Whatever might have been the reasons of it, whether these or others, it is certain, the office was never universally adopted, as a part of the authorized organization of the churches, and that it was soon almost universally rejected. And accordingly for many years it has ceased to hold a place in the arrangements of our ecclesiastical constitution. With these explanations in respect to ruling elders, we are prepared to enter into a more particular consideration of the acknowledged and permanent classes of officers, viz. DEACONS and MINISTERS or PASTORS.

40. Office of Deacons.

The first clear and undoubted account, which we have in the New Testament in respect to the office of deacons, is to be found at the commencement of the sixth

chapter of Acts. "And in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason, that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost, and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenias, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch; whom they set before the Apostles, and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them."

In this account, it is worthy of being remarked, that it was left by the Apostles to the church of Jerusalem to make choice of the persons. And, therefore, we may

well conclude, that the practice of congregationalists, who appoint to this office by a vote of the church, is sanctioned by Apostolic authority.—It would seem also, that in this instance there was the imposition of hands, which is practised in the ordination of ministers, in the setting apart to this office. But, in the Congregational Churches, this ceremony, at the setting apart of deacons, although it is consistent with Congregational principles, has not been generally practised for many years; as we shall again have occasion to notice before leaving this subject.

§ 41. Of the duties of Deacons.

It is not the sense of the churches, nor has it been for many years, that the duties of a deacon are limited, in the language of the Cambridge Platform, (CH. vii. § 4,) "to the care of the temporal good things of the church.” The duties, connected with the office, are various and important; especially since all thoughts of the acknowledgment and re-establishment of the office of Ruling Elders seem to be abandoned.

(1) DEACONS are to be, in various respects, assistants to the pastors. As the pastors or bishops of churches are required "to hold fast the faithful word as they have been taught;" so the deacons, in the precepts respecting them in the first Epistle of Timothy, are directed" to hold the mystery of the faith;" that is, to understand and maintain the peculiar doctrines of the Christian system. And it is further required of them, that they be men of gravity and sincerity; neither given to the indulgence of pleasure, nor greedy of filthy lucre. -The Scriptures, therefore, being so explicit in requiring such qualifications, it seems to be an obvious inference, that duties, not only of a high, but of a religious nature, are to be performed by them; something more.

than merely giving their attention to the church's tem poral concerns; but these duties, whatever they may be, are expected to be subordinate to those of the pastor, and to be rendered by way of assistance to him. Accordingly it is supposed to fall to the deacons, (and the practice of the churches is in accordance with this opinion,) to arrange in connection with the pastors such religious meetings of a more private nature as may be necessary; to take the lead in such meetings in the pastor's absence; to guide and instruct inquirers after the religious life, so far as may be in their power; and, in all other suitable ways, to promote the interests of the Christian cause.

(2) Among other things, resulting from the implied consent and understanding of the church, it is the practice, at church meetings for mere business, for the deacons, in the absence of the pastor, to act as moderator. When there is more than one present, (there ordinarily being two and sometimes more to each church,) the discharge of this duty seems naturally to come upon the elder, unless it be otherwise arranged between them.

(3) It is the business of the deacons to take charge of the sacramental vessels and of other property, subject to the direction of the church as a body; also to prepare the elements for the communion, and to distribute them to those, who partake. They are likewise to inquire into the number and circumstances of the indigent members of their respective churches, and to distribute to them that provision, which it is incumbent on the churches to make for such persons,-And it may not be irrelevant to remark, that the duties, incident to the deacon's office, are not intended by the Congregational churches to be merely nominal; they are highly important; and there is abundant reason for saying, the prosperity of the cause of religion depends greatly on the due performance of them.

42. Further remarks on the duties of Deacons. Although Deacons, in the absence of the Pastor, may take the lead in religious meetings, and may read the Scriptures, and make practical remarks, the order and well-being of the churches require, that they be careful not to entrench upon what are appropriately pastoral duties; and, therefore, they are not considered at liberty to select a text and preach from it what has to the audience the appearance of a Sermon, and is designed to be such; nor is it proper for them to dismiss the assembly with a formal benediction, such as is customarily heard, at the breaking up of religious assemblies, from the lips of the minister.

The reasons of these directions, saying nothing of the plain Scripture distinction between the duties of pastors and deacons, are obvious. There are certain distinctive, we might almost say, sacred associations with the character of a pastor, which are important to be sustained, and which would be broken up, by authorising such a course on the part of the deacons; beside the additional evils of disorder and various jealousies. These evils are not merely imaginary, but have developed themselves at various times. Look, for example, at the first Congregational church in New England, that of Plymouth in Massachusetts; the immediate and worthy offspring of Mr. Robinson's church in Leyden. This church had no pastor for a number of years; the Ruling Elder, Mr. Brewster, was a diffident man, although possessed of excellent sense and learning; the brethren of the church often spoke in its meetings, as was natural, and under certain limitations would have been highly beneficial. But a spirit of pride and self-sufficiency was fostered, which seems to have spread itself into other churches in the Plymouth Colony, and the results were unhappy.-"The preachments of those, whom they called gifted brethren,

(says Cotton Mather, MAGNALIA, Bk. I. ch. iii. § 7,) produced those discouragements unto their ministers, that almost all the ministers left the Colony, apprehending themselves driven away by the insupportable neglect and contempt, with which the people on this occasion treated them. And this dark hour of eclipse upon the light of the Gospel in the churches of the Colony continued until their humiliation and reformation before the great Shepherd of the sheep, who hath since blessed them with a succession of as worthy ministers as most in the land."

Under the GIfted brethren, here mentioned, we may suppose deacons to be included; and if not, the statement which is made, clearly illustrates the inexpediency of that state of things, which is designed to be opposed. And we may plead not only the lessons of history, but the authority of the founders of our Churches. Mr. Robinson in his APOLOGY* allows, that not only deacons, but lay-members, strictly so called, may prophesy, (as the phrase then was;) that is, may explain the Scriptures, and exhort; but he contends, that this practice ought to be, in some measure, subjected to the permission and control of ministers. Such, at least, is the obvious spirit of his remarks.

§ 43. Induction of Deacons into Office.

Deacons are appointed by the particular churches, in which they are expected to exercise their office; it having ever been an admitted principle, that the election of all their officers rests with the churches alone. They are inducted into their office, or rather enter upon its duties with but little ceremony. The practice, however, in this particular, was certainly different in former times from what it is at present. When Philip and Prochorus and others had been chosen deacons by the church of Jeru

* At Chapter viii. as quoted in Dr. Belknap's Am. Biography, Art. Wm, Brewster.-Prince's Annals of N. Eng., vol. ii. p. 70.