Amen. I would invite you to take your hymn book and turn to the back, to the Psalter section, to Psalm 46. Psalm 46, we'll stand together and sing all the stanzas. you Yeah. Let's remain standing for prayer. And at this time, Dr. Frank McClellan, Mr. Emeritus of Toronto Free Presbyterian Church, will come and lead us in prayer. Let's all bow together in prayer. Our loving Heavenly Father, we come before Thee tonight, and we thank Thee, O God, for Thy greatness and for Thy goodness. O God, Thou art the one who made all things by the word of Thy power, and Thou dost sustain them. And Lord, we thank Thee that not only art Thou great, but Thou art also the one who is concerned about the lowly. And tonight, Lord, we thank Thee for this occasion that finds us together. We pray, O God, that Thou would give us a real sense of the presence and the power of the Lord. And Father, we pray that Thy hand would be upon us for good. We thank Thee, Lord, for the history of this congregation. We thank Thee, Lord, for the way Thou has led us, step by step until this day. And now, tonight, we come to another step in the history of the congregation. And we pray, our Father, that Thou would bless the two elders elect, be with Alex and with Jonathan. We thank Thee for them. We thank Thee for their lives and for their testimonies. And, Father, we pray that Thou would bless them as they undertake this serious office in the Church of Jesus Christ. We ask you, Lord, that thou would endure them with power and with wisdom, that they know how to act and to react in the various situations that any congregation finds itself in. And so we pray that thou would bless them and their families, and may thy hand be upon them for good. We ask the Lord to bless every detail of the service tonight, everyone who will take part. O God, we pray that we might know the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit. We recognise it's not by man's might or by man's power, but it is by my Spirit, saith the Lord. And so, tonight, we pray, draw near and give us a happy and a royal time in the house of God. And Father, we pray that no soul will leave this service tonight untouched by the Master's hand. Be with us now, we pray, and bless us. For Jesus' sake, amen. You may be seated. My name is Jeff Bannister. I am the deputy moderator of the free Presbyterian church of North America. It is my privilege to be the presiding minister over this service this evening and we want to take the opportunity to welcome you to the service tonight. We're glad for each one who has come. We're glad for this happy occasion. This is a, in a sense, an answer to prayer. that the Lord would solidify our churches, bless our churches, and it certainly is a blessing when the Lord raises up two men to answer the call to step forward to serve Christ through his church in the capacity of ruling elder. So we thank the Lord for you all and we welcome you here this evening. We are expecting that this will be a blessed time and that Christ himself will draw near and have the glory in everything that's said and done. At this time, I'd like to call on the Reverend Reggie Cranston from Port Hope Free Presbyterian Church, who will bring you greetings from the North American Presbytery. Well, on behalf of the North American Presbytery, I'd like to re-echo Reverend Bannister's words of welcome It's good to be here, and I would count it personally a privilege to be part of this very special service this evening, the service of ordination and installation. And this being our annual Ministers' Week of Prayer in the springtime of the year, it is good that most of our ministers from our churches in North America have been able to be here this evening for this very special occasion. We are, of course, very mindful of those of our brethren who were not able to make it. Ordination and installation services are always very solemn, I feel, and very special occasions. Whether it involves the ordination and installation of a teaching elder, or a ruling elder. It is, of course, special for the particular church where the elders elect who have been chosen to serve. It's special for this church here in Toronto to be able to add to their present session. It's special for the men themselves. Very special who will, later on, have the hands of the presbytery led upon them. And so to Mr. Jonathan McAnally and to Mr. Alec Newell, on behalf of our presbytery here in North America, I would like to extend to them both our warmest Christian greetings and congratulate you both on being elected and chosen to this very high office of ruling elders and having the spiritual oversight of the congregation here. Speaking on a personal basis, I have known Alec and Jonathan for quite a number of years. As Dr. McClellan has mentioned, we praise the Lord for their lives and their testimonies. They are godly men. And we praise the Lord that they've been chosen to be the elders here in Toronto and to add to the session here. We pray that they will know much of the Lord's help and the Lord's blessing and wisdom as they have the spiritual oversight of the work of the Lord here. So again, on behalf of our churches in North America, I'd like to say to Alec and Jonathan, the Lord bless you, brethren, as you take up this responsibility of spiritual oversight of the church. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. May the Lord bless you, brethren, richly throughout the years to come. Amen. I have been designated with the task this evening to, also on behalf of the session here in Toronto, to express publicly thanks to the Reverend Stephen Pollack, the Reverend Reggie Cranston, and also to Dr. Mark Allison, who unfortunately can't be with us tonight, for their service with the Toronto Session. They were the members of the Augmented Session and helped and assisted the session. I know that the church here and the session in Toronto in particular is most grateful for their services. So we do offer thanks to God and to these men for their service in that way. At this time, I'm going to call upon the Reverend Gordon Dane from Crossgar Free Presbyterian Church, the moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster to come and extend greetings from Northern Ireland. Well, we do bring greetings tonight on behalf of the Ulster Presbytery. It has been a delight this week to be part of the Minister's Week of Prayer here in North America, to renew fellowship with some of the Brethren and to get to know others of the Brethren here. And we have enjoyed the fellowship and our sister Presbytery and we thank God for the work and witness here in North America. We'd like to thank the North American Presbytery for their kindness and for the hospitality both to myself and to the Reverend David Priestley. And could I say I'm delighted for the two men that are to be ordained or installed. Tonight we are glad for God's leading and guiding. This is a historic day in the life of this congregation, and we thank God for the steps forward that are being taken. I remember having our brother Alec testify in our church, I think it was probably in Corregari when it was there, and he was a member of our presbytery for a time before he moved across to Toronto and we do give, extend God's blessing and we want God's blessing upon the men as they seek to labour. The office of an elder, as has been said, is a high office. We think of what Peter said when he was speaking in 1 Peter chapter 5, and he said, the elders which are among you, I