Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 1.djvu/329

 No. 33.]

first step towards evangelizing a heathen country in the early times, seems to have been to seize upon some principal city in it as a centre of operation; to place a Pastor, i.e., a Bishop there; to surround him with a sufficient number of associates and assistants; and then to wait, till, under the blessing of God, this Missionary College was enabled to gather around it the scattered children of grace from the evil world, and invest itself with the shape and influence of an organized Church. The converts would, in the first instance, be naturally attracted to the immediate vicinity of the Missionary or Bishop, whose diocese, nevertheless, would extend indefinitely over the heathen country on every side, his mission being without restriction to all to whom had never been preached. As he prospered in the increase of his flock, and sent out his clergy to greater and greater distances from the city, so would the homestead (so to call it,) of the Church enlarge; other towns would be brought under his government, till at length he would find "the burden too heavy for him," and would appoint other Pastors to supply his place in this or that part of his diocese. To these he would commit a greater or lesser share of his spiritual power, as might be necessary; sometimes he would make them fully his representatives, or ordain them Bishops; at other times he would employ presbyters for his purpose. These assistants, or (as they were called) Chorepiscopi, would naturally be confined to their respective districts; and if Bishops, an approximation would evidently be made to a division of the large original diocese into