The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 198

—

XXXII. Apostles

To-Day? "

Am

I

not an apostle

?

am

I

not free

?

have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord ? are ye not my work in the Lord?" I Cor. ix. i.

—

We may not take the circle of

reopen

it

And Rome's

its

leave of the apostolate without a last look at

members.

It is

a closed circle

tends to efface a characteristic of the

yet the effort

is

being

made again and

;

and every

New

effort to

Covenant.

We see it in

again.

apostolic succession; in the Ethical view gradually effacing

the boundary-line between the apostles and believers; and in boldest and most concrete form among the Irvingites.*

The

latter assert not only that the

Lord gave

college of apostles in the beginning, but that

He

to

its

His Church a

has

now

called

a body of apostles in His Church to prepare His people for the coming. However, this position can not be very successfully supported. Neither in the discourses of Christ, nor in the epistles of the apostles, nor in the Apocalypse, do we find the least intimation of such an event. The end of all things is repeatedly spoken of. -The New Testament frequently rehearses the events and signs that

must precede the Lord's return. They are recorded so minutely that some even say that the exact date can be fixed. And yet,

among

all

these prophecies,

a subsequent apostolate. there

is literally

no room

we

fail to

In the for

discover the slightest sign of

panorama

of the things to

come

it.

Nor have the results realized the expectations of these brethren. Their apostolate has been a great disappointment. It has accomplished almost nothing. It has come and gone without leaving a trace.

*

The

We

do not deny that some of these

Irvingites are

Apostolic Church.

known

Trans.

in

men have done wonder-

England and America as the Catholic

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