BX 9521 
 
 .R43 1908 
 
 
 Reformed 
 
 Church in ■ 
 
 the 
 
 United 
 
 States. 
 
 
 The constitution of 
 
 the 
 
 Reformed church in 
 
 the 
 
the: 
 
 CONvSTITUTION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Reformed Church 
 
 IN THE 
 
 United States. 
 
 Approved by the General Synod of AUentown, 
 May, 1905. 
 
 Adopted by the Glasses. 
 
 Declared Adopted by the General Synod of York, 
 May, 1908. 
 
 The Publication Board of the Reformed Church in the U. S. 
 
 PHIL.AUIi:L.I>IIIA, PA.. 
 
THE 
 
 CONSTITUTION 
 
 of the 
 
 Reformed Church in the United 
 
 States. 
 
 PREAMBLE. 
 
 For the maintenance of truth and order in 
 accordance with the Word of God, the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States ordains this 
 Constitution to be its fundamental law for gov- 
 ernment, doctrine and worship, and declares the 
 same to have binding authority on all its mem- 
 bers, congregations and judicatories. 
 
 Part I. 
 MEMBERS-CONGREGATIONS-OFFICES. 
 
 Section i. 
 
 Members. 
 
 Article I. All baptized persons are 
 members of the Church, under its care and 
 subject to its government and discipline. 
 
 Art. 2. Persons received into full com- 
 munion with the Church by confirmation, 
 certificate, or renewal of profession shall be 
 3 
 
regarded as communicant members. They 
 shall be entitled to all the rights and privi- 
 leges of the Church and can be deprived of 
 them only by due process of discipline. 
 
 Art. 3. Those baptized in infancy shall 
 be received into full communion with the 
 Church by confirmation, and unbaptized 
 adults by baptism and confirmation. In 
 both cases they shall first receive proper 
 instruction in the truths of the gospel and 
 give satisfactory evidence of faith in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Art. 4. Members of other branches of 
 the Christian Church, in good and regular 
 standing, may be received into the mem- 
 bership of the Reformed Church by certifi- 
 cate of dismission. If, however, such cer- 
 tificate cannot be obtained, they may be 
 received by a renewal of their profession 
 of faith in Christ. This does not preclude 
 the Spiritual Council from deciding in 
 either case, before they are thus received, 
 whether or not they shall be instructed in 
 the fundamental truths of the Christian 
 religion as set forth in the Heidelberg 
 Catechism. 
 
 Art. 5. Members who on account of 
 change of residence or for other proper 
 reasons desire to change their membership 
 from one congregation to another congre- 
 gation of the Reformed Church, shall ob- 
 4 
 
tain a certificate of dismission and as soon 
 as possible unite with the other congrega- 
 tion. The Spiritual Council dismissing 
 them shall immediately communicate the 
 fact to the Spiritual Council of the congre- 
 gation to which they have been dismissed ; 
 and when they are received the latter shall 
 promptly notify the former of their recep- 
 tion. Members dismissed shall be amen- 
 able to the congregation dismissing them 
 until they shall have been received by the 
 other congregation. A certificate of dis- 
 mission shall be valid for only one year 
 from its date. 
 
 Art. (^6. It is the duty of church mem- 
 bers to live sober, righteous and godly lives, 
 and to labor faithfully in bringing others 
 to Christ. They shall obey the laws and 
 rules of life prescribed in the Word of 
 God and abide by the Constitution of the 
 Church, and contribute liberally, in propor- 
 tion to their means, to the support of the 
 gospel and for the extension of the king- 
 dom of Christ. Every member shall attend 
 faithfully the public services of the Church 
 and shall engage diligently in private de- 
 votions ; and those who have been confirmed 
 shall partake of the Lord's Supper at least 
 once a year. Parents shall give special at- 
 tention to the Christian training of the 
 members of their household. 
 
Section 2. 
 
 Congregations. 
 
 Art. 7. A congregation of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States is a 
 body of Christians accepting the Bible as 
 the Word of God and the Heidelberg 
 Catechism as its standard of faith and doc- 
 trine, and organized agreeably to the pro- 
 visions of the Constitution of the Church. 
 
 Art. 8. Whenever it is desired to or- 
 ganize a congregation, those persons who 
 are willing to enter into such organization 
 shall sign the following memorial and ad- 
 dress the same to the Classis withii^ whose 
 bounds the congregation is to be organ- 
 ized : — 
 
 "We, whose names are hereunto affixed, 
 desiring to be organized as a congregation, 
 that we may have better facilities for en- 
 joying the holy ordinances of the Christian 
 Church, do hereby petition the Classis of 
 
 to organize us under the name of 
 
 congregation, in the township 
 
 (town, or city) of , county of 
 
 and State of ., and de- 
 clare our readiness to be governed by the 
 Constitution of the Reformed Church in. 
 the United States." 
 
 Date Signed 
 
 6 
 
If the Classis approves of the proposed 
 organization, it shall appoint a committee 
 to superintend the election of elders and 
 deacons, and to induct them into office. 
 After the acts thus authorized have been 
 performed and have been sanctioned by 
 the Classis, the organization shall be en- 
 rolled as a regular congregation of the 
 Reformed Church in the United States. 
 If, however, local conditions require it, 
 a congregation may be duly organized by 
 a missionary, or a minister doing mission- 
 ary work, acting with the consent of the 
 Classis under whose jurisdiction the con- 
 gregation is to be received. Application 
 for admission to Classis must be made as 
 soon as possible after the organization is 
 effected. 
 
 A congregation, whether independent or 
 belonging to another denomination, which 
 conforms to the requirements of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States, may 
 be admitted to membership. 
 
 Art. 9. Whenever a congregation de- 
 sires to become an incorporated body, a 
 draft of the proposed articles of incorpora- 
 tion and the constitution of the congrega- 
 tion shall be submitted to the Classis for 
 approval before the charter is presented to 
 the civil authorities. A charter shall not be 
 approved that does not bind the congrega- 
 tion to be an organic member of the Re- 
 7 
 
formed Church in the United States, and 
 to be governed by its Constitution and laws. 
 In all cases, unless there are legal difficul- 
 ties, the Consistory shall in the charter be 
 constituted the trustees of the congregation. 
 
 Art. 10. Each congregation shall adopt 
 a Constitution and By-laws for its own 
 government. Such Constitution and By- 
 laws must be in accordance with its charter 
 and with the Constitution of the Reformed 
 Church in the United States. 
 
 Art. II. Each congregation shall hold 
 an annual meeting. The Consistory may 
 call a special meeting of the congregation, 
 and shall at the written request of one- 
 tenth of the communicant members issue a 
 call for such meeting within two weeks 
 after the request has been received. One 
 week's previous public notice shall be given 
 of the time, place and purpose of a special 
 congregational meeting. A full and ac- 
 curate record of the proceedings of all 
 meetings shall be kept. 
 
 Art. 12. To the trustees shall be com- 
 mitted the care and control of the property 
 of the congregation, whether real or per- 
 sonal, and of all moneys and legacies. They 
 shall hold the property as a sacred trust for 
 the congregation, keep the church edifice 
 and other buildings belonging to the con- 
 gregation in proper repair, and prevent the 
 8 
 
use of the house of God for improper pur- 
 poses. In matters of a general nature, such 
 as the purchasing or selUng of property, 
 the borrowing of money, and the remodel- 
 ing or erection of buildings, the trustees 
 can determine nothing finally without the 
 consent of a majority of those communi- 
 cant members of the congregation as- 
 sembled at a meeting called for the pur- 
 pose, of which meeting at least two weeks' 
 previous public notice shall be given. 
 
 Art. 13. Tiie common interests of two 
 or more congregations united in one pas- 
 toral charge shall be committed to a Joint 
 Consistory, composed of the members of 
 the Consistories of the congregations in- 
 cluded in the charge. A congregation shall 
 not withdraw from such charge without 
 permission of Classis. 
 
 Art. 14. On the dissolution of a con- 
 gregation the Classis with which it was 
 connected shall have jurisdiction over its 
 members and transfer them to the congre- 
 gation which they may select. Classis also 
 shall have charge and control of the prop- 
 erty of said dissolved congregation, if the 
 laws of the State do not forbid it, and shall 
 determine any case of discipline begun by 
 the Spiritual Council and not completed. 
 And if a congregation shall have with- 
 drawn from connection with the Reformed 
 9 
 
Church in the United States, the official 
 character of the elders, deacons and trus- 
 tees shall immediately cease, and the Classis 
 to which it belonged shall succeed to all 
 rights, powers and prerogatives of the 
 trustees touching the property, real and 
 personal, provided such successions do not 
 conflict with the civil law. 
 
 Section 3. 
 
 Offices. 
 
 Art. 15. The Offices of the Reformed 
 Church are : 
 
 1. The Office of Minister of 
 the Word. 
 
 2. The Office of Elder. 
 
 3. The Office of Deacon. 
 
 I. MINISTERS OF THE WORD. 
 
 Art. 16. A Minister of the Word is a 
 member of the Church, called by Christ to 
 the ministry of reconciliation, and ordained 
 and consecrated by prayer and the laying 
 on of hands to preach the gospel, to exer- 
 cise pastoral oversight, to dispense the holy 
 sacraments, in conjunction with the elders 
 to administer Christian discipline, and to 
 give himself wholly to the service of Christ 
 in His Church. 
 
 10 
 
Art. 17. A minister receiving a call 
 from a charge and accepting the same shall 
 present said call, together with his accept- 
 ance of it, to Classis for consideration ; and 
 if the call is confirmed, provision shall be 
 made at once for his installation as pastor. 
 A call, however, shall not be confirmed 
 unless it provides for adequate support of 
 the pastor, and unless the salary of the pre- 
 ceding pastor shall have been paid or satis- 
 factory arrangements for its payment have 
 been made ; nor shall any Classis refuse to 
 confirm a call unless there are strong rea- 
 sons for withholding such confirmation. A 
 minister having received a call from a 
 charge shall not move into it, nor perform 
 pastoral duties in it, without first having 
 obtained the consent of Classis. Every 
 pastor shall reside wdthin the bounds of his 
 charge, unless Classis gives him permission 
 to reside elsewhere. 
 
 Art. 18. Every pastor, or the secretary 
 of the Consistory, shall keep a complete 
 record of all baptisms, confirmations, com- 
 municants, receptions by certificate, re- 
 newals of profession, dismissions, erasures 
 of names, suspensions, excommunications, 
 marriages and deaths. The record shall 
 be the property of the congregation. 
 
 Art. 19. A pastor desiring to resign 
 his charge shall lay his resignation before 
 11 
 
the Consistory or Joint Consistory, which 
 shall take action on it as soon as possible ; 
 but if the pastor or Consistory desires it, 
 the resignation shall be laid before the con- 
 gregation or congregations for action. 
 The resignation, and the consequent 
 action of the Consistory, or of the congre- 
 gation or congregations, shall then as soon 
 as possible be laid before the Classis for 
 action. When in the opinion of three- 
 fourths of the members of the Consistory 
 or Joint Consistory the welfare of the 
 charge requires it, the Consistory or Joint 
 Consistory shall make a written request to 
 the pastor for his resignation. If the pas- 
 tor, or the Consistory or Joint Consistory, 
 desires it, the request shall be laid before 
 the congregation or congregations for ac- 
 tion. If the majority of the congrega- 
 tion or congregations sustains the request, 
 the 'matter shall then as soon as possible be 
 referred to Classis for action. But if the 
 request is not brought before the congre- 
 gation or congregations, the matter shall 
 be referred directly to the Classis. A pas- 
 tor shall not leave his charge before his 
 resignation has been approved and the 
 pastoral relation has been dissolved by 
 Classis. 
 
 Art. 20. A minister shall not officiate 
 in the charge of another minister without 
 his consent ; nor shall he serve a vacant 
 12 
 
congregation or charge as a regular supply 
 without the consent of the Classis to which 
 the congregation or charge helongs. He 
 shall be a member of the Classis within 
 whose bounds he resides, unless he shall 
 have retired from the active duties of the 
 ministry; or unless he is connected with 
 an Institution or a Board of the Church, 
 in which case he may be a member of any 
 Classis connected with the Synod or Synods 
 under whose care or by whose authority 
 the Institution or Board acts. 
 
 Art. 21. A minister shall continue in 
 the service of the sanctuary as long as he 
 lives, unless he has the consent of Classis to 
 devote himself to a secular calling. Educa- 
 tional, or other direct, work for the Church 
 shall not be regarded as a secular calling. 
 
 Art. 22. If a minister not otherwise 
 chargeable with an offense renounces the 
 jurisdiction of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States by joining another denomi- 
 nation without being regularly dismissed 
 to it, Classis shall record the fact and erase 
 his name from the roll. If charges are 
 pending against him, he may be tried on 
 them. If the minister against whom the 
 charges are pending shall have abandoned 
 the ministry or declared himself independ- 
 ent, his name shall be erased, or he shall be 
 deposed or excommunicated, as the case 
 may require. 
 
 13 
 
Art. 23. A minister compelled by age 
 or infirmity to retire from the active duties 
 of the ministry, shall retain his right to a 
 seat and vote in his Classis and in the 
 Synods, and to perform ministerial acts 
 within the restrictions specified in Article 
 20 of this Constitution. 
 
 If the retiring minister lacks the means 
 of self-support, his Classis shall report his 
 name to the authorities appointed by the 
 General Synod, in case the General Synod 
 shall have made provision for the relief of 
 ministers according to Article 117 of this 
 Constitution. 
 
 Art. 24. A minister from another de- 
 nomination, before he shall be admitted in- 
 to the ministry of the Reformed Church in 
 the United States, shall present a certificate 
 of dismission, and shall be examined as to 
 his orthodoxy and the purity of his inten- 
 tions. If his application is approved, he 
 shall, upon signing the formula prescribed 
 for licentiates, be admitted by a two-thirds 
 vote of the Classis to which he has applied 
 for reception. 
 
 2. TEACHERS OF THEOLOGY. 
 
 Art. 25. A Teacher of Theology is a 
 Minister of the Word who has been elected 
 and inaugurated as a professor in a Theo- 
 logical Seminarv of tlie Church. He shall 
 14 
 
be chosen in such manner as may be de- 
 termined by the Synod or Synods to whose 
 jurisdiction the Sen"iinary is subject. 
 
 Art. 26. A person shall not be elected a 
 Teacher of Theology whose views are not 
 in accord with the faith and doctrines of 
 the Reformed Church in the United States 
 and who does not approve of its mode of 
 government, forms of worship and distinc- 
 tive customs. 
 
 Art. 2^. Before a Teacher of 1 heology 
 enters upon the duties of his office, he shall 
 be inaugurated under the direction of the 
 Synod or Synods by which he was chosen. 
 At his inauguration he shall solemnly affirm 
 the following declaration in a public as- 
 sembly : — 
 
 "You, N N , Professor-elect 
 
 of the Theological Seminary of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States, at 
 
 , acknowledge sincerely before 
 
 God and this assembly that the Holy Scrip- 
 tures of the Old and New Testaments, 
 which are called canonical, are divinely 
 inspired Scriptures and therefore credible 
 and authoritative ; that they contain all 
 things which relate to the faith, the practice 
 and the hope of the righteous, and are the 
 only rule of faith and practice in the 
 Church of God ; that, consequently, tra- 
 ditions, as they r"e called, and mere 
 15 
 
conclusions of reason that are contrary 
 to the clear testimony of these Scriptures 
 cannot be received as rules of faith or of 
 life. You acknowledge, further, that the 
 doctrine contained in the Heidelberg Cate- 
 chism is in accordance with the doctrine of 
 the Holy Scriptures. You declare sincerely, 
 that in the office you are about to assume 
 you will make the divine authority of the 
 Holy Scriptures, and the truth of the doc- 
 trine contained in the Heidelberg Catechism, 
 the basis of all your instructions, and faith- 
 fully maintain and defend the same in your 
 preaching and writing as well as in your 
 instructions. You declare, finally, that, ac- 
 cording to the ability which God may grant 
 you, you will so labor that, with the divine 
 blessing, the students entrusted to your 
 care may become enlightened, pious, faith- 
 ful and zealous ministers of the gospel, who 
 shall be sound in the faith." The Professor- 
 elect shall answer, '*I so declare and af- 
 firm." 
 
 Art. 28. Teachers of Theology shall 
 explain the Holy Scriptures and defend 
 the pure doctrine of the gospel against er- 
 rors. In their instructions to the theolog- 
 ical students it shall be their principal aim 
 to make them well acquainted with the true 
 sense of the Holy Scriptures, and prepare 
 them to preach the gospel with power and 
 16 
 
effect. In this service they are required to 
 instruct the students in Exegetical, His- 
 torical, Systematic and Practical Theology. 
 
 Art. 29. A Teacher of Theology shall 
 continue in office during his life, unless he 
 resigns or becomes disqualified for his du- 
 ties by heterodoxy or immorality, or by 
 physical or mental infirmities. 
 
 Art. 30. If four ministers and four 
 elders of the Church present to the 
 Board of Visitors of any Theological Semi- 
 nary a document asserting that, for cause 
 or causes named in Article 29 of this Con- 
 stitution, a Teacher of Theology is disquali- 
 fied for his position, said Board shall 
 institute a careful examination, and if the 
 charge is well founded shall refer the mat- 
 ter for final disposition to the Synod or 
 Synods under whose authority the Teacher 
 of Theology holds his position. In all 
 things except his position as Teacher of 
 Theology he is amenable to the Classis to 
 which he belongs. 
 
 Art. 31. A Teacher of Theology who 
 has been rendered incapable of further 
 service by infirmities shall not be displaced 
 without having such provision made for his 
 support as his necessities may require and 
 as the Synod or Synods may be able to 
 make. After the age of seventy he shall 
 be declared Professor Emeritus. A Teach- 
 2 17 
 
er of Theology desiring to resign his office 
 shall, at least six months before his resig- 
 nation is to take effect, give notice in 
 writing of his intention to the Board of 
 Visitors or other proper officers. 
 
 3. LICENTIATES. 
 
 Art. 32. A licentiate is a member of 
 the Church who, having completed a pre- 
 scribed course of theological studies and 
 having passed a satisfactory examination 
 by a Classis, has been authorized to preach 
 the gospel and to accept a call from a pas- 
 toral charge or a missionary field. 
 
 Art. 33. An applicant for licensure 
 shall present a written application to his 
 Classis, together with his certificate from 
 the Theological Seminary or Institution in 
 which he studied. He shall submit to an 
 examination, which shall be open to all the 
 members of Classis and embrace at least 
 the main subjects taught in the Theological 
 Seminaries of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States. Particular attention shall 
 be paid to his piety, the purity of his in- 
 tentions in seeking the ministry, his ortho- 
 doxy, and his ability to preach the gospel. 
 The report of such examination shall not 
 enter into particulars, but simply state the 
 result as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. 
 
 Art. 34. For good reasons licensure 
 may be granted to applicants who have not 
 
completed the course of study prescribed 
 for the Theological Seminaries, but in all 
 such cases a two-thirds vote of the Classis 
 shall be required to authorize the licensure. 
 
 Art. 35. The examination of the ap- 
 plicant having proved satisfactory and the 
 report of the examiners having been adopt- 
 ed, he shall read aloud before Classis the 
 following formula and subscribe the same 
 in a book kept for that purpose : — 
 
 'T hereby testify that I honestly and truly 
 accept the doctrine of the Heidelberg 
 Catechism as in accordance with the teach- 
 ing of the Holy Scriptures, and promise 
 faithfully to preach and defend the same. 
 I also declare and promise that I will care- 
 fully observe all the ordinances in accord- 
 ance with the Word of God which now are 
 or may hereafter be enacted by the au- 
 thorities of the Church, and that I will 
 cheerfully submit to all the admonitions and 
 decisions of these authorities so long as I 
 remain in connection with the Reformed 
 Church in the United States. 
 
 'Tn testimony whereof I hereunto sub- 
 scribe my name and the date." 
 
 Name Date 
 
 Having thus attested his adherence to 
 
 the doctrines and discipline of the Reformed 
 
 Church in the United States, he shall be 
 
 furnished with a certificate of licensure, 
 
 19 
 
bearing the seal of Classis and the sig- 
 natures of the President and Stated Clerk ; 
 anrl his name shall be placed on the clerical 
 roll. 
 
 Art. 36. A licentiate is permitted to 
 preach the Word, but shall not administer 
 the sacraments, perform the rite of confir- 
 mation, pronounce the benediction, nor 
 solemnize marriage. He is under the care 
 and jurisdiction of his Classis, must attend 
 its meetings and submit a written report of 
 his labors, but he cannot vote in Classis nor 
 can he represent it in a higher judicatory. 
 
