If any man desire oversight, he desireth a good work." (i Tim. 3:1:) Such is the simple rendering of a verse which is often used to establish an official ministry. Work and not office is the thought, and most assuredly any who have ever been called of God to such a service have realized that it is no light matter to bear a burden of such responsibility.

But the very fact of the responsibility attaching to such service only emphasizes its importance. And may we not well ask ourselves at the outset whether that oversight to which God attaches so much importance has the same value in our eyes ? Or are we, in the democracy of the age, learning to despise any effort at godly care ? The Lord graciously awaken all His beloved people to the fact that we are our brothers' keepers, and that He has intrusted some of His servants with the gift of oversight!

The porter or gate-keeper answered to the overseer in the New Testament. It was a position of dignity, and in connection with the city government was usually in the hands of older, grave men. The duties of the porter were to open and to close the gates morning and evening, and to see that none entered but those who were clean, and so, ready to come into God's holy presence. It will be seen at a glance that their position was no easy one rightly to fill, and one in which they needed all the grace and guidance of God on the one hand, and on the other the love, prayers, and submission (in the Lord) of their brethren.

There are three main points of interest in connection with the porters and their duties:first, they were Levites; secondly, they were under priestly control and guidance; and thirdly, they were subject to the word of God, not to their own inclinations or prejudices.

The Levites were given to Aaron the high priest and his sons to minister about the holy things, to prepare and assist in their priestly functions (Numb. 3:5-13). Work characterized them, as worship did the priests. They fittingly represent that service to which all in the Church are called-service of one kind or another. And as out of these Levites some were called to be porters or doorkeepers, so some of God's people were called to the special service of care-takers. Theirs it is to exercise in a spiritual way just the same care as to who is to be received, as of old the porters did as to who could enter the courts of the Lord's house.

If it be asked how we are to know them, and how are they to know they have been called, our answer is, Scripture gives us the qualifications for a man who desires oversight, and we are to recognize him by those qualifications; and the Spirit of God lays the service upon his heart and shows him the work he has to do. Let it not be for a moment thought that we are asking for anything like class ministry- we are simply claiming for the blessed Spirit of God the right to use in the Church those whom He has qualified and called for this special service. It is a gift-a gift to Christ for the service of His beloved people.

But secondly, these Levite porters were to be under the direction of the priest. This means, of course, first of all, that the Lord's servants are to be ever subject to Himself. He is the only Lord and Master, and all are His servants. Higher honor there cannot be. Unless they are subject to Christ, they will not do His bidding, nor will they carry out His will. But this means they must be in communion with Christ; their own souls must be in a right state. If this is not the case, if the Levites are not subject to the Priest, there will be failure in either or both of two directions:they will be too easy, indifferent to the Lord's honor, and allow to enter those whom He would exclude ; or, on the other hand, refuse those whom He would make welcome. Well may we pause and ask, who but one in communion with the Lord is competent for such work ? Just here we would not be misunderstood as saying that the doorkeepers decide as to who shall be received; that rests finally with all the saints; but the care and work are with those whom the Lord calls.

We cannot emphasize too strongly this priestly side of the matter of reception and exclusion. An anointed eye is needed to detect leprosy, or its absence; and even when there may be no outbreaking sin, there may be good and true reasons why some should be refused. If the soul is in communion with Christ, all this will be plain, when, alas! to the carnal mind there is nothing by which to judge. Eli is a picture of this; carnally indulgent to his sons, he would rebuke a true-hearted pleader at the throne of grace. It is in communion alone that we can see aright; and if communion be lacking, all else is worthless Whenever times of difficulty come upon us, calling for this oversight, let us see to it that we are always consciously in the presence of the Lord. Let the loose or hasty word be checked; let the worldly-minded judge themselves. It is no trifle, beloved brethren, to be engaged in such holy and solemn work.

It is instructive and significant that the priest who had especial care over the porters was Phinehas-he who in the days of Israel's sin at Bethpeor stood forth in all firmness and executed judgment upon the wrong-doers. His very name is significant- "Mouth of brass"-the words of his mouth inflexible. Such is the character of our Lord as high priest. If He has a heart to sympathize with His weak and erring people, His sympathy has nothing of weakness in it. Because He is our high priest, and has made a perfect atonement for us, this insures judgment upon our ways, and the severest chastening when it is needed.

Let it be repeated, it is under subjection to our Priest and Lord in this Phinehas character – this inflexible firmness in judging evil-that any can be really porters, care-takers, in the house of God. Significantly does the Scripture add, of Phinehas, "and the Lord was with him." Firmness, then, and sympathy are the controlling thoughts in oversight.

But, in the last place, the porters had a guide. In no case were they left to their own thoughts, feelings, or prejudices, as to whom they would receive. Of Levi, again, it is said, "Who said unto his father and his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children :for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant." (Deut. 33:9.) No question as to family ties, love, or friendship, can enter here. It must be simple firmness for the Lord; and this a firmness that has been already shown within the limits of one's own household-"one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (for if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God ?) Not a novice." (i Tim. 3:4, 5.) "Having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly." (Tit. 1:6.) Here we see that the firmness has been in exercise in a circle where, alas! too often love degenerates into weakness. Here is the school where God's porters learn their lessons-the place where they are proved.

But to return :they have a guide-an infallible one. They might err in their opinion of a person, and in their feelings toward him; but if they go according to the word of God, they cannot go amiss. For instance, in the case of one suspected of leprosy, the directions for its detection were laid down so simply that there need be no mistake; and if the matter was not clear, the person was set aside until his true condition was manifest.

Beloved brethren! suffer a word of exhortation. Ye who have the care of the Lord's lambs and sheep laid upon you-as you think of the immense responsibilities intrusted to you, and of the qualifications for that care, do you not feel like saying, "Who am I " ? Is there any thought of self-satisfaction, or self-sufficiency ? Nay, do you not feel rather like falling upon your faces, owning your own personal failure, and entreating the Lord's grace and guidance ?

And we, beloved brethren, to whom perhaps the Lord has not intrusted in so direct a way the care of His people-have not we a work to do ? Have we strengthened the hands of those who were seeking, in confessed weakness, and with many shortcomings, to serve Christ and His Church ? Have we, by prayer, and in love, sought to uphold them ? or have we, by our criticisms, our harsh judgments, our hastily-formed opinions, and, above all, our total disregard of their service, and of subjection one to another in the Lord, only weakened the little vestige of godly oversight there was left-only caused the feeble flicker of the lamp of testimony to burn more dimly ?

If such be not the case, we need not shrink from the question; but if in any degree we have failed in these directions, let us all get low before our God humble ourselves under His mighty hand, and He will lift us up.