THE LAYING ON OF HANDS.
By George I. Butler
A CORRESPONDENT asks for an explanation of Acts 8, in which we have an account of the preaching of Philip, the acceptance of the gospel by many, their baptism, and finally the coming of Peter and John, and their laying their hands upon these disciples, who thus received the Holy Ghost. Our friend writes that a Mormon elder has been disturbing the minds of some who have received the truth by telling them that the laying on of hands was an ordinance of the true church, and that they could not be saved unless it was administered, etc. We take issue decidedly with this position; for there is not a passage of Scripture which teaches that it was an ordinance of the church designed for all believers, or that it was a condition of salvation. We freely admit that the laying on of hands was a ceremony to be practiced on special occasions. For example, hands were to be laid upon the sick, Mark 16:18; Acts 28:8; also upon those who were to be ordained to the ministry or as deacons; Acts 6:6; 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:22; Titus 1:5. Except in these special cases, it was nowhere commanded. But was it not practiced by the apostles, and made the occasion of the bestowal of the Holy Spirit? In some instances, it was. But in other instances, just as marked, the Spirit was bestowed without this ceremony. In the scripture in question, Acts 8, we learn that Philip preached Christ unto them, and a multitude were baptized, but the Spirit was not bestowed. Peter and John came, and they laid their hands upon these disciples, and the Holy Ghost came upon them. But we go to chapter 10 where an account is given of the conversion of Cornelius, the good centurion, and many with him. Peter was directed to go there by a vision. When he had been sent for by Cornelius, a goodly number listened to the gospel. While he was speaking, the Holy Ghost fell upon them. It is evident from the language that there was no laying on of hands. Verse 44. They were commanded to be baptized after they had received the Spirit. But they were not commanded to have hands laid upon them. When the Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, it came without the laying on of hands, upon the twenty in the room. And when Peter spake to the multitude who came together, and told them the promise of the Holy Spirit was unto them and to their children, and to all that were afar off, and to as many as the Lord should call, he never gave them a hint that the condition of having hands laid upon them was required in order to obtain it, and it is very evident they received it without. Acts 2:38, 39. We see, therefore, that there were instances of the giving of the Spirit at the time of the laying on of hands, and without it, and that it is nowhere made a condition of receiving the Spirit that hands should be laid upon the believer. Hence it cannot be a general ordinance of the church. The laying on of hands is doubtless an expressive ceremony signifying the conferring of spiritual blessings, and is proper especially on the occasion of solemn ordination to holy office. The Bible teaches this. It is also proper when special prayer is made for the healing of the sick. At times God marks the occasions by a special outpouring of his Spirit. At other times he pours out his Spirit just as powerfully in the absence of the ceremony. If it had been a solemn ordinance of the church, obligatory upon all believers, we should surely have had a command to that effect, as in the case of baptism, the Lord's supper, and the ordinance of humility. Gen. 13. GEO. I. BUTLER.