 Art. 37. A licentiate shall not be or- 
 dained before he is twenty-one years of age 
 and until he has received and accepted a call 
 from a pastoral charge, or has been called 
 to a mission or to be a Teacher of Theology 
 in an authorized theological institution of 
 the Reformed Church in the United States. 
 A licentiate who has received and accepted 
 a call from a pastoral charge shall be or- 
 dained by the Classis within whose bounds 
 the charge is located. A licentiate who has 
 received and accepted a call to teach theol- 
 ogy shall be ordained by the Classis to 
 which he belongs when he accepts the call. 
 
 Art. 38. A licentiate shall not preach 
 statedly for a vacant congregation or pas- 
 toral charge without the consent of Classis. 
 He shall be a member of that Classis within 
 
 go 
 
whose bounds he resides, except as pro- 
 vided for in the case of ministers in Ar- 
 ticle 20 of this Constitution. 
 
 Art. 39. Before licentiates from other 
 denominations can be received into a 
 Classis of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States, they shall be examined in 
 the same manner as students for the minis- 
 try and shall subscribe the formula pre- 
 scribed for licentiates. 
 
 4. STUDENTS FOR THE MINISTRY. 
 
 Art. 40. A student for the ministry is 
 a member of the Church who, believing 
 himself called to become a minister of 
 Christ, enters upon a course of study to 
 prepare himself for that office. 
 
 Art. 41. Every student for the ministry 
 shall place himself under the care of a 
 Classis. When any one applies to be re- 
 ceived as such, the Classis shall inquire as 
 to his fitness, and if the result of the in- 
 quiry is satisfactory shall take him under its 
 care and exercise proper supervision over 
 his studies and deportment. He shall pur- 
 sue his course of study in a theological 
 institution of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States, unless Classis permits him to 
 study elsewhere. This permission can be 
 given only if it does not conflict with any 
 previous obligations he may have assumed. 
 21 
 
Art. 42. At each annual meeting of 
 his Classis a student for the ministry "shaU 
 submit a written report of the progress he 
 has made in his studies, and also his official 
 reports from the institution in which he 
 is studying. He shall not exercise minis- 
 terial functions, but with the consent of the 
 faculty may occasionally preach after his 
 first year in the Seminary. 
 
 11. 
 
 ELDERS AND DEACONS. 
 
 Art. 43. An elder is a member of the 
 Church chosen by a congregation and or- 
 dained to his office by prayer and the laying 
 on of hands to assist and support the pas- 
 tor in the spiritual affairs of the Church. 
 
 Art. 44. Elders shall take heed to 
 themselves that they may be an example 
 unto others, shall faithfully watch over the 
 spiritual interests of the congregation, shall 
 maintain order in the house of God, shall 
 aid in visiting the sick, and shall contribute 
 according to their ability to the edification 
 and consolation of all the members. They 
 shall also provide the elements for the 
 Lord's Supper, when requested by the 
 pastor. 
 
 Art. 45. A deacon is a member of the 
 Church chosen by a congregation and or- 
 dained to his office bv ]:)rayer and the laying 
 '22 
 
on of hands to gather the offerings of the 
 congregation for the pastor's salary and 
 other purposes, to attend to the temporal 
 affairs of the congregation, except such as 
 are specified in Article 12 of this Constitu- 
 tion, and to look after the poor and desti- 
 tute. 
 
 Art. 46. Elders and deacons shall be 
 elected by a majority of the votes cast at a 
 congregational meeting and may be re- 
 elected. Their number in a congregation 
 and their term of office shall be determined 
 by the Constitution and By-laws of the con- 
 gregation. When elected for the first time 
 they shall be publicly ordained to their 
 office. After their ordination they, with 
 those who have been re-elected, shall be 
 installed. Unless dismissed to another con- 
 gregation they shall remain in office until 
 their successors are inducted into office. 
 
 Art. 47. Members called to the office 
 of elder or deacon shall be of exemplary 
 life and conduct (see Acts 6:1-6 and i 
 Tim. 3:8-13), that the congregation may 
 be edified. On this account light-minded, 
 contentious, or otherwise improper persons 
 shall not be chosen to these offices. 
 
 Art. 48. Nominations for the offices of 
 elder and deacon shall be made by the Con- 
 sistory, which shall present the names of one 
 or two persons for each officer to be elected. 
 23 
 
Public notice of the nominations shall be 
 given from the pulpit at least one week be- 
 fore the election. At the meeting for the 
 election one additional person for each offi- 
 cer to be elected may be nominated by the 
 congregation. A person shall not be voted 
 for unless regularly nominated. All nomi- 
 nees must be in full communion with the 
 Church and earnestly devoted to the cause 
 of Christ. If possible each congregation 
 shall have at least two elders and two 
 deacons. 
 
 Art. 49. The Reformed Church in the 
 United States, recognizing the consecration 
 and devotion of women to the service of 
 the Church from the time of the apostles to 
 the present day, and the value and impor- 
 tance of their work in all forms of service, 
 approves and authorizes the work of dea- 
 conesses in the congregations, and the 
 founding, by Consistories, Classes or Syn- 
 ods, of deaconess' Homes for the training 
 of deaconesses. A deaconess shall minis- 
 ter to the poor, the needy, the sick, the 
 spiritually destitute, and aid in the educa- 
 tion of the young and the visitation of 
 strangers and others in a parish. 
 
 24 
 
Part II. 
 
 JUDICATORIES. 
 
 Section i. 
 
 Judicatories in General. 
 
 Art. 50. The judicatories are: 
 
 1. The Consistory. 
 
 2. The Spiritual Council. 
 
 3. The Classis. 
 
 4. The Synod. 
 
 5. The General Synod. 
 
 They take cognizance only of ecclesias- 
 tical matters, and have authority to require 
 obedience to the laws of Christ and His 
 Church and to discipline the disobedient. 
 
 Art. 51. Cases over which a lower ju- 
 dicatory has original jurisdiction can be 
 brought before a higher judicatory only by 
 reference, complaint, or appeal. 
 
 Art. 52. Classes or Synods which pre- 
 vailingly use the same language in public 
 worship shall not be organized w^ithin the 
 same territory. But in the bounds of 
 Classes which are prevailingly English, 
 German Classes, or Classes of other lan- 
 guages, may be organized, with the consent 
 of a majority of all the Classes concerned 
 and of the Synod to which they belong; 
 and so also, converselv, in the case of Ger- 
 25 
 
inan Classes, or Classes of other languages, 
 English Classes may be organized in the 
 same way. 
 
 Art. 53. From the regular credentials 
 of the delegates, pritnarii and seciindi, the 
 Stated Clerk of a Classis, a Synod, or the 
 General Synod shall prepare the roll in ad- 
 vance of the stated meeting. Irregular or 
 disputed credentials shall be referred, im- 
 mediately after the organization of the judi- 
 catory, to a special committee, which shall 
 report within twenty-four hours after its 
 appointment. The sessions of every judica- 
 tory shall be opened and closed with reli- 
 gious services. 
 
 Art, 54. Each Classis and Synod and 
 the General Synod shall elect a President, 
 a Stated Clerk, and such other officers as 
 they respectively deem necessary, who shall 
 hold their offices until their successors are 
 elected at the next stated meeting. The 
 Stated Clerk, however, may be elected for 
 a longer period. 
 
 Art. 55. When a judicatory meets as a 
 delegated body, the delegates to it shall be 
 elected by the judicatories which they re- 
 spectively represent from among their 
 members, and in all such elections at least 
 a double number of persons shall be nomi- 
 nated. The members shall have the right, 
 however, to vote for anv enrolled member, 
 26 ' 
 
whether nomniated or not. Tellers shall 
 be appointed to distribute, collect and count 
 the ballots, and shall report the number of 
 votes cast for any member to the President, 
 who shall then declare the result. Those 
 having the highest number of votes shall be 
 the priuiarii, and an equal number having 
 the next highest number of votes shall be 
 the secundi, who shall succeed the primarii 
 in the order of the number of votes received 
 in both cases. In case delegates have re- 
 ceived an equal number of votes, their 
 names shall be arranged on the list in alpha- 
 betical order. 
 
 Art. 56. Acting elders only shall be 
 elected delegates to judicatories. They 
 shall have the same rights and privileges in 
 a judicatory as Ministers of the Word. 
 
 Art. 57. Delegates to a judicatory 
 shall be punctual in attending its meetings 
 and shall remain during the whole of its 
 sessions. They are amenable for their tar- 
 diness or absence to the judicatory which 
 elected them, which also must provide for 
 the expenses incurred in attending to their 
 duties unless paid by the higher judicatory. 
 
 Art. 58. At a special meeting of a ju- 
 dicatory action can be taken only on the 
 items of business specified in the call. 
 
 Art. 59. If unforeseen circumstances 
 should render it necessarv, either the time 
 27 
 
or the place, or both, of the stated meetmg' 
 of a Classis, a Synod, or the General Syn- 
 od, may be changed by the President and 
 Stated Clerk; provided that for a Classis 
 two weeks', for a Synod four weeks', and 
 for the General Synod six weeks', previous 
 notice is given by the President and Stated 
 Clerk through a circular addressed to each 
 member of the judicatory. 
 
 Art. 6o. At least one member of every 
 committee' appointed by a Classis, a Synod, 
 or the General Synod shall be an elder ; an 
 exception may be made in the case of a 
 committee to ordain a licentiate or to install 
 a minister. 
 
 Art. 6i. Delegates from bodies in cor- 
 respondence with the General Synod shall 
 be recognized as advisory members, but they 
 shall not have a vote. The same privilege 
 shall be accorded to every minister and 
 elder of the Reformed Church who, though 
 not a delegate, is present at a meeting 
 of a judicatory. Ministers from other de- 
 nominations who are in attendance shall 
 be recognized and welcomed by the Presi- 
 dent, but shall not be admitted to seats as 
 advisory members. 
 
 Art. 62. A member of a judicatory 
 shall not be allowed to enter a protest 
 against its acts ; but any member dissenting 
 shall have the right to call for the yeas and 
 
 28 
 
nays, in which case the vote and name oi 
 every member votino- on the question shall 
 be entered on the minutes. 
 
 Section 2. 
 
 Tfie Consistory. 
 
 Art. 63. The Consistory is composed of 
 the pastor or pastors and the elders and 
 deacons, and has oversight and government 
 of the congregation and of all its organiza- 
 tions. 
 
 Art. 64. The pastor shall be President 
 of the Consistory, unless the existing charter 
 provides otherwise. When a charge is 
 without a pastor, or the pastor is unable to 
 attend, one of the elders shall be chosen to 
 preside. A majority of the members shall 
 constitute a quorum, unless otherwise pro- 
 vided in the charter or constitution of the 
 congregation. 
 
 Art. 65. The Joint Consistory, as pro- 
 vided in Article 13 of this Constitution, is 
 composed of the members of the Consis- 
 tories included in the charge. It has juris- 
 diction over the com_mon interests of the 
 congregations represented, such as the call- 
 ing of a pastor, the provision for his salary, 
 and the erection and maintenance of a par- 
 sonage for the charge. The pastor shall be 
 President ; in the event of his absence or 
 29 
 
inability to preside, one of the elders shall 
 be chosen to preside. 
 
 Art. 66. The Consistory shall hold 
 stated monthly or quarterly meetings, and 
 may hold such special meetings as are 
 called by the President, or, in the event of 
 his absence, or inability or unwillingness to 
 act, by the Secretary when requested in 
 writing to do so by a majority of the mem- 
 bers. Previous notice of special meetings 
 of the Consistory or of the Joint Consis- 
 tory shall be given to all its members. 
 
 Art. 67. The Consistory or the Joint 
 Consistory shall annually elect delegates, a 
 primarius and a secundus, to represent the 
 charge in Classis, who shall also be the dele- 
 gates to Synod whenever Synod meets ir. 
 general convention. At least ten days be- 
 fore the annual meeting of the judicatory to 
 which these delegates have been elected, 
 their credentials shall be sent to its Stated 
 Clerk by the President or the Secretary of 
 the Consistory. 
 
 Art. 68. In managing the general af- 
 fairs of the congregation the Consistory 
 shall call congregational meetings, order 
 collections for the apportionments of Classis 
 and for other benevolent purposes, dis- 
 tribute alms through the deacons, provide 
 for the audit of the treasurer's account, and 
 make due provision for the support of the 
 
pastor. It shall keep a full and accurate 
 record of its own proceedings, be the cus- 
 todian of all congregational records, and 
 submit any or all records to the Classis 
 when occasion requires it and the Classis 
 requests it. 
 
 Art, 69. In calling a minister and in all 
 matters of a general nature, as specified in 
 Article 12 of this Constitution, the Con- 
 sistory shall determine nothing conclusive- 
 ly without the consent of a majority of 
 those members of the congregation present 
 at a meeting duly called for the purpose, 
 of which at least two weeks' public notice 
 shall be given. 
 
 Art. 70, When a charge is without a 
 pastor the Consistory or the Joint Consis- 
 tory shall provide for the temporary supply 
 of the pulpit, in which case Classis shall 
 have only advisory rights ; provided, how- 
 ever, that such temporary supply shall not 
 continue longer than one year, and that the 
 supply shall not be any one but a minister, 
 a licentiate, or a student for the ministry, 
 of the Reformed Church in the United 
 States, in good and regular standing. The 
 Consistory or the Joint Consistory shall as 
 soon as possible present to the congrega- 
 tion or congregations constituting the 
 charge the name of one candidate for the 
 pastorate, to be voted upon at a meeting 
 called for the purpose, of which public no- 
 31 
 
tice shall be given at least two weeks previ- 
 ously. The communicant members shall 
 vote by ballot for or against the candidate. 
 He is elected if a majority of the members 
 of the charge present and voting cast their 
 vote in his favor, unless a larger proportion 
 is required by the charter. The Consistory 
 or Joint Consistory shall then tender him a 
 call according to the form prescribed by the 
 General Synod. If a pastoral charge con- 
 sists of two or more congregations, the 
 election shall, if possible, be held in each 
 congregation on the same day. In no cir- 
 cumstances shall a congregation or charge 
 vote on more than one candidate at on^ and 
 the same meetins:. 
 
 'fe- 
 
 Art. 71. Since only ministers and licen- 
 tiates are eligible to the pastoral office, a 
 congregation or charge shall not nominate 
 or elect a student for the ministry as its 
 pastor. 
 
 Section 3. 
 
 The Spiritual Council. 
 
 Art. 'J2. The Spiritual Council consists 
 of the pastor or pastors and the acting el- 
 ders of a congregation. It has original 
 jurisdiction in matters of discipline except 
 in the case of a Minister of the Word. 
 
 Art. 73. The pastor shall be President 
 32 
 
of the Spiritual Council ; if the congregation 
 is without a pastor, one of the elders shall 
 be chosen to preside. A majority of its 
 members shall constitute a quorum. 
 
 Art. 74. It is the duty of the Spiritual 
 Council to watch over the members of the 
 congregation, to guard the doctrine of 
 Christ, and to maintain wholesome disci- 
 pline. It alone has power to admit mem- 
 bers to full communion and to exclude 
 any who may err from the faith or offend 
 in morals. 
 
 Art. 75. Stated meetings of the Spirit- 
 ual Council shall be held for the examina- 
 tion of the catechumens applying for con- 
 firmation, and before every communion 
 service. Special meetings shall be held at 
 the call of the President or at the request 
 of two elders. 
 
 Art. 76. The Spiritual Council shall 
 upon proper request furnish members of 
 the congregation, in good and regular 
 standing, with certificates of dismission to 
 another congregation in the Reformed 
 Church or to any orthodox Protestant 
 Church which receives members by certifi- 
 cate from the Reformed Qiurch in the 
 United States. The certificate shall specify 
 the congregation to which the person is 
 dismissed. 
 
 3 33 
 
Art. yj. If the Spiritual Council after 
 being duly notified neglects to convene at 
 the time appointed, the pastor may sit alone 
 to try an individual and on finding him 
 guilty may pronounce sentence. The pro- 
 ceedings in such a case shall be recorded in 
 the minutes of the Spiritual Council. 
 
 Art. 78. The Spiritual Council shall 
 keep a full and accurate record of its pro- 
 ceedings, which shall be submitted to the 
 Classis when occasion requires it and the 
 Classis requests it. 
 
 Section 4. 
 
 The Classis. 
 
 Art. 79. A Classis consists of the min- 
 isters residing within a district designated 
 by the Synod and of the elders delegated by 
 the pastoral charges situated within these 
 limits, and has jurisdiction over said minis- 
 ters and pastoral charges. 
 
 Art. 80. A Classis shall embrace at 
 least three pastoral charges and as many 
 ordained ministers. It shall meet annually 
 at such time and place as it may designate. 
 Three ministers and two delegated elders 
 regularly convened shall constitute a 
 quorum. 
 
 Art. 81. Each pastoral charge shall be 
 represented in Classis by its pastor or pas- 
 34 
 
tors and one delegated elder; or, if the 
 charge is without a pastor, by a delegated 
 elder. 
 
 Art. 82. The annual meeting of a 
 Classis shall be opened with religious serv- 
 ices, including the preaching of a sermon 
 by the President, or by one of its members 
 designated by him or by the Classis, after 
 which the roll shall be called; if a quorum 
 is present, the officers for the ensuing year 
 shall be elected, and the business shall pro- 
 ceed according to the Rules of Order pre- 
 scribed by the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 83. The President shall perform 
 all the duties of his office as defined by the 
 Rules of Order. Immediately after the 
 election of officers, he shall define the Bar 
 of the House, and appoint the Standing 
 Committees of Classis, which shall present 
 their reports as soon as possible. The re- 
 ports of the Committees on Minutes of 
 Classis, on Minutes of Synod, and on Over- 
 tures shall exhibit those items which claim 
 the attention of the Classis. 
 
 Art. 84. At the annual meeting every 
 pastor shall present a written parochial and 
 a full statistical report, and every minister, 
 though without a charge, a report of his 
 labors. If unable to be present, he shall 
 forward his report to the Stated Clerk three 
 35 
 
days before the meeting. The parochial re- 
 port shall contain a full account of the 
 spiritual and temporal condition of the 
 charge and of the labors of the pastor. 
 After the reception of the parochial reports 
 the President or any member of Classis 
 shall ask the pastor and the elder such 
 questions as may be requisite to elicit addi- 
 tional information. The following ques- 
 tions shall be addressed by the President to 
 each elder : 
 
 I St. Are the doctrines of the gospel preached 
 in 3^oiir charge in their purity, agreeably to the 
 Word of God and the standard of our Church? 
 
 2nd. Are the catechising of the children, the 
 instruction of the youth and the introduction of 
 members into the Church faithfully attended to 
 in accordance with the provisions of the Consti- 
 tution of the Reformed Church in the United 
 States? 
 
 3rd. Is family visitation faithfully performed 
 by the pastor? 
 
 4th. Is the duty to be observed before the 
 celebration of the Lord's Supper, relating to the 
 fitness of the communicants, as prescribed in 
 Article 200 of the Constitution of our Church, 
 carefully attended to? 
 
 5th. Is the temporal contract between minister 
 and people fulfilled in your charge? 
 
 The statistical report shall be prepared 
 according to the form approved by the Gen- 
 eral Synod. If a charge is without a pas- 
 tor, this report shall be furnished by the 
 36 
 
Consistory. On the basis of all these paro- 
 chial and statistical reports the Committee 
 on the State of Religion shall prepare a 
 general report for Classis. 
 
 Art. 85. In every Classis is vested the 
 power to examine and license applicants for 
 the ministry, to ordain licentiates, to con- 
 stitute or dissolve pastoral relations, to re- 
 ceive and dismiss ministers and licentiates, 
 to depose or otherwise discipline, according 
 to his desert, a member of its own body, 
 and to reinstate a minister whom it has 
 suspended or deposed, when trustworthy 
 evidence of repentance and reformation 
 appears. 
 
 Art. 86. Classis shall have access to all 
 congregational records, according to the 
 provisions of Articles 68 and 78 of this 
 Constitution, and shall hear and decide all 
 cases of reference, complaint and appeal, as 
 well as all questions respecting ministers or 
 their congregations which may arise within 
 its jurisdiction and are regularly brought 
 before it, such as organizing new congrega- 
 tions, determining boundaries of congrega- 
 tions and charges, deciding controversies 
 between congregations or charges, forming, 
 reconstructing, or dissolving charges, as 
 may be requested or as Classis may deem 
 expedient. Classis, however, shall exercise 
 its right of dividing or reconstructing a 
 '37 
 
charge or charges only after havnig coun- 
 seled with the Consistories or Joint Con- 
 sistories of the charges involved, and such 
 action shall require a two-thirds vote of 
 the Classis. 
 
 Art. 87. An ordained minister or a li- 
 centiate shall not be received by Classis until 
 he has presented a regular certificate of 
 dismission from the Classis to which he 
 belongs. The reception of a minister from 
 another denomination shall not be final until 
 it is confirmed by Synod. 
 
