recognize two senses of Scripture, which may be called (1) the literal Mid hm07'W:ll. and (2) the moral and mystical, For the first we need culture, for the second spfrituai insight and Bympathy. 'l'hon-if we have these fitnesses-to us the Bible seems to be full of ChriBt, because of the truth, he came to declare, and the life he came on earth lo live-the life of believing and obedient sonsbip to God. ~ JI, To THESE MESBIANIO BEFEREN0ES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THE APOSTLES HAD A. QUICKENED VISION. 'l'bey knew well the life-story of the Lord Jesus. They fully believed him to be the Messiah. With this in their minds, the Old Testament seemed t? them to ?e full of hit:n· ~ut. there was some danger of extravagance. They were liable to bring the Mess1absh1p mto passages, rather than to find him in them. The Divine Spirit in them needed to be fully followed, as "leading them into all truth." At the time of Peter's speech the special gift of the Spirit had not come to the apostles, so we have only Peter's opinion, and must take it for what it may be worth. Impres~ our duty to God's sacred Word. The reverence with which it should ever be treated • the anxiety we should cherish lest, to any portion of it, we should give a private and self-willed interpretation; the need for constant openness to the leadings of the Holy Spirit; and the certainty that he will help 118 to find <Jhrist everywhere, the "Alpha. and Omega " of the Book.-.R. •r. Vere. 21-26.-First signs of order in the early <Jhurch. In introducing this subject, notice may be taken of the idea that the apostolic body must number twelve. It was a purely Jewish conception, based on the fact that the tribes composing the nation were twelve. But it was a notion suited to the formality of the age, which made so much of numbers, and washings, and ordinances, and ceremonies. It does not appear that our Lord made any sacredness attach to the number; nor did be, after his resurrection, make any suggestions as to the filling up of the betrayer's office. It may further be shown that the conditions of apostleship laid down by Peter are not other- wise indicated. He seems to have gained the idea by dwelling on the fact that the apostles were to be Christ's witnesses; but our Lord's call to witness was made to disciples as well as to apostles. It would rather seem that the one thing essential to apostleship was direct appointment to office by the Lord Jtsus Christ himself. In this view we can fully understand the claim St. Paul makes to the rights, standing, and authority of an apostle, The Revised Version makes a suggestive change in ver. 23, readiag "they put forward," for "they appointed;" intimating that candidates were first selected by the apostles, and then "put forward" before the entire body of disciples, who made the definite choice. Regarded as the first effort to secure system and order among the Christian disciples, we may find indications of the early recognition of five ~reat practical principles-the five which have been variously powerful in shaping the order of the various Christian communities as one or the other of them has gained prominence. We do little more than state the principles, leaving the questions of their relative values, their adaptations to present religioll8 life, and their influence on the formation of different ecclesiastical organizations. I. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE NEED FOB OFFICES IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. This is universally recognized. The offices are arranged with more or less precise copying ol the early Church models, and with varying sense of the elasticity of the principle. One thing needs to bo carefully impressed, viz. that all offices are/or use-for the order and edification of the Church. II. THE PRINCIPLE OF THE RIGIITS OF TIIE COMMUNITY. All being believers, having the new life and the indwelling Spirit,-all may and should take part in the proposed election. This principle is recognized in all Churches, but is less prominen~ in_ some than in others. Prudence provides limitations of the claims which it might msp1re. III. THE PRIN0IPLE OF 'l'HE EXECUTIVE RIGHTS OF CHIIIST. He is the living and present Head and Ruler of the Church, and must be thought of as actually presiding; not only having given U'S !:iws, but actually presiding over the_ir execu~ion._ All Dfficials in a Church are <Jhrist's ministers a,nd agents, simply carrymg out his w11!. IV. THE PRINCIPLE OF Tm!: RIGHT OF JUDICIOUS SELECTION, A large number of people cannot make wise and united selection of suitable men f~r s.uit~bl_e o_fiices. This is a very practical principle, which _pru<.lcnce would haye estabhs_he~ if tor it the:e _had l;een no early Ohurcb precedent. It ia found useful m all soc1etie11 and assoc1e.t1ou of men. THE AOTS OF THE APOSTLES. [on. n. 1-4.7.
V. THE PRINCIPLE OF ELECTION BY THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, All the Church joined \n the a.et of choosing one of the two selected ones. It may be impressed thl\t these simple and practical principles lie at the very foundation of (?hurch ~rdc~, and that the healthy working of Church systems depends upon the 'Y1se apphcat!ons made of them, relative to the circumstances of national and social surroundings, and the "'genius" of the community BO ordercd.-R. T,