exhort who am also an elder. Now, he could have said he was an apostle. He could have said he was one of the chief disciples, but no, the office that he said was an elder. And it is the way that God has led down to have the elders and the deacons of the Church. And the elder is to love. He's to love us, Saviour, and he's to love the congregation, and to love those that he has been given the oversight of, and to feed the flock of God. He is to labour. It's not just something that you're a decoration at the communion table. The office of an elders or brethren, I'll soon find out, is one that brings a lot of labor, and there are many difficulties. But we thank God for that place that we have been given in the economy of God and in his church to be his laborers. And then we are to lead. and we are to have wisdom that we might discharge the office of an elder effectively. And we pray that God will give our brethren wisdom, that he'll knit the hearts of the session together and the minister, and that there might be that going forward in the incoming days. We do rejoice in God's blessing here in the church in Toronto, and we wish you God's richest blessings in the days that lie ahead. We pray that God will increase the flock and to the church such as should be saved, and that we might see a spreading of the work of the gospel in these days across this land, right down into North America, into Mexico, across into Jamaica, and that God will lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stays. May God bless you, may God bless the brethren, and we thank God for you tonight. In just a moment, the Reverend Andrew Simpson from Heritage Free Presbyterian Church will be coming to the platform to read the scripture lesson. But before he does, Mrs. Pam Dunbar will first minister to us in song. Oh. and bow myself before God on high. Shall I come before him with burnt offerings? Shall I come before him with yearning calves? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with 10,000 rivers of oil? Shall I give him my firstborn for my transgressions, my soul. He hath shown you, O man, he hath shown you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly Walk humbly with your God. I would invite you to take your hymn books now and turn with me to hymn number 472. Hymn 472. Well, I'm getting ahead of the game, aren't I? You come ahead, brother. Don't worry, I'm not here to sing to you. I'm here to read the scriptures. Although I did have a moment's panic. As you know, my wife and myself have just moved over from Northern Ireland just before Christmas. We're now pastoring the church and heritage there in Prince George. Back home, when somebody says, scripture lesson, it means that you're going to preach or you're going to give a lesson. And I walked in and I looked at the program and it said Andrew Simpson is giving the scripture lesson. And I panicked. I thought, was I meant to preach? Nobody told me. But thankfully, I was put right and I'm only meant to read the Scriptures, but Colossians chapter one, we'll begin together at the verse number nine, and we'll read down to the end of the chapter, the verse number 29. Colossians chapter one, beginning to read the verse number nine, and let us hear the word of the Lord. For this cause we also, since the day we heard of it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness. giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his own dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, and have he made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I, Paul, am made a minister, who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church. whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you to fulfil the word of God. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. Amen. We trust the Lord will bless the public reading of his own word to our hearts. And now I would invite you to take your hymn books, turn to hymn number 472, Oh for a Closer Walk with God. Let's make this our prayer, I trust it is your desire. And we'll stand together and sing all the stanzas. and hurts my soul. There is the soul refreshment. ♪ In glory evermore ♪ Take me, Lord, and draw me from my rest. The dearest I know I have lost. So shall my love be close with God, Serene and love my friend. So brother and I shall find the road that leads me At this time, the clerk of our presbytery, the Reverend Dave Mook, will come, and he will put the prescribed questions to the elders elect. I would call upon them to come up to the platform now, Mr. McAnally and Mr. Newell. While these men are coming, we come to a great occasion in the history of this church tonight. We also come to a historic occasion for our presbytery. For the first time tonight, we are ordaining a ruling elder who was or we are installing a ruling elder who was ordained in the Ulster Presbytery and served as a ruling elder in Ulster before he moved to Toronto. So he will not be ordained here, having already been ordained by the Ulster Presbytery. But our brother McAnally will be ordained and installed tonight in his office. So that the service tonight is a little bit unusual in that regard. There will be separate installation ceremonies, and trust you'll appreciate the distinction that we're trying to make to respect the ordination of our sister presbytery. We come to this occasion tonight through a number of steps. The session asks the presbytery for moderation, permission to hold a meeting of the congregation for the purpose of electing elders, The congregation met, cast ballots, and elected two men to serve as elders. And that election was ratified by a vote of our presbytery. And then this service was scheduled for this evening. So we come through all of those steps. to this occasion tonight, this special occasion in the lives of these two brethren. The Presbytery has prescribed the questions that each must answer on this occasion, and so I call them to come and stand here with me in the pulpit to respond to these questions. I will ask the questions once and then ask you to respond separately. Do you believe the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the verbally inspired word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice? Mr. McAnally. I do. Mr. Newell. I do. Do you confess the Lord Jehovah as one God in the Trinity of his eternal persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? And do you acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord? Mr. McAnally. I do. Mr. Newell. I do. Do you sincerely receive and believe the confession and constitution of this church as containing the system of doctrine and polity taught in the word of God? Mr. McAnally. I do. Mr. Newell. I do. Are you firmly resolved through divine grace to adhere to the doctrine contained in these substandards and teach and defend it to the utmost of your power against all error? Mr. McAnally? I am. Mr. Newell? I am. The following are distinctive positions of doctrine and practice of the Free Presbyterian Church of North America. A, the Christ-centered exposition of the Reformed faith with a strong commitment to evangelism. B, the centrality and all sufficiency of the person and work of Christ in the preaching of the gospel. C, the doctrine of God's free justification of sinners by grace alone through faith alone in the merits of Christ alone. separation from the apostasy of the ecumenical movement, opposition to false charismatism, and steadfast adherence to the historic, reformed, and Protestant