 Art. 88. An ordained minister or a 
 licentiate shall be amenable to the Classis 
 that dismissed him and his name shall be 
 retained on its roll until he shall have been 
 received by the Classis to which he has been 
 dismissed. The dismission of an ordained 
 minister at once annuls any previous ap- 
 pointment or election of him, by Classis, as 
 a member of a committee, or as a delegate 
 to Synod or to the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 89. A Classis dismissing an or- 
 dained minister or a licentiate shah specify 
 in its minntes the particular Classis and 
 Synod or other denomination to which he is 
 dismissed ; and in receiving a minister or a 
 licentiate, it shall in like manner specify the 
 particular Classis and Synod or other de- 
 nomination from which he has been re- 
 ceived. A certificate of dismission shall 
 be valid for only one vcar from its date. 
 38 
 
Art. 90. A Classis shall not refuse to 
 receive an ordained minister or a licentiate 
 dismissed to it by another Classis unless 
 there are manifest grounds of objection 
 against his doctrine or morals, in which 
 case the certificate of dismission shall be 
 returned to the Classis, with a specific state- 
 ment of the grounds of objection ; where- 
 upon, the Classis shall take these objections 
 into consideration, and if it finds no suffi- 
 cient reason to change its action the whole 
 question shall be referred to Synod for de- 
 cision. When an ordained minister or a 
 licentiate is received by any Classis, it shall 
 at once give official notice of his reception 
 to the Classis that dismissed him. 
 
 Art. 91. Whenever a minister or a li- 
 centiate wilfully neglects for three consecu- 
 tive years to attend the annual meetings of 
 his Classis and fails to report to it, he ren- 
 ders himself liable to suspension from office ; 
 and Classis shall at once cite him for trial 
 and proceed in his case according to the 
 Constitution of the Church. 
 
 Art. 92. Every Classis at its first an- 
 nual meeting after the minutes of the Gen- 
 eral Synod have been distributed shall take 
 action on all ordinances and constitutional 
 amendments approved by the General Syn- 
 od and sent down to the Classes for 
 adoption or rejection, and shall report its 
 39 
 
action to the next stated meeting of its 
 Synod and of the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 93. A special meeting of Classis 
 may be called at any time by the President ; 
 and at the written request of two ministers 
 and two delegate elders of Classis, specify- 
 ing the particular business to be transacted, 
 he shall call such a meeting. The party or 
 parties for whose benefit it is called shall 
 pay the expenses incurred. At least two 
 weeks before the time of such meeting the 
 Stated Clerk shall notify the members by 
 circular of the time and place of meeting, 
 and of the items of business that will claim 
 attention. In case of the death or removal 
 of the President, or if the business to be 
 transacted implicates him, the power of call- 
 ing the meeting is vested in the Stated 
 Clerk. If either of these contingencies 
 should exist with respect to the Stated 
 Clerk also, two ministers and two elders, 
 members of the Classis, may call the meet- 
 ing. 
 
 Art. 94. A Classis at any annual meet- 
 ing may appoint its President, Stated Clerk 
 and one other of its members an Executive 
 Committee, of which the President shall be 
 chairman. This Committee shall represent 
 Classis during the interval between meet- 
 ings ; and In all cases when between the par- 
 ties concerned there is no question at issue, 
 and in which at least two weeks' notice of 
 40 
 
the i^roposcd action has been given in writ- 
 ing by the President to every member of 
 Classis and written objection to said action 
 has not been made to any member of the 
 committee nor a special meeting of Classis 
 demanded, the Committee shall have power 
 to dissolve a pastoral relation, to dismiss 
 or receive a minister or a licentiate, to 
 confirm a call, to appoint a committee 
 to ordain a licentiate and install a pastor, 
 to permit a minister or a licentiate 
 to minister as a regular supply of vacant 
 congregations, and to authorize the or- 
 ganization of new congregations. It shall 
 also be the duty of this committee to advise 
 with the Consistory of a vacant charge, and, 
 if requested, to aid the Consistory in secur- 
 ing a pastor, and to aid a minister in obtain- 
 ing a suitable field of labor. This com- 
 mittee shall also serve as advisors when 
 called on by pastors. Consistories, or por- 
 tions of Consistories to aid in the amicable 
 adjustment of disputes in the administra- 
 tion of the affairs of the congregations or 
 charges. The committee shall at the close 
 of the year present a full report of its acts 
 and proceedings to Classis for revision and 
 incorporation in its minutes. Classis shall 
 pay the necessary expenses of this com- 
 mittee. 
 
 Art. 95. The Stated Clerk shall have 
 charge of the books and papers of Classis, 
 41 
 
kud shall issue all its official documents, 
 signed by himself and the President, with 
 the seal of Classis affixed. At least ten days 
 before the annual meeting of Classis he 
 shall furnish every pastor with a copy of 
 the blank form of the statistical report. 
 He shall transmit to Synod at its annual 
 meeting a certified copy of the minutes of 
 all the meetings of Classis held during the 
 year, in the form and order required by the 
 rules of Synod. He shall furnish pastoral 
 charges and individuals with a certified copy 
 of any proceedings in which they are spe- 
 cially concerned. If Synod meets as a dele- 
 gated body, he shall before its annual meet- 
 ing furnish its Stated Clerk with credentials 
 of the delegates, priinarii and seciindi, elect- 
 ed to represent Classis. He shall also before 
 the stated meeting of the General Synod 
 furnish its Stated Clerk with the credentials 
 of the delegates, primarii and sccundi, 
 elected to represent Classis, together with 
 the roll of its actual members, and also with 
 a certified copy of those portions of the 
 minutes of Classis claiming the attention 
 of the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 96. On the dissolution of a Classis 
 the Synod with which it was connected 
 shall have jurisdiction over its members 
 and congregations, and shall transfer them 
 to another Classis or other Classes. It shall 
 42 
 
have charge and control of the property of 
 said dissolved Classis, if such charge and 
 control does not conflict with the civil law, 
 and shall determine any case of discipline 
 begun by the Classis and not concluded. 
 
 Art. 97. The Classes, through their re- 
 spective Stated Clerks, shall make report 
 at least annually to the Stated Clerk of the 
 General Synod of all licensures; ordina- 
 tions, suspensions, depositions, dismissions, 
 or erasures of names of ministers, together 
 with the time and place ; and in the case 
 of the decease of a licentiate or a minister, 
 his name and the time and place of decease. 
 
 Section 5. 
 
 The Synod. 
 
 Art. 98. A Synod is composed of four 
 or more adjacent Classes designated by the 
 General Synod, which has jurisdiction over 
 them. It shall meet annually, either in gen- 
 eral convention or as a delegated body. In 
 general convention it consists of all its min- 
 isters and of one elder from each pastoral 
 charge ; as a delegated body it consists of 
 the ministers and elders chosen by its 
 Classes according to a basis of representa- 
 tion adopted by itself with the concurrence 
 of at least two-thirds of its Classes. A 
 suspended minister shall not be counted in 
 43 
 
the basis of representation either to Synod 
 or to the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 99. Any number of members con- 
 vened at the time and place appointed for a 
 meeting, in which a majority of the Classes 
 is represented, shall constitute a quorum, 
 which quorum shall contain not fewer than 
 one minister and one elder from each of 
 the Classes necessary to a majority of the 
 Classes. 
 
 Art. 100. The annual sessions shall be 
 opened with religious services, including 
 the preaching of a sermon by the President, 
 or by some other member designated by 
 him or by the Synod, after which the or- 
 ganization shall be effected and the busi- 
 ness shall proceed according to the Rules 
 of Order prescribed by the General Synod. 
 
 Art. ioi. A Synod shall annually re- 
 view the proceedings of its Classes. The 
 report of the Committee on this subject 
 shall embrace the following topics : 
 
 1. Things censurable, as a violation of the 
 Constitution of the Church, or an offense against 
 propriety, or a neglect of duty. 
 
 2. Requests and references from the Classes 
 to the Synod. 
 
 3. Complaints and appeals to the Synod. 
 
 4. Decisions of the Classes on subjects re- 
 ferred to them by the Synod. 
 
 5.^ Licensures; ordinations; ordained ministers 
 received, dismissed, deceased, suspended or de- 
 44 
 
posed; licentiates received or dismissed, and li- 
 censes revoked, 
 
 6. Time and place of next annual meeting of 
 each Cassis, with the names and postoffice ad- 
 dresses of its President, Stated Clerk and Treas- 
 urer. 
 
 Art. I02. The actions of the Classes 
 upon an ordinance or an amendment of 
 the Constittition of the Church shall be in- 
 corporated in regular order in the minutes 
 of the Synod, and shall appear in the print- 
 ed copy of them, for the information of the 
 General Synod. 
 
 Art. 103. A Synod has power to hear 
 and determine complaints and appeals, to 
 give advice in a case referred to it by a 
 Classis, to establish new Classes within its 
 own limits, and to determine all contro- 
 versies between Classes and between min- 
 isters or congregations of different Classes 
 A Classis, however, cannot be dissolved, 
 nor can any part of it be united with an- 
 other Classis, without its own consent. 
 
 Art. 104. A Synod, either separately or 
 in connection with one or more adjacent 
 Synods, may establish and maintain col- 
 leges and other literary institutions, and 
 shall have control over them. 
 
 Art. 105. A Synod, or two or more ad- 
 jacent Synods, may with the consent of the 
 General Synod establish a Theological 
 Seminary. The Board of Trustees and the 
 45 
 
Board of Visitors of such Seminary shall 
 be elected by said Synod or Synods, and 
 shall report to them annually. A Theolo- 
 gical Seminary shall not hereafter be estab- 
 lished except by a Synod or Synods. The 
 Teachers of Theology and other officers 
 shall be amenable only to the Synod or 
 Synods by which they are elected and sup- 
 ported, subject to charter regulations. 
 
 Art. io6. Each Synod shall give neces- 
 sary attention to the education of pious 
 young men for the gospel ministry, and to 
 the cause of missions both in the home and 
 in the foreign field. Its missionary opera- 
 tions shall be under the authority and con- 
 trol of the General Synod. 
 
 Art. 107. A Synod, either separately or 
 in connection with one or more Synods, 
 may establish and maintain a Board of 
 Publication, whose particular purpose shall 
 be the publication and sale of such church 
 papers and books as are adapted to pro- 
 mote sound knowledge and true religion. 
 At every annual meeting of the Synod or 
 Synods, the Board shall submit for exami- 
 nation and review a full statement of its 
 operations during the year and of its pres- 
 ent condition. 
 
 Art. 108. A special meeting of Synod 
 shall be called by the President, or, in case 
 46 
 
of his death or removal, by the Stated Clerk, 
 whenever six ministers and four elders, 
 members of the Synod, request it in a writ- 
 ten communication specifying the particu- 
 lar business to be transacted. At least three 
 weeks before the Synod convenes the Stated 
 Clerk shall notify the members by circular 
 of the time and place of meeting, and of the 
 items of business that w^ill claim attention. 
 
 Art. 109. All credentials, calls to 
 Teachers of Theology and agreements to 
 wdiich Synod is a party, shall be signed by 
 the President and the Stated Clerk, and 
 shall have the seal of Synod attached. The 
 Stated Clerk shall attest all extracts from 
 the records of Synod, and shall have charge 
 of all the records and papers, and of the 
 seal of Synod, and shall submit to the Gen- 
 eral Synod at its stated meeting three or 
 more duly authenticated printed copies of 
 the proceedings of every meeting held since 
 the preceding stated meeting of that body. 
 
 Section 6. 
 
 The General Synod. 
 
 Art. 1 10. The General Synod repre- 
 sents the whole Church, and is composed of 
 ministers and elders delegated by the 
 Classes. It is the highest judicatory and 
 the last re§ort in all cases respecting the 
 government of the Church not finally adju- 
 47 
 
dicated by the Synods. Its title shall be : 
 The General Synod of the Reformiuj 
 Church in the United States. 
 
 Art. III. In the General Synod a 
 Classis consisting of not more than ten 
 ministers shall be represented by one min- 
 ister and one elder; a Classis of more than 
 ten and not more than twenty, by two 
 ministers and two elders, and so on in the 
 same ratio. Any number of delegates 
 representing a majority of the Classes shall 
 constitute a quorum, when convened at the 
 time and place appointed for a meeting. 
 At least one-third of the delegates shall be 
 elders. 
 
 Art. 112. The General Synod shall 
 meet triennially at the time and place ap- 
 pointed. The sessions shall be opened with 
 religious services, including the preaching 
 of a sermon by the President, or by some 
 member designated by him or by the Gen- 
 eral Synod, after which the organization 
 shall be effected and the business shall pro- 
 ceed according to the Rules of Order. 
 
 Art. 113. A special meeting of the Gen- 
 eral Synod shall be called by the President, 
 or in case of his death by the Stated Clerk, 
 whenever fourteen ministers and seven 
 elders, representing a majority of the 
 Svnods, present a written request specify- 
 ing the particular business to be transacted. 
 
At least six weeks before the time of meet- 
 ing the Stated Clerk shall issue a circular 
 to the members, informing them of the time 
 and place of meeting, and specifying the 
 items of business to be considered. 
 
 Art. 114. The General Synod shall re- 
 view the proceedings of the Synods and ap- 
 prove or disapprove their acts, and shall 
 receive and act upon those portions of the 
 minutes of Classes submitted to it. It has 
 power to maintain correspondence with 
 sister Churches, to hear and determine 
 complaints and appeals, to decide contro- 
 versies between Synods and between 
 Classes of different Synods, and also to 
 give counsel in cases referred to it by one 
 or more Synods. It may, at the request of 
 four adjacent Classes and with the consent 
 of the Synod or Synods within whose 
 bounds they lie, constitute them a Synod. 
 
 Art. 115. The General Synod shall dili- 
 gently prosecute the work of Home Mis- 
 sions and of Foreign Missions, of Orphans' 
 Homes, and the general Sunday-school 
 work of the Church by Boards, which are 
 to be elected and governed in their proceed- 
 ings in accordance with the provisions of 
 their respective charters. At every trien- 
 nial meeting of the General Synod each 
 Board shall submit for revision a report of 
 its operations during the previous three 
 4 49 
 
years and a statement of its present condi- 
 tion. 
 
 Art. 1 1 6. The General Synod may ap- 
 point a standing committee on Young Peo- 
 ple's Societies, through which committee 
 the work of such societies may be brought 
 to its attention. 
 
 Art. 117. The General Synod shall de- 
 vise and maintain an efficient plan for the 
 support of aged and infirm ministers who 
 are without adequate means of self-support 
 and are recommended for aid by the Classis 
 to which they belong. The plan shall also 
 include the needy widows of ministers. 
 
 Art. 118. The General Synod shall pre- 
 pare the following forms : constitution for 
 a congregation ; constitution for a joint 
 consistory; certificate of licensure; testi- 
 monial of ordination ; certificate of dismis- 
 sion of a minister ; call to a minister ; call 
 to a teacher of theology ; certificate of 
 dismission of a church member ; statistical 
 report of a pastoral charge ; statistical re- 
 port of a classis ; statistical report of a 
 synod ; church register ; accusations ; cita- 
 tion of an accused person; citation of a 
 witness ; form for qualifying a witness ; 
 order of business and rules of order for 
 the classes, the synods and the General 
 Synod. These forms may be changed or 
 50 
 
amended at any stated meetings of tlie Gen- 
 eral Synod by a two-thirds vote. 
 
 Art, 119. All proposed ordinances of 
 the Church, such as a constitution, a cate- 
 chism, a hymn book and a liturgy, as well 
 as all amendments of ordinances, must first 
 be approved by a two-thirds vote of the 
 General Synod at a stated meeting, and 
 then be submitted to "all the Classes for 
 adoption or rejection. If at the next stated 
 meeting of the General Synod it shall ap- 
 pear that more than one-third of the Classes 
 have rejected the ordinance or amendment, 
 the same is rejected and shall be so declared 
 by the General Synod ; otherwise it shall 
 be declared adopted and be binding on the 
 whole Church. 
 
 Art. 120. The original records of all 
 proceedings of the General Synod and all 
 documents, letters and papers having refer- 
 ence to its proceedings, shall be carefully 
 preserved by the Stated Clerk and deposited 
 in such place as the General Synod shall 
 direct ; and a document or paper shall not be 
 removed by any person whatever without 
 permission obtained from the General Syn- 
 od, or, during its recess, from the Stated 
 Clerk. 
 
 Art. 121. At least forty days before the 
 regular meeting of the General Synod, its 
 Stated Clerk shall furnish the Stated Clerks 
 
 n 
 
of the several Classes with the blank forms 
 of the credentials for delegates to the Gen- 
 eral Synod. 
 
 Art. 122. The Stated Clerk of the Gen- 
 eral Synod shall provide and accurately 
 keep a Register of Licensures and Ordina- 
 tions of ministers throughout the Church, 
 said Register showing the full name of the 
 licentiate or ordained minister, with the date 
 of licensure or ordination, or both, the name 
 of the Classis by which the minister was 
 licensed or ordained, and the time and place 
 of licensure op- ordination, the time and 
 place of the minister's decease, with suffi- 
 cient space for memoranda of the facts in 
 case of the dismission of the minister to 
 another Church, or of erasure of his name 
 in the case of a transfer of his church rela- 
 tionship without dismission, or in case of 
 his suspension or deposition from the min- 
 istry. The Register shall have an alpha- 
 betical index. 
 
 Part III. 
 
 DISCIPLINE. 
 
 Section i. 
 
 Discipline in General. 
 
 Art. 123. Christian discipline is the ex- 
 ercise of that authority and the application 
 of those laws which the Lord Jesus Christ 
 52 
 
has established in His Church, to preserve 
 its purity and honor, and to promote the 
 spiritual welfare of its members. 
 
 Art. 124. An offense is anything in the 
 doctrine, principles, or practice of a church 
 member, officer, or judicatory that is con- 
 trary to the Word of God; and nothing 
 shall be admitted as matter of accusation 
 or considered an offense which cannot be 
 proved to be contrary to the Scriptures or 
 to the regulations of the Church founded 
 on them. The following sins especially 
 merit discipline : heresy, schism, blasphemy, 
 adultery, fornication, lascivious wanton- 
 ness, theft, fraud, perjury, lying, conten- 
 tiousness, intemperance, profanation of the 
 Lord's Day, impudent scoffing, cruelty, and 
 other violations of the Ten Commandments. 
 
 Art. 125. Discipline shall be exercised 
 in the form of admonition, censure, erasure 
 of name, suspension, deposition and excom- 
 munication. 
 
 Art. 126. Should any of the lower ju- 
 dicatories pass an action of censure or re- 
 proof upon an individual or any party in 
 the Church in their unavoidable absence, 
 the Secretary or Stated Clerk of said judica- 
 tory shall give those concerned immediate 
 notice of such action ; and should they feel 
 aggrieved by it, they shall have ten days 
 time from date of notice for giving notice 
 53 
 
of appeal to the officers of said judicatory, 
 and ten days further time for lodging their 
 reasons for appeal. 
 
 Art. 127. Every case in which there is 
 a charge of offense against a church mem- 
 ber or officer shall be known, in its original 
 and appellate stages, as a judicial case. 
 Every other case shall be known as a non- 
 judicial or administrative case. 
 
 Section 2. 
 
 Members — Unconfirmed and Confirmed. 
 
 Art. 128. All members of the Church 
 are subject to its government and disci- 
 pline. If the unconfirmed fall into sinful 
 ways, the pastor and elders shall remind 
 the parents or sponsors of their duty in re- 
 gard to them, and shall also seek by direct 
 approach to bring them to the obedience of 
 Christ. 
 
 Art. 129. Members of the Church who 
 upon being convicted of an offense reject 
 the admonition of the Spiritual Council or 
 the judicatory that found them guilty, or 
 who have committed an act of public scan- 
 dal, shall be suspended from the communion 
 of the Church. Those thus suspended shall 
 be treated not as enemies, but as erring 
 brethren, and shall be admonished as such, 
 in accordance with apostolic direction (2 
 54 
 
Thess. 3:6-15). But If this suspensioil 
 and these admonitions are ineffectual, of- 
 fenders ■ shall be excommunicated (Matt. 
 18: 17). A suspension may or may not be 
 announced publicly, at the discretion of 
 the church judicatory that tried the case; 
 a sentence of excommunication, however, 
 shall always be publicly pronounced. 
 
 Art. 130. If a member shall neglect to 
 partake of the Holy Communion, or refuse 
 to contribute to the support of the Church, 
 or continuously absent himself from the 
 public worship for a period of one year, 
 such conduct shall be regarded as an of- 
 fense against the Church, and he shall be 
 admonished by the pastor or elders. If 
 after admonition he continues in such neg- 
 lect of duty for another year, the Spiritual 
 Council shall notify him that he is no longer 
 in good and regular standing. If before 
 the expiration of another year he shall ex- 
 press a desire to be reinstated and shall 
 promise to attend to his duties, the Spiritual 
 Council shall reinstate him. If at the end 
 of the third year he shall not express a de- 
 sire for reinstatement, or if any member 
 shall unite with another congregation or de- 
 nomination without a certificate of dismis- 
 sion, the Spiritual Council in either case 
 shall erase his name from the church 
 register. 
 
