hepherd
of the sheep" (Heb. 13:17, 20). The ministers were under-shepherds
appointed to feed the flock of God, for which service they had to give
account to the great Shepherd.

The foregoing scriptures and many others show conclusively that, while
in the apostolic church spiritual oversight was, in general, vested in
the ministry, it did not originate with them; that it did not proceed
from the general body of believers by a majority vote or by conference
appointment; but that it came by the Holy Spirit direct from the great
head of the church, who alone determined the general bounds of that
authority and responsibility. This ministry, or presbytery, consisted
of two classes--local ministers and general ministers. Before
proceeding from this general classification to a discussion of the
more specific duties and responsibilities of the individual ministers
comprising this presbytery, I shall call attention briefly to the
geographical distribution of their work as a body.

[Sidenote: Local and general phase]

We have already shown that the church in its visible phase was made up
of various local congregations "set in order" by apostolic authority.
So far as their own local affairs were concerned, these congregations
were autonomous. When a matter was purely local, such as the financial
oversight and ministration in the church at Jerusalem, the local
congregation itself determined the course of action and (excepting
that class of officials who were divinely chosen) who should be
appointed to oversee it. In the Jerusalem example cited, the apostles
suggested, "_Look ye out among you_ seven men," etc., "and the saying
pleased the whole multitude: _and they chose_" the proper persons for
that work (Acts 6:1-5).

But while these congregations possessed such autonomy and were
distributed over a wide territory, they were not in all respects
independent, isolated units. As members of Christ sharing in a common
life and engaged in a common cause, they were bound together in one
brotherhood by ties of fellowship and love. In addition to the union
of separate individuals in one locality under the care of the local
presbytery, the local congregations themselves were brought into
close, sympathetic relationship with one another through the labors
and influence of those general ministers who were not attached to
particular churches, but whose gifts, callings, and qualifications
fitted them for general service throughout the vario