{"pages":{"413":{"imagePath":"H:\\web_projects\\corpus-web\\electron-app\\data\\5e07978430078cb56ea89a104e5a0c0e50b3aa1618e48c486c8af005ae015143\\raw\\pages\\00437-abc3986ef424054cd4cd.webp","width":1170,"height":1680,"segments":[{"text":"SOURCE MATERIALS","box":{"x":446,"y":161,"width":251,"height":18}},{"text":"413","box":{"x":978,"y":162,"width":63,"height":20}},{"text":"195. THE PLAN OF CHURCH UNION AND DRAFT","box":{"x":174,"y":240,"width":798,"height":22}},{"text":"CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH OF NORTH-EAST","box":{"x":176,"y":273,"width":855,"height":24}},{"text":"INDIA (1970 A.D.)","box":{"x":442,"y":306,"width":263,"height":29}},{"text":"Though two of the members of the North-East India Christian","box":{"x":203,"y":361,"width":780,"height":25}},{"text":"Council, the Diocese of Assam of the Church of India, Pakistan, Burma","box":{"x":157,"y":386,"width":827,"height":31}},{"text":"and Ceylon and the Eastern Himalayan Church Council of the United","box":{"x":162,"y":412,"width":822,"height":28}},{"text":"Church of Northern India, were involved directly in the North India","box":{"x":157,"y":436,"width":827,"height":29}},{"text":"negotiations, and two others were involved indirectly, the N.E.I.C.C.","box":{"x":162,"y":462,"width":820,"height":27}},{"text":"convened a Faith and Order Conference at Barapani in 1963 to consider","box":{"x":160,"y":487,"width":823,"height":27}},{"text":"the question of whether or not there were valid grounds for working","box":{"x":162,"y":511,"width":820,"height":29}},{"text":"towards a separate united church in that region. For various reasons","box":{"x":162,"y":536,"width":820,"height":25}},{"text":"of geography, denominational make-up and cultural distinctness it","box":{"x":158,"y":560,"width":826,"height":29}},{"text":"was agreed that there were grounds. These were also accepted as","box":{"x":160,"y":587,"width":823,"height":29}},{"text":"valid by the North India negotiating committee. The Plan and","box":{"x":158,"y":610,"width":826,"height":28}},{"text":"Draft Constitution were approved approved by a Church Union Conference","box":{"x":157,"y":636,"width":827,"height":31}},{"text":"held at Shillong on 19th and 20th of September 1969, and were pub-","box":{"x":159,"y":661,"width":824,"height":29}},{"text":"lished for consideration by the Churches in 1970. Portions of this","box":{"x":162,"y":684,"width":820,"height":28}},{"text":"document are reproduced here. The area covered by this Plan are","box":{"x":158,"y":711,"width":824,"height":28}},{"text":"North Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram,","box":{"x":159,"y":736,"width":820,"height":31}},{"text":"Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. The Plan of Church Union and the","box":{"x":162,"y":760,"width":822,"height":27}},{"text":"Draft Constitution of the Church of North-East India, 1970.","box":{"x":158,"y":786,"width":743,"height":28}},{"text":"THE PLAN OF UNION","box":{"x":403,"y":891,"width":346,"height":22}},{"text":"I. Historical Statement","box":{"x":411,"y":958,"width":329,"height":21}},{"text":"Since 1963 there have been two Faith and Order Conferences","box":{"x":162,"y":1010,"width":869,"height":29}},{"text":"and two Church Union Conferences apart from general discussions","box":{"x":113,"y":1038,"width":918,"height":31}},{"text":"in the Council (N.E.I.C.C.) itself for a number of years on the","box":{"x":112,"y":1065,"width":919,"height":34}},{"text":"question of Church Union. The original plan was whether the","box":{"x":112,"y":1093,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"affiliated Churches of North-East India should form part of the","box":{"x":109,"y":1121,"width":924,"height":34}},{"text":"Church of North India then in the negotiating stage. In view of","box":{"x":109,"y":1149,"width":926,"height":32}},{"text":"certain objections and the practical difficulties