 55 
 
Section 3. 
 
 Ministers, Elders and Deacons. 
 
 Art. 131. If a minister, an elder, or a 
 deacon shall commit an offense that 
 brings dishonor upon the Church or is pun- 
 ishable in the criminal courts, he shall upon 
 trial and conviction by a church judicatory 
 be removed from his office ; if an elder or 
 a deacon, by the Spiritual Council ; if a 
 minister, by his Classis. In case a min- 
 ister is involved in a grave public scandal, 
 the Spiritual Council shall temporarily pre- 
 vent him from exercising his ministerial 
 functions and refer him at once to his 
 Classis for trial. 
 
 Art. 132. If an ill report concerning the 
 moral conduct of a minister, an elder, or a 
 deacon is in circulation, the Spiritual Coun- 
 cil shall institute an immediate investiga- 
 tion, and proceed as the interests of re- 
 ligion and as justice to the individual may 
 require. If the Spiritual Council neglects to 
 investigate ill reports concerning a min- 
 ister, the Classis shall investigate them 
 without waiting to be requested by the 
 Sj)iritual Council. But if the Classis dis- 
 covers that the Spiritual Council is already 
 occupied with the case, it shall for a rea- 
 sonable time await the result of the inquiry. 
 A prosecution based on evil rumors shall 
 56 
 
not be instltiitcrl unless there is a specifica- 
 tion of some particular sin or sins and the 
 rumors are generally circulated, permanent 
 and not transient, and accompanied with 
 strong presumption of truth. 
 
 Art. 133. If a pastor shall have been 
 suspended or deposed from his ministerial 
 office, the relation previously existing be- 
 tween him and his pastoral charge shall be 
 dissolved and the charge declared vacant. 
 
 Art. 134. If a minister accused of an 
 offense shall refuse to appear, either in per- 
 son or by counsel, after having been cited 
 twice, ha shall for his contumacy be sus- 
 pended from his office ; and if after an- 
 other citation he refuses to appear, either in 
 person or by counsel, he shall be suspended 
 from the communion of the Church, if the 
 alleged offense warrants such suspension. 
 
 Art. 135. An accusation in case of scan- 
 dal shall not be heard unless presented with- 
 in one year after the crime is alleged to have 
 been committed, except it can be shown 
 that insurmountable difficulties existed, 
 which prevented the presentation of the 
 accusation within that time. 
 
 Section 4. 
 
 Parties in Cases of Process. 
 
 Art. 136. Judicial proceedings against 
 57 
 
alleged offenders shall be instituted only Oil 
 accusation of a communicant member or 
 by a judicatory finding it necessary to in- 
 vestigate an offense. 
 
 Art. 137. When an individual brings an 
 accusation, he shall be named as the accu- 
 ser ; and when an accusation is brought by 
 a judicatory of the Church, "The Reformed 
 Church in the United States" shall be 
 named as the accuser. The person or per- 
 sons against whom the accusation is 
 brous:ht shall be named as the accused. 
 
 'fc.' 
 
 Art. 138. When an accusation -has been 
 brought by a judicatory, it shall appoint a 
 committee of one or more of its members 
 to conduct the proceeding in all its stages 
 until its final issue is reached; but the judi- 
 catory which appointed the committee may 
 change it, and may also appoint assistant 
 counsel in the case at any stage of the pro- 
 ceeding, the same privilege either of engag- 
 ing other counsel or of engaging assistant 
 counsel being accorded to the accused. 
 
 ■fcj 
 
 Art. 139. In cases of alleged personal 
 injuries, a proceeding shall not be allowed 
 unless those means for reconciliation have 
 been tried and have failed which are re- 
 quired by our Lord (Matt. 18: 15-17). 
 
 68 
 
Section 5. 
 
 Charges and Specifications. 
 
 Art. 140. The charge or charges shall 
 be in writing and shall set forth the alleged 
 offense, and the specifications shall set forth 
 the facts relied upon to sustain the charge 
 or charges. Each offense shall be set forth 
 as a separate charge ; and each specifica- 
 tion shall declare, as far as possible, the 
 time, place and circumstances of the of- 
 fense, and shall be accompanied with the 
 names of the witnesses. 
 
 Section 6. 
 Process and Trial. 
 
 Art. 141. When charges are made that 
 an offense has been committed, they mast 
 be filed in duplicate with the Stated Clerk 
 or Secretary of the judicatory to which they 
 are directed, one copy to be for the use 
 of the accuser and the other copy for the 
 use of the accused. The Stated Clerk or 
 Secretary shall immediately inform the 
 President of the judicatory of the filing of 
 the charges or accusations. 
 
 Art. 142. If the charges are made 
 against the Stated Clerk or Secretary of the 
 judicatory, they shall be filed with the pre- 
 siding officer, and he shall proceed to per- 
 59 
 
form the duties of the Stated Clerk or Sec- 
 retary m the matter until another Stated 
 Clerk or Secretary shall have been appoint- 
 ed for the occasion; and if they are made 
 against the presiding officer, the Secretary 
 or Stated Clerk shall proceed to perform the 
 duties of the presiding officer in the matter 
 until the judicatory can meet and appoint a 
 presiding officer for the occasion. 
 
 Art. 143. The President of the judica- 
 tory in which the charges have been filed, 
 or in case of his disqualification the Stated 
 Clerk or Secretary, shall call a meeting 
 for the hearing of the case, in the manner 
 and form in which such judicatory is usu- 
 ally called for the transaction of business. 
 The Secretary or Stated Clerk, or in case 
 of his disqualification the President, shall 
 issue a citation according to the form pre- 
 scribed by the General Synod. Such cita- 
 tion and one of the copies of the charges, 
 with the names of the witnesses, shall be 
 served on the accused at least ten days be- 
 fore the trial, in person if possible, other- 
 wise either by leaving them at his last 
 known place of residence with an adult 
 member of his family or household, or by 
 mailing them in a registered letter. The 
 accuser also shall be notified of the time 
 and place of the trial by the Stated Clerk 
 or Secretary, or in case of his disqualifica- 
 60 
 
tion by the President, at least ten days pre- 
 vious to the trial. 
 
 Art. 144. If the accused refuses to obey 
 the citation, he shall be cited a second time 
 to appear at such time as the judicatory 
 may deem reasonable, but not within less 
 than ten days. If he still refuses to appear, 
 not only shall he be liable to censure for 
 contumacy, but the judicatory may proceed 
 with the investigation and decision of the 
 case as if he were present, in which case 
 the judicatory shall appoint some person or 
 persons to represent him as counsel. 
 
 Art. 145. The President, or the Stated 
 Clerk or Secretary of the judicatory which 
 is to hear a case shall, when requested, issue 
 citation to the witness or witnesses accord- 
 ing to the form prescribed by the General 
 Synod. 
 
 Such citation shall be served upon each 
 witness in like manner as provided in Arti- 
 cle 143 for service of citation upon the ac- 
 cused. A person disobeying a citation thus 
 issued and served is guilty of disobedience 
 and contempt, and may for such offense be 
 suspended (if a member of the Church) 
 from the rights and privileges of the 
 Church, or be reprimanded by the judica- 
 tory. 
 
 Art. 146. The testimony of witnesses 
 61 
 
who, on account of distance, ill health, or 
 other unavoidable circumstances, cannot ap- 
 pear at the trial of a case, may be taken by 
 either party before a notary public or a 
 justice of the peace, or before a member 
 of the Church designated as a commissioner 
 by the judicatory, provided the party in 
 whose interest the testimony is taken notifies 
 the opposite party, at least ten days pre- 
 viously, when and where the testimony is 
 to be given, and what it is expected to 
 prove. The opposite party may be present 
 and cross-examine the witness, or may 
 send questions for such cross-examination. 
 The testimony thus taken may be read at 
 any and all stages of the trial, provided the 
 notary or justice or commissioner has certi- 
 fied thereto that said witnesses were duly 
 qualified, and that the testimony is their 
 testimony and was reduced to writing by 
 him and was taken at the time and place 
 specified in the notice. 
 
 Art. 147. Trials shall be conducted in 
 open or secret session, as the majority of 
 the judicatory may determine. 
 
 Art. 148. An accuser may be repre- 
 sented by counsel, but only ministers and 
 elders of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States, in good and regular stand- 
 ing, shall appear as counsel in a judicatory. 
 
 Art. 149. Exceptions to the jurisdic- 
 62 
 
tion of the judicatory, to the regularity of 
 its organization, to the sufficiency of the 
 charges and specifications, must be made 
 at the meeting named in the citations, 
 either before or after the charges are made. 
 The judicatory shall determine all such 
 preliminary objections, and may dismiss 
 the case, or, in the furtherance of justice, 
 may permit amendments to the specifica- 
 tions or charges which do not change their 
 nature. 
 
 Art. 150. If the proceedings are found 
 in order and the charges and specifications 
 are considered sufficient to put the accused 
 on his defense, and there is not an acknowl- 
 edgment of guilt, the trial shall proceed; 
 but if the guilt is acknowledged, the judi- 
 catory shall pronounce sentence without 
 further process of trial. 
 
 Art. 151. The witnesses, after being 
 sworn or affirmed by the President or by 
 any member of the body whom he shall 
 appoint, shall be examined, and, if desired, 
 cross-examined; and other competent evi- 
 dence may be presented. Questions as to 
 order or evidence shall be decided by the 
 President, subject to exception by either of 
 the parties at the time the decision is 
 rendered ; and such decisions, if it is de- 
 sired by either party, shall be entered upon 
 the records of the case. 
 §3 
 
Art. 152. All persons, including- the 
 accuser and the accused, are competent wit- 
 nesses, except such as do not believe in the 
 existence of God or in a future state of 
 reward and punishment, or have not suffi- 
 cient intelligence to understand the obliga- 
 tion of an oath. Any witness may be chal- 
 lenged for incompetency, and the judica- 
 tory shall decide the question. 
 
 Art. 153. A member of the judicatory 
 may be one of the witnesses in a case which 
 comes before it. He shall be qualified as 
 other witnesses are, and after havincr oriven 
 his testimony may immediately resume his 
 seat as a member of the judicatory, but 
 shall not have a vote in the case in any of 
 the judicatories of the Church. 
 
 Art, 154. Exceptions to any of the 
 rulings or proceedings in the trial may be 
 taken by either of the parties, and shall be 
 entered on the record to be available in 
 case of an appeal. 
 
 Art. 155. The charge or charges and 
 specifications and the decision of the judi- 
 catory and the notice of appeal, if any, shall 
 be entered on the minutes of the judicatory, 
 all of which, together with the evidence in 
 the case duly filed and authenticated by the 
 clerk of the judicatory, shall constitute the 
 record of the case. If demanded, copies of 
 the record shall be promptly furnished to 
 64 
 
the parties at their expense. The fees 
 charged shall not exceed five cents for each 
 one hundred words, including certificate of 
 correctness attached to the copy. 
 
 Art. 156. Decisions in judicial pro- 
 ceedings must be rendered by a majority 
 vote of the members of the judicatory 
 present during the entire progress of the 
 trial. A separate vote must be taken on 
 each charge. A sentence, however, of 
 excommunication of a member, or of sus- 
 pension or deposition of a minister, elder, 
 or deacon from office, shall not be valid ex- 
 cept by concurrence of two-thirds of the 
 members voting. The decision and the sen- 
 tence shall be publicly pronounced by the 
 President in the judicatory at the conclu- 
 sion of the proceedings. Motion for a new 
 trial or for a mitigation of sentence shall be 
 heard and decided immediately after the 
 conclusion of the trial. Decisions, sentence, 
 exceptions, motions and further proceedings 
 on them, and notice of appeal shall be duly 
 recorded in the minutes of the trial in the 
 order in which they occur. 
 
 Section 7. 
 
 References. 
 
 Art. 157. A reference is a submission 
 of a pending matter by a lower to the next 
 higher judicatory, and may be made either 
 5 60 
 
for advice or for ultimate decision by such 
 higher judicatory. 
 
 Art. 1 58. In matters of reference mem- 
 bers of the lower judicatory may vote in 
 the higher judicatory. 
 
 Art. 159. A judicatory may refuse to 
 give final judgment in a matter of refer- 
 ence, and may remit the whole case either 
 with or without advice to the lower judica- 
 tory. 
 
 Art. 160. In all cases of reference the 
 record of the proteedings in the lower 
 judicatory shall be transmitted to the higher 
 judicatory, and the judicatory to which a 
 reference is made shall determine the 
 method of procedure to be adopted for 
 hearing and disposing of such reference. 
 
 Section 8. 
 
 Complaints, 
 
 Art. 161. A complaint is a written 
 representation made for grievances other 
 than those that necessitate an accusation 
 and a judicial trial. Any member of the 
 Church in good and regular standing shall 
 have the right of complaint, provided that 
 due notice is given to the party against 
 whom complaint is made. 
 
 Art. 162. If the constitutional require- 
 66 
 
ments for the regularity of a complaint 
 shall have been met, the judicatory to which 
 the complaint has been made shall declare 
 it in order; and all complaints shall be so 
 disposed of by the judicatory to which 
 they are made that a just, correct and in- 
 telligent conclusion may be reached. 
 
 Art. 163. If the official act or decision 
 of an officer of the Church is the ground 
 of complaint, the complaint shall be brought 
 before the judicatory in whose name or 
 by whose authority he acted. Duplicate 
 copies of the complaint shall be lodged by 
 the complainant with the Stated Clerk or 
 Secretary of the judicatory, one of which 
 copies shall be served by the Stated Clerk 
 or Secretary on the officer complained 
 against at least ten days before the com- 
 plaint is heard. 
 
 Art. 164. If the official decision of a 
 church judicatory is complained of, the 
 complaint shall be brought before the next 
 higher judicatory. Immediate notice of 
 complaint shall be given, and shall be re- 
 corded by the Stated Clerk or Secretary, 
 and the President shall at once appoint a 
 committee to defend the action of the ju- 
 dicatory before the next higher tribunal. 
 Duplicate copies of the complaint and of 
 the reasons for it must be filed by the 
 complainant with the Stated Clerk or Sec- 
 67 
 
retary of the body complained of within 
 thirty days after the final adjournment of 
 the body. If reasons of complaint shall 
 have been filed with the Stated Clerk or 
 Secretary within the prescribed time, he 
 shall at once inform the chairman of the 
 committee appointed to defend the judica- 
 tory, and furnish him with one of the 
 duplicate copies of the complaint and the 
 reasons for it. Notice of complaint, to- 
 gether with the complaint and the reasons 
 for it, filed with the Stated Clerk or Sec- 
 retary, shall be certified by him to the next 
 higher tribunal, before which at its next 
 session such complaint shall be heard. 
 
 Art. 165. Neither the complainant', nor 
 the persons complained of, nor the members 
 of the judicatory complained of shall vote 
 in the case in any of the judicatories of the 
 Church. 
 
 Art. 166. Either of the parties to a 
 complaint may complain to the next higher 
 judicatory. 
 
 Art. 167. The judicatory against which 
 a complaint is made shall send up its 
 records to the higher judicatory, together 
 with all papers relating to the matter of the 
 complaint. 
 
 Art. 168. The same method of pro- 
 cedure in the hearing of a complaint shall 
 68 
 
pfevail as in case of an appeal, as provided 
 in Articles 179 and 180 of this Constitution. 
 
 Art. 169. The effect of a complaint, if 
 sustained, may be the reversal in whole or 
 in part of the action or decision complained 
 of. When a complaint is sustained, the 
 lower judicatory shall be directed how to 
 dispose of the matter. 
 
 Art, 170. Whenever a complaint is 
 entered against a decision of a judicatory 
 by at least one-third of the members re- 
 corded as present when the decision was 
 made, the execution of the decision shall 
 be stayed until the final issue of the case 
 in a higher judicatory. 
 
 Section 9. 
 
 Appeals. 
 
 Art. 171. An appeal is the removal of 
 a judicial case by a written representation 
 from a lower to a higher judicatory, and 
 may be taken by either of the original par- 
 ties from the judgment of the lower judica- 
 tory. 
 
 Art. 172. If an appeal is taken from 
 the decision of a judicatory in a judicial 
 case, the judicatory that rendered the de- 
 cision shall defend its position in the higher 
 judicatory by and through such represen- 
 69 
 
tatives as It may deem proper to appoint ; 
 said representatives, however, shall be 
 ministers or elders, or both, of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States. 
 
 Art. 173. Irregularities in the proceed- 
 ings ; refusal to entertain an appeal ; re- 
 fusal of reasonable indulgence to a party 
 on trial ; receiving improper, or declining 
 to receive important testimony ; undue 
 haste; manifestation of prejudice in the 
 conduct of a case; mistake or injustice in 
 the decision, or in any of the rulings of the 
 judicatory in the matters appertaining to 
 the case ; undue severity of sentence — are 
 good and sufficient reasons for an appeal. 
 
 Art. 174. Written notice of appeal, 
 with duplicate copies of specifications of 
 errors alleged, shall be given, within thirty 
 days after the adjournment of the judica- 
 tory, to the Stated Clerk or Secretary of 
 the judicatory appealed from, and in case 
 of his absence or disability or death, to the 
 President of it, who shall file it, with 
 the records and all papers appertaining to 
 the case, or a certified copy of them, with 
 the Stated Clerk of the higher judicatory, 
 on or before the second day of its regular 
 meeting next ensuing the date of the re- 
 ception of said notice, and shall furnish the 
 chairman of the committee appointed to 
 defend the judicatorv with one of the du- 
 70 
 
plicate copies of specifications of errors 
 alleofed. 
 
 ts 
 
 Art. 175. The appellant shall appear, 
 in person or by counsel, before the judica- 
 tory appealed to, at or before the close of 
 the second day's session of its stated meet- 
 ing, next ensuing the date of the filing of 
 the notice of appeal, prepared to proceed 
 with tne appeal. If the appellant does not 
 appear before the judicatory appealed to, 
 and fails to show, to the satisfaction of the 
 judicatory, that said appellant was unavoid- 
 ably prevented from so doing, the appeal 
 shall be considered abandoned, and the 
 judgment of the lower judicatory shall 
 stand. The judicatory appealed to shall 
 proceed to hear an appeal whether the ju- 
 dicatory appealed from appears or not, 
 unless it is shown that notice of appeal 
 was not properly served on the judicatory 
 appealed from. 
 
 Art. 176. All cases of appeal of which 
 the records and papers, or certified copies 
 of them, have been placed in the hands of 
 the Stated Clerk of the judicatory appealed 
 to, shall be called up by him as soon as 
 possible after the permanent organization 
 of the judicatory : he shall state the names 
 of the original parties, read the accusation 
 and the decision and sentence, state the 
 name of the judicatorv apnealed from and 
 71 
 
the names of the appellants, and read the 
 reasons filed for the appeal. 
 
 Art. 177. In case the Stated Clerk or 
 Secretary of the lower judicatory has 
 failed to file the records of an appeal as 
 provided in Article 174, he shall be referred 
 to his judicatory to be dealt with as the 
 case may require ; and the appellant or the 
 judicatory appealed from may furnish a 
 copy of said records, and, provided both 
 shall agree as to its correctness, the same 
 shall be taken as if it had been filed by the 
 Stated Clerk or Secretary, 
 
 Art. 178. Testimony that has not been 
 brought before the lower judicatory shall 
 not be admitted in the higher, except by 
 consent of both parties. If new evidence 
 arises which is likely to alter the aspect of 
 the case materially, the case must be sent 
 back to the lower judicatory for a new 
 investigation. 
 
 Art. 179. After an appeal shall have 
 been called up and stated by the clerk, the 
 presiding officer shall appoint a committee 
 whose duty it shall be to take charge of all 
 the records and papers in the case, examine 
 the same thoroughly, and report on them: 
 
 1. Whether or not the appeal is regular and 
 ready for hearing. 
 
 2. Propose to tlic judicatory the day and the 
 hour the appeal shall be heard. 
 
 72 
 
^. The time to be granted each party to pre- 
 sent the case. 
 
 Art. i8o. When the time appointed 
 for the hearing of an appeal arrives, it shall 
 have precedence over all other business 
 and shall be heard as follows : — 
 
 1. The papers and records in the case shall 
 be read in proper order, except such parts as 
 may be omitted by consent. 
 
 2. The parties shall be heard, the appellant 
 opening and closing. 
 
 3. Opportunity shall be given to the members 
 of the judicatory appealed from to be heard. 
 
 4. Opportunity shall be given to the members 
 of the higher judicatory to be heard. 
 
 5. The vote shall then be taken, without fur- 
 ther debate, separately on each specification, the 
 question being put in the form : Shall the specifi- 
 cation be sustained? The specification having 
 been read by the clerk and the question put by 
 the President, the roll shall be called and the 
 vote taken. If no one of the specifications shall be 
 sustained and no error shall be found, the judg- 
 ment of the lower judicatory shall stand. If an 
 error or errors shall be found, the judicatory ap- 
 pealed to shall determine whether the judgment of 
 the lower judicatory shall be reversed or modi- 
 fied ; or the case remanded for a new trial ; and 
 the decision, accompanied with a recital of the 
 error or errors found, shall be entered on the 
 record. If the judicatory deems it wise, a defini- 
 tion of its action may be adopted, which shall be 
 part of the record of the case. 
 
