The Original 1883 (First Edition) of
The Ecclesial Guide

17. -- Exercise of Authority Out of the Question.

One principle ought to permeate all appointments in the house of Christ, and that is the one laid down by Christ, when speaking of the exercise of authority of one Gentile over another, he said, "IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU." "He that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief as he that doeth serve." The appointment of brethren to certain offices is not the appointment of men to exercise authority, but of men to serve. For this reason, it is wise to speak of them all, in whatever capacity, as "serving brethren." For the same reason, it is inexpedient to employ any technical term around which ideas of personal importance are liable to gather, or which have a tendency to create a cold officialism and obscure the family relation to the truth. "The committee," for example, or "the executive," "registrar," &c., is an abstraction which is liable to do this. It is wise to attach the term "brother" or "brethren" to every office. It may sometimes seem uncouth or redundant; but this is more than compensated by its wholesome effect in helping to preserve the family unity of the body of Christ. It keeps in view the fact that official brethren are only brethren performing an office for the good of the rest, and to some extent shuts the door against the corruption which generated the apostacy, and developed the clerical usurpation.