involved in relating","box":{"x":113,"y":1177,"width":918,"height":34}},{"text":"the Churches of our area to such a union with the Church of North","box":{"x":112,"y":1204,"width":919,"height":29}},{"text":"India, the affiliated churches of this Council felt that in the circum-","box":{"x":113,"y":1233,"width":917,"height":31}},{"text":"stances now obtaining in India, it would be wiser to work towards","box":{"x":112,"y":1260,"width":918,"height":34}},{"text":"a union within North-East India itself in the first instance. Even","box":{"x":112,"y":1287,"width":919,"height":31}},{"text":"the two Churches namely, the Eastern Himalayan Church Council","box":{"x":112,"y":1317,"width":919,"height":29}},{"text":"(UCNI) and the Assam Diocese of the CIPBC which have been","box":{"x":109,"y":1342,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"effectively represented in the CNI negotiations expressed their","box":{"x":113,"y":1371,"width":918,"height":35}},{"text":"preference for joining the Church of North-East India if it comes","box":{"x":110,"y":1399,"width":919,"height":35}},{"text":"into being. The Working Committee of the Negotiating Com-","box":{"x":115,"y":1427,"width":915,"height":36}},{"text":"mittee of the CNI which met in Calcutta in July 1969 also expressed","box":{"x":109,"y":1457,"width":924,"height":32}},{"text":"its appreciation of the view of the NEICC and the consensus of","box":{"x":113,"y":1483,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"opinion was that the two units of the CNI in this region would be","box":{"x":109,"y":1509,"width":921,"height":34}}]},"414":{"imagePath":"H:\\web_projects\\corpus-web\\electron-app\\data\\5e07978430078cb56ea89a104e5a0c0e50b3aa1618e48c486c8af005ae015143\\raw\\pages\\00438-e7b9baf9baf5828fe985.webp","width":1170,"height":1680,"segments":[{"text":"414","box":{"x":139,"y":171,"width":62,"height":20}},{"text":"HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA","box":{"x":369,"y":171,"width":476,"height":20}},{"text":"allowed to join the Church of North-East India if and when it","box":{"x":146,"y":218,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"comes into being.","box":{"x":146,"y":249,"width":242,"height":29}},{"text":"The Second Draft of the Basis of Union for the Churches in","box":{"x":192,"y":302,"width":876,"height":28}},{"text":"North-East India was formulated in November 1965 by delegates","box":{"x":143,"y":328,"width":924,"height":32}},{"text":"representing eighty-six per cent of the non-Roman Catholic Chris-","box":{"x":148,"y":357,"width":921,"height":34}},{"text":"tians in North-East India as well as by observers representing","box":{"x":143,"y":386,"width":922,"height":31}},{"text":"another seven per cent, totalling 93% of the non-Roman Catholic","box":{"x":147,"y":414,"width":919,"height":34}},{"text":"Catholic","box":{"x":949,"y":409,"width":123,"height":24}},{"text":"Christians of North-East India most of whom are either Baptists or","box":{"x":143,"y":442,"width":924,"height":29}},{"text":"Presbyterians. The Second Draft as well as Dr. Downs' paper","box":{"x":144,"y":469,"width":924,"height":34}},{"text":"entitled Church Union: Theological and Non-Theological","box":{"x":144,"y":497,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"Factors' were printed and circulated to all the affiliated Churches.","box":{"x":144,"y":525,"width":922,"height":31}},{"text":"Many Churches had translated the above two papers into the local","box":{"x":140,"y":552,"width":928,"height":32}},{"text":"languages either as booklets or as publications in their official","box":{"x":146,"y":580,"width":919,"height":35}},{"text":"organs. The contents have been discussed at the higher echelons","box":{"x":144,"y":608,"width":918,"height":32}},{"text":"of the Councils of the various constituents of the NEICC many of","box":{"x":144,"y":637,"width":926,"height":31}},{"text":"whom