 Art. 181. Neither the appellant nor 
 the members of the judicatory appealed 
 73 
 
from shall vote in the case in any of the 
 judicatories of the Church. 
 
 Art. 182. The necessary effect of an 
 appeal is to stay all further proceedings in 
 the case of admonition, of censure, or of 
 erasure of name; but in the case of sus- 
 pension, or of deposition, or of excommuni- 
 cation the jud^^ment shall remain in force 
 until finally reversed. 
 
 Art. 183. The decision of the last 
 judicatory to which an appeal has been 
 taken shall be valid and binding. 
 
 Section 10. 
 Judicial Committee. 
 
 Art. 184. The General Synod shall 
 have power to appoint a Judicial Com- 
 mittee, consisting of five ministers and 
 four elders, delegates to the General Synod, 
 not more than two of whom shall be ap- 
 pointed from the delegates of the Classes 
 embraced by any one Synod. 
 
 All complaints and appeals not Involv- 
 ing charges of errors in fundamental 
 Christian doctrines, when brought before 
 the General Synod, may be referred to this 
 Committee. 
 
 The Committee shall meet during the 
 sessions of the General Synod to hear the 
 appeals or complaints referred to it, and 
 74 
 
shall determine, under the provisions of 
 the Constitution, the regularity or irregu- 
 larity of all the papers, and consider the 
 question or qualities at issue, and then by 
 a majority shall come to a decision on the 
 case. It shall bring in a report of its find- 
 ing, giving a succinct statement of the 
 main issue. If the General Synod by a 
 majority vote approves the report, it shall 
 stand as the final decision of the General 
 Synod. 
 
 Important interests at stake that are 
 likely to suffer in the long interval be- 
 tween the triennial meetings of the General 
 Synod, may be heard by the Judicial Com- 
 mittee during the interval, the same as if 
 the General Synod were in session, provided 
 that both parties to an appeal or a com- 
 plaint unite in a petition to the Committee 
 requesting the meeting, and are willing to 
 abide by the decision of the Judicial Com- 
 mittee thus assembled in special session ; 
 provided, further, that the Judicial Com- 
 mittee consents to convene in special ses- 
 sion, and that thirty days' notice of the 
 time, place and purpose of the meeting is 
 given to the parties to the appeal or com- 
 plaint, and that the necessary expenses of 
 the Judicial Committee are paid by the par- 
 ties requesting the meeting. 
 
 75 
 
Section it. 
 
 Restoration. 
 
 Art. 185. Members of the Church, 
 deacons, elders, Hcentiates, or ministers who 
 are under disciphne may be reinstated 
 either by the judicatory which disciphned 
 them, or, with its official consent, by a co- 
 ordinate judicatory; provided, however, 
 that the evidence of their repentance and 
 amendment is satisfactory. The reinstate- 
 ment of a minister shall not be final until 
 it shall have been approved by the Synod. 
 
 Art. 186. A minister or a licentiate 
 who has been deposed for the sin of 
 adultery or of fornication, or for any of- 
 fense that affixes a public scandal to his 
 character, shall not be restored to the 
 ministry unless it shall clearly appear to 
 the judicatory which deposed him that the 
 restoration can be effected without injury 
 to the cause of religion. 
 
 Art. 187. If a minister shall have been 
 deposed but not excommunicated, he shall 
 be entitled to the rights of a lay member; 
 and Classis shall furnish him with a cer- 
 tificate to any congregation with which he 
 may desire to connect himself. Such cer- 
 tificate shall state his exact relation to the 
 Church. 
 
 76 
 
Part IV. 
 DOCTRINE AND WORSHIP. 
 
 Section i. 
 
 Doctrine. 
 
 Art. 1 88. The Holy Scriptures of the 
 Old and New Testaments, which arc 
 called canonical, being recognized as gen- 
 uine and inspired, are received as the true 
 and proper Word of God, and the ultimate 
 rule and measure of the whole Christian 
 faith and doctrine. 
 
 Art. 189. The Heidelberg Catechism is 
 received as an authoritative expression of 
 the truths taught in -the Holy Scriptures, 
 and is acknowledged to be the standard of 
 doctrine in the Reformed Church in the 
 United States. 
 
 Section 2. 
 
 Worship. 
 
 Art. 190. The essential parts of public 
 worship in the sanctuary are an invocation, 
 singing, prayer, reading the Word, preach- 
 ing a sermon, giving the offerings, and the 
 benediction. The order of worship and the 
 selection of hymns approved or recom- 
 mended by the General Synod shall be used 
 in the regular Lord's Day service. 
 77 
 
Art. 191. The chief festivals of the 
 Church Year — Christmas, Good Friday, 
 Easter, Ascension, Pentecost and Trinity 
 Sunday — and all days appointed by ecclesi- 
 astical or civil authority for fasting or 
 thanksgiving, should be duly respected and 
 observed by congregations and families by 
 attending public worship in their churches. 
 
 Art. 192. The Lord's Day (Sunday) 
 shall be kept a holy day, devoted to the 
 public worship of the Lord in the sanctu- 
 ary, to reading the Holy Scriptures, to 
 private devotions and to works of love and 
 mercy. Week-day meetings for prayer and 
 daily family worship are also commended 
 as important religious services. 
 
 Section 3. 
 
 The Sacraments. 
 
 Art. 193. The sacraments of the 
 Church, instituted by Christ, are two: Holy 
 Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 
 
 Art. 194. Children are received into 
 the Church by baptism and are subject to 
 its care and discipline. As soon as they 
 are old enough to learn the Catechism and 
 to be benefited by the pastor's instruction, 
 they shall become members of the cate- 
 chetical class. 
 
 Art. 195. A child shall be baptized if 
 78 
 
one of its parents is a member of the 
 Christian Church ; but if neither is a mem- 
 ber, it should not be baptized unless one of 
 its parents shall manifest a desire to be ad- 
 mitted to the communion of the Church 
 and promise to profit 1^ the next oppor- 
 tunity, in which case the child shall be 
 baptized. 
 
 Art. 196. Sponsors may be admitted 
 in the baptism of infants, but the parents 
 themselves also must assume every obliga- 
 tion. A person, however, shall not be a 
 sponsor who is not in full communion with 
 some branch of the Christian Church. This, 
 in connection with the previous article, shall 
 not be so construed as to prevent persons 
 who adopt orphans or other children into 
 their families from offering them to God 
 in baptism. 
 
 Art. 197. Adults shall be baptized, if 
 a minister has ascertained that they possess 
 correct views of Christian doctrine, give 
 evidence of true repentance and faith, and 
 are willing to yield obedience to the re- 
 quirements of Christ. But if in these 
 respects the minister discovers deficiencies, 
 he shall direct them to attend the usual 
 catechetical instruction, and shall afterward 
 proceed in relation to them as with other 
 catechumens. If this, ho-vever, is impracti- 
 79 
 
cable, he shall instruct them in some other 
 suitable way. 
 
 Art. 198. Baptism shall be administer- 
 ed publicly in the church, if possible. The 
 forms provided in the liturgy of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States shall 
 be used. 
 
 Art. 199. The sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper shall be observed publicly in every 
 congregation at least twice a year, and the 
 celebration conducted according to the es- 
 tablished order of the Reformed Church 
 in the United States. 
 
 Art. 200. A service shall be held pre- 
 paratory to the observance of the Lord's 
 Supper. A meeting of the Spiritual Coun- 
 cil shall be held before the communion is 
 administered, and diligent inquiry shall be 
 made whether any member has departed 
 from the faith either in doctrine or in 
 practice, to the end that all improper per- 
 sons may be excluded from the Lord's 
 table; and if the elders neglect this duty, 
 the pastor is empowered to exercise it. In 
 the congregational records the dates on 
 which the holy communion has been ad- 
 ministered and the names of the members 
 who have communed shall be noted. 
 
 Art, 201. Only members of the Church 
 80 
 
who are in full membership and not under 
 discipline shall be admitted to the com- 
 munion of the Lord's Supper. Members, 
 in good standing, of other congregations 
 of the Reformed Church, and of other de- 
 nominations holding the essential doctrines 
 of the gospel, should be invited to par- 
 ticipate in the observance of this sacrament. 
 
 Art. 202. The Lord's Supper shall be 
 administered to the sick and infirm com- 
 municants who are not able to come to the 
 house of God and who express a desire to 
 receive the sacrament. An elder shall con- 
 vey the elements to such persons when the 
 pastor cannot minister to them. When- 
 ever possible the bread and wine consecrat- 
 ed in the church shall be used. 
 
 Section 4. 
 
 Rites. 
 
 Art. 203. Confirmation, ordination and 
 marriage are sacred church rites, which 
 shall be administered according to the 
 order prescribed in the liturgy of the 
 Church. 
 
 Art. 204. Every pastor shall carefully 
 prepare the youth in his pastoral charge 
 for communicant membership in the Church 
 by diligently instructing them in the doc- 
 trines and duties of the Christian religion. 
 6 81 
 
The Heidelberg Carechism shall be used 
 in such instruction. 
 
 Art. 205. Before admitting applicants 
 for confirmation into full communion with 
 the Church, the Spiritual Council shall be 
 satisfied that the candidates understand the 
 fundamental truths of the Christian reli- 
 gion and are governed by them in their 
 walk and conversation. 
 
 Art. 206. In the act of ordination, 
 whether in the case of a minister, an elder, 
 or a deacon, only ordained ministers and 
 elders of the Church shall take part, as 
 provided in Article 60 of this Constitution. 
 A person once ordained, whether he is a 
 minister of the gospel, an elder, or a dea- 
 con, is ordained to his particular office for 
 life. 
 
 Art. 207. Marriage is an ordinance of 
 God and should be solemnized in accord- 
 ance with the laws of the Church as well 
 as of the State. A minister shall not unite 
 in marriage a divorced person who is 
 knowti to have been the guilty party in a 
 divorce decree on the ground of adultery, 
 which is the only Scriptural ground. 
 
 Art. 208. ]\Iembers of the Church, 
 having died in the faith and hope of the 
 gospel, shall receive a Christian burial ; the 
 burial service shall be conducted according 
 to the order prescribed by the Church, 
 
AMENDMENTS. 
 
 Art. 209. This Constitution may be 
 amended or altered in any article by a two- 
 thirds vote of the General Synod, with the 
 concurrence of two-thirds of the Classes. 
 
 S3 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 ARTrCLW. 
 
 Preamble 
 
 Part T. Membhiis — Congregations — Offices 1-49 
 
 Section 1. Members 1-0 
 
 Section 2. Congregations 7-14 
 
 Section 3. Offices 15-49 
 
 I. Ministers of the Word lG-42 
 
 1. Ministers of the Word 10-24 
 
 2. Teachers of Theology 25-31 
 
 3. Licentiates 32-39 
 
 4. Students for the iSIinistry 40-42 
 
 II. Elders and Deacons 43-49 
 
 Part II. JumcATORirs 50-122 
 
 Section 1. Judicatories in General 50-G2 
 
 Section 2. The Consistory 03-71 
 
 Section 3. The Spiritual Council 72-78 
 
 Section 4. The Classis 79-97 
 
 Section 5. The Synod 98-109 
 
 Section 6. The General Synod 110-123 
 
 s5 
 
ARfICL«. 
 
 Part III. Discipline 123-187 
 
 Section 1. Discipline in General 123-127 
 
 Section 2. Members — Unconfirmed and Con- 
 firmed 128-130 
 
 Section 3. Ministers, Elders and Deacons. . .131-135 
 
 Section 4. Parties in Cases of Process 136-139 
 
 Section 5. Charges and Specifications 140 
 
 Section 6. Process and Trial 141-156 
 
 Section 7. References 157-160 
 
 Section 8. Complaints 161-170 
 
 Section 9. Appeals .171-183 
 
 Section 10. Judicial Committee 184 
 
 Section 11. Restoration 185-187 
 
 Part IV. Doctrine and Worship 188-208 
 
 Section 1. Doctrine 1 88-189 
 
 Section 2. Worship 100-192 
 
 Section 3. The Sacraments 193-202 
 
 Section 4. Rites 203-208 
 
 Amendments 209 
 
1 N D e: XJ 
 
 A 
 
 Art. 
 
 t^cceptance of a call by a minister 17 
 
 Access to congregational records by Classis 86 
 
 Access to minutes by Classis 68,78 
 
 Accuser, the 137 
 
 Accusation against a teacher of theology 30 
 
 Accusation in case of scandal, when to be presented. 135 
 
 Accused, the; definition 137 
 
 Acknowledgment of guilt 150 
 
 Action of Classis on actions, etc., of General Synod. 92 
 
 Action of Classis on actions of Synod 101 
 
 Action of Classis on ordinances of the Synod 103 
 
 Administrative cases 127 
 
 Admission of independent congregations 8 
 
 Admission to the Lord's Supper 201 
 
 Admission of members 71 
 
 Admission of members from other churches 4 
 
 Admission of ministers and licentiates 87,89 
 
 Admission of ministers from other denominations. .87, 24 
 
 Admonition 125 
 
 Admonition for neglect of duty 130 
 
 Adoption or rejection of ordinances of the Church. 119 
 
 Adults, baptism of 197 
 
 Advisory members 61 
 
 Affirmation 151 
 
 Agreements of Synod 109 
 
 Amenability of delegates 57 
 
 Amenability of dismissed ministers 88 
 
 Amenability of members 128 ' 
 
 Amenability of teachers and officers of a seminary. . 105 
 
 Amenability of teachers of theology 30 
 
 Amendment of accusation and specifications 149 
 
 Amendment of Constitution 209 
 
 Amendment of forms 118 
 
 Announcement of sentence 156 
 
 Annual meeting of Classis 82 
 
 Annual meeting of congregation 11 
 
 Annual meeting of Synod 98,100,101 
 
 87 
 
Annulment Ceasinj,' 
 
 Apt. 
 
 Annulment of appointments 88 
 
 Appeals 171-183 
 
 Appeals, calling up of 176 
 
 Appeal, copy of 174 
 
 Appeal, definition 171 
 
 Appeal to Classis 86 
 
 Appeal to General Synod 114 
 
 Appeal to higher judicatory 51 
 
 Appeal, reason for 173 
 
 Appeal, sustaining of 180 
 
 Appeal to Synod 103 
 
 Appeal, vote on , ISO 
 
 Appeal, who may ? 171 
 
 Application for license 33 
 
 Appointment of judicial committee 184 
 
 Appointments, annulment of 88 
 
 Approval of incorporation 9 
 
 Approval of restoration 185 
 
 Assistant counsel 138 
 
 Authority of Constitution ..••*..*»•. Preamble 
 
 B 
 
 Baptism 3 
 
 Baptism, adult 197 
 
 Baptism, form of 198 
 
 Baptism, infant 194-196 
 
 Baptism, place of 198 
 
 Baptized persons 1 
 
 Bar of the house 83 
 
 Bible, the, the Word of God 7 
 
 Boards of a seminary 105 
 
 Borrowing of money 12 
 
 Boundaries of congregations and charges 86 
 
 Burial service 208 
 
 Business at special meetings 58 
 
 By-laws of congregations 10 
 
 c 
 
 Call from a charge 17 
 
 Call of a minister of the Word 16 
 
 Call of a pastor, by whom issued 70 
 
 Call of a teacher of theology 109 
 
 Call of yeas and nays 62 
 
 Canonical Scriptures 188 
 
 Catechetical instruction 194 
 
 Catechism, Heidelberg 189 
 
 Ceasing of official character of elders and deacons.. 14 
 88 
 
Censurd Classifi 
 
 Art. 
 
 Censure 125, 126, 145 
 
 Certificate of dismission of a Classis, how long valid? 89 
 
 Certificate of dismission, how long valid? 5 
 
 Certificate of dismission of a member 76 
 
 Certificate of licensure 35 
 
 Certificate from a seminary 33 
 
 Certificate, students', for Classis 42 
 
 Certifying of documents in cases of complaint 164 
 
 Change of committee in process 138 
 
 Change of denomination 22 
 
 Change of time and place 59 
 
 Charges against a pastor having left the Church.... 22 
 
 Charges against the president 142 
 
 Charges against the stated clerk 142 
 
 Charges, copy to be filed 141 
 
 Charges, record of 155 
 
 Lhiirges and specifications 140 
 
 Charter of a congregation 9 
 
 Church-record 18 
 
 Circular letter for special meetings 93,108,113 
 
 Citation of a minister 134 
 
 Citation, second 144 
 
 Citations, by whom issued 143 
 
 Classis 50 ; 79-97 
 
 Classis, advisory members and visitors 61 
 
 Classis, amenability of a teacher of theology 30 
 
 Classis, amendment of the Constitution 209 
 
 Classis, appeals 171 
 
 Classis, basis of representation 98, 111 
 
 Classis, call of a minister 17 
 
 Classis, change of time of regular meeting 59 
 
 Classis, church-records 68 
 
 Classis, committees 00, S3 
 
 Classis, complaints 161ss 
 
 Classis, deaconess homes 49 
 
 Classis, deposition 187 
 
 Classes of different languages 52 
 
 Classis, dissolution of 103 
 
 Classis, dissolution of a charge 13 
 
 Classis, dissolution of a congregation li 
 
 Classis, election of delegates 55, 67 
 
 Classis, executive committee 04 
 
 Classis and General Synod 114 
 
 Classis, incorporation of a congregation 9 
 
 Classis, language of 52 
 
 Classis, membership of a pastor 20 
 
 Classis, minister joining another denomination irreg- 
 ularly 28 
 
 89 
 
Ciassiri t'otnpiiiint 
 
 ART, 
 
 Classis, minutes of the Spiritual Council '. 78 
 
 Classis, officers of 54 
 
 Classis, organization of a congregation . .' 8 
 
 Classis, parochial reports, reports of members of.... 84 
 
 Classis, pension 23 
 
 Classis, petition for the organization of a congrega- 
 tion 8 
 
 Classis, powers of 85 
 
 Classis, protest 62 
 
 Classis, questions to elders 84 
 
 Classis, quorum 80 
 
 Classis, reception of a minister from another denom- 
 ination 87, 24 
 
 Classis, references 157 
 
 Classis, references from General Synod 118, 119 
 
 Classis, relation of Synod to 103 
 
 Classis, report to Synod 101, 102 
 
 Classis, resignation of a pastor 19 
 
 Classis, roll 53 
 
 Classis, seat and vote of a pastor emeritus 23 
 
 Classis, secular calling of a minister 21 
 
 Classis, special meeting of 58 
 
 Classis, special meeting for trial 143 
 
 Classis, students under care of 41, 42 
 
 Classis, supply 20 
 
 Classis, suspensions, etc 133 
 
 Classis, trial of a minister 131,132,134,135 
 
 Classis, vacant congregations 70, 133 
 
 Classis, willful neglect of 91 
 
 Closed sessions 147 
 
 Committee for appeal 179 
 
 Committee for defence in cases of complaint 164 
 
 Committee for ordination and installation 60 
 
 Committees, how constituted 60 
 
 Committee of Synod for minutes of Classis 101 
 
 Committee on the state of religion 84 
 
 Committee to conduct a process 138 
 
 Communicant members 2 
 
 Communion 199-202 
 
 Complaint 51 
 
 Complaints lGl-170 
 
 Complaint against officers of the Church — copy of. . 163 
 
 Comi)laint against judicatory of the Church 164 
 
 Complaint before Classis 86 
 
 Complaint before General Synod 114 
 
 Complaint before Synod 10,3 
 
 Complaint, right of 160 
 
 Complaint, sustaining of 169 
 
 90 
 
Ootnplaint (io\)^ 
 
 Art. 
 