faith. E, the personal separation of believers from worldliness in holiness unto the Lord. F, the necessity of giving ourselves to earnest prayer for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit's power to make our service effective and glorifying to God and for genuine revival in our day. Do you sincerely embrace and will you faithfully maintain these distinctive positions? Mr. McAnally. I do and I will. Mr. Newell. I do and I will. Are you now willing to assume the responsibilities of ruling elder in this church, engaging to walk before this flock with exemplary piety, and to be faithful and diligent in the exercise of all personal and private duties that become you as a Christian and a minister of the gospel, as well as in all the duties that pertain to this office? Mr. McAnally, Mr. Newell. I am. Mr. McAnally and Mr. Newell will each sign the confessional substandards of the Free Presbyterian Church of North America under the following formula. I believe the confessional substandards of this church to be founded on and agreeable to the word of God. And as such, I subscribe them as a confession of my own faith. So brethren, you come first, Mr. Newell. You sign there and then 515. Mr. Moderator, these men have fulfilled all the requirements for installation and or ordination to the Office of Ruling Elder, and I invite you to come and conduct the ceremony. It will be held down below here. The first of the two will be for Mr. McAnally, and so we invite all of our ordained ministers and elders in our presbytery as well as our brethren who are visiting from Ulster to join us as we set these men apart. The congregation, please stand. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the King and only Head of the Church, we, the Presbyterian Church of North Carolina, according to the apology that Christ has bested in this church for its abdication of the government, due hereby for being used. Mr. Jonathan Bagnalli, the ruling elder of the Pre-Presbyterian Church of North America, I do extol you as a ruling elder in Toronto's Pre-Presbyterian Church, also Australia's capital. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. Let us unite in prayer. Our God and our Father, we call thee to witness this ordination service. We thank thee for thy great grace in the life of our brother John. We thank thee for being all God, out of the darkness of sin, into the kingdom of God's dear Son. It might be for the power of the love of Jesus to wash away our sins. It might be for this glorious gospel that changes us from loving sin to a desire to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and his church. We thank you, God, for the confidence that you have put in the congregation that they may look to our brother as one of their elders, We pray for the blessing of his testimony, his service, and as he stands as a pillar of this church. O God, we pray that thou wilt greatly bless him, his wife and family, and this whole congregation. We pray that this session will be unique in the will of God, in the governing and shepherding of his flock. So we commend our brother to lead this evening. Bless the God who drawn you, fill the whole universe, and bless Him above the dead. We ask you all to believe of our Lord Jesus. Amen. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator, King, and Holy Head of the Church, we, the Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of North America, according to the authority that Christ has bestowed in this Church for its edification, and government to hereby install you, Mr. Alec Newell, as a Ruling Elder of the Toronto Pre-Presbyterian Church, Toronto Territory, Canada, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen. and again as a united prayer. Our Father, we bless Thee for this occasion, when You have set aside Thy servant, Mr. Newell, for the office of Ruling Elder of this congregation. We thank You for his past service. We thank You for leading him into the life and worship of this congregation. And again, we also thank you for the confidence that the congregation have placed in him to elect him to this office. We pray to God that God will come here and bless his own soul. Thank thee for grace, salvation by the blood, and we rejoice in the call of God to eternal life. We ask the Lord that we will give him great joy and more uncertainty in this congregation. We will bless his life, his family, his home, and his time of service in this congregation. And again, we pray that God will fill the life servant with the Holy Ghost. And he may not be there in his own strength, but in the confidence that the Lord shall be his We ask that you will be gracious to this congregation, and the section, committee, and all who worship and serve thee in this congregation. We ask the Lord that you will give them grace, help from heaven, and the aid of soul building, and the church of the Lord Jesus will be adored, and the glory will lead to the name of our Lord and Savior. And now we commit our brotherhood to thee, to thy love and care, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. In just a moment, the Reverend Steven Pollack is going to come and issue the charge to the newly installed elders. But before Dr. Pollack comes, I'd invite you to take your hymn books once again. Turn to number 640. Don't go by the number in the bulletin. That was not quite right. 640, abide with me. Let's stand together and sing our five stanzas. God, our King, has told me of Thy love. The darkness, sickness, or pity of life, Hail, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? you you Come, come ahead. Please take your Bibles tonight and turn to 1 Timothy, 1 Timothy chapter 5. 1 Timothy chapter 5. It is a tremendous joy and privilege to be here with you in Toronto again over the last year and a half. I've had the joy of being here on several occasions, meeting with the men and also Those of you in membership here, it is a joy again to renew fellowship tonight. I do thank the Presbytery for the opportunity to preach the Word of God and I trust it will be a blessing to all your souls and not just simply be a charge to the two men who are not sitting beside each other, so my eyes are going to have to dart from place to place. It is a joy to see these two men elected. It certainly is an answer to prayer. To see what God has done over the last 18 months in the work here, and to see the congregation coming together to elect both these men with such a strong vote was a tremendous joy to my own soul. Jonathan, I got to know, first of all, through the work on the youth camp, where Jonathan served with great distinction for several years as a councillor in the cabins, and we do commend him for his service there. He's come back again this year, and we're glad of that. Interestingly enough, before I came to North America, I was a pastor in a church outside Armagh by the name of Ballymugurney. Now, our brother had long left, but his memory was still held in esteem in that congregation. And there's a ruling elder there, and I used to visit with him regularly, and he spoke in great, great terms with regards to this man in Toronto called Alec. I didn't know who he was, but I got to meet him here, and now to get to know him and to see what God has done in his life again in restoring him to the office of elder now here in Toronto. So we do commend you to the Lord's grace, and may God be pleased to bless you both. Let's read from 1 Timothy 5 and from the verse number 17. So let's read the latter