have accepted the Second Draft as the Basis of Union.","box":{"x":141,"y":664,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"Some units, most notable among which is the CBCNEI, have by","box":{"x":146,"y":692,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"and large accepted it at the higher levels but they have yet to carry","box":{"x":144,"y":722,"width":922,"height":34}},{"text":"all the Associations and local congregations with them. This is","box":{"x":146,"y":745,"width":919,"height":35}},{"text":"understandable in the context of the organizations of each affiliated","box":{"x":143,"y":778,"width":921,"height":29}},{"text":"Church as well as in view of the variegated nature of our multi-","box":{"x":143,"y":804,"width":925,"height":32}},{"text":"ethnic and multi-lingual community with different social back-","box":{"x":146,"y":829,"width":919,"height":34}},{"text":"grounds and and heritage. But the wind of change has been blowing","box":{"x":140,"y":859,"width":928,"height":32}},{"text":"and circumstances have compelled us to draw closer to each other.","box":{"x":144,"y":889,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"Above all, the Holy Spirit is silently but surely working towards","box":{"x":141,"y":916,"width":924,"height":32}},{"text":"unity in spite of obstacles.","box":{"x":146,"y":946,"width":362,"height":31}},{"text":"In the last Church Union Conference held in Shillong on","box":{"x":193,"y":998,"width":872,"height":31}},{"text":"September 19 and 20, 1969 we have gone one step ahead in deciding","box":{"x":147,"y":1027,"width":919,"height":34}},{"text":"to set up this Drafting Committee which will prepare the Plan of","box":{"x":147,"y":1055,"width":924,"height":32}},{"text":"Union and the Draft Constitution of the Church of North-East","box":{"x":143,"y":1083,"width":922,"height":28}},{"text":"India. Such a Plan of Union and Draft Constitution will enable","box":{"x":147,"y":1111,"width":918,"height":29}},{"text":"the affiliated Churches to study more closely and concretely what","box":{"x":147,"y":1138,"width":918,"height":32}},{"text":"would be the implications of Church Union thereby enabling them","box":{"x":146,"y":1167,"width":919,"height":32}},{"text":"to grapple with and come to decisions on the basic issue of union.","box":{"x":148,"y":1195,"width":915,"height":32}},{"text":"II. Statement of Intention","box":{"x":428,"y":1281,"width":362,"height":24}},{"text":"At the level of leadership, it was generally felt that the Churches","box":{"x":192,"y":1336,"width":875,"height":34}},{"text":"should first unite in mutual trust, leaving the settlement of their","box":{"x":148,"y":1364,"width":919,"height":31}},{"text":"smaller differences to be worked out in the context of the larger","box":{"x":151,"y":1392,"width":915,"height":28}},{"text":"fellowship. In this context it may be noted that the Church of","box":{"x":150,"y":1420,"width":921,"height":29}},{"text":"South India came into being in 1947, while the Church of North","box":{"x":147,"y":1449,"width":918,"height":31}},{"text":"India will be inaugurated in November 1970. We in North-East","box":{"x":150,"y":1477,"width":918,"height":29}},{"text":"India have been moving slow because of several factors. Social","box":{"x":151,"y":1504,"width":917,"height":31}},{"text":"changes are taking place at a very rapid pace in this world, and we","box":{"x":150,"y":1532,"width":919,"height":32}}]},"415":{"imagePath":"H:\\web_projects\\corpus-web\\electron-app\\data\\5e07978430078cb56ea89a104e5a0c0e50b3aa1618e48c486c8af005ae015143\\raw\\pages\\00439-37aa2330035ee2b9ed86.webp","width":1170,"height":1680,"segments":[{"text":"SOURCE MATERIALS","box":{"x":435,"y":130,"width":248,"height":17}},{"text":"415","box":{"x":963,"y":125,"width":60,"height":22}},{"text":"in North-East India have to catch up or else be swamped by un-","box":{"x":105,"y":178,"width":915,"height":31}},{"text":"desirable