To the first order of Ministers--the Apostles and their successors--our Blessed Lord had committed His authority to found and extend His Kingdom. For to "the eleven Disciples" the commission was given, "Go ye and make disciples[23] of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you." And then these words were added, showing that the commission was to be handed on by them to successive Apostles for ever: "And lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (S. Matt. xxviii. 16-20). And we find that, as years passed on, the Apostles ordained others to take their places; to assist them during their lifetime in the various countries and cities where converts had been made, and to succeed them when they were gone. The duties of these chief Ministers are clearly described in the Epistles, which we possess to two of them, viz. Timothy and Titus; being such as the Apostles themselves fulfilled, and including the general oversight of all teaching, and matters of order, and the ordaining of Elders and Deacons, as S. Paul sums them up to Titus: "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain Elders in every city" (Titus i. 5). And in the first ages of the Church the number of such overseers or Bishops was very large; every chief city having one to rule over the Church in that place, and to keep up the unity with the whole body.