Excerpt from History of the Deaconess Movement in the Christian Church When we consider the fact that at least one hundred and forty Deaconess Institutions (inclusive of the various branch Homes) have been founded within the last fifteen years in the United States alone, ninety of which are controlled by the Methodist Episcopal Church, and that the number of deaconesses has increased during this period to over eighteen hundred, it is clear that a presentation of the historical development of this promising and rapidly-growing movement has become a matter of necessity. I had hoped that a more capable pen would take up the task; but as year after year slipped by without an attempt in this direction, I concluded that I ought to comply with the desire of the Central Deaconess Board of the German Methodist Conferences, and the request of a number of friends of the cause, and therefore have undertaken to write this volume. Ten or twelve years ago several valuable books on the Deaconess Cause appeared in this country, namely: "Deaconesses in Europe and America," by Jane M. Bancroft Robinson, Ph. D., (1890); "Deaconesses, Biblical, Early Church, European, American," by Lucy Rider Meyer (1889); "Deaconesses, Ancient and Modern," by Rev. Henry Wheeler (1889); "The Deaconess and her Vocation," by Bishop J. M. Thoburn (1893). About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Faith of a Quaker There arise also the insistent questions which beset all mystics, and which in Quakerism demanded a corporate, instead of an individual, answer. Was the light infallible? Was the claim to it an assumption of spiritual exaltation. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Explores the pastoral implications of a new scholarly understanding of the role of deacons in the Early Church. In many churches today -- Catholic, Anglican, and others -- deacons have come to serve largely as servants of the poor and needy. In Deacons and the Church, Collins argues that this limited role for deacons was based on misinterpretations of key scriptural passages. Following the history of deacons in the Early Church to modern times, Collins offers extensive reflections on the relevant Scriptures, and suggests that we redefine the role of deacons for today. Rather than limit the role of deacons, he urges the church to adapt ancient meanings to modern pastoral situations. In the words of Ignatius of Antioch, whom he quotes in the final chapter, "Deacons are not providers of bread and drink but are agents of the congregation." Collins paints a rich picture of deacons as agents of the church, ordained to the service of the bishop, who sends them forth as ministers of the church as a whole, rather than simply social workers. Collins provides an understanding of deacons that embraces social welfare but is not bound by it.