section of the chapter, 1 Timothy 5 and the verse number 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, I shall not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn, and the labourer is worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. And I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels, that they observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. Lay hands suddenly on no man, and neither be partaker of other men's sins. And keep thyself pure, and drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before the judgment, and some men they follow after. Likewise, also the good works of some are manifest beforehand, and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. Amen. May God bless His Word. Let's bow together in a word of prayer as we come and ask God's help as we study the Word of God tonight. Eternal God and our Father in heaven, we come humbly and reverently in thy presence on this solemn, joyful occasion. And we thank you, Lord, that in every time of life, the word of God has something to say to that situation. And so it is tonight we come before thy word, conscious again that your word can direct our thoughts and can encourage the men and can bless the people of God and even be a word and season to those outside of Christ. Dear Father, we pray you give help in the preaching and in the hearing of the word of God. May the Spirit of God indeed be poured out upon us, and that in all things Christ would have the preeminence, and it is in his name we pray, amen, amen. I'd like you to imagine a scenario in your minds at this time. The newly elected and gathered session of this place, they're going to hold a special series of meetings. It might last for a week, Monday through Friday, each night at the same time. And they're going to publicize that special series of meetings. They might put a notice up in the parking lot. They may advertise in the papers or the radio. And it's a special time of Bible teaching for the area. And the minister of this place gets up on the pulpit, and he's going to tell you all the theme of the Bible teaching series. And you're all sitting in anticipation, wondering, well, what could this be? What are we going to be blessed with under the Word of God in this special time of Bible teaching? And as you wait, the minister begins to make the announcement, and he says, we're going to study the subject of church government. You see, already you've responded the way I expected you to respond. It is not something that really draws great interest and intrigue amongst the people of God. Something that is unnecessary evil, dare I say. That, of course, be rebuked. That, of course, is not a godly response to such a series of studies. I was asked to preach tonight. I had somewhat of a dilemma as to the text that I would choose. My mind immediately went to Jeremiah 23, where the Lord says, I will set up shepherds over them, which shall feed them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord. It's a good text for an occasion like this. And then I thought about a New Testament equivalent. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief. for that is unprofitable for you. The implication being that those who rule over you, when they do it with joy, that is for your benefit, that is for your profit. So Jeremiah 23 and Hebrews 13, Old and New Testament come together, two witnesses with the one same voice, and the language of scripture is, it is good to have shepherds watching over your soul. In other words, Christ believes that it is for the good of his church to have good church government. Bad church government can be incredibly destructive. If you get a dictatorial leadership, it can oppress and crush. It can cause the people of God to live in fear of man and not in fear of God. can have a very detrimental effect upon the well-being of the people of God. When you get poor church leadership and church government, you get the people of God going in various directions and congregationalism goes amok. That itself is destructive for the spiritual well-being of the people of God. The church, in such a case, can often be torn apart as each party seeks to get its own way in the church, and there is no leadership, there is no rule, there is no authority, and every man does what is right in his own eyes. And so, it is very important that you have a series of special meetings on the subject of church government. Maybe not immediately, but sometimes it's for your benefit. But tonight, I want to try to do that entire series in one go. I want to do so by looking at these verses which really deal with the subject of what I'm terming practical Presbyterianism. You're in a church that has that name above the door, you shouldn't be surprised when I announce church government under that particular term. The term Presbyterian comes from this word in verse number 17, let the elders that rule well. The elder mentioned here the word that speaks of spiritual maturity. It is a word that speaks of maturity in every sense, but in Bible terms, it is a spiritual maturity. Not a novice, but a man of spiritual esteem and growth and a man who has walked with the Lord like these men have. It is, I believe, basic to see that the elders in verse 17 here are the same group involved or in view in chapter 3. There, the word is for the word bishop that's there in chapter three in the verse number one. This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. Just in passing, we remind you again that there are three words commonly used for the elder in the New Testament scriptures. The word bishop speaks of oversight, the word elder speaks of spiritual maturity, and there's also the word pastor. These terms are used interchangeably in a number of places. Titus chapter 1, you go there, but turn to Acts chapter 20 just to prove this and then we'll move forward. Acts chapter 20. And you have there in the verse number 28, take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. There's the word bishop from 2 Timothy chapter 3. To feed the church of God, there's the word pastor, which hath purchased with his own blood. So the overseers are to pastor the church of God. And that group are termed elders in verse number 17. And so just to set that out at the very beginning, I don't know where you all come from in terms of your church background, but when we speak of Presbyterian government, we're discussing the issue of elder rule. Not a bishop over many churches, but many bishops in one church. And so we have it here, we have two men added to the bishopric in this place, Bishop Newell and Bishop McNally. They are elders, they are pastors, they are overseers of the church of God here in Toronto. And so as we look at these verses in 1 Timothy chapter 5, note initially the role of the elder. What is their role? Well, we have it in one word. Their role is to rule. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor. We will look shortly and very briefly at the subject of double honor, but what I want you to understand is that all elders have the responsibility to rule. Yes, there are those, and we term them teaching elders, who will labor in the word and doctrine, but all elders have the responsibility to rule the church of Christ. To rule. Very much out of favor in this modern age. We believe in the rights of the individual. We believe in the autonomy of the individual, and for people who have these rights and this autonomy to submit to rule just doesn't sound right in our ears today. Well, may we not be conformed to this world, but may we be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we have the word of God brought to bear upon the subject. The elder, they must give direction. To rule speaks of leadership, and they have the responsibility to give spiritual direction to the church. They've also the need to give correction. Back in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, the word rule is translated in a different way. And in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 12, it says, and we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord. The word over you is the same word for rule that's used in 1 Timothy chapter 5. So there are those who are ruling over you in the Lord and part of their function in that text is and admonish you. It is the duty of these men as part of the collective body of the session here that at times they must admonish, correct, rebuke, and reprove the people of God in this place. And before you get prickly, it is for your spiritual benefit. So they must give direction, they must give correction, and they must do so with compassion. If you turn back to chapter three, of 1 Timothy, you will see that in the qualifications for the elder, you have in verse number 5 the important qualification of a man ruling his own house. If a man know not how to rule his own house. There's the word again, he's ruling, he's giving direction and oversight and admonition in the context of his own home. But look what it says, if he know not how to rule, how shall he take care of the church of God? And what is very striking here is that to rule is synonymous with taking care. And if I take you in your minds back to a story, children that you know very, very well, from a very early age, it is the story of the Good Samaritan. And the Good Samaritan is said to take care of the wounded man. And so here we have this word taking care, sunumas of rule, which remind us that the elders, as they direct and as they correct, will do so with a heart of care and compassion. They will not seek to abuse your souls, but they will see your wounds, and they will bandage your wounds, and they will care, and they'll pour in water to clean out those wounds, and they will see you in your need, and they will see you in your trouble, and they will seek to do all they can to minister to your souls. Do not have a wrong understanding of the concept of rule. It is not an excuse for men to serve as dictators in the church of Christ. They are those who must minister. They are those who act in service. It's not all about them. It's not all about their way and their rights and this and that and the other thing. It's about what they can do for the well-being of the church of Christ. And yes, that will involve direction and correction. But it must, and I can now look at both of you, it must come from a heart of compassion for the people of God. And their role is to rule. In the second place, note the respect for the elder. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor. This is dealing with the matter of the respect for the elder. Please note this respect must be earned. It must be earned. I don't think the idea here is that those who rule well get double honor and those who rule badly get single honor. You can read it that way, but that's not what it means and we'll see that very shortly. The word honor here, forgetting the double for now, the word honor does speak of the issue of respect. In Melita, Paul was on the island and they honored him with many honors. They showed him great respect. Husbands, listen to this, 1 Peter chapter 3, you're to give honor to your wife. It has this idea of treating with respect and giving them dignity. And so it is for the elders that they are to be given the respect that is due to those who rule well. But it is predicated, it is conditioned on them actually ruling well. I don't think these men will change at all, but some do. I'm an elder here. You will do what I say and you'll do it now. Such a spirit can easily come into the session of a church whereby they demand the respect because they happen to have been ordained in a meeting such as this. And they presume upon that respect regardless of how they behave. And yet here we have in the word of God, it is those who rule well. And I think predominantly those who rule well in the area of caring for the souls of those under their charge. Now this respect is not conditioned on whether you happen to like them personally, or for that matter, whether you voted for them. These two men have now been installed as elders in this place. And dear member, how you voted doesn't matter right now. Under the authority of God, they have both been installed. And therefore, as they rule well, they are worthy of your respect. How does that come about? I'm not suggesting for a minute you begin to call them Bishop Newell and Bishop McNally. But there is a respect in how they're addressed and how we converse with them. There is respect shown in that regard, there is. But when you think of the opposite side of this matter of rule, you have that text again in Hebrews chapter 13. Let's turn there quickly and then we'll move on. Because the people of God show the respect that they have for their elders as they listen to the Word of God and they do what the Word of God says. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not grief. So the people of God, they show respect for their elders by having a submissive spirit. I am convinced that many sessions are underused, over busy, but underused. You see, dear church member, you have in this place a tremendously beneficial resource for your soul. Can I ask for your advice? Can I seek your counsel?" I know the men in this place now. I've been working with them for 18 months, and I know that if you come to them and ask for direction and counsel, they will be glad to sit there and talk with you. But as they do so, you show respect by hearing what they say, giving attention to it, and then submitting to their direction, so long as their direction is according to the Word of God. We are never required to submit to any authority outside our submission to Christ. But as your elders guide you and admonish you in the word of Christ, then you respect them, you show them honor as you are willingly consenting to follow their direction. So that's something of the respect for the elder. In the third place, note the remuneration of the elder. This is what the double honor has to do with. Clearly, verse 18 leads out of verse 17. They are to be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, thou shalt not muzzle the ox, but treadeth out the corn, and the laborer is worthy of his reward. So the sense of double honor is then explained by the requirement for those who labor in the word and doctrine being remunerated for their labors. The word labor is used of the husband, man, and second, Timothy, as an occupation. This word labor involves those who are giving themselves in the full-time capacity to the laboring of the word and doctrine. Now, I'm going to move on very quickly here because, Alec and Jonathan, this does not apply to you. Well, not immediately necessarily. Because we sometimes read this in the presumption that only only teaching elders can be remunerated. That's not what the text says, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine, but there's no preclusion of ruling elders if they have a role in the church for being remunerated. But