00 Contents and Preface
The Apostolic Church Which Is It? An Enquiry At The Oracles Of God As To Whether Any Existing Form Of Church Government Is Of Divine Right By
Thomas Witherow Professor Of Church History, Londonderry
"If a Divine plan of Church Government be extremely necessary by what authority does any man reject the Apostolical?"
- Dr. Carson
Contents The Apostolic Church Statement of the Question Meaning of the Word Church Government of the Church Apostolic Principles The First Principle The Second Principle The Third Principle The Fourth Principle The Fifth Principle The Sixth Principle Application of the Test
Prelacy
Independency
Presbytery The Result Practical Lessons
Preface
PREFACE.
PROFESSOR THOMAS WITHEROW was educated at Belfast College in 1839-43, and later studied under Dr. Chalmers in Edinburgh. He became Pastor at Maghera, Ireland, and Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Magee College, Londonderry, in 1865. He wrote this book in 1856 that readers " May know the scriptural grounds on which ’the Presbyterian form of church government rests." Several editions follower, but it is now almost unobtainable and friends in this country and U.S.A. ask for a reprint. The Publications Committee of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, appreciating its worth and conscious of to-day’s need of a clearer understanding of the scripture order of church government, decided to have it reprinted. This unabridged edition is issued with the expectation that it will prove, under divine blessing, instructive and helpful to many.
Halkirk, Caithness, 1954.
W. GRANT.
Convener.
PREFACE TO THE FIFTH EDITION.
SINCE the third edition of this little Treatise was published in Ireland, an authorized abridgement, which omitted various passages and the whole of Chapter IV., was published in London, and was widely circulated in England. This abridgement was entitled "An Inquiry into the Scriptural Form of Church Government," and was specially adapted for English readers. An edition somewhat curtailed, entitled " Which is the Apostolic Church?" and annotated by the Rev. Dr. R. M. Patterson, was issued some years ago at Philadelphia, by the Presbyterian Board of Publication in the United States. The present edition is unabridged. The local allusions are understood in Ireland, and the sentiments of Chapter IV. are as applicable to our circumstances at present as they were in 1856. Before being stereotyped, the whole work was revised, and received some alterations at the hand of the Author. He ventures to cherish the hope that, in this its permanent form, it may still continue to be of some service to the Truth.
Some ministers have already used it as a text-book in the Bible class and in the higher forms of the Sabbath School, the Author trusts not without profit.
Magee College, Derry, October, 1881.