ideologies. The Churches cannot afford to be self-","box":{"x":104,"y":206,"width":921,"height":31}},{"text":"centered any longer. Even while attempting to draw up a scheme:","box":{"x":102,"y":234,"width":924,"height":31}},{"text":"that would be more relevant to our own region we cannot lose sight.","box":{"x":102,"y":262,"width":919,"height":29}},{"text":"that we are part of a larger Church even within India and so we","box":{"x":102,"y":291,"width":917,"height":28}},{"text":"should maintain a larger ecumenical perspective.","box":{"x":101,"y":319,"width":669,"height":32}},{"text":"We Christians of North-East India still belong to different.","box":{"x":144,"y":370,"width":875,"height":28}},{"text":"denominations which have names like 'Baptist', 'Presbyterian',","box":{"x":97,"y":397,"width":919,"height":29}},{"text":"'Lutheran', 'Anglican', etc. If these names separate Christians","box":{"x":98,"y":424,"width":919,"height":31}},{"text":"from each other, then they are contrary to the teaching of the Bible.","box":{"x":101,"y":451,"width":918,"height":31}},{"text":"In this Draft, it is proposed that the now separated Churches in","box":{"x":101,"y":480,"width":924,"height":31}},{"text":"our region unite, both to follow the will of God and to give a stronger","box":{"x":99,"y":507,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"witness. No new denominations will be formed, but the existing","box":{"x":95,"y":535,"width":924,"height":29}},{"text":"Churches should enlarge their fellowship to include all the other","box":{"x":98,"y":563,"width":921,"height":31}},{"text":"Christians in the region into one Church representing all the Protest-","box":{"x":99,"y":594,"width":921,"height":28}},{"text":"ant Christians instead of the more than fifteen separate denomina-","box":{"x":101,"y":620,"width":921,"height":29}},{"text":"tions that now exist.","box":{"x":101,"y":648,"width":276,"height":24}},{"text":"In former times the need for this kind of united Church organi-","box":{"x":146,"y":699,"width":875,"height":28}},{"text":"zation was not so great because there was little communication","box":{"x":101,"y":727,"width":918,"height":28}},{"text":"between the different parts of our area. Today with the rapid","box":{"x":101,"y":753,"width":921,"height":29}},{"text":"progress of our peoples, the situation is quite different. Government","box":{"x":98,"y":782,"width":924,"height":29}},{"text":"officers move from place to place and young people travel outside.","box":{"x":98,"y":809,"width":924,"height":31}},{"text":"their own areas to study. In the towns and cities, Christians from","box":{"x":99,"y":836,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"many different denominations live together but cannot have a","box":{"x":101,"y":865,"width":922,"height":29}},{"text":"congregation of their own together. Some of them are always","box":{"x":98,"y":893,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"guests of the denomination in that place-guests when they should","box":{"x":97,"y":920,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"be equally full members of that local Church. Because of improved","box":{"x":97,"y":948,"width":926,"height":34}},{"text":"communications, non-Christians are also becoming more aware of","box":{"x":98,"y":977,"width":928,"height":29}},{"text":"the divisions among Christians. This becomes a stumbling block","box":{"x":99,"y":1005,"width":921,"height":31}},{"text":"for them. When they are asked to accept Christ as their Saviour","box":{"x":101,"y":1033,"width":919,"height":28}},{"text":"they ask, to which Church shall I belong?' Because they receive","box":{"x":101,"y":1061,"width":919,"height":32}},{"text":"many different answers they turn away. Christ said that His","box":{"x":94,"y":1089,"width":925,"height":31}},{"text":"disciples must be united so that the world might