having said that, let's move on and just encourage you to, brethren, that though you may not be remunerated, the Lord is not on right just to forget your work and labor of love. So what about the rebuke for the elder? It's down in verse number 19, against an elder received, not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses, them that sin rebuke before all that others also may fear. The matters, please be clear, the matter of respect and remuneration must never lead to the thought that the pastor, the elder is viewed as being untouchable. They are clearly not above sin. As a Presbytery, we are here collectively this week to pray, and I hear the men, and we're all confessing our sins. But here, there is an issue at stake that the elder, even in the matter of their rebuke, must be treated properly. The idea of two or three witnesses is a very biblical matter, Jeremiah 19, Matthew 18, there's a need for two or three witnesses, that's there in the text in verse 19. Yet the distinction here in 1 Timothy 5 is very, very important because it has to do with the fact that accusations, not just guilt, must be corroborated. And I think Paul here recognizes the potential harm done to the work of God through the practice of mudslinging. Does that mean anything in Canada? Please tell me it does, because I have no other illustration. So the picture was this, that you pick up some mud and you throw it in the hope that some will stick. Paul recognizes that's a danger in the church. When somebody has an issue with the elder, they'll just throw enough mud and perhaps some of it will stick. Paul here is putting in place a very, very important principle, because there are those who will say, did you hear what he did last week? He didn't hear that. Let me tell you what he did last week. There is a need for elders to be treated with respect. in the issue of those accusations that may be brought against them. The council here recognizes the possibility that an elder might receive false accusations. And just in passing, just because there are two witnesses for an accusation doesn't presume guilt. Think of Christ. But at the same time, it is putting in place a safeguard regarding the unjust treatment of those who have the rule over the church. Yet, my point is this, these verses recognize the possibility of an elder sinning and bringing reproach to the cause of Christ. If they are rebuked and do not repent, then the sense of the text is, then they should be rebuked before all publicly. Elders who sin must be dealt with. It should not be swept under the carpet or ignored. Just because of who they are or the role they play in the church, verse 21, these things should be observed without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. It's a recognition that just because they're elders doesn't mean they can sin freely and without consequence. It's hardly an encouraging word, brethren, is it? But I think it's a word in season. We must guard our hearts, man. And if I may address the presbytery in general, I address my own soul. When we fall into sin, we bring reproach upon the name of Christ. And it is absolutely our responsibility that we guard our hearts and guard our souls at all times. Dealing with sin in the church is more important than maintaining status. Christ's blood was shed for the church, and the sin in the church must never be too lightly ignored. God values holiness. Which leads in the last place to the recognition of an elder. Lay hands suddenly on no man. In light of what we've noted regarding the responsibility of this role, it's not surprising that Paul exhorts Timothy to exercise caution. The laying on of hands is something you've seen already tonight. Verse 14 of chapter four refers to the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. It's a serious, serious act. I remember my own ordination service to this day, and I remember just as I was dying at the front of the church, and I felt the hands of the men upon me, and as I felt their physical weight as they leant upon my shoulder, so it struck me the weight of the solemnity of the task. It's not a light thing to be ordained as an elder in the church of Jesus Christ. And so therefore, there is a need for caution. And Paul deals with that in a couple of ways. He speaks about the importance of not being partakers of other men's sins. And also the importance of Timothy, keeping thyself pure. Here's Paul reminding Timothy, you're overseeing this matter of new elders, make sure you are an example and you keep yourself pure. Verse 23 is a sort of parenthesis in the issue. Timothy was clearly cautious regarding the medicinal use of wine. He understood that abstinence was a mark of godliness. And therefore, in his caution, Paul says to him, no, for the benefit of your health, you must engage in this. But don't forget, Timothy, keep yourself pure. Make sure that in all of your external practices, you guard your heart continually. That is, again, what we've just said already. And then note that he returns then to the issue of this ordination. Verse 22 says, "'Neither be partaker of other men's sins.'" And then verse 24, "'Some men's sins are opened beforehand.'" And that's the connection, that's the link in the text. And so he's encouraging caution. You can look at these verses in your own time, but let me just note there are four different groups in view. There are those whose sins are obvious. Some men's sins are open beforehand, therefore they are not eligible for the eldership. This office does not belong to men who have money and prestige in the world. It belongs to men who are markedly holy. And therefore there are those who are immediately disqualified because of the openness of their sins. There are others And their sins are hidden. And there are others whose sins follow after. And the sense is that they will be seen in judgment. Now, it could be judgment in the church or more likely the final judgment. Oh, at times, carnal hearts are exposed, and they're seen for a time as being a secret heart of bitterness or anger, and then it's exposed, and their sins follow after. Probably a good time just to pause and say, None of us can hide our sins from God's view. There is a day in which Christ will return that he will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to Paul's gospel. But there's also those with regards to their works, there's those whose sins are obvious, there are those whose sins are hidden. And then similarly for good works, there are those whose good works are manifest beforehand. Some burn brightly and they're obvious in their works, not only in their deeds, but in the revelation of a servant's heart. Others are quietly working behind the scenes, out of the public glare, and they do much for the Lord, and giving time their qualities will show. All of this is to remind Timothy of the need for caution. Don't be quick to rule like some who may rule in future days. And don't be quick in putting in others, with whom there may be doubts, who in time will show their true colors. That's an overview of practical Presbyterianism. And just as I close, I trust in all we've seen tonight, you appreciate afresh the importance and solemnity of this office. Why so? Because God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son. Because Christ loved the church, gave himself for the church. The Christ of God who came from heaven to bleed and die for our sins is the Christ who, through his apostles, puts in place these directions for the