*Being the second chapter of "Evangelistic Work," by A. T. Pierson, D.D.*

When God's tabernacle was to be built, all things were enjoined to be " according to the pattern " showed to the great leader and law-giver of Israel in 'the mount.

In every spiritual crisis and practical perplexity there is one unfailing, infallible guide,-the oracles of God. For our standards of doctrine, here is the form of sound words; for the molding of character, here is the divine matrix (Rom. 6:17, Gr.); here are rules to regulate our relations to the world and to the Christian brotherhood; the principles upon which the Church is founded, and by which its activity is to be inspired and governed :for all things, here is a divine pattern. We shall not turn in vain to the Word of God to seek a satisfactory solution to the evangelistic problem.

The teaching of our Lord throughout makes emphatic the duty and privilege of every saved soul to become a saver of others. This is found, not so much in any direct injunction, as in the general tone and tendency of all His words. The conception of the believer as a herald, a witness, a winner of souls, runs like a golden thread through His discourses, and even His parables and miracles. He does indeed say to a representative disciple, "Go thou and preach the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:60); He does enjoin, "Go out quickly into the streets and lanes, highways and hedges, and compel them to come in;" but the command is one which is incarnated in His whole life, and is suggested or implied in the very idea of discipleship:"Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Last words have a peculiar emphasis. It is a forceful fact that, at or toward the very close of each of the four Gospels, some sayings of our Lord are found recorded which touch at vital points of contact the great question we are now considering (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:45-49; Jno. 20:21, 22). Harmonizing these passages, we shall find the divine pattern for the work of the world's evangelization,-a perfect plan that is the only possible basis for the successful conduct of the work. It includes several particulars :-

1. Jerusalem is to be the starting-point for a world-wide campaign, including all nations and every creature.

2. The method of evangelization is threefold:preaching, teaching, and testifying,-in other words, the simple proclamation of the gospel, confirmed by the personal witness of the believer as to its power, and followed by instruction in all the commands of Christ, or the training of converts for Christian walk and work.

3. Attached to the command is a promise, also threefold:the perpetual presence of the Lord, the working of supernatural signs, and the enduement with the power of the Holy Spirit.

4. It is, however, to be especially noted that neither the commission nor the promise is limited to the apostles. (Cf. Matt. 28:16, 17, with i Cor. 15:6, etc.) Careful comparison of scripture with scripture puts this beyond any reasonable doubt. Christ need not have summoned the eleven apostles, whom He had already met in Jerusalem, to meet Him in Galilee; but it was there that the great body of His disciples were found, and where the bulk of His life had been spent. It is more than probable that it was on this Galilean mountain that " He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once;" and to them all He said, "Go, make disciples."

Here, then, is God's solution to man's problem. Evangelization is to be in a twofold sense universal,-both as to those by whom and as to those to whom the good tidings are to be borne. all are to go, and to go to all. The ascending Lord left as a legacy to believers the duty and privilege of carrying the gospel to every living soul in the shortest and most effective way. To accomplish this, two grand conditions must exist:there must be evangelistic work by the whole Church, and there must be evangelistic power from the Holy Ghost.

Happily, the historic witness both illustrates and confirms the scriptural. Annibale Carracci deftly distinguished the poet, as painting with words, and the painter, as speaking with works. What Christ sketched in language is expressed anew in the "Acts of the Apostles." Pentecost brought to all the assembled disciples the promised enduement; then, while the apostles were yet at Jerusalem, these disciples, scattered abroad, went every where preaching the Word. (Acts 8:1-4; cf. Acts 11:19, 20.) Mark!-"Except the apostles!" The exception is very significant, as showing that this "preaching" is confined to no class, but was done by the common body of believers.

Of course such "preaching the Word" implied no necessity for special training. To many modern minds, the word "preach" always suggests a "clergyman" and a "pulpit." A "sermon" is incased, not only in black velvet, but in superstitious solemnity. There is absolutely no authority for any such notions in the New Testament. There, no line is drawn between "clergy" and "laity," and no such terms or distinctions are known.

The word "preach," which occurs some one hundred and twelve times in our English New Testament, means " to proclaim ;" it is the accepted equivalent for six different Greek verbs. Three of these are from a common root, which means "to bear a message, or bring tidings" (Εύαγγέλλω, χαταγγέλλω, διαγγέλλω) ; and this statement covers about sixty cases. As to the other three Greek words, one is used over fifty times, and means "to publish or proclaim" Κηρύσσειv); and another six times, and means " to say, to speak, or talk about" (Λαλησαι)." The other, which means "to dispute or reason" (Διαλέγoμαι), is the only one of the six which suggests a formal discourse or argument, and this is used only twice.

One word used in connection with the preaching of these early disciples is especially suggestive (Λαλέω. Acts 11:19, 20). It is close of kin to the English words "prattle," "babble,"-meaning, to use the voice without reference to the words spoken; it is one of those terms found in every tongue, which are the echoes of children's first attempts at articulate speech, and it conveys forcibly the notion of unstudied utterance. Those humble disciples talked of Jesus, telling what they knew. That was their "preaching."

