We believe that a man must be endowed with authority before God will
recognize his acts as a minister of the Gospel.
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you"
(_John xv._, 16).
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy
men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (_II. Peter
i._, 21).
{290} "He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me" (_John
xiii._, 20).
"As thou has sent me into the world" (_John xvii._, 18).
"Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and
whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven"
(_Matt. xviii._, 18).
"And when they had ordained them elders in every church" (_Acts
xiv._, 23).
"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and
how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach
except they be sent? (_Rom. x._, 14, 15).
"And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called
of God, as was Aaron" (_Heb. v._, 4).[A]
[Footnote A: "Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that
he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee:
and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt
speak unto him, and put words into his mouth: and I will be with
thy mouth, and with his mouth: and will teach you what he shall
do." (_Exodus iv._, 14, 15.)]
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed" (_Gal. i._, 8).
These were the principles taught by the Savior and His Apostles, and we
see no reason for their alteration and change to the present accepted
ideas of the Christian world; and but for