Church History – The First Century Part 4

Please note that the following is taken from a book published in 1840 which was written from a Presbyterian perspective. Therefore some of this might be outdated but nevertheless I hope this is of some benefit to Christians.

Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).

4. Form and order of the primitive churches

The organization of the church by the apostles, and during the first century, was most simple; and seems to have been modelled after the form of the Jewish Synagogue. The officers were,

1. Elders or Bishops, who laboured in word and doctrine. These were their public teachers —the pastors of churches, who led in their worshipping assemblies, and publicly instructed the people. Of these there were frequently several in the same church, especially the large churches collected in the principal cities. They seem to have stood upon a perfect parity or equality of office; except that, for the sake of order, one was chosen president or moderator. This president was sometimes called the angel of the church, as a similar officer in the Jewish Synagogue was called angel or messenger. To this angel of each of the seven Asiatic churches, are the several epistles in the Revelation addressed. These bishops or pastors of churches were chosen by the people, on account of their wisdom, piety, and aptness to teach; and were regularly set apart to their office by the “laying on of the hands of the Presbytery.” We may suppose that they were generally supported by the people among whom they laboured; according to the particular direction of Christ and his apostles on this head.

2. Elders who ruled—who assisted in the government and discipline of the church; but who did not engage in the business of public instruction. There was a similar class of officers in the Jewish Synagogues, called Rulers of the Synagogue. These lay elders might be properly regarded as the representatives of the people, and the guardians of their rights. Their business was to inspect the conduct of the members, to keep order in their public assemblies, and to assist the bishops in the proper administration of the ordinances and discipline of the church.

3. Deacons, who were the public servants of the church, managed its secular concerns, and had particular oversight of the funds, and the charities of the church.

The forms of worship in the first century, were plain and simple. Their public assemblies were held on the first day of the week, commonly in private houses, or in some building appropriated to that purpose. There is no account of churches built and consecrated to the worship of God, sooner than about the beginning of the third century. These meetings, in time of persecution, were often after night, or before day in the morning. Here prayers were offered, the Scriptures read, short addresses made to the people by their public teachers, the Lord's Supper was celebrated, accompanied with the singing of hymns; and the whole was closed with free will offerings of money or provisions to their common stock, and the feast of charity. This feast of charity seems to have been intended for the benefit of the poor. They who were wealthy, and could afford it, brought something with them, on which they made a common meal; the poor, and strangers, who could bring nothing, being allowed a full share. Converts seem at first, to have been admitted to the communion of the church upon a simple profession of their faith.

(To be continued)