There is nothing in the word "preach " which makes it the exclusive prerogative of any order or class to spread the good news. Even Stephen and Philip, who not only preached but baptized (Acts 8:9, 38), were not ordained to preach, but to " serve tables " as deacons. All Jews had a right to speak in the synagogue (Acts 13:15), and believers spoke freely in public assemblies (i Cor. 14:26-40). The proof is positive and ample that all the early disciples felt Christ's last command to be addressed to them, and sought, as they had ability and opportunity, to publish the glad news.
Upon this primitive evangelism God set His seal, confirming it with signs following, and adding to the Church daily. To such preaching we trace the most rapid and far-reaching results ever yet known in history. Within one generation,-with no modern facilities for travel and transportation, and for the translation and publication of the Word; without any of the now multiplied agencies for missionary work,-the gospel message flew from lip to ear, till it actually touched the bounds of the Roman Empire. Within one century, the shock of such evangelism shook paganism to its center; the fanes of false gods began to fall, and the priests of false faiths saw with dismay the idol-shrines forsaken of worshipers.

Subsequent history bears an equally emphatic witness, but it is by way of contrast. No sooner had evangelistic activity declined than evangelical faith was corrupted with heresy, and councils had to be called to fix the canons of orthodoxy; confirmatory signs ceased; and the evangelistic baptism was lost to the Church. Under Constantine, the Church wedded the State,-the chastity of the bride of Christ exchanged for the harlotry of this world. Via crucis-the way of the cross-became via lucis-the way of worldly light, honor, and glory. A huge hierarchy, parent of the papacy, rose on the ruins of the apostolic Church. The period of formation was succeeded by one of deformation, marked by putrefaction and petrifaction, or the loss of godly savor and of godly sensibility. And until the Reformation, dark clouds overhung the Church. Heresy and iniquity; a papal system, virtually pagan; ignorance and superstition as bad as idolatry; a nominal Church of Christ, whose lamps burned low, and whose altar-fires had almost gone out,-such was the awful sequence when habitual work for souls declined.

Too much stress we cannot lay upon this joint testimony of these two witnesses, Scripture and History, by which it is fully established that God has given us a plan for evangelizing the world, and that the plan is entirely feasible and practicable. Our Lord has left us His pattern for speedy and effective work for souls. So far and so long as that pattern was followed, the work was done with wonderful rapidity and success. So far and so long as that pattern is superceded or neglected, every other interest suffers. The promised presence of the Lord is conditioned upon obedience to the command, " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." To neglect souls is treachery to our trust and treason to our Lord. No wonder evangelical soundness is lost, when the Church shuts her ears to the cry of perishing millions, and to the trumpet-call of her divine Captain.

To primitive methods of evangelism the Church of today must return. In whatever calling the disciple is found, let him "therein abide with God." Whatever be the sphere of common duties, let all believers find in it a sacred vocation; let us all take our stand upon the common platform of responsibility for the enlargement and extension of the kingdom of Christ by personal labor.

Let us not invest the term "minister" with a mistaken dignity. It never conveys in the New Testament the notion of superiority and domination, but of subordination and service. "Whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever of you will be the chief-est shall be servant of all" (Mark 10:43, 44). One word rendered "minister" means "an under-rower" (Ύπηρέτης, Acts 26:16),-the common sailor, seated with his oars in hand, acting under control of the "governor," or pilot (Εύθύvωv, Jas. 3:4).

Neander shows conclusively that Christianity makes all believers fellow-helpers to the truth, and that a guild of priests is foreign to its spirit (Neander, 1:179). Teaching was not confined to presbyters or bishops ; all had originally the right of pouring out their hearts before the brethren, and of speaking for their edification in public assemblies (1:186). Hilary, deacon at Rome, says that, in order to the enlargement of the Christian community, it was conceded to all to evangelize, baptize, and explore the Scriptures. Tertullian says that the laity have the right not only to teach, but to administer the sacraments; the Word and sacraments, being communicated to all, may be communicated by all as instruments of grace; while at the same time, in the interests of order and expediency, this priestly right of administering the sacraments is not to be exercised except when circumstances require (1:196).

The chasm between "clergy" and "laity" marks a rent in the body of Christ. The Church began as a pure democracy, but passed into an aristocracy, and finally a hierarchy. The creation of a clerical caste is a matter of historic development. We get a glimpse of it toward the close of the second century. Ignatius would have nothing done without bishop, presbytery, and deacon; and after all these centuries, this high-churchism still survives.

The common priesthood of believers is a fundamental truth of the New Testament. Expediency undoubtedly restricts the exercise of certain rights, but never the right and duty of bearing the good tidings to the unsaved. The partial purpose of these pages is, to show that only by a return to God's original plan can the work be done. After all our human resorts and devices, we are nothing bettered, but rather worse ; is it not time to reach out the hand of faith and touch the hem of His garment? A.T.P.