). And in the first ages of the Church the number of
such overseers or Bishops was very large; every chief city having one
to rule over the Church in that place, and to keep up the unity with
the whole body.

We come now to the second order of Ministers, the Elders. When the
numbers of the faithful increased, it is clear that the Apostles by
themselves would be unable to instruct them in the things commanded by
the Lord (S. Matt. xxviii. 20); and we conclude that Elders were
appointed at once to assist them--probably from amongst the seventy
disciples sent out by our Lord (S. Luke x. 1)--because, when mention
is made of them, S. Luke seems to take for granted that his readers
will know who they are. The first mention of Elders in the Church at
Jerusalem is in connection with the alms sent by the Christians at
Antioch, to relieve their poor brethren in the capital: "They sent it
to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul" (Acts xi. 30). Elders
are mentioned again as taking part with the Apostles in the first
Council at Jerusalem, when "The Apostles and Elders came together to
consider of the matter" (Acts xv. 6). And it is made quite clear that
Elders were regarded as a necessary order of Ministers in the Church
of Christ, by the account given of the return of S. Paul and S.
Barnabas from their first missionary journey: "They returned again to
Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, and when they had ordained them
Elders[24] in every Church, they commended them to the Lord" (Acts
xiv. 21-23). Their office was to take charge of the different
congregations or Churches in the various towns and villages, very much
as is still the duty of the second order of Ministers in the Church.
We may learn this from the words of S. Paul during his last journey to
Jerusalem. Having landed at Miletus, "He sent to Ephesus, and called
the Elders of the Church;" and when they were come he reminded them
what his teaching had been, and then charged them thus: "Take heed
therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the
Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which
He hath purchased with His own blood" (Acts xx. 17-28).

The appointment of the third order of Ministers--the Deacons--was at
first for a special object; to take the management of the distribution
of daily necessaries to the widows and needy (Acts vi. 1-6). But,
from the first, the spiritual gifts bestowed upon them were exercised
in the mo