believe the gospel.","box":{"x":95,"y":1116,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"The gospel proclaims that all men are one in Christ. The presence","box":{"x":94,"y":1146,"width":926,"height":31}},{"text":"of many different denominations denies this truth. Christians","box":{"x":97,"y":1172,"width":924,"height":29}},{"text":"who condemn each other and do not have fellowship with each","box":{"x":92,"y":1201,"width":928,"height":31}},{"text":"other bear false witness. Christians themselves are confused about","box":{"x":101,"y":1229,"width":918,"height":27}},{"text":"the differences between the denominations. If Christians are","box":{"x":98,"y":1256,"width":921,"height":27}},{"text":"confused, how much more confused must the non-Christians be.","box":{"x":98,"y":1285,"width":922,"height":28}},{"text":"For the sake of Christ's Kingdom, this stumbling-block must be","box":{"x":95,"y":1313,"width":924,"height":31}},{"text":"removed.","box":{"x":99,"y":1343,"width":127,"height":22}},{"text":"III. Our Approach to Unity","box":{"x":368,"y":1393,"width":390,"height":28}},{"text":"The kind of United Church that is proposed will not solve all","box":{"x":146,"y":1435,"width":878,"height":34}},{"text":"our problems but it will give us greater strength to face those","box":{"x":99,"y":1465,"width":924,"height":32}},{"text":"problems. The following are the few points on which a great","box":{"x":98,"y":1491,"width":928,"height":34}}]},"416":{"imagePath":"H:\\web_projects\\corpus-web\\electron-app\\data\\5e07978430078cb56ea89a104e5a0c0e50b3aa1618e48c486c8af005ae015143\\raw\\pages\\00440-bc1dab5acd1966dfbcff.webp","width":1170,"height":1680,"segments":[{"text":"416","box":{"x":127,"y":139,"width":60,"height":20}},{"text":"HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA","box":{"x":357,"y":143,"width":476,"height":20}},{"text":"measure of unanimity has been reached in past conferences and","box":{"x":129,"y":190,"width":921,"height":31}},{"text":"discussions :-","box":{"x":132,"y":221,"width":206,"height":21}},{"text":"1. The Churches now in existence would join together in an","box":{"x":210,"y":265,"width":843,"height":29}},{"text":"organic body.","box":{"x":132,"y":291,"width":192,"height":29}},{"text":"2. No immediate changes will be imposed at the level of the","box":{"x":209,"y":336,"width":841,"height":31}},{"text":"local congregation or in the organisations such as Associations,","box":{"x":127,"y":364,"width":922,"height":35}},{"text":"Presbyteries or similar Councils which bring the congregations in","box":{"x":125,"y":392,"width":928,"height":32}},{"text":"one area together.","box":{"x":132,"y":423,"width":252,"height":25}},{"text":"3. The forms of worship and witness that now exist may","box":{"x":209,"y":465,"width":841,"height":31}},{"text":"continue until the uniting churches feel the need for a common","box":{"x":130,"y":491,"width":921,"height":31}},{"text":"form of worship.","box":{"x":129,"y":521,"width":239,"height":29}},{"text":"4. There would be about ten Councils or more above the","box":{"x":204,"y":564,"width":844,"height":27}},{"text":"level of the Associations or similar authorities which would bring","box":{"x":126,"y":591,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"the Associations or Presbyteries within a region together.","box":{"x":129,"y":618,"width":799,"height":31}},{"text":"5. There would be a central Assembly which would bring the","box":{"x":209,"y":665,"width":841,"height":31}},{"text":"Councils together.","box":{"x":125,"y":692,"width":259,"height":28}},{"text":"6. There would be greater sharing of leadership and","box":{"x":209,"y":737,"width":841,"height":32}},{"text":"resources.","box":{"x":129,"y":769,"width":137,"height":20}},{"text":"7. It is recognised that there are certain traditional diffe-","box":{"x":206,"y":808,"width":841,"height":29}},{"text":"rences among the denominations