Election of Clergy. How far the people had a right in the election of ministers in the early Church is a question that has been much disjuited.
1. The account in Acts i, 15 of the choice of an apos- tle in place of Judas is cited as proof that even the apostles would not elect without the voice of the Church at Jerusalem. So in the choice of the deacons (.Vets vi), the people "chose Stephen and set him be- fore the apostles." On the other hand, the apostles themselves appointed elders, and St. Paul empowered Titus and Timothy to do tlie same (Acts xiv, 23; 2 Tim. ii, 1 ; Tit. i, 5) ; tliougli some interpret the word XHoo-ovn)', in these passages, a's implying ordination only «^ and not excluding a previous election by the
people. Compare also Acts xv, 1 ; 1 Cor. v.2 ; 2 Cor. viii, 19.
2. Clemens Komanus (f 100) {Epist. <id Corinth, i, § 44) asserts that the apostles appointed bishops and deacons with tlie concurrence of the whole Church. It is clear, from Clement's statement, that in his time the Church had a share in the appointment of its min- isters. Cyprian (f 258) testifies to the share of the people in the election of bishops and elders, calling it matter of divine authority that "sacerdos plebe pre- sente sub omnium oculis deligatur, et dignus atque ido- neus publico judicio ac testimonio comprobetur" {Epist. 68). Bingham cites Lampridius {Vit. Alex. Seven, c. 45) as stating that the emperor (A. D. 222-235) gave the people a negative vote in the appointment of proc- urator, on the express ground that " what the Chris- tians did in the election of their priests and ministers, should certainly be allowed the people in the appoint- ment of governors of provinces."
3. Even after the establishment of the hierarchy, it seems to have been usual for the clergy or presbytary, or the sitting bishop or presbyter, to nominate a per- son to fill the vacant office, and then for the suffrages of the people — not merely testimonial, but really elec- tive suffrages — to be taken. Bingham sums up the facts {Oriff. Eccles. bk. iv, chap, ii) in substance as fol- lows : 1. No bishop could be obtruded upon an ortho- dox people against their consent (in case a majority were heretics or schismatics, the case was otherwise provided for) : when they agreed upon a deserving l)ishop, they were usually gratified in their choice. The emperor Valentinian 111 held it to be a crime in Hilary of Aries that "he ordained bishops against the consent and will of the people." 2. In many cases the voices of the people prevailed against the nominations of the bishops. 3. The modes of voting illustrate the power of the people in the elections ; if they were unanimous for or against a man, they cried out " wor- thy" or "unworthy"' {dEioc,di'at,w(:; dignus, indignus'). If they were divided, they expressed their dissent in accusations, or even in tumults. There are instances in which persons were brought In' force to the bishop to be ordained, or were elected to the office by accla- mation. It was decided by the fourth Council of Car- thage, that as the bishop might not elect clerks with- out the advice of his clergy, so likewise he should se- cure the consent, co-operation, and testimony of the people. The popular elections, however, became scenes of great disorder and abuse. A remarkable passage from Chrj'sostom {De Sacerd.') has been frequently quoted, and applies more or less to such elections, not only in Constantinople, but also in Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and other large cities. He says: "Go and witness the proceedings at our public festivals, in which, more especially, according to established rule, the election of ecclesiastical officers take place. You will find there complaints raised against the minister as numerous and as various in their character as the multitude of those who are the sulyect of Church gov- ernment. For all those in whom the right of election is vested split into factions. It is evident that there is no good understanding, either among themselves, or with the appointed president, or with the presln'tery. One supports one man, and one another; and the rea- son of this is, that they all neglect to look at that jioint which they ought to consider, namelj', the intellectual and moral qualifications of the person to be elected. There are other points liy which their choice is deter- mined. One, for instance, says, ' It is necessary to elect a person who is of a good family.' Another would choose a wealthy person, because he would not require to be supported out of the revenues of the Church. A third votes for a person who has come over from some opposite party. A fourth uses his in- fluence in favor of a relative or friend; while another lends his influence to one who has won upon him by fair speeches and plausible pretensions." In order to
ELECTION OF GRACE
125
ELECTION OF GRACE
eet aside these abuses, some bishops claimed an exclu- sive right of appointing to spiritual offices. In this way they gave offence to the people. In the Latin nnd African churches an attempt was made to secure greater simplicity in elections by introducing inter- ventors or "visitors." This did not, however, long continue. Another plan was to vest the election in members of the lay aristocracy. But the determining who these should be was left to caprice or accident ; and the result was, that the right of election was taken out of the hands of the people, and vested partly in the hands of the ruling powers, and partly with tlie clergy, who exercised their right, either bj- the bish- ops, their suffragans and vicars, or b}' collegiate meet- ings, and this very often without paying any regard to the Church or diocese immediately concerned. Some- times the extraordinarj' mode of a bishop's designating his successor was adopted ; or some one xuiconnected with the diocese, to whom a doubtful case had been re- ferred for decision, was allowed to nominate. But in these cases the consent of the people was presupposed. Patronage has prevailed since the fifth century ; but the complete development of this system was a work of the 8tli and 9th centuries. — Bingham, Ori'/lnes Ec- clesiasticce^ bk. iv, chap, ii ; Farrar, Ecclesiastical Diet. B. v.; Riddle, Christian Antiquities, bk. iii, chap, xv; Coleman, Christicin Antiquities, chap. v. Sec Patron- age.