Prelacy. The organization of the Christian Church was in the beginning eminently simple, free, and popu- lar. The governmenl of the Church was at first a pure democracy, allowing to all its constituents the mosl en- larged freedom of voluntary religious association. Prel- acy takes its name and character from the assumed pre- rogatives of the bishop as a distinct order or rank -pra- lati, preferred, promoted over others. It began in the 2d century with the distinction between presbyter and bishop, which were originally identical, merely different names for the same office. In the New Test the appel- lations as titles of bishops and presbyters are the same. They are required to possess the same qualifications and to perform the same official duties: neither was there in the apostolical churches any ordinary and permanent class of officers superior to the presbyters.
I. /// th Early Church. -Various circumstances con- spired to give certain of the clergy influence and dis- tinction over others. The pastors of churches founded by the apostles took precedence of presbyters of later and subordinate churches. The churches of Jerusalem, Antiocb, Ephesus, Corinth, etc., became central points of influence which gave importance to their incumbents. They were the principal agents in appointing new sta- tions for the extension of the Christian Church and in the organization of new churches dependent on the par- ent institution. With the increase of these chapels a parochial system of churches arose, more or less relying on the central < Ihurch for support and spiritual instruc- tors— all of which gave to the prelate of the metropolis importance and pre-eminence over his subordinate pres- byters.
In their persecutions the feebler churches relied for relief" and protection on the parent Church. In their ecclesiastical assemblies the bishop of the metropolitan Church was of course the leading spirit, the moderator
of the assembly, giving direction to their deliberations and the results of the council. He was still only primus inter pares, foremost among his equals in rank in the ministry. Prelacy had not yet taken form and char- acter by asserting the rights and prerogatives of the bishop, bul the concessions -ranted began in time to be claimed as an official right. Baptism was one of the rights of the bishop in the 2d century (" Dandi baptis- mum quidem habel summus sacerdos qui esl episcopus," Tertullian, De Cap.§ 7). The imposition of hands bj the bishop in baptism and ordination soon billowed as a prescriptive right of the bishop. This right was soon accorded to the presbyters and deacons by the authority of the bishop non tamen sin< episcopi auctoritate. In the unity oi the Church and its officers Cj prian sought safety and defence both from the schismatic efforts of Felicissimus and Novatian and the persecution of De- em-, \.|>. 251. "No safety bul in the Church" extra nulla talus. As is the branch to the tree, the stream to the fountain, .and the members to the body, so is the constituency to the Church. Moreover, the bishop is the embodiment of the Church, and there can I..- no Church without a bishop (Cyprian, Dt Unit. Eccles.ep. 1,5). The bishop is appointed of God and invested with inviolable authority to rule over the Church. Such are the divine rights which were as- sumed by Cyprian as prelate of the Church, invested
With divine .authority and power over the Church of Christ. The bishop now claimed affinity with the .lew - Ch priesthood, a daysman of the laity, the medium of
grace from God to man. and the recipient of spiritual illumination and divine guidance. Thesynodical letter of the Council of Carthage contains similar pretensions ("Placuil nobis. Sancto Spirito suggerente, et Domi- no per vi-iones miiltas et manifestas admonente"). A sacerdotal caste was formed by Cyprian about A.D. 25©< who claimed the prerogative of a distinct order of the priesthood, separate fr and superior to the presby- ter-. Proelati, bishops, diocesan bishops were the titles designating the assumed prerogatives.
Provincial By Is began now to be held, in which the
presbyters were for a time admitted, but the predom- inant influence of the bishops directed the deliberations and enacted the laws of the synod. Thus they became the law-makers of the Church by the exercise of their prelatical authority under the guidance of the Divine Spirit — Spiritu Divino suggt n ntt . < Iradually they con- stituted themselves at once the enactors and the ex- ecutors of the ordinances of the Church.
The rule of the priesth 1 was made more Btringent
over private members of the Church. In their travels they were required to have letters of recommendation — Hi, rn formates, dericce, canonica -from the bishop of the diocese. A long course of catechetical instruction and probation was required for admission to the Church. Rigorous anft relentless was the discipline of offending constituents. Subordinate orders of the clergy were created — suhdeacons, acolytes, readers, exorcists, door- keepers, etc.- all having the effect to exalt the rank of the prelate as prominent above all. Hut the prelatical aspirations of bishops were restricted by the controlling influence which the laity still retained over the elec- tions of the Church. This was gradually restricted by a crafty policy of having the candidates nominated by the subordinate clergy and their election confirmed by the bishop.
But a master stroke of policy was requisite to obtain control of the revenues of the Church. It was accom- plished by successive expedients through a period of considerable time. The apostolic injunction was care- fully urged on the Church to lay aside for charitable purposes "on the lirst day of the week or of the month a store as Cod had prospered them" (1 Cor. xvi, 2). At their love-feasts and sacramental seasons contributions were reipiired as voluntary offerings— indeed, as late as Tertullian ("Nam nemo compellitur, sed sponte confert,"