The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 214

to some extent, anrl fH into the order if he is to enjoy the benefits of the communion. As against the ambitious and aggressive man, and as against the man who overpresses his individuality, the Church, as a whole, calls for order. And in view of the practical difficulties that arise when numbers meet, or worship, or dwell together, orderly-arran~c- mcnt, and even a central and acknowledged authority, are demanded. It may he shown that order need never unduly repress life, and that exactly the order which men ask for, in Church and in state, is that which will efficiently repress all forms of evil, but leave the freest possible room and scope for the due and useful expression of individual character and individual gifts. II. THE ?ALL FOR ORDER AB MADE BY_ TlJE <:JHURCH ~EADERS. The difficulty that arose was viewed by the apostles from quite a different side. They felt the increasin"' pressure of the claims which the enlarging Church made upon their interest, their car~: and their toil. And they further felt that the work demanded was both beyon,i their power to compass, and unsuited to their apostolic mission; nay, to concern themselves with formal things of money and provisions and daily meals was to imperil that very spiritual life and culture on which the due fulfilment of their true mission dependerl. So they called for order in the arrangement of the work demanded, and such order woulcl at once meet their need, giving them due relief, and meet the people's need, assuring that each class received due attention. It is interesting to note that the apostles con- sulted the Church in their scheme for the removal of the difficulty, and it has been found wise, both in the Church and in the state, to adopt methods by which the people can be made to share in the responsibility of keeping order, and the dignity and impulse of a conscious self-government ca:n be assured. impress that both theoretically and practically the Church still needs order and government. But these must be secured on two condition,;. 1. That order shall never crush, only guide, the expressions of life. 2. That order shall secure efficiency, comfort, and peace for all who come within its rules. The Church has in each age known peril in two directions. (1) Resistance to all organization in the supposed interests of the individual life. (2) Over-organization giving no room for the natural and healthy expressions of life.-R. T. Ver. 3.-17ie truefitnessfor Church offices. Much interest properly attaches to the first instance of election to Church office, and according to educational or ecclesiastical bias prominence is given to one or other of the leading features narrated. It may be going too far to assert that here is given an absolute model of all Church elections. 'fhe details of Church management may well be left to the guidance of Christian wisdom and prudence, and need not be made matters of faith. The apostles acted upon their best judgment in the difficult circumstances that arose, but in later times we ftnd that their experience led them to adopt other modes in filling Church offices. ln this case the multitude exercise the right of selection, and the apostles retain the right of ratifying the choice. 'l'he democraUcal element prevailed, but from the first it was put under wise limitations and restraints. " So long as the Christian spirit continued to display itself vigorously in the Church, the public voice might well be consulted ; but when this spirit afterwards disappeared, it woulu have been ruinous to the Church if the plurality of voices had been allowed to decide. A glance at the rudeness of the masses in the Middle Ages may convince us of the necessity of their being guided by those above them" (Olsha.usen). We turn from the controversial aspect of the subject to observe what the apostles regarded a.s constituting true fitness for any piace of service in Christ's Church. Here we may find principles tha.t will be of permanent application and interest. I. PERSONAL OBABACTEB. The Ilj.en selected must be of "honest report; n " good report;'' "good repute ; " held in general esteem; attested; well reported of. '!'heir private character must be such as to win confidence and respect. Their integrity must be unquestioned, The importance of personal character may be urged in view of the trusts that would be committed to them-trusts of mO'Tley, trusts of impartial dealing, trusts of just decisions in cases of difficulty, eto. Christian officials must be beyond suspicion of interested motives, unfaithfulness, or time-serving. Guarantee of fair and honourable dealing is found in established and acknowledged integrity. This is still the first requirement for all who would serve Christ in the lesser and material, as well A~L P  210 'l'HE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [OR, Vi, 1-15,