welfare of the church. And so what we do tonight is a reminder to all your souls that the man of God in the glory, the God-man, is the God-man who still cares for his church. And as for here, you have seen a living manifestation of the love of Christ for his church, as he's put in place two men to serve as under-shepherds over this flock so that your souls are kept safe from the wolves and the dangers of this world. Because Christ loves you, has bled for you, and has now given you two new elders. so that you're kept on your way to glory. So let me encourage some of you here. Christ Jesus is a loving Savior. He loves his people with an everlasting love. Having loved his own, he loves them to the end. And I encourage some of you, while you despise Christ, may tonight you give your heart to Christ Jesus. Tonight, you came to this meeting, perhaps dragged in by your parents, having no thought of Christ in your soul. I am telling you, Jesus Christ is a friend of sinners. He loves His church, and if you come to Him, He will gladly bring you into the embrace of God's grace. So, may this night, this joyful, solemn night, they mark with the great joy of some soul seeking Christ. That would answer the prayers of these two men and answer our prayers. So may God be pleased to bless His word. Amen. Thank you, Dr. Pollack, for that convicting and encouraging word. May we all take it to heart in the days ahead. At this time, we will hear from the newly installed elders. I want to invite Mr. McAnally and Mr. Newell to come to the platform at this time. Could I ask us to turn to Psalm number 113? And just while you're turning there, I want to thank and sincerely thank the congregation here for showing their confidence in me and electing me to be an elder. It is a very humbling thing. It's a very special thing. And it's also a very exciting thing. There's a whole range of emotions that stir within you. But it's also a very frightening thing, because I am very conscious that I will have to answer God one day for all that I have done in this office. And with that said, I would like to ask for your prayers. plead with you and covet your prayers that you would pray for me that I would be strengthened spiritually. that I'll be strengthened with physical wisdom and to fulfill the duty that is put upon me here this day. You know, I would like to say to you, there's a big bit of me would like to say to you, I will do my utmost and my best not to let you down. But the truth is, my best will fall far, far short of what is necessary. And without God's help, I cannot fulfill the duties of this office at all. So for that reason, I do covet your prayers for all the session, but especially for myself. Let us read this psalm. It says, "'Praise ye the Lord. "'Praise, O ye servants of the Lord. "'Praise the name of the Lord. "'Blessed be the name of the Lord, "'from this time forth and for evermore, "'from the rising of the sun "'unto the going down of the sea. "'The Lord's name is to be praised.'" The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that he may set him with princes, even the princes of his people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord." This is a very special psalm to me. It became very dear to me shortly after I was elected as an elder in Northern Ireland. And I think at such a time as this, It's good to ponder and to remember where the Lord found me and where he got me from. You see, some of you haven't heard my testimony before, others have. Well, if you haven't, I just want to share with you that I did spend some time in a prison in Northern Ireland, in the Crumlin Road, Balfast, Northern Ireland. I can recall very well one morning waking up in that cell, and for a brief moment, I forgot where I was. And as I turned round in the bed and the sun was shining through the window, I could see the reflection of the bars upon the wall. And in that brief moment, I quickly remembered exactly where I was. You see, the verse 7 here of this psalm says, He raises up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill. You know, the dunghill of sin is not a term that we like using. It's a dirty word. It's a bad word. And I don't like to admit to you that that's exactly where the Lord found me. But that is exactly where he found me. I have to be honest with it. If we're truthful, sin is a word that we mention very, very easily. It rolls off the tongue. But it is a very dirty word as well. It is a very bad word. And I think it's good that I remember where the Lord found me in the dunghill of sin. And if I can just fast forward now to my first presbytery meeting in Northern Ireland, and I found myself sitting in a church surrounded by elders and by ministers of the gospel. And I was almost overwhelmed with it as I looked around me and I said to myself, wow, is this where I am now? It was quite the contrast from a prison cell to be sitting amongst the elders and ministers of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. It was shortly after that meeting that, in my own Bible reading, I was brought to this psalm, Psalm 113, and the Lord really brought it alive to me, and it became very dear to me. As I read down through it, and I read the verse seven, and I realized the Lord, he found me in the dunghill of sin. And then as I read the verse 8, it says that He may set him with princes, even with the princes of His people. And I remembered sitting in that presbytery meeting and realising that the Lord had done exactly that. He had set me with the princes of His people. took me from the dunghill of sin and set me with the princes of his people. Well, that was very dear to me then, and it was very special to know that the Lord was speaking to me and showing me exactly what he had done for me. And now I've had a double blessing in that I've come to Toronto, and that same blessing has been bestowed upon me again. Thank you very much. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for coming this evening to be a part of this special night for us and in this church congregation. To God be the glory. Great things he hath done. I give thanks to God tonight for all he has done for me over these past 40 years. As most of you know, I was born into the Free Presbyterian Church. I was born in Northern Ireland. and there my family and I attended the Hillsborough Free Presbyterian Church, where the Reverend Stanley Barnes was minister at that time. When I was three years old, we emigrated to Canada, and since then we've been attending the Free Church here in Toronto. I was saved at the age of eight years old through the faithful preaching of Dr. McClelland here. I have grown up in the church, coming through the Sunday School, the Youth Fellowship, the Whitfield Christian Schools, I'm very thankful for my wife, a godly woman who loves the Lord, loves her Savior, and is always an encouragement to me. We have been blessed with two children who both have made a profession of faith in Christ, and we pray that the Lord will continue to sanctify them and bring them closer to Christ each day. I give thanks to God for the faithful men in this church and in this denomination who have encouraged me over the years in my walk with Christ. I'm so thankful to be able to serve God in many areas and many different ministries here in the church. I appreciate the men of our session and our board who all have a different skill set that they bring to the table with a common desire to serve the Lord by serving the people of this