 Complaint, when in order 161, 162 
 
 Complaint, who may bring? 161 
 
 Conduct of a minister „ 132 
 
 Confirmation 2, 3, 203 
 
 Confirmation of a call of a pastor 17 
 
 Congregational meeting, by whom called 68 
 
 Congregations 7-14 
 
 Consecration of a minister 16 
 
 Consent of Classis to perform pastoral duties 17 
 
 Consent of General Synod for establishing theolog- 
 ical seminaries 105 
 
 Consequences of decisions in appeals 180, 182 
 
 Consistory 43-48, 50, 63-78 
 
 Consistory, advisory members and visitors 61 
 
 Consistory, appeals 171 ss 
 
 Consistory as trustees 9, 12 
 
 Consistory, certificate of dismission 5 
 
 Consistory, complaints 161ss 
 
 Consistory, congregational meetings 11 
 
 Consistory, discipline 123-127, 129, 131-133 
 
 Consistory, duty of elders 128, 130 
 
 Consistory, duties of Spiritual Council. 84, 4; 200, 202, 205 
 
 Consistory, election of delegates 55-57 
 
 Consistory, joint 13 
 
 Consistory, members of other denomir.-tions 4 
 
 Consistory of a newly organized congregation 8 
 
 Consistory, ordination 206 
 
 Consistory, organization, etc., of charges 86 
 
 Consistory, protest , 62 
 
 Consistory, quorum of 64, 70 
 
 Consistory, references 157ss 
 
 Consistory, resignation of the pastor 19 
 
 Consistory restoration 185ss 
 
 Consistory, secretary of 18 
 
 Consistory, special meeting for process and trial.... 143 
 
 Consistory, when official chailicter ceases 14 
 
 Constitution, authority of Preamble 
 
 Constitution and by-laws of congregation 10 
 
 Contributions for the maintenance of the ministry... 6 
 
 Contributions for the spread of the Gospel 6 
 
 Controversies between Classes 103 
 
 Controversies between ministers and congregations 
 
 of different Classes 103 
 
 Controversies between Synods and Classes 114 
 
 Controversies, deciding of , 86 
 
 Copy of appeals 174 
 
 Copy of charges 141 
 
 Copy of complaint against a judicatory 164 
 
 01 
 
Copy Dismission 
 
 Art. 
 
 Copy of complaint against officers 163 
 
 Copy of minutes of Classis 95 
 
 Copy of minutes in judrcial cases 155 
 
 Correspondence with sister churches 114 
 
 Counsel for the accused 144 
 
 Counsel, who can be ? 148 
 
 Counsel of General Synod 114 
 
 Counsel of Synod to Classis 103 
 
 Credentials 53 
 
 Credentials of delegates 67, 95 
 
 Credentials of delegates to Synod 121 
 
 Credentials of Synod 109 
 
 Cross-examination of witnesses 146 
 
 D 
 
 Days of fasting 191^ 
 
 Deacons 43-49 
 
 Deacons, definition and duties of 45 
 
 Deaconesses • 4^ 
 
 Deaths of ministers and licentiates 97 
 
 Decision, final, in appeals 183 
 
 Decision in judicial proceedings 156 
 
 Decision of process to be recorded 155 
 
 Declaration of a teacher of theology 27 
 
 Defence against appeal 172 
 
 Definition of congregation 7 
 
 Definition of deacon 45 
 
 Definition of elder 43 
 
 Definition of licentiate 32 
 
 Definition of student for the ministry 40 
 
 Delegated bodies 55 
 
 Delegates to Classis and Synod 67 
 
 Demand for a special meeting of the Consistory.... 66 
 
 Deposition of a minister 22, 85 
 
 Deposition from office 97,101,125,131,153,156 
 
 Deposition from office of a minister, elder, or deacon 1.11 
 
 Deprivation of rights 2 
 
 Discipline 16, 123-187 
 
 Discipline, definition 123 
 
 Discipline in dissolved Classes 96 
 
 Discipline in dissolved congregations 14 
 
 Discipline, first resort 72 
 
 Discipline, what demands? 124 
 
 Discipline, wherein it consists 125 
 
 Dismissed members 5 
 
 Dismissed members, to whom amenable 88 
 
 Dismission 97, 101 
 
 Dismission, certificate of 2, 4, 5 
 
Dismission Evidence 
 
 Art. 
 
 Dismission, certificate of, of a member 76 
 
 Dismission of a minister or licentiate 88,89 
 
 Disputed credentials 53 
 
 Disqualification of a teacher of theology 30 
 
 Dissolution of a charge 13, 86 
 
 Dissolution of a Classis 96, 103 
 
 Dissolution of a congregation 14 
 
 Divorce, ground of 207 
 
 Divorced persons, marriage of 207 
 
 Doctrine 188, 189 
 
 Doctrine and worship 188-208 
 
 Documents of General Synod, preservation of 120 
 
 Duty, admonition for neglect of 130 
 
 Duty, neglect of in appeals 177 
 
 Duties of appellant 175 
 
 Duties of deaconesses 49 
 
 Duties of delegates 57 
 
 Duties of elders and deacons 44, 45 
 
 Duties of members of the Church 6 
 
 Duties of ministers of the Word 16 
 
 Duties of parents 6 
 
 Duties of president of Classis 83 
 
 Duties of the stated clerk 53 
 
 Duties of the stated clerk of Synod 109 
 
 Duties of teachers of theology 27, 28 
 
 Duties and powers of the Consistory 63,68 
 
 Duties and powers of the Executive Committee .... 94 
 
 Duties and powers of the Spiritual Council 74 
 
 Duties and powers of the stated clerk of Classis 95 
 
 E 
 
 Education of ministers 106 
 
 Effect of suspension or deposition from office 133 
 
 Effect of sustaining a complaint 169 
 
 Elders and deacons 43-49 
 
 Elders as delegates 56 
 
 Elders at General Synod Ill 
 
 Election of a pastor 70 
 
 Election of a student forbidden 71 
 
 Election of a teacher of theology 25 
 
 Election of ^delegates 55 
 
 Election of elders and deacons 46 
 
 Election of elders in a new congregation 8 
 
 Erasure from roll of membership 130 
 
 Erasure of name 125 
 
 Erasure of name of a minister 22,97,101 
 
 Evidence 151 
 
 Evidence, new, in cases of appeal 178 
 
Examiuatioa General 
 
 Art. 
 
 Examination of candidates for the ministry 33,85 
 
 Examination of catechumens 205 
 
 Examination of ministers of other denominations... 24 
 
 Exclusion of members from congregations 74 
 
 Excomnuinication 125, 129 
 
 Excommunication of a minister 22 
 
 Exceptions to be recorded 154 
 
 Exceptions to charges and specifications 149 
 
 Exceptions to decisions 151 
 
 Exceptions to jurisdiction, regularity, etc 149 
 
 Exceptions to rulings 154 
 
 Exceptions to witnesses 152 
 
 Executive Committee of Classis 94 
 
 Expenses of delegates 57 
 
 Expenses of Executive Committee 94 
 
 Expenses of special meetings of Classis 93 
 
 F 
 
 FaMA CLAMOrA 132 
 
 Family worship 192 
 
 Festivals of the Church-year 191 
 
 Final decision of appeals 183 
 
 Foreign missions • • • • 115 
 
 Form for license 35 
 
 Form, statistical 95 
 
 Forms, Church 118 
 
 Formation of new charges 86 
 
 Full membership 3 
 
 Fundamental law Preamble 
 
 General Synod 50, 110-122 
 
 General Synod, advisory members and visitors 61 
 
 General Synod, amendment of the Constitution 209 
 
 General Synod, appeals 50, 171ss 
 
 General Synod, call of a minister 70 
 
 General Synod, change of time of meeting 59 
 
 General Synod, committees 60 
 
 General Synod, complaints 50, 161ss 
 
 General Synod, credentials 53, 95 
 
 General Synod, delegates 57, 88 
 
 General Synod, forms 84, 143, 145, 118 
 
 General Synod, Judicial Committee 184 
 
 General Synod, licensure, etc 97 
 
 General Synod, officers of 54 
 
 General Synod, order of worship, etc 190 
 
 General Synod, pensions ,,,,,,,,.., 83 
 
 n 
 
General Jurisdiction 
 
 ART. 
 
 General Synod, protest 62 
 
 General Synod, quorum of Ill 
 
 General Synod, references 50, 157ss 
 
 General Synod, roll of 53 
 
 General Synod, rules of order 82 
 
 General Synod, special meeting of 58 
 
 General Synod, suspended ministers 98 
 
 General Synod, theological seminaries 105 
 
 Good and regular standing, how lost 130 
 
 Guilt, acknowledgment of 150 
 
 H 
 
 Heidelberg Catechism 7,189,204 
 
 Holy Scriptures, authority of 188 
 
 Home missions 115 
 
 Hymnals „ 190 
 
 Hymns 190 
 
 I 
 
 III Reports 132 
 
 Incorporation of a congregation 9 
 
 Independent congregations 8 
 
 Index of register of ordinations, etc 122 
 
 Infant baptism 194-196 
 
 Injury, personal 139 
 
 Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures 188 
 
 Installation of a pastor 17, 206 
 
 Installation of a teacher of theology 27 
 
 Instruction 3 
 
 Instruction of catechumens 204 
 
 Investigation of ill report 132 
 
 Irregular credentials 53 
 
 J 
 
 Joint Consistory 13.65 
 
 'Judicatories 50-122 
 
 Judicatories, authority and jurisdiction of :')(( 
 
 Judicatories, change of time and place of meeting of. .')9 
 
 judicatory, highest 110 
 
 Judicial case, what constitutes a? 127 
 
 Judicial cases between meetings of General Synod.. 184 
 
 Judicial Committee 184 
 
 Jurisdiction in cases of complaint 164 
 
 Jurisdiction of a Classis 79 
 
 Jurisdiction of a Classis in case of dissolution of a 
 
 congregation 14 
 
 Jurisdiction of General Synod ,,,,,.,.., JIO 
 
Jurisdiction Ministerial 
 
 Art. 
 
 Jurisdiction of Judicial Committee 184 
 
 Jurisdiction of a Synod 103 
 
 Jurisdiction of Synods in dissolution of Classes.... 96 
 
 Jurisdiction of a Joint-Consistory 65 
 
 Jurisdiction of a pastor 77 
 
 L 
 
 Languages of Classes 52 
 
 Leaving a pastoral charge 19 
 
 Licensure 97, 101 
 
 Licensure, applicant for 33 
 
 Licensure in exceptional cases 34 
 
 Licentiates 32-39 
 
 Licentiates from other denominations 39 
 
 Licentiates, relation of, to Classis and Synod 36 
 
 Limits of a Consistory in calling a pastor 69 
 
 Literary institutions 104 
 
 Liturgy 190 
 
 Lord's Day, the 192 
 
 Lord's Supper, the 199-202 
 
 Lord's Supper, administered to the sick and feeble 202 
 
 Lord's Supper, duties of the Spiritual Council 200 
 
 . Lord's Supper, form of 199 
 
 Lord's Supper, neglect of 130 
 
 Lord's Supper, partaking of 6 
 
 M 
 
 Maintenance of the house of worship. 12 
 
 Marriage 203, 207 
 
 Marriage of divorced persons ^ 207 
 
 Meeting for the hearing of a case 143 
 
 Members 1-6 
 
 Members, communicant 2 
 
 Members, non-con-firmed and confirmed 128-130 
 
 Members of Classis 79 
 
 Members of General Synod 110 
 
 Members of Judicial Committee 184 
 
 Members of other churches may be received 4 
 
 Members, Synod 184 
 
 Members of the Consistory 63 
 
 Members under the care of the Church 1 
 
 Membership of the licentiate j. 38 
 
 Membership, smallest, of a Classis 80 
 
 Memorial for organization , 8 
 
 Ministerial functions in the charge of another 20 
 
 Ministerial functions of a pastor emeritus 23 
 
 Ministerial functions, prevention of , , 1^} 
 
 9Q 
 
Ministers Obaervations 
 
 AUT. 
 
 Ministers, elders and deacons, discipline 131-135 
 
 Ministers of the Word 16-24 
 
 Ministers' widows 117 
 
 Minutes in cases of complaint 167 
 
 Minutes in cases of reference 160 
 
 Minutes in judicial cases 155, 156 
 
 Minutes of Classes, and copy of 95 
 
 Minutes of the congregation 11 
 
 Minutes (records) of decisions 151 
 
 Minutes of General Synod » 120 
 
 Minutes of Spiritual Council 78 
 
 Minutes of Synod 109 
 
 Minutes of the Consistory 68 
 
 Missionary operations by General Synod 106 
 
 Missionary work of a Synod 106 
 
 Missions, foreign 115 
 
 Missions, home 115 
 
 Mitigation of sentence and motion for 156 
 
 Motion for new trial 156 
 
 N 
 Neglect of duty in appeals o 177 
 
 Neglect of the Lord's Supper 130 
 
 Neglect on the part of the Spiritual Council 77 
 
 New evidence, appeals 178 
 
 Nomination of candidates for vacant charge 70 
 
 Nomination of delegates 55 
 
 Nomination of elders and deacons 48 
 
 Notice of appeal 174 
 
 Notice of appeal in case of censure 126 
 
 Notice of appeal to be recorded 155 
 
 Notice of censure 126 
 
 Notice of complaint 161, 163, 164 
 
 Notice of dismission of a member 5 
 
 Notice of reception 5 
 
 Notice of reception of a minister 90 
 
 Notice of special meeting of a congregation 11 
 
 Notice of special meeting of Consistory 66 
 
 Notice of suspension, etc 129 
 
 Notification of the accuser 143 
 
 Notification of the president in cases of accusation.. 141 
 
 Number of elders and deacons 46, 48 
 
 Number of sacraments 193 
 
 O 
 
 Obedience to the Constitution, etc 6 
 
 Observation of Church festivals 191 
 
 Observation of the Lord's Supper 199 
 
 7 97 
 
OffsDM Prevention 
 
 Art. 
 
 Offence, definition and enumeration 124, 130 
 
 Offence of a minister, elder, or deacon 131 
 
 Office of deacon, definition of 45 
 
 Office of elder, definition of 43 
 
 Officers of Classis, election of 82 
 
 Officers of a judicatory 54 
 
 OfUces 15 
 
 Opening and close of a judicatory 53 
 
 Opening of a Classis 82 
 
 Opening of General Synod 112 
 
 Opening of a Synod 100 
 
 Open session at trial 147 
 
 Order of worship 190 
 
 Order, questions of, in processes 151 
 
 Ordinance of the Church, adoption of 119 
 
 Ordinances of the Church ll'^ 
 
 Ordination 97, 101, 203 
 
 Ordination and installation of a minister 206 
 
 Ordination for life 206 
 
 Ordination of a licentiate 37 
 
 Ordination of elders and deacons 46 
 
 Organization of a congregation 7, 8, 86 
 
 Organization of a new Synod 114 
 
 Organization of Classis 103 
 
 Organization of a new congregation 86 
 
 Organization of Synod 100 
 
 Organization of the General Synod 112 
 
 Orphans, baptism of 196 
 
 Orphans' Homes , 115 
 
 P 
 
 Parochial report at Classis 84 
 
 Parties in cases of process 136-139 
 
 Pastor emeritus 23 
 
 Pastor's residence 17 
 
 Pastoral relation, how constituted and dissolved 85 
 
 Pastoral report of minister without charge 84 
 
 Pension of a teacher of theology 31 
 
 Personal injuries 139 
 
 Place of baptism 198 
 
 Prayer meetings 192 
 
 Permission to preach 32 
 
 Permission to preach in vacant congregations 38 
 
 Preparatory service 200 
 
 Preservation of documents of General Synod 120 
 
 President of the Consistory 64 
 
 President of the Spiritual Council 73 
 
 Prevention of ministerial functions 131 
 
 98 
 
Private ftefusal 
 
 Art. 
 
 Private devotions 6 
 
 Privileges of the Church 2 
 
 Privileges of licentiates 36 
 
 Privileges of students 42 
 
 Procedure in cases of appeal 177,180 
 
 Procedure in cases of complaint 162, 168 
 
 Procedure in cases of reference 160 
 
 Process, a new 156 
 
 Frocess and trial 141-156 
 
 Property of congregations 12 
 
 Property of a dissolved congregation 14 
 
 Property of a dissolved Classis 96 
 
 Protest 166 
 
 Provision for vacant charges 70 
 
 Public scandal 129 
 
 Public services, attendance 6 
 
 Public worship, neglect of 130 
 
 Publication Board 107 
 
 Publications 107 
 
 Purchase and sale of property 12 
 
 Qualifications of elders and deacons 47, 48 
 
 Qualities of a candidate for professor of theology.. 26 
 
 Qualities of a licentiate 33 
 
 Qualities of elders and deacons 47, 48 
 
 Questions to ministers and elders at Classis 84 
 
 Quorum of a Synod 99 
 
 Quorum of a Classis 80 
 
 Quorum of a Consistory 64 
 
 Quorum of General Synod Ill 
 
 Quorum of Spiritual Council 73 
 
 Ratio of representation at delegate Synod 98 
 
 Ratio of representation at General Synod Ill 
 
 Reading of written testimony 146 
 
 Reasons for an appeal 173 
 
 Reception of congregations from other churches * 8 
 
 Reconciliation, means of 139 
 
 Reconstruction of charges 86 
 
 Record of decisions 151 
 
 Record of members having communed 200 
 
 Reference of Constitution 209 
 
 Reference of refusal to receive 90 
 
 References 51, 86, 101, 157-160 
 
 Refusal to appear 134, 144 
 
 99 
 
Refusal Rights 
 
 ARt. 
 
 Refusal to confirm a call 17 
 
 Refusal to give final judgment 159 
 
 Refusal to receive into Classis 90 
 
 Register of ordinations and licensures 122 
 
 Reinstatement 130 
 
 Reinstatement of a minister 185 
 
 Religion, report on state of, of Classis 84 
 
 Religious books and literature 107 
 
 Remitting of a case to a lower judicatory 159 
 
 Remitting of an appeal 178 
 
 Removal from oMce 97,101,125,131,133,156 
 
 Renewal of profession 2, 4 
 
 Repairs 12 
 
 Report of Board of Publication to General Synod... 107 
 
 Report of Classical committees 84 
 
 Report of Classis to Synod and General Synod 92 
 
 Report of Judicial Committee 184 
 
 Report of students to Classis 42 
 
 Report of Synod to General Synod 109 
 
 Report of Board of a seminary 30 
 
 Report of Committee on Appeals 179 
 
 Report of the Executive Committee of Classis 94 
 
 Report of the several Boards to General Synod 115 
 
 Report of the Stated Clerk of a Classis to General 
 
 Synod 95 
 
 Report of vacant charge to Classis 84 
 
 Report on examination of a candidate 33 
 
 Representation of Classes in General Synod Ill 
 
 Representation of congregations in Classis 81 
 
 Representation of Classes by Executive Committee.. 94 
 
 Requests from Classes to Synod 101 
 
 Required age for ordination 37 
 
 Requirements for ordination 37 
 
 Resignation of a pastor 19 
 
 Resignation of a pastor requested 19 
 
 Resignation of a teacher of theology 31 
 
 Resort, first, in cases of discipline 72 
 
 Resort, last, in all cases respecting government 110 
 
 Restoration 185-187 
 
 Restoration, obstacles to 186 
 
 Restoration of a minister 85 
 
 Review of proceedings of Classis by Synod 101 
 
 Right of complaint to higher judicatory 1G6 
 
 Rights of a deposed minister 187 
 
 Rights of Classis 85 
 
 Rights of Classis in vacant charges 70 
 
 Rights and duties of General Synod 1143s 
 
 100 
 
fiites Synod 
 
 Art. 
 
 Rites 203-208 
 
 Roll of Classis 82 
 
 Koll of judicatories 5:^ 
 
 Rule of faith and doctrine 7, 183 
 
 Rules of order of Classis and Synod 100,83 
 
 Sacraments 193-202 
 
 Sale of property 14 
 
 Seal of Classis 95 
 
 Seal of Synod 109 
 
 Secular calling of a minister 16, 21 
 
 Sentence, pronouncing of sentence 150 
 
 Service at burial 208 
 
 Serving a citation 143 
 
 Sinful ways of the unconfirmed 128 
 
 Sister churches 1^4 
 
 Special meeting of a judicatory 58 
 
 Special meeting of a congregation 11,12 
 
 Special meeting of Classis 93 
 
 Special meeting of General Synod 113 
 
 Special meeting of Synod lOS 
 
 Special meeting of Consistory 66 
 
 Special meeting of the Spiritual Council 75 
 
 Spiritual Council, the 43, 72-78 
 
 Spiritual Council, stated meeting of 75 
 
 Spiritual Council, dismission of members 76 
 
 Sponsors ^^^ 
 
 Standard of doctrine 189 
 
 Stated Clerk as acting president 9-'? 
 
 Stated Clerk of Classis 95 
 
 Stated Clerk of General Synod j^ 120 
 
 Stated Clerk of Synod 109 
 
 Statistical report •, 84 
 
 Staying of decision in cases of complaint 170 
 
 Students for the ministry.... 40-42 
 
 Students under care of Classis 41 
 
 Sunday ?92 
 
 Sunday-school work 115 
 
 Supply, regular 20 
 
 Support of the Church 130 
 
 Support of minister 17 
 
 Support of superannuated ministers 117 
 
 Stupension • .97, 101, 125, 129, 133, 134, 145 
 
 Synod 50, 98-109 
 
 Synod, accusation against a teacher of theology 30 
 
 Synod, accusation and specifications 140 
 
 Synod, advisory members and visitors... 61 
 
 101 
 
Synod theological 
 
 ART. 
 
