 3:28); and for this reason are all on a common level so far as rank or distinction is concerned. Nor does it appear that the elders or overseers and the deacons were appointed for a lim- ited term of a year or less, but that they were ap- pointed for life or as long as they remained faithful in the performance of duty. Such rule would not apply, however, to such as a company scrvant, who may be appointed annually in the readjustment of the service organization and when the determining factor in the selection of such one is measured by faithfulness, zeal and efficiency. Activity in service to the general ad- vaneement of the kingdom interest is the important matter. 78Jn the apostolic days the congregations in dif- ferent parts of the land were not independent units without central supervision. They were regulated from the central body, which Christ Jesus established in the faithful apostles; which is shown by the record at Acts 15: 2-30. Nor was the appointment of officers the responsibility of each separate congregation with- out the confirmation and regulation by the central cuthority, that is to say, the apostles or their imme- diate representatives. By virtue of the authority con- ferred upon him by the holy spirit Paul decided (‘‘ordained’’) vital matters for the congregation, but only as the Lord had provided: ‘‘If not, as the Lord has apportioned to each one, even as God has called