that would be coming together","box":{"x":130,"y":835,"width":917,"height":34}},{"text":"in the United Church. These differences are important. It is not","box":{"x":127,"y":863,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"proposed that Christians should compromise or deny what they","box":{"x":125,"y":891,"width":924,"height":32}},{"text":"believe to be truth. But the best way to witness to the truth as we","box":{"x":126,"y":916,"width":921,"height":31}},{"text":"understand it is to witness within one fellowship. Even within the","box":{"x":125,"y":947,"width":922,"height":29}},{"text":"denominations as they now exist, there are differences of opinion","box":{"x":125,"y":973,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"and theology, but that does not prevent fellowship within those","box":{"x":129,"y":1001,"width":917,"height":32}},{"text":"denominations. We must first accept each other as fellow members","box":{"x":125,"y":1029,"width":921,"height":29}},{"text":"of the Church, because God has given His own blessing to the work","box":{"x":123,"y":1057,"width":925,"height":31}},{"text":"of each of the denominations in our area.","box":{"x":129,"y":1085,"width":581,"height":27}},{"text":"DRAFT CONSTITUTION","box":{"x":402,"y":1170,"width":378,"height":22}},{"text":"1. The Name of the Church","box":{"x":396,"y":1225,"width":388,"height":24}},{"text":"1. The name of this Church is the Church of North-East India.","box":{"x":176,"y":1273,"width":871,"height":28}},{"text":"2. The Church of North-East India is constituted by the Union","box":{"x":175,"y":1320,"width":871,"height":32}},{"text":"of the following Churches :-","box":{"x":123,"y":1348,"width":418,"height":27}},{"text":"(a) The CBCNEI (Council of Baptist Churches in North-","box":{"x":263,"y":1389,"width":782,"height":29}},{"text":"East India)","box":{"x":313,"y":1417,"width":157,"height":28}},{"text":"(b) The Presbyterian Church of NEI","box":{"x":258,"y":1455,"width":509,"height":29}},{"text":"(c) The Diocese of Assam (CIPBC)","box":{"x":258,"y":1492,"width":494,"height":32}}]},"417":{"imagePath":"H:\\web_projects\\corpus-web\\electron-app\\data\\5e07978430078cb56ea89a104e5a0c0e50b3aa1618e48c486c8af005ae015143\\raw\\pages\\00441-60939873c7c32dd17962.webp","width":1170,"height":1680,"segments":[{"text":"SOURCE MATERIALS","box":{"x":451,"y":151,"width":252,"height":18}},{"text":"417","box":{"x":988,"y":150,"width":57,"height":25}},{"text":"(d) The Eastern Himalayan Church Council","box":{"x":242,"y":199,"width":617,"height":32}},{"text":"(e) The Baptist Church of Mizo District","box":{"x":246,"y":238,"width":561,"height":29}},{"text":"(1) The North Bank Baptist Association","box":{"x":241,"y":278,"width":567,"height":31}},{"text":"(g) The Tripura Baptist Christian Union","box":{"x":243,"y":317,"width":577,"height":31}},{"text":"(h) The Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church","box":{"x":246,"y":353,"width":668,"height":35}},{"text":"(i) The Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church (in Assam)","box":{"x":246,"y":395,"width":795,"height":35}},{"text":"(j) The Laker Independent Evangelical Church","box":{"x":246,"y":433,"width":661,"height":35}},{"text":"(k) The Church of God","box":{"x":245,"y":472,"width":334,"height":29}},{"text":"(1) The Church of God (Ka Turoi Gospel)","box":{"x":239,"y":510,"width":606,"height":35}},{"text":"(m) The Christ National Church","box":{"x":239,"y":552,"width":455,"height":31}},{"text":"(n) Salvation Army","box":{"x":249,"y":590,"width":273,"height":32}},{"text":"(0) Goalpara Baptist Union","box":{"x":249,"y":629,"width":392,"height":32}},{"text":"(p) Other Churches which may join at a later stage...","box":{"x":244,"y":668,"width":759,"height":32}},{"text":"IV. The Sacraments of the Church","box":{"x":336,"y":753,"width":483,"height":22}},{"text":"1. The CNEI believes that the sacraments of Baptism and