Status Updates From L'Église apostolique, laque...

3.1&2: Whitherow examines Prelacy and Independency (Congregationalism) against the 6 key Principles found in the Apostolic Church. Prelacy fails to hold any of the six. Independency normally lacks 3: a plurality of elders, ordination by a plurality of elders, and the privilege of appeal to a higher court. The author then proceeds to prove only Presbyterianism conforms fully to the Apostolic Church found in God's word

Acts 15; Courts

1.A dispute about circum. w/ false teachers from Judea; 2.Dispute was not settled in the Church of Antioch where it originated; 3.The matter was referred to an external ecclesiastical assembly consisting of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem; 4.Assembly met publicly to deliberate on the question; 5.They pronounced a decision; 6.the Church of Antioch and those of Syria and Cilicia yielded submission

2.2&2: Witherow now introduces us to two more principles: in the Apostolic Church, the offices of Bishop and Elder were identical, and that in each church there was a plurality of elders. There is no Prelacy hierarchy found in scripture, nor the rule of a solo authority pastor over a church, as seen in many independent denominations.

2.1: Witherow shows from scripture our first Apostolic Principle: Popular Election. In the Apostolic Church, the replacement of an apostle (Acts 1), the elders of a congregation (Acts 14), and deacons (Acts 6) were all officers chosen by the people.

Pt 1: "Most people are content to let their ancestors choose a church [denom] for them, and every Sabbath walk to Divine worship in the footsteps of their great-grandfathers—they know not why, and care not wherefor." Witherow shows treating non-essentials as unimportant is a mistake. Take the small NE parts of a ship: "they contribute their full share to the safety of the vessel and the security of the passengers."