gy for the purpose of deliberating on the most important
ecclesiastical matters. Christians, in common, are called 'a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people,' and
they are 'to show forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of
darkness into His marvelous light.' 1 Pet. 2, 9. Now, since Christians
in common have such honorable titles, sustain such a high dignity, and
are to manifest the praises of God, it may be concluded that they have
the same rights in church-government as the clergy. St. Paul, in writing
to the Corinthians, said: 'Do ye not know that the saints shall judge
the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to
judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that ye shall judge angels? how
much more things that pertain to this life?' 1 Cor. 6, 2. 3. Not only
the believing ministers, but also the laity are saints. . . . Now, if
saints shall judge the world, even the angels, why should they not also
be capable and privileged to transact the most important matters
pertaining to the Church? That laymen should exercise equal rights with
clergymen in church-government, is not only Scriptural, but also
conducive to the preservation both of civil and ecclesiastical liberty.
. . . From the history of the Church it appears that whenever the clergy
governed without the laity, they enslaved the people, grasped civil
authority, and persecuted those who detected or opposed their aspiring
views. This not only has been the case under the reign of Popery, but
also some of the clergymen who called themselves Protestants have been
the most bloody persecutors." (B. 1828, 17; R. 1853, 23.) In accordance
with these principles, laymen in the Tennessee Synod were also
represented on, or even exclusively composed, most important committees.
Thus, in 1824, three laymen were elected members of the committee which
was to confer with the North Carolina Synod in an effort to remove the
doctrinal differences separating them. "They appointed farmers," Jacob
Sherer of the North Carolina Synod, in a letter, remarked contemptuously,
"to instruct us, who in public print have slandered us, and treated us
scornfully when it is known to them that the priests' lips are to
preserve the doctrine." David Henkel, then secretary of the Tennessee
Synod, however, in a "Note," recorded in the Report of 1825, justified
the action of Tennessee. Here he wrote: "I conceive it to be my duty to
observe that