Civic Government In Biblical Times

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 142, 12 March 1938, Page 1 (Supplement)

Civic Government In Biblical Times

11 IVIL government goes back in official record for a very long . f ’ time,” says a writer in the “Municipal Journal” (England). ■ “Divine authority for it is found in the early books of the Old Testament, about the year 1500 B.C. The expediency of civil government, together with statements as to qualifications and duties of the civic rulers and the duties of the subjects, are set out, and penalties and punishments, too, are indicated. “Definite reference to the payment of toll or tribute money is found in regard to the year 32 (St. Matthew, chapters 17 and 22). Taxgatherers are mentioned, too, in Scripture, but the earliest specific reference to two of the principal officers of local authorities of to-day—the town clerk and the borough treasurer —date back to the years 59 an'd 60 respectively. “In his Epistle to the Romans (Romans 16, 23) St. Paul referred to the city treasurer. He said: ‘Erastus, the treasurer of the city, saluteth you.’ In the Authorised Version (as distinct from the Revised Version) the word ‘chamberlain’ is used in place of treasurer. Both these designations are current to-day. Actually, the city treasurer, under his name, but not title, is referred to a year earlier (in Acts 19, 22). “Obviously the office of chief financial officer was a dignified and peaceful one. More is said about the town clerk, though he is only mentioned once. His office seemed to combine the duties of chief constable with those of legal adviser and conciliator. He had to deal with unruly crowds.

“The town clerk is mentioned in the book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 19, verse 35, while Erastus, the city treasurer,. is named in verse 22 of the same chapter. The town clerk was concerned in quieting and dispersing the rioting Ephesian silversmiths, who were perturbed that their business in making silver shrines of Diana, the goddess, was brought into disrepute by St. Paul.

“Quite clearly, then, the offices of town clerk and city (or borough) treasurer were positions of importance. It would seem that they were relatively similar to the present-day appointments bearing identical titles, whilst those who gathered the tolls, taxes or tributes also seem to have been comparable with their twentieth-century successors—rate, etc., collectors and

counter cashiers; “Possibly both the national and the local imposts (if there were separate ones) were collected together in bygone days. Incidentally, much could be said in support of a joint collection of local rates and Schedule A income tax now, but that is not a theme for the present. It is interesting to note that two of the principal officers of local authorities of the twentieth centurj' are as they w'ere so far back as the first century. In some respects, at least, the people of 2000 years ago were as far-seeing as those of the present time. “Civic government, as already indicated, existed 3500 years ago. It is of interest to read, for instance, that the qualifications of the rulers, as set out in the Book of Exodus, were almost identical with those prescribed in the Local Government Act, 1933. Plus ca change plus e’est la meme chose. The Book of Exodus show's the qualification to have been: ‘Able men, men of truth.’ “In Deuteronomy the qualification was set out as: ‘Wise men an'd understanding.’ In the Local Government Act, 1933, Section 106 (1), it is prescribed that ‘the council of every borough shall appoint fit persons to be town clerk, treasurer . . .’ The act of 1933 requires the appointment of a town clerk and a borough treasurer, and insists that they shall be separate, independent persons. “This provision applies to all boroughs, urban district councils and rural district councils, and the offices are considered to be so indispensable that vacancies must be filled w’ithin twenty-one days after the vacancies arise. “One wonders how much the civic officers of A.D. 60 were paid for their services. But, to take a case nearer our own times, authoritative records relating to the City of London reveal that in the year 1335 the salary of the City Chamberlain was. £lO per annum, and that of the town clerk was half that figure. • > “The volume of work has, of course, vastly changed. In July, 1335, the City Chamberlain of London presented his accounts show’ing receipts of £326/9/-. That gentleman received, therefore, as remuneration, about one thirty-second of the total income of the Corporation. If present-day officers were rewarded so generously in proportion they would pocket very princely sums each year,”