21. That the commission of the Lord Jesus to the apostles, instructing them to preach the gospel widely, was executed with promptness and zeal, is evident from the rapid growth of the Church in the early apostolic times.--(Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20.) Paul, writing about A. D. 64--approximately thirty years after the ascension--declares that the gospel had already been carried to every nation--"preached to every creature under heaven,"--(Col. 1:23; compare verse 6) by which expression the apostle doubtless means that the gospel message had been so generally proclaimed, that all who would might learn of it. 22. Details as to the organization of the Church in apostolic days are not given with great fulness. As already shown, the presiding authority was vested in the twelve apostles; and furthermore, the special calling of the seventies has received attention; but beside these there were evangelists, pastors, and teachers;--(Eph. 4:11) and in addition, high priests,--(Heb. 5:1-5) elders,--(Acts 14:23; 25:6; I Peter 5:1) bishops,--(I Tim. 3:1; Titus 1:7) etc. The purpose of these several offices is explained by Paul to be:--"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."--(Eph. 4:12; read also verses 13-16.) The Church with its graded offices and its spiritual gifts has been aptly compared to a perfect body with its separate organs and its individual members, each necessary to the welfare of the whole, yet none independent of the rest. As in the human organism so in the Church of Christ, no one with propriety can say to another, "I have no need of thee."--(See I Cor. 12. See note 4, end of chapter.) **The Church of Christ on the Western Hemisphere**. 23. We have seen, on the evidence of the Jewish scriptures, how the Church was established and made strong in Asia and Europe in and immediately following the meridian of time. The scriptures cited are such as appeal to all earnest Christians; the authority is that of the New Testament. We have now to consider the establishment of the Church amongst those who constituted another division of the house of Israel--a people inhabiting what is now known as the American continent.