 Synod, annulment of appointments S8 
 
 Synod, appeals 51, ITlss 
 
 Synod as a delegated body 98 
 
 Synod, censure 126 
 
 Synod, change of time of regular meeting 59 
 
 Synod, committees 60 
 
 Synod, committee in judicial cases 133 
 
 Synod, complaints 51, I61ss 
 
 Synod, counsel of General Synod 114 
 
 Synod, credentials 05 
 
 Synod, decisions on exception against m-r.nster 90 
 
 Synod, delegates 55. r-7 
 
 Synod, defines boundaries of Classis 79 
 
 Synod, different languages 53 
 
 Synod, duties of delegates 57 
 
 Synod, election and installation of a teacher of 
 
 theology 25, 27 
 
 Synod in general convention 98 
 
 Synod, jurisdiction over a dissolved Classis 96 
 
 Synod, minutes of Classes 95 
 
 Synod, officers of 54 
 
 Synod, pension of teacher of theology 31 
 
 Synod, process and trial 141ss 
 
 Synod, protest 62 
 
 Synod, quorum 99 
 
 Synod, references 51, 157ss 
 
 Synod, reinstatement of a minister 185 
 
 Synod, review of proceedings 114 
 
 Synod, right of confirming reception of a minister 
 
 from another church , 87 
 
 Synod, roll of 53 
 
 Synod, special meeting of 58 
 
 T 
 
 TfiACHElR Of THEOtOGY 25-31 
 
 Teacher of theology, how chosen 26 
 
 Teachers and officers of a seminary, to whom 
 
 amenable 105 
 
 Term of office of elders and deacons 46 
 
 Term of office, officers of a judicatory 54 
 
 Term of office of stated clerk 54 
 
 Term of office of teacher of theology 29 
 
 Territory of a Classis 79 
 
 Testify, refusal to 145 
 
 Testimony in cases of appeal 178 
 
 Testimony of witnesses who cannot appear at trial. . 146 
 
 Thanksgiving day 191 
 
 Theological seminary 105 
 
 102 
 
Time Young 
 
 AIIT. 
 
 Time for accusation 164 
 
 Time for action on appeals 1^^ 
 
 Time of meeting of Classis °^ 
 
 Time of meeting of Consistory 66 
 
 Time of mcetitig of General Synod 112 
 
 Time of meeting of Judicial Committee 184 
 
 Time of meeting of Spiritual Council 75 
 
 Time of meeting of Synod 98 
 
 Time of notice of appeal 174 
 
 Title of General Synod HO 
 
 Transfer of membership 5 
 
 Trial in absence of the accused 144 
 
 Trials to be conducted in open or secret session 147 
 
 Trial of a minister 131 
 
 Trustees of a congregation 9, 12 
 
 Trustees of a seminary K^fJ 
 
 Two or more congregations for one charge 13 
 
 U 
 Unbaptized adults 3 
 
 V 
 
 Vacancy of a congregation (charge) 70 
 
 Vacancy, declaration of, by Classis 133 
 
 Visitors, Board of 105 
 
 Visitors at meetings 61 
 
 Vote on appeals 180 
 
 Vote in judicial proceedings - 156 
 
 Vote, right of, in cases of appeal 181 
 
 Vote, right of, in cases of complaint 165 
 
 Vote, right of, references 158 
 
 Vote, right of, of witnesses 153 
 
 Vote on suspension, excommunication and deposition 156 
 
 W 
 Who may call a special meeting of Classis?.... 93 
 
 Who shall ordain? 37, 60 
 
 Wilful neglect of Classis 91 
 
 Withdrawal of a congregation from the Church.... 14 
 
 Witnesses, citation of 145 
 
 Witnesses, members of judicatories as 153 
 
 Witnesses to be sworn 151 
 
 Witnesses, who are competent? = 152 
 
 Word of God, the 188 
 
 Word of God, the, the Bible 7 
 
 Worship 190-192 
 
 Worship, essential parts 190 
 
 Worship, order of 190 
 
 Y 
 Young people's societies 116 
 
 103 
 
FORMS 
 
 FOR THE USE OF THE 
 
 Relormcd Church 
 
 United States. 
 
 Adopted by the General Synod of York, 
 May, 1908. 
 
 The Publication Board of the Reformed Church in the U. S. 
 
IF" o k,:m: s 
 
 FOR THE USE OF TUB 
 
 Reformed ChiurcH in thie 
 United States. 
 
 CONSTITUTION OF A CONGREGATION. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Name and Object. 
 
 Article i. The name of this congregation 
 shall be 
 
 Article 2. The object of this congregation 
 shall be to provide its members with the stated 
 preaching of the Word, the administration of the 
 sacraments, the facilities for public worship, and 
 the exercise of Christian discipHne ; and to adopt 
 and prosecute from time to time such measures 
 as are in harmony with the spirit, teaching and 
 customs of the Reformed Church in the United 
 States, and as shall tend to promote the general 
 interests cf the Redeemer's kingdom. 
 
 Article 3. This congregation shall be an or- 
 ganic member of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States, and shall be governed by the con- 
 stitution, laws, and rules of said Church. 
 3 
 
SECTION II. 
 
 OfUcers and their Duties. 
 
 Article 4. The officers of this congregation 
 shall be a pastor (or pastors), — elders, — dea- 
 cons, — trustees, a secretary, and a treasurer, 
 whose general standard of duty shall be the 
 Word of God and the Constitution of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States. 
 
 Article 5. It shall be the duty of the pastor 
 to conduct the public worship of the sanctuary, 
 to preach the gospel, to exercise pastoral over- 
 sight of the congregation, to dispense the holy 
 sacraments, and in conjunction with the elders 
 to administer Christian discipline. 
 
 Article 6. It shall be the duty of the elders 
 to watch faithfully over the spiritual interests of 
 the congregation, to maintain order in the House 
 of God, to aid in visiting the sick, and to con- 
 tribute according to their ability to the edification 
 and consolation of all the members. They shall 
 also provide the elements for the Lord's Supper 
 when requested by the pastor. 
 
 Article 7. It shall be the duty of the dea- 
 cons to co-operate with the other officers of the 
 congregation to promote its general welfare, to 
 gather the offerings for the relief of the poor 
 and the necessities of the congregation, to dis- 
 tribute the alms, and to provide for the pastor's 
 salary under the directions of the Consistory. 
 
 Article 8. The pastor, elders, and deacons 
 of the congregation shall constitute the Consis- 
 tory, which shall have oversight and government 
 of the congregation and all the organizations. 
 The pastor shall be the president of the Con- 
 sistory, but when a charge is without a pastor, 
 or the pastor is unable to attend, one of the 
 4 
 
eldefs shall be chosen to preside. A majority 
 of the members shall constitute a quorum. 
 
 Article 9. The Consistory shall have charge 
 of the general affairs of the congregation, shall 
 call congregational meetings, order collections 
 for the apportionments of Classis and for other 
 benevolent purposes, distribute alms through the 
 deacons, provide for the audit of the treasurer's 
 account, and make due provision for the support 
 of the pastor. It shall keep a full and accurate 
 record of its own proceedings, be the custodian 
 of all congregational records, and submit any or 
 all records to Classis when occasion requires it 
 and the Classis requests it. 
 
 Article 10. The pastor or the secretary of 
 the Consistory shall keep a complete record of 
 all baptisms, confirmations, communicants, recep- 
 tions by certificate, renewals of profession, dis- 
 missions, erasures of names, suspensions, ex- 
 communications, marriages, and deaths. The 
 record shall be the property of the congregation. 
 
 Article ii. In calling a minister and in all 
 matters of general interest, including the elec- 
 tion of delegates to Classis or Synod, the Con- 
 sistory shall be guided by the requirements of 
 the Constitution of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States. 
 
 Article 12.* The members of the Consistory 
 shall constitute the Board of Trustees, who shall 
 have the care and control of the property of the 
 congregation as a sacred trust, whether real or 
 personal, in accordance with the provision of the 
 Articles of Incorporation and of the Constitu- 
 tion of the Reformed Church in the United 
 States (Art. 12). 
 
 *This article docs not apply when the charter pro- 
 vides for a separate Board of Trustees. 
 
 5 
 
Article 13. The secretary of the Consistory 
 shall also serve as the secretary of the Spiritual 
 Council, of the Board of Trustees, and of the 
 congregation, and shall perform faithfully the 
 duties generally appertaining to such office. 
 
 Article 14. The treasurer, elected by the 
 Consistory, shall be the treasurer of the con- 
 gregation, and shall keep an accurate and faithful 
 account of all moneys received and paid out ; and 
 he shall not disburse any funds unless properly 
 authorized. He shall submit annually a detailed 
 report of the finances to the Consistory and to 
 the congregation. 
 
 Article 15. The Consistory shall hold stated 
 monthly (or quarterly) meetings on the .... day 
 of and may hold special meet- 
 ings at such other times as may be necessary ; 
 and also an annual meeting on the .... day of 
 of each year for the transac- 
 tion of business and final settlement with the 
 treasurer and other officers. All special meetings 
 shall be called by the president; in the event 
 of his absence, or inability or unwillingness to 
 act, by the secretary when requested in writing 
 to do so by a majority of the members. 
 
 Article 16. The pastor- and elders shall con- 
 stitute the Spiritual Council, whose duty it shall 
 be to watch over the members of the congrega- 
 tion, to guard the doctrine of Christ, and to 
 n-iaintain strict and wholesome discipline ; to ad- 
 mit members to full communion of the Church, 
 and to exclude from it those who may err from 
 the faith or offend in morals. It shall examine 
 the catechumens applying for confirmation, and, 
 before the observance of the Lord's Supper, in- 
 quire whether any member has departed from the 
 doctrine of Christ in faith and practice, that 
 those who are guilty may be disciplined as the 
 6 
 
case may require. It shall furnish upon proper 
 request members of the congregation, in good and 
 regular standing, with certificates of dismission to 
 another congregation in the Reformed Church in 
 the United States or to any orthodox Protestant 
 Church that receives members by certificate from 
 the Reformed Church in the United States. The 
 pastor shall be the president, but if the pastor is 
 absent one of the elders shall be chosen to pre- 
 side. A majority of the members shall constitute 
 a quorum. It shall keep a full and accurate rec- 
 ord of its proceedings which shall be submitted 
 to the Classis when occasion requires it and the 
 Classis requests it. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Elections and Organization. 
 
 Article 17. Every communicant member of 
 the congregation, in good and regular standing, 
 shall be entitled to vote at all elections for pas- 
 tor and officers, and on any question submitted 
 to the congregation for action. 
 
 Article 18. An election for pastor shall be 
 held according to the prescribed regulations of 
 the Constitution of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States (Art. 70). 
 
 Article 19. When the pastor shall resign his 
 charge or when three-fourths of the members of 
 the Consistory shalf make a written request to the 
 pastor for his resignation, the prescribed regu- 
 lations of the Constitution of the Reformed 
 Church in the United States shall be observed 
 (Art. 19). 
 
 Article 20. An election for elders and dea- 
 cons shall be held at the annual meeting on 
 
 , and those chosen shall serve 
 
 years and until their successors are elected 
 
 and installed. All elections for officers shall be 
 7 
 
by ballot and shall be determined b}' a majority 
 of the votes cast. 
 
 Article 21. Nominations for the offices of 
 elder and deacon shall be made by the Consis- 
 tory, which shall present the name or the names 
 of one or of two persons for each officer to be 
 elected. Pubhc notice of the nominations shall be 
 given from the pulpit at least one week before the 
 election. At the meeting for the election one 
 additional person for each officer to be elected 
 may be nominated by the congregation. A per- 
 son shall not be voted for unless regularly nomi- 
 nated. All nominees must be in full communion 
 with the Church and earnestly devoted to the 
 cause of Christ, If possible each congregation 
 shall have at least two elders and two deacons. 
 
 Article 22. Whenever a vacancy occurs by 
 death, or resignation, or in any other way, the 
 Consistory may fill the vacancy for the current 
 year. 
 
 Article 23. An annual meeting of the con- 
 gregation shall be held on day for 
 
 the transaction of regular business and for the 
 election of officers. The Consistory may call a 
 special meeting of the congregation, and at the 
 written request of one-tenth of the communi- 
 cant members shall issue a call for such meeting 
 within two weeks after the fequest has been re- 
 ceived. One week's previous public notice shall 
 be given of the time, place and purpose of a 
 special congregational meeting. The secretary 
 shall keep full and accurate record of the pro- 
 ceedings of all meetings. 
 
 Article 24. The Consistory shall elect an- 
 nually two of the elders as delegates, a prima- 
 rius and a secundus, to represent the charge 
 in Classis. They shall also be the delegates to 
 
 8 
 
Synod whenever Synod meets in general conven- 
 tion. At least ten days before the annual meet- 
 ing of the judicatory to which these delegates 
 have been elected their credentials shall be sent 
 to its Stated Clerk by the president or the secre- 
 tary of the Consistory. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Members and their Duties. 
 
 Article 25. All persons shall be members of 
 this congregation and shall be entitled to all 
 its rights and privileges, who have been duly 
 received into its communion by confirmation, by 
 certificate, or by renewal of profession, and have 
 not been excluded by the process of Christian 
 discipline. 
 
 Article 26. It shall be the duty of every 
 member of this congregation to live a sober, 
 righteous and godly life, and to labor faithfully 
 in bringing others unto Christ ; to obey the laws 
 and rules prescribed in the Word of God and 
 abide by the Constitution of the Church; to con- 
 tribute liberally and in proportion to his means 
 to the support of the gospel and for the exten- 
 sion of the kingdom of Christ ; to attend faith- 
 fully the public services of the Cburch, engage 
 diligently in private devotions, and partake of 
 the Lord's Supper at least once a year. Parents 
 shall present their children at the proper time 
 for baptism and give special attention to the 
 Christian training of the members of their house- 
 hold. 
 
 Article 27. If a member shall neglect to par- 
 take of the Holy Communion or refuse to con- 
 tribute to the support of the Church or continu- 
 ously absent himself from the public worship for 
 a period of one year, such conduct shall be re- 
 garded as an offense against the Church, and he 
 9 
 
shall be admonished by the pastor or the elders. 
 If after admonition he continues in such neg- 
 lect of duty for another year, the Spiritual Coun- 
 cil shall notify him that he is no longer in good 
 and regular standing. If before the expiration of 
 another year he shall express a desire to be rein- 
 stated and shall promise to attend to his duties, 
 the Spiritual Council shall reinstate him. If at 
 the end of the third year he shall not express a 
 desire for reinstatement, or if any member shall 
 unite with another congregation or denomina- 
 tion without a certificate of dismission, the Spirit- 
 ual Council in either case shall erase his name 
 from the church register. 
 
 Article 28. Members, who, on account of 
 change of residence or for other proper reasons, 
 shall desire to change their membership from one 
 congregation to another congregation of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States, shall ob- 
 tain a certificate of dismission and as soon as 
 possible shall unite with the other congregation. 
 The Spiritual Council dismissing them shall com- 
 municate immediately the fact to the Spiritual 
 Council of the congregation to which they have 
 been dismissed ; and, when they are received, 
 the latter shall notify promptly the former of 
 their reception. Members dismissed shall be 
 amenable to the congregation dismissing them 
 until they shall have been received by another 
 congregation. A certificate of dismission shall 
 be valid for only one year from its date. 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 By-Laws. 
 
 Article 29. ' The congregation may from time 
 to time enact such by-laws for its government 
 as may be deemed necessary ; provided, how- 
 ever, that thev do not conflict with this constitu- 
 
 10 
 
tion or the Constitiuion of the Reformed Church 
 in the United States. 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 Amendments. 
 
 Article 30. This constitution may be altered 
 or amended by the congregation by a vote of 
 two-thirds of the members present either at an 
 annual meeting or at a special meeting called for 
 that purpose ; provided that at least one week's 
 notice of the proposed change shall have been 
 given. 
 
 CONSTITUTION OF A JOINT CONSIS- 
 TORY OF A CHARGE. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 Name and Object. 
 
 Article i. This Association shall be named 
 
 "The Joint Consistory of 
 
 Charge in 
 
 ". It shall be composed of 
 
 the members of the consistories of the congre- 
 gations included in the charge, and shall be sub- 
 ject to the Constitution and Rules of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States. 
 
 Article 2. The object of this Association 
 shall be to provide the charge with the stated 
 preaching of the gospel and with the other means 
 of grace ;^ and to attend to whatever relates to the 
 general interest and prosperity of the charge, 
 such as the calling of a pastor, the provision for 
 his salary, and the erection and maintenance of 
 a parsonage. 
 
 11 
 
SECTION II. 
 Q-fHcers and their Duties. 
 
 Article 3. The pastor shall be the president 
 of the Joint Consistory, but if he is absent or 
 unable to preside one of the elders shall be chosen 
 to preside. The other officers, such as a secre- 
 tary and a treasurer, shall be elected at the 
 annual meeting, and they shall discharge the 
 duties usually devolving upon such officers and 
 shall serve until their successors are elected. 
 
 SECTION III. 
 
 Meetings. 
 
 Article 4. The Joint Consistory shall meet 
 annually on the day of 
 
 of each year for the transaction of business and 
 may hold special meetings at such other times 
 as may be necessary. All special meetings shall 
 be called by the president, but if he is absent, or 
 unable or unwilling to act, by the secretary 
 when requested in writing to do so by the ma- 
 jority of the members. Previous notice of spe- 
 cial meetings shall be given to all the members. 
 
 Article 5. An election for pastor shall be 
 held according to the prescribed regulations of 
 the Constitution of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States (Art. 70). If a majority of the 
 votes in the whole charge are cast for the min- 
 ister nominated, a call shall be made out and 
 sent to him by the Joint Consistory. 
 
 Article 6. The support of the pastor shall 
 be distributed among the congregations as may 
 from time to time be agreed upon by the Joint 
 Consistory. At its annual meeting it shall be 
 the duty of the Joint Consistory to see that this 
 obligation is punctually discharged. 
 12 
 
Article 7. The time of the pastor shall be 
 devoted to the several congregations in such 
 ratio or proportion as shall from time to time 
 be agreed upon by the Joint Consistory and the 
 pastor. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Resignation of the Pastor. 
 
 Article 8. When the pastor resigns his 
 charge or when three-fourths of the members of 
 the Joint Consistory make a written request to 
 the pastor for his resignation, the prescribed 
 regulations of the Constitution of the Reformed 
 Church in the United States shall be observed 
 (Art. 19). 
 
 section v. 
 
 Real Estate and Parsonage. 
 
 Article 9. The Joint Consistory may pur- 
 chase and hold in trust grounds for parsonage 
 and for other church purposes, and may improve 
 and manage the same ; and whenever any one of 
 the congregations shall become separated from 
 the charge by action of the Classis, it shall be en- . 
 titled to an equitable repayment of its share in 
 the same. 
 
 section VI. 
 
 Election of Delegates. 
 
 Article 10. The Joint Consistory shall elect 
 annually two of the elders as delegates, a prima- 
 rius and secundus, to represent the charge in 
 Classis. They shall also be the delegates to Synod 
 whenever Synod meets in general convention. 
 At least ten days before the annual meeting of 
 the judicatory to which the delegates have been 
 13 
 
elected their credentials shall be sent to its 
 Stated Clerk by the president or the secretary of 
 the Consistory. 
 
 SECTION VII. 
 
 Amendments. 
 
 Article ii. This constitution may be altered 
 or amended by the Joint Consistory by a two- 
 thirds vote of the members present at an annual 
 meeting or at a special meeting called for the 
 purpose, provided that at least one week's notice 
 of the proposed change shall have been given. 
 
 CERTIFICATE OF MARRIAGE. 
 
 It is hereby certified that 
 
 and were by me 
 
 united in the bonds of holy matrimony, accord- 
 ing to the ordinance of God and in conformity 
 
 to law and the custom of the Church, this 
 
 day of A. D. 19... 
 
 Witness: Minister of the Gospel 
 
 CERTIFICATE OF BAPTISM. 
 
 This is to certify that 
 
 of and his wife 
 
 , born at 
 
 on the- day of 
 
 U 
 
A. D. 19, . . ., was baptized on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19.... 
 
 Pastor. 
 
 Church. 
 
 CERTIFICATE OF CONFIRMATION. 
 
 This is to certify that , 
 
 after having been duly instructed in the doctrines 
 and duties of the Christian ReHgion, according 
 to the Word of God and the Heidelberg Cate- 
 chism, and having professed faith in Jesus Christ, 
 was confirmed as a member of the Reformed 
 
 Church in the United States, in 
 
 Church at 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. 190 
 
 Pastor. 
 
 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before 
 men, him will I confess before my Father which 
 is in heaven. 
 
