The letter continued, “brethren don’t believe in governments or rulers in the church, but Rom.
12:8 and 1 Tim. 5:17 tells of ‘He that ruleth’ and in 1 Cor. 12:28 it tells us that there should be
governments, someone to administer the decrees of the church.” One cannot speak for others, but
insofar as I know, brethren acknowledge those gifts which are manifested among the people of
god today, including the gift of rule. 1 Cor. 12:28 does the decrees of the church” nor does
scripture speak of decrees of the church at all. Acts 16:4 says “they delivered them the decrees
for to keep; that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.”

It is evident from the portion of the letter quoted above, and also in later parts, that the writer
confuses “elders”and gifts”. Rom. 12:8 is treating the subject of gift and 1 Tim. 5:17 speaks of
elders, but these are not the same. Ephesians 4 shows that the ascended Christ “gave gifts unto
men”. Elders were appointed by apostles (“And when they had ordained them elders in every
church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed”
(Acts 14:23), or by those who were designated by the apostles to appoint elders, such as Timothy
or Titus. God set those who were gifted in “the church” 1 Cor. 12:28; elders were ordained “in
every city, as I (that is Paul) had appointed thee:(Titus 1:5).One who was a teacher at Ephesus –
elders had a local charge only.

The letter claims that the Bible Church is more scriptural because it gives the title of elders,
bishops and deacons to certain men as well as the office. Acts 6:3, 15:22, and 1 Cor. 16:3 are
cited to prove the church has authority to choose men or these offices. In none of the texts above
ate deacons or elders mentioned. (bishop, in scripture, is the office held by an elder). In Acts 6
the multitude chose seven men to serve tables, who were perhaps deacons although scripture
does not say so, but they were appointed by the apostles. Nowhere in scripture is the church
given authority to choose or appoint elders. In every case this was done by apostles or those
commissioned by the apostles to act in their stead. Accordingly, if we are subject to the word of
God, we cannot have elders in their precise official form because there is no competent authority
now to appoint them. However, those brethren who have the qualities mentioned in 1 Tim. 3 are
highly esteemed for their works’ sake, and are acknowledged as those who ate over the rest of
their brethren in the Lord.

Beloved brethren, permit me to take this occasion to emphasize aa important principle that
"oversight" was in the local assembly. Oversight of a fellowship is foreign to scripture but there
is ever the danger of such a practice, although perhaps not recognized by many, arising among
us. The following quotation illustrates what I refer to:"In a scene like this, the church, as it seeks
to walk faithfully to that which is committed into its hands by God, becomes increasingly the
object of Satan’s interest, and we cannot hope to avoid being beset by things that constantly test
us.” To this, I believe, we all agree. The quotation continues:“In a multitude of counselors there
is safety” (Prov. 11:14; 26:6). Only by thus counseling together are we able to meet the problems
that inevitably arise. Because of geographic distance, we cannot, it is apparent, come together
always to discuss such problems; letter-writing thus becomes a poor substitute for face to face
counsel, but is our only recourse.”The “letter-writing” referred to were letters written among
certain leading brothers concerning problems that arose in various assemblies and it is stated:

“Only by thus counseling together are we able to meet the problems that inevitably arise.”This, in
principle, establishes an oversight of the fellowship. While I own the fullest liberty for those in
the local assembly to seek counsel from any brother or brethren concerning problems that arise,
where in scripture is it taught that the inevitable problems that arise among the people of God are
to be solved by leading brethren from various local assemblies? Scripture shows that problems
which arose were settled locally whether they were matters that were predominantly local in
nature, such as 1 Cor. 5, or those in immediate connection with the whole church of God, such as
Acts 15.The seed of the suggestion advocated in the quotation (I am sure without intention), can
be seen in full flower in the Church of Rome. Principles governing the church of God are not
found in Proverbs but in the Epistles of Paul; particularly 1 Corinthians.

The following quotations are from Bro. Ridout’s book, "The Church”. "There has therefore
arisen, in a gradual way, the practice of a kind of oversight by leading and gifted non-resident
brethren, who in this way seek to guide, and in some measure review the actions of the local
assemblies." "It is practically a form of Presbyterian oversight, in which little or no room is left
for the individual conscience, save of the leaders. With the best motives, this fails to exercise the
whole assembly, and leads saints to look for some decision from without rather than to the Lord
alone. The effect will eventually be seen in a in a general legislation, rather than the simplicity of
each assembly acting in the fear of God and in the unity of the spirit. Room is given for private
influence rather than public exercise, and leaders have an undue prominence, which savors of
clerisy.” (To be continued, D.V.)

FRAGMENT. No doubt God’s Spirit is really and largely working; but His end and man’s
thought are diverse, in that, while He is converting souls to “deliver them out of this present evil
world,:man’s thought is an improved world, a Christian world:the effect of which is, to
amalgamate Christians and the world, and spoil the scriptural character of Christianity altogether.