A DEACON'S OFFICE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20039, 22 September 1930, Page 5

A DEACON'S OFFICE.

SERVICE TO CHURCH. ' '"You are being put into a very important office, and one which has its orgin in antiquity/' said the Rev. Jiiuwson Robinson, in addressing the five deacons who were ordained and inducted at tho morning service yesterday at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. "Reference is made in the New Testament to the offices of both the el4er and the deacon, and to the part played in the early life of the Church," continued Mr. Robinson. It bad been necessary then, even as it was now, to appoint rqen to lools after the temporal affairs of the Church, and allow the apostle* free to continue their missionary work. Stephen was the first descsn of the Church, arad with him were six others, their duty was to

distribute charities and to buijd up the Church on a business basis. Paul conferred on his fellow workers, Priscilla and Aquilja, the dignity or deaeonship, and it seemed certain that they accompanied him on his journeys and assisted bjm in his service to Christ. ffe cajled them his fellowworkers in Jesus, and it was as fellowworkers in Jesus the nswly ordained deacons' would carry out their duties. It was in this service that all the saints and martyrs of the Christian Church bad lived. "This service must spring ot * fc °* oar love for Jesus Christ. It is no use accepting such office as a deacon's because of its respectability 1 , the social standing it confers, the self* importance it engenders or from a sense of necessary duty. The desire to serve must be rooted in Jesus Christ, otherwise such an b£|ce will become a burden. ' . •; . "There is too great an inclination among people of the .Chureb to-day to;- belittle their ability for wch ,aerr vice," the speaker said, "Paul'e fellow-

workers added their little to make W opt greater. He would not bare been so great had be been without his helpers. Every email service rendered the Church makes it greater.' "Peal's followers passed on the story of redemption, just ae you anouln make your homes radiating centres ?' Christian lore and service."