congregation. It has been a blessing to serve as a deacon for the past 10 years, and now as we follow the Lord's leading into the role of eldership, I would ask, as Alec has done, we would ask for your prayers, your continual prayers. It is a very humbling thing, it is a very fearful thing, when you contemplate the weight of the responsibility that has now been placed on our shoulders. A few weeks ago, Dr. Pollack, had sent Alex and myself an email, an email of encouragement, when he learned of the result of the elder election. And in his email, he quoted Hebrews 13, verse 17, which he alluded to this evening as well. I'll read that verse again to you. Obey them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief. for that is unprofitable for you. Dr. Pollock was encouraging us that we might know much joy as we serve the Lord in this capacity. But that verse also says there, for they watch over your souls as they that must give account. As we know, each one of us one day will stand before God and give account for ourselves. I believe every man will stand before God and give an account how he has ruled over his family. And I believe every man that placed an authority in the church will stand before God and give an account how he has ruled over the congregation. So I stand before you tonight here feeling the full weight of my insufficiency for the task ahead, but I take comfort in verses 20 and 21 of that same chapter in Hebrews 13, which says, Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Verse 21 says, make you perfect in every good work to do his will. The verse doesn't say that now that you are perfect, you can do his will. No, we are so very far from being perfect. Yet the Lord is pleased to use us. It has been said that God doesn't call the equipped, but he equips those whom he calls to do his will. Friend, if you're here tonight and you've been saved from your sin, whether you're young or old, let me encourage you, wherever you are in your Christian walk with Christ, I would encourage you to seek after him, pray and ask how you can serve in the local congregation. Finally, I want to say that I am thankful for all of you, my church family, who have placed your trust in me to serve you in the leadership of this congregation. Please continue to pray for us. May God bless all of us as we labor together for him. Thank you. Thank you, men, for those testimonies. You heard them both. solicit your prayers. I hope you'll take that to heart. I don't know who it was that told me some while back that when a man is ordained to be an elder, it's like he's got a target on his back. The devil knows that too, that they've been ordained to be elders. And the battles they face will be very real. And they are very conscious of their vulnerability and their dependence on Christ, which is a good thing. And oh, I pray for you both that you'll know the sufficiency of God's grace in the days ahead that you will indeed embark in your ministries with joy, and that you'll know that joy. Let's turn in closing to hymn number 537. Hymn 537, Not I but Christ. And after we have sung all three stanzas, then Dr. Saunders will come and dismiss the meeting in prayer. Let's all stand. God, I am proud as we are to walk this holy way. God, I am proud as we sing Thee, O Israel. God, I am proud as we stand at Thee, O Israel. God, I am proud as we sing. ♪ Oh, to be lost in Thee ♪ ♪ Oh, let it be, the Lord I give you ♪ ♪ And Christ that lives within you ♪ I will rise to gently soothe your sorrow. I will rise to wipe away your tears. I will rise to lift the heavy burden. I will rise to wash away your pain. Oh, to be saved from my sin, O Lord! Oh, to be washed clean and clean! Oh, heaven, may the Lord abide with me! The Christ that lives in me! When He rises, there are over my nation. I am sent to the sea of sin. Christ, holy Christ, I am here with all who live. Christ, holy Christ, I am with all who live. Oh, if we only knew that it may be so. I ask you to be seated, please, for just a moment. I want to take the opportunity of acknowledging to the Lord the great mercies of a special night like this. This is a night to be marked in eternity. And the Lord, as he looks down upon us, he sees the forward movement of his church by his great purpose and will. And we acknowledge and thank the Lord for that tonight and praise him. And we commend our two brethren to the Lord. And not only have they asked for your prayers, but I know that in the congregation we have been encouraging you to remember them, and of course, the entire session. It is so essential. I appreciate what Brother Bannister said, that there is a target on the back of every elder and minister, and it is a real thing, because the devil is real, and he has an intention to disrupt the lives of our brethren, to disrupt the ministry of a Church of Christ, and as we seek him earnestly, we pray that he will undertake for us in all things. Thank you all for coming tonight, and we hope you'll stay behind afterward. There are refreshments downstairs, and I encourage you to don't rush away. It's enough for everyone. And let me also say that all of the ordained men that were involved in the service tonight, I'd like you to come to the front immediately after, as we want to get a photograph taken along with our two newly installed men. Let's bow, please, in prayer. Father, we acknowledge this evening with great delight and joy the privilege of being here and of what we have witnessed, what we have seen, what we have been able to participate in. For the singing of the praises of the great name of our God, for the exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ and the word that we have heard, a word to our own hearts. Lord, we commend our brethren into thy hand. We ask that you would watch over them, that you would go before them, make the crooked ways straight and the rough places plain. We ask, Lord, that they would be filled with the Spirit of God every day, that they would walk in the center of thy perfect will. And, Lord, use them in this congregation for the furthering of the ministry of Christ here. Protect all of our brethren. Protect and watch over every family. Lord, I am very thankful for all those gathered this week for special Presbytery meetings and earnest times of prayer. Lord, we acknowledge again the great debt that we owe to our Savior. And Lord, we say from our hearts tonight that we love you, and we pray that we will not dishonor the name of Christ in any way, but as we progress on, we will lift up the Savior, that his name will be magnified, and that his kingdom will be extended. Lord, bless us tonight. Hear this, our prayer. In Jesus' precious name we pray, amen. I want to make one more announcement for everyone, and it's regarding our Lord's Day and the special service that we have planned for that time. Our morning worship service will be at 11 o'clock, but there is a special afternoon ordination service as well for our brother Milos Csoltz, who has been serving the Lord in the Czech Republic for 11 years now. And this afternoon, Presbytery confirmed that he will be ordained this coming Lord's Day. So please keep that aside. I know that some of you will not be able to be here because your previous plans. You have to head back to your home. We're sorry about that. But all the others who are here, you're very welcome and we hope you'll encourage other folks to come as well. So remember that please. Three o'clock Lord's Day afternoon. I'll be back. th th th th