CHURCU, an Organization of Christian& As understood to-day there are two widely dif ferent opinions regarding the meaning of a church, and both claim the New Testament as authority, (1) that Jesus Christ established a definite Church with a code of laws pertaining to belief and government; (2) that he gave us only moral instruction and no definite laws of belief or discipline. Under (1) may be classed those who claim that Jesus Christ established only one Church, and that the churches men tioned by Paul and others of the early mission aries, as recorded in the New Testament, were all parts of the one Church. Still others hold that the Christian Churches of the New Testa ment were each separate and distinct in govern ment, but one faith. The Roman Catholic, Greek, Church of England and all Christian organizations with any generally recognized form of government, whether by presbyters or by the congregation, may be classed udder (1). Under (2) will come all who hold that to ob serve the moral code as taught by Jesus Christ is all sufficient, hence this division need not be treated under the head Church.
The Roman Catholic definition of Church is : ((The congregation of all the faithful, who being baptized, profess the same doctrines, par take of the same sacraments, and are governed by their lawful pastors under one visible head on earth, the Bishop of Rome? This implies unity of faith, morals and government. The
Greek definition is the same except they do not recognize as the visible head the bishop of Rome. The Church of England definition is: °A congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacra ments be duly administered in' all those things that are of necessity requiSite to the same.' In the further authorized explanation of this definition it is shown that the government is given to the bishops without ahy authoritative head. The same definition id general use by all other Christian churches, but in some the government is vested in presbyters, elders of officers acting as elders; in others the govern ment rests in the congregation or members of the church. See CHURCH GOVERNMENT.
Under the names of the various Christian denominations may be found further informa tion regarding particular doctrines and forms of government. See CHRISTIAN CHURCH;