the","box":{"x":164,"y":795,"width":873,"height":31}},{"text":"Supper of the Lord (Holy Communion) as ordained by Christ are","box":{"x":115,"y":823,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"means of grace through which God works in us and by which we","box":{"x":112,"y":853,"width":926,"height":31}},{"text":"are united to God...","box":{"x":118,"y":878,"width":306,"height":27}},{"text":"A. Baptism","box":{"x":487,"y":945,"width":178,"height":25}},{"text":"3. The Church of North-East India allows both Infant Baptism","box":{"x":157,"y":986,"width":879,"height":29}},{"text":"and Believers' Baptism but not both on the same person and shall","box":{"x":118,"y":1012,"width":919,"height":34}},{"text":"receive as communicant members all those who have been baptised","box":{"x":115,"y":1040,"width":919,"height":31}},{"text":"or confirmed. It assures freedom of expression for the particular","box":{"x":111,"y":1068,"width":924,"height":34}},{"text":"convictions of different traditions.","box":{"x":111,"y":1096,"width":479,"height":25}},{"text":"4. All ministers of the Church shall be free to administer either","box":{"x":157,"y":1141,"width":879,"height":25}},{"text":"or both forms of Baptism. A minister who, for conscientious","box":{"x":111,"y":1169,"width":924,"height":29}},{"text":"reasons, is unable to administer Baptism to infants shall be free to","box":{"x":113,"y":1195,"width":918,"height":31}},{"text":"invite some other minister of the Church to perform the rite...","box":{"x":113,"y":1224,"width":852,"height":32}},{"text":"V. THE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH","box":{"x":272,"y":1315,"width":602,"height":24}},{"text":"A. The Ministry of the Whole Church","box":{"x":305,"y":1371,"width":533,"height":28}},{"text":"The CNEI believes that the Church is a royal priesthood through","box":{"x":157,"y":1420,"width":878,"height":34}},{"text":"which the risen and ascended Christ continues His High Priestly","box":{"x":105,"y":1446,"width":928,"height":35}},{"text":"work. All its members are called, by virtue of their union with","box":{"x":108,"y":1474,"width":925,"height":29}},{"text":"Christ, to a priestly ministry; both Godward, in the offering of","box":{"x":109,"y":1502,"width":926,"height":38}},{"text":"H.C.I.- 27","box":{"x":202,"y":1544,"width":132,"height":25}}]},"418":{"imagePath":"H:\\web_projects\\corpus-web\\electron-app\\data\\5e07978430078cb56ea89a104e5a0c0e50b3aa1618e48c486c8af005ae015143\\raw\\pages\\00442-34cbc1465b7d305e4469.webp","width":1170,"height":1680,"segments":[{"text":"418","box":{"x":118,"y":130,"width":57,"height":18}},{"text":"HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA","box":{"x":346,"y":134,"width":477,"height":20}},{"text":"spiritual sacrifices, gifts and prayers for mankind; and manward,","box":{"x":125,"y":185,"width":921,"height":28}},{"text":"in the showing forth by life and word of the glory of the redeeming","box":{"x":125,"y":211,"width":921,"height":29}},{"text":"power of God. No individual and no one order in the Church","box":{"x":123,"y":238,"width":919,"height":31}},{"text":"can claim exclusive possession of this priesthood.","box":{"x":122,"y":267,"width":676,"height":29}},{"text":"It recognises that it is the duty and privilege of every member","box":{"x":169,"y":318,"width":875,"height":34}},{"text":"to share in the service of God which is the ministry of the whole","box":{"x":123,"y":345,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"Church. This ministry includes the worship of God both in private","box":{"x":122,"y":375,"width":922,"height":31}},{"text":"and in public, the offering of daily life and work to God, Christian","box":{"x":122,"y":403,"width":919,"height":28}},{"text":"loving service both in the family of the Church and in the community","box":{"x":122,"y":430,"width":922,"height":41}},{"text":"at large, and faithful witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ by life","box":{"x":120,"y":458,"width":922,"height":32}},{"text":"and word. This includes both the laity and the clergy, each exer-","box":{"x":123,"y":486,"width":919,"height":31}},{"text":"cising its own ministry. Within this ministry, it recognizes and","box":{"x":120,"y":514,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"welcomes a rich diversity of gifts both in men and women. It will","box":{"x":118,"y":542,"width":925,"height":29}},{"text":"be the prime concern of the Church that all its members should","box":{"x":119,"y":570,"width":924,"height":29}},{"text":"contribute fully to its life of worship, witness and service.","box":{"x":120,"y":598,"width":802,"height":29}},{"text":"B. The Special Ministry","box":{"x":407,"y":672,"width":347,"height":27}},{"text":"1. The CNEI believes that within this ministry of the whole","box":{"x":171,"y":713,"width":871,"height":36}},{"text":"Church, Christ has given a special ministry of the Word and the","box":{"x":118,"y":748,"width":924,"height":32}},{"text":"Sacraments. To this ministry some are set apart, receiving autho-","box":{"x":119,"y":776,"width":919,"height":32}},{"text":"rity not simply from the Church but from Christ the Head of the","box":{"x":119,"y":804,"width":921,"height":28}},{"text":"Church. The special ministry is one of the organs of the Body","box":{"x":116,"y":829,"width":924,"height":34}},{"text":"through which Christ the Head acts by the Holy Spirit to build up","box":{"x":120,"y":858,"width":918,"height":32}},{"text":"the Body and to equip its members for their part in the ministry of","box":{"x":120,"y":888,"width":924,"height":31}},{"text":"the whole Church...","box":{"x":118,"y":916,"width":284,"height":24}},{"text":"2. The special ministry of the CNEI shall consist of Elders or","box":{"x":165,"y":964,"width":875,"height":31}},{"text":"Deacons, Pastors or Priests and Bishops.","box":{"x":113,"y":994,"width":564,"height":29}},{"text":"3. Elders or Deacons","box":{"x":164,"y":1045,"width":311,"height":24}},{"text":"The CNEI agrees that there shall be recognized in the Church","box":{"x":165,"y":1097,"width":872,"height":32}},{"text":"the office of Elder or Deacon. In each congregation men and","box":{"x":119,"y":1126,"width":921,"height":31}},{"text":"women shall be elected by the congregation after prayer and careful","box":{"x":113,"y":1154,"width":924,"height":32}},{"text":"consideration as persons who are recognised as having the appro-","box":{"x":116,"y":1181,"width":922,"height":34}},{"text":"priate spiritual gifts (Acts 6:3) for this office and shall be set apart","box":{"x":119,"y":1209,"width":919,"height":36}},{"text":"in a solemn public service of the Church. Elders or Deacons shall","box":{"x":119,"y":1237,"width":919,"height":34}},{"text":"share with the ministers in the spiritual care, nurture and govern-","box":{"x":116,"y":1264,"width":921,"height":38}},{"text":"ment of the Church, in evangelism and Christian service, in the","box":{"x":118,"y":1293,"width":921,"height":32}},{"text":"conduct of public worship and in the preaching of the Word.","box":{"x":118,"y":1321,"width":919,"height":35}},{"text":"Insofar as possible it is expected that elders or Deacons shall under-","box":{"x":118,"y":1350,"width":921,"height":34}},{"text":"take a course of Bible Study and Doctrine as arranged by the Church.","box":{"x":118,"y":1379,"width":919,"height":35}},{"text":"All Elders or Deacons of a congregation will be members of the","box":{"x":112,"y":1407,"width":926,"height":32}},{"text":"governing body of the congregation. Elders or Deacons shall be","box":{"x":118,"y":1433,"width":921,"height":35}},{"text":"represented in the higher councils or assemblies of the Church in","box":{"x":120,"y":1460,"width":918,"height":34}},{"text":"accordance with the Constitution.","box":{"x":118,"y":1490,"width":463,"height":28}}]}}}