 CERTIFICATE OF DISMISSION OF 
 CHURCH MEMBERS.* 
 
 This is to certify that 
 
 (together with .... baptized children 
 
 ) is a member, in good and regular 
 
 standing, of Reformed Church at 
 
 within the bounds of 
 
 Classis, and Synod. At 
 
 ....own request ....is now dismissed for the 
 purpose of connecting . , . .self with Re- 
 formed Church at to whose 
 
 ^See Arts. 5 and Vj of the Constitution, 
 
 15 
 
Christian fellowship and confidence is 
 
 hereby affectionately recommended ; and when 
 
 shall be received by it peculiar 
 
 relation to this congregation shall cease. Official 
 notice of this reception shall be given to this 
 Spiritual Council. 
 
 By order of the Spiritual Council. 
 
 Date 190. . . . 
 
 Signed 
 
 (Signed by the pastor or the secretary of the Spiritual 
 Council.) 
 
 CERTIFICATE OF RECEPTION OF DIS- 
 MISSED CHURCH MEMBERS. 
 
 190. ... 
 
 This is to certify that .'. . . 
 
 has been received as a member of the 
 
 on Certificate of Dis- 
 mission from the 
 
 congregation , dated 
 
 190 
 
 Date 190 
 
 Signed 
 
 (Signed by the pastor or the secretary of the Spiritual 
 Council.) 
 
 CHURCH REGISTER. 
 
 "The pastor or the secretary of the Consistory 
 shall keep a complete record of all baptisms, 
 confirmations, communicants, receptions by cer- 
 tificate, renewals of profession, dismissions, 
 erasures of names, suspensions, excommunica- 
 tions, marriages, and deaths. The record shall 
 be the property of the Congregation" (Constitu- 
 tion, Art. 18). 
 
 IG 
 
Unconllnnod. 
 
 Oomniunicants.l 
 
 Oonfirniation, 
 When? 
 
 Certificate, 
 When and 
 Where from- 
 
 Renewal, 
 When? 
 
 
 Died,, Wheal 
 
 Dismissed, 
 When and 
 Where to? 
 
 Erased, When? 
 
 Suspended, 
 When? 
 
 E xcom m unica t - 
 ed, When? - 
 
 Month. 
 
 Month. 
 
 Month. 
 
 Month. 
 
 17 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 s 
 
 
 § 
 tin 
 
 1 na- 
 Trustees. tion. 
 
 1 
 
 In- 
 
 stal- 
 
 hition. 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 CO 
 
 1 
 
«0 
 ? ft 
 
 
 cj 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 CU 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 bO . 
 
 
 
 cit 
 
 
 
 .;s cB 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 O C2 
 
 
 
 IS 
 
 
 
 a . 
 
 rn 
 
 o s 
 
 » 
 
 oo 
 
 o 
 
 <^*j 1 
 
 H 
 
 0^ ! 
 
 < 
 ^ 
 
 
 pj 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 !2; 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 
 ■71 
 
 •J 
 
 
 
 a> 
 
 
 
 
 N 
 
 •c 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 "" 
 
 OS 
 
 
 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 d 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 C 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 (U 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 c3 
 
 
 
 z' 
 
 
 
 
 .- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ,, 53 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Q,M 
 
 
 
 l«.- 
 
 
 = 5 
 
 
 
 
 C.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 i^ 
 
 
 © 
 
 
 
 to 
 
 
 
 <1 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 i> ci 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 rt c ■- 
 
 
 
 = i^ 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 2^a 
 
 < 
 
 03 o «3 
 
 M 
 
 ^ si 
 
 Q 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 
 £ 
 
 d 
 
 
 $ 
 
 \=> 
 
 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 . 
 
 
 15 
 
 -o 
 
 
 
 
 
 •<5 
 
 1 Confirm 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 0) j 
 
 
 
 
 c 
 
 
 
 c3 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 > 2 
 
 18 
 
RECOMMENDATION OF A^STUDENT TO 
 CLASSIS. 
 
 Wc, the undersigned, hereby certif}' that 
 
 is a communicant member of the Reformed 
 
 Church at in 
 
 good and regular standing, and sustains an ap- 
 proved moral character ; that in our opinion he 
 possesses such quaHfications, with respect to 
 piety, honesty and capacity,, as to render him 
 worthy to prepare for the Christian Ministry, 
 to the glory of God and the edification of the 
 Church ; and that w-e therefore recommend him 
 to the favor and conluknce of the Classis 
 of 
 
 Dale Pastor. 
 
 Elders. 
 
 Deacons. 
 
 Consistory. 
 
 TRANSFER OF A STUDENT FROM OJ^E 
 CLASSIS TO ANOTHER. 
 
 It is hereby certified that the bearer, 
 
 is a student of 
 
 at 
 
 preparing himself for the 
 
 gospel ministry r f the Reformed Church in the 
 
 United Stales. He is under the care of 
 
 Classis 
 
 Synod, and is in good and regular standing. As 
 such he is now at his own request transferred to 
 
 the Classis of , Synod, 
 
 to continue his studies under its care; and to 
 19 
 
whose Christian fellowship and confidence he is 
 hereby alTcctioi'Mtely recommended ; and when 
 he shall be received by it, his relation to this 
 Classis shall cease, of which reception official 
 notice shall be given to this Classis. 
 
 By order of Classis. 
 
 , President. 
 
 Stated Clerk. 
 
 Date A. D. 19. .. . 
 
 RECOMMENDATION OF A STUDENT BY 
 
 A CLASSIS TO A THEOLOGICAL 
 
 SEMINARY. 
 
 This is to certify that at a meetin<7 of 
 
 Classis 
 
 Synod, held at 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19...., , a communicant mem- 
 ber of the Reformed congregation at 
 
 , in good and regular standing, 
 
 and desiring to prepare for the gospel ministry 
 in the Reformed Church in the United States, 
 was duly examined as to his motives, piety and 
 talents. The examination proved satisfactory, 
 and Classis took him under its care and direc- 
 tion. He is hereby recommended to the Christian 
 regard and confidence of the Faculty and the 
 Board of Visitors of the Theological Seminary of 
 
 the Reformed Church at , 
 
 [or the Board of Education as worthy of bene- 
 ficiary aid]. Given this day of 
 
 A. D. 19.... 
 
 By order of Classis. 
 
 , Stated Clerk, 
 
 20 
 
CERTIFICATE OE LICENSURE. 
 
 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the 
 Great Head of the Church, greeting : 
 
 Be it known, that 
 
 after having furnished acceptable testimonials of 
 his Christian character and having sustained a 
 satisfactory examination in the different literary 
 and theological studies prescribed for Students 
 for the Alinistry by the Constitution of the 
 Reformed Church in the United States, and 
 having complied with the requirements of the 
 said Church, was regularly licensed to preach 
 the gospel under the provisions of the 
 
 aforesaid Constitution, by order of the 
 
 at a meeting held at 
 
 on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19. . . . He is 
 
 hereby recommended to the favor and attention 
 
 of all those to whom these presents may come. 
 
 In testimony whereof, we 
 
 have hereunto subscribed our 
 
 names and affixed the Seal 
 
 [SEAL] of 
 
 this day of 
 
 in the year of our Lord one 
 thousand nine hundred and 
 
 President, 
 
 .Stated Clerk. 
 
 TESTIMONIAL OF ORDINATION. 
 
 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the 
 Great Head of the Church, greeting: 
 
 Be it known, that 
 
 after having sustained a satisfactory examination 
 21 
 
in the different literary and theological studies 
 prescribed for Students for the Ministry by 
 the Constitution of the Reformed Church in 
 the United States, and having comphed with the 
 requirements of said Church, was, bv order 
 
 of ' 
 
 ordained and solemnly set apart to the work of 
 the Christian Ministry, according to the Word 
 of God and the rites and customs of the Re- 
 formed Church in the United States, and re- 
 ceived into full ministerial communion at 
 
 on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19 
 
 He is hereby recommended to the Christian 
 fellowship and attention of all those to whom 
 these presents shall come, as qualified to preach 
 the gospel and to administer the sacraments of 
 the Church. 
 
 In testimony whereof, we 
 have hereunto subscribed our 
 names and affixed the Seal 
 
 [SEAL] of 
 
 on the day of 
 
 in the year of our 
 
 Lord one thousand nine hun- 
 dred and 
 
 President, 
 
 Stated Clerk. 
 
 CALL OF A MINISTER. 
 
 To the Rev 
 
 At an election frr pastor held in the 
 
 congregation (charge) on the day 
 
 of A. D. 19. . , . you were dulv 
 
 elected to that office; and in accordance with 
 22 
 
the instructions given us, we, the elders and 
 deacons of the aforesaid congregation (charge), 
 do hereby unite in solemnly calling you to the 
 pastoral office as above mentioned, and affec- 
 tionately urge upon you the acceptance of our 
 call. The duties which will be required of you 
 are those which usually pertain to the pastoral 
 office and are specifically set forth in the Word 
 of God and the Constitution of the Reformed 
 Church in the United States. 
 
 To encourage you in the discharge of the 
 duties of your important and responsible office, 
 we promise you, in the name of the congregation 
 (charge), all proper attention, love and obedi- 
 ence in the Lord ; and in consideration of your 
 service, and that you may be relieved of tem- 
 poral cares as far as possible, we do obHgate 
 ourselves in their behalf to pay you for your 
 
 support an annual sum of dollars 
 
 in payments, so long 
 
 as you shall continue our pastor, together with 
 the use of [the parsonage belonging to the con- 
 gregation (charge),] a house which shall be 
 provided for your accommodation. 
 
 In witness whereof, we have hereunto sub- 
 scribed our names, this day of, 
 
 in the year of our Lord one 
 
 thousand nine hundred and . . .^ 
 
 Elders. 
 
 Deacons. 
 
DISMISSION OF A MINISTER.* 
 
 This is to certify that the Rev 
 
 is a minister of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States, in connection with the Classis 
 
 of of the 
 
 Synod, in good and regular standing. As such 
 he is now, at his own request, dismissed to unite 
 
 with the Classis of and 
 
 Synod, to whose 
 
 Christian fellowship and confidence he is cor- 
 dially recommended ; and when received by it 
 his peculiar relation to this Classis shall cease, 
 of which reception official notice must be given 
 to this Classis. 
 
 By order of Classis. 
 
 Date A. D. 19 
 
 President. 
 
 ,.. , Stated Clerk. 
 
 RFXEPTION OF A DTSMISSFD MINISTER. 
 
 Tliis is to certify lliat tlic Rev 
 
 has been received into full connection with the 
 
 Classis of of the 
 
 Synod, on a Certificate 
 
 of Dismission from the Classis of 
 
 of the Svnod, dated 
 
 A. D. 19.... 
 
 Date A. D. 19.... 
 
 Signed Stated Clerk. 
 
 * * * 
 
 * This certificate of dismission may be adapted for 
 ist* as a form 'of dismission of a licentiate. 
 
 2t 
 
CALL OF A TEACHER OF THEOLOGY. 
 
 To the Rev 
 
 At a meeting of the Synod 
 
 (or Synods) of the Reformed Church in the 
 
 United States held at on 
 
 the day of A. D. 
 
 19...., you were duly elected to the Professor- 
 ship of in the 
 
 Theological Seminary at • 
 
 In accordance with the instructions of said 
 Synod (or Synods), we hereby present you with 
 a call to the Professorship as aforesaid, and af- 
 fectionately urge upon you the acceptance there- 
 of. You will be expected to give instruction to 
 the students committed to your charge in such 
 branches as pertain to your department, under 
 the supervision of the Board of Visitors of the 
 said Seminary, with such modifications as the 
 Synod (or Synods) may hereafter direct. And 
 in consideration of your services to be rendered 
 and to free 3^ou from temporal anxieties and 
 cares, we promise you for your support, in the 
 name of the Synod (or Synods), as long as 
 you continue teacher in the Seminary as afore- 
 said, the sum of dollars 
 
 annually in payments [to- 
 gether with the use of a free dwelling]. 
 By order of the Synod. 
 
 In witness whereof we have 
 
 hereunto subscribed our names 
 [SEAL] and affixed the seal of Synod, 
 
 this day of 
 
 in the year of our Lord, one 
 
 thousand nine hundred and 
 
 President^ 
 
 . . .Stated Clerk. 
 25 
 
CREDENTIALS OF ELDERS TO CLASSIS 
 OR SYNOD. 
 
 This IS to certify, that at a meeting of the 
 
 Consistory [or Joint Consistory] of the 
 
 charge, held at on 
 
 the day of 19...., 
 
 Elder was duly elected 
 
 delegate primarius and Elder 
 
 his secundus, to represent said charge 
 
 at the annual and special meetings of 
 
 Classis [and Synod], during the current [classi- 
 cal or synodical] year beginning 
 
 19. . . . 
 
 Stated Clerk. 
 
 (Date) A. D. 19.... 
 
 Note.— The proper officer to sign the above certificate 
 or credentials is the secretary of the Consistory, when 
 there is but otie congregation, or the secretary of the 
 Joint Consistory, when there are tzvo or more congre- 
 gations in a charge; but, if for some good reason the 
 secretary can not do so, then the pastor shall sign it. 
 
 Moreover, when the Synod meets in general conven- 
 tion, each pastoral charge is entitled to be represented 
 by a delegated elder, who must receive his credentials 
 from the Consistory or the Joint Consistory as the case 
 may be; but in case the Synod meets as a delegated 
 body, then the delegates, both ministers and elders, are 
 elected by the respective classes according to the pre- 
 scribed constitutional ratio, and their credentials must 
 be furnished by the stated clerks of the classes. 
 
 CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATES FROM 
 CLASSIS TO SYNOD. 
 
 This is to certify that Classis 
 
 of the Synod of at 
 
 its annual [or special] meeting held at 
 
 on the day of 
 
 2G 
 
A. D. 19...., duly elected the fol- 
 lowing members of the Classis as delegates to 
 
 the Synod of the Reformed Church in 
 
 the United States, to convene in 
 
 Church at County, and 
 
 State of on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19 , at 
 
 o'clock . . . .M., namely : 
 
 MINISTERS. ELDERS. 
 
 PRIMARII. 
 
 SECUNDI. 
 
 Given under my hand and 
 
 seal of Classis 
 
 [SEAL] day of 
 
 A. D. 19 
 
 Stated Clerk of 
 
 Classis. 
 
 CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATES FROM 
 CLASSIS TO GENERAL SYNOD. 
 
 This is to certify, that 
 
 Classis of the Synod of 
 
 at its annual (special) meeting 
 
 at on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19...., duly elected the fol- 
 
 27 
 
lowing members of the Classis as delegates to 
 the General Synod of the Reformed Church in 
 
 the United States, to convene in 
 
 Church at County, and State of 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19...., at o'clock ....M., viz.: 
 
 MINISTERS. ELDERS. 
 
 PRIMARII. 
 
 SECUNDI. 
 
 ROLL OF MINISTERS OF CLASSIS. 
 
 It is further certified that on this 
 
 day of A. D. ig, . . ., the following 
 
 ordained ministers constitute the clerical roll of 
 .• Classis: 
 
 [Here write the names of the ministers.] 
 
 Given under my hand and the 
 
 SEAL seal of Classis, 
 
 OF THE this day of 
 
 CLASSIS A. D. 10.... 
 
 Stated Clerk. 
 
 of Classis. 
 
 N. B. — Write names of persons and places plainly and 
 give the first or Christian name of delegates in full. 
 When properly filled out, return the roll at once to the 
 stated clerk of the General Synod. 
 
 28 
 
CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATES FROM 
 GENERAL SYNOD TO CORRE- 
 SPONDING BODIES. 
 
 This is to certify that by the official authority 
 of the General Synod of the Reformed Church 
 
 in the United States, held at 
 
 in A. D. 19 
 
 was appointed delegate primarius, and 
 
 his sccundiis, to represent said Church 
 
 in the to convene 
 
 in 
 
 ,on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19. 
 
 Attest : 
 
 Stated Clerk. 
 (Date) A. D. 19.... 
 
 CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATES FROM 
 
 SYNODS TO CORRESPONDING 
 
 BODIES. 
 
 This is to certify, that at the annual meeting 
 
 of the Synod of of 
 
 the Reformed Church in the United States, held 
 
 at in the month of 
 
 A. D. 19 , the Rev 
 
 was duly elected delegate primarius, and the 
 
 Rev as his sccundiis, to 
 
 represent said Synod in the sessions of the Synod 
 
 of of the 
 
 Church, which is to convene in the 
 
 Church at on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19 at 
 
 o'clock M. 
 
 29 
 
Given at this 
 
 day of A. D, 19. . . . 
 
 Attest : 
 
 Stated Clerk 
 
 of 
 
 CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATES TO AL- 
 LIANCE OF REFORMED CHURCHES. 
 
 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the 
 Great Head of the Church, greeting : 
 
 This is to certify, that the General Synod of 
 the Reformed Church in the United States, at 
 
 its triennial meeting held , at 
 
 in 19 , 
 
 was duly elected delegate primariiis, and 
 
 his scciindiis, to represent said 
 
 Church in the,.^ General Council 
 
 of the Alliance of the Reformed Churches hold- 
 ing the Presbyterian System, to convene in 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19.... 
 
 , Stated Clerk. 
 
 [SEAL] 
 
 FORMS OF ACCUSATION AGAINST AN 
 OFFENDER.* 
 
 Form of Accusation on one or more charges, 
 giving forms of charges for various sins. 
 
 •'When an individual brings an accusation, he shall be 
 named as the accuser; and when an accusation is 
 brought by a judicatory of the Church, "The Reformed 
 Church in the United States" shall be named as the 
 accuser. The person or persons against whom the accu- 
 sation is brought shall be named as the accused" (Con- 
 stitution, Art. 137). 
 
 "Each cliarge shall be accompanied with the names of 
 the witnesses" (Constitution, Art. 140). 
 
 30 
 
THE REFORMED ] ACCUSATION 
 
 CHURCH IN THE l brought before 
 
 UNITED STATES | Classis, 
 
 !► (or Spiritual Council 
 Against 1 of 
 
 [Here give accused's name I ^^ ^"^ ^^^^ "^^y ^^~ 
 in full.] J quire). 
 
 The day of A. D. 19. .. . 
 
 The Reformed Church in the United States, 
 
 accuser, complains of 
 
 accused, in this cause, and charges him the said 
 as follows: 
 
 Charge A. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of heresy. 
 
 Spec. I. In this that he did on the 
 
 ^ay of A. D. 19 , preach and 
 
 proclaim publicly from the pulpit of 
 
 Reformed Church at County 
 
 of State of 
 
 heretical doctrine in the following words 
 
 {Here insert as nearly as possible the heretical expres- 
 sions charged.] 
 
 _ or words of the same import 
 
 and meaning, which are contrary to the teach- 
 in-js of the Word of God as interpreted under 
 questions of the Heidelberg Catechism. 
 
 Spec. 2. In this that he did publish and de- 
 clare in an article appearing over his own sig- 
 nature in the following, 
 
 [Here insert number, date and name of paper, book or 
 periodical wherein the article appeared.] 
 
 ^■*z. : which is contrary 
 
 [Mere insert the heretical publication charged, or such 
 reference that will clearly identify the same.] 
 
 to the Word of God as interpreted under 
 31 
 
questions of the Heidelberg Catechism. 
 
 [Go on and state every specification of heresy you can 
 prove against tlic accused and close the charge.] 
 
 All of which show the unfitness of the said 
 
 for the ministry of Christ 
 
 and the teaching of the Word. 
 
 Charge B. That the said 
 
 is guilty of blasphemy. 
 
 Spec. I. In that he did contrary to the laws 
 of God and the moral sense of humanity on the 
 
 day of A. D. 
 
 19...., in the house of 
 
 in the city of (or on 
 
 the public streets, viz.: corner 
 
 streets of the city of ) in 
 
 the County of in the 
 
 State of and at sundry 
 
 times before and thereafter, before the bringing 
 of this accusation, blasphemously and frivolously 
 use the name of God and of holy things and of 
 our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, publicly and 
 in vain. 
 
 Charge C. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of fraudulent detention and mis- 
 appropriation of trust funds. 
 
 Spec. I. In this that he did on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19. . . ., as pastor 
 
 of charge (or as elder or as 
 
 deacon of congregation of 
 
 charge), of Classis 
 
 of the Reformed Church in the United States, 
 
 receive the sum of dollars, good and 
 
 lawful money, given at a collection held on the 
 
 , day of A. D. 19. . . ., 
 
 32 
 
in Reformed Church at 
 
 County of State of 
 
 for the benevolent objects of the Church, to be 
 
 paid over by him to the treasurer of 
 
 (Classis, Board or Synod), which said money 
 he failed to pay over as aforesaid as he was in 
 duty bound to do, and has misappropriated and 
 used the same for his own private purposes, and 
 not for the purposes for which it was entrusted 
 to him, and has thereby defrauded the Church 
 and thereby transgressed against good faith, 
 honesty and the law of God. 
 
 Charged. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of creating (or guilty of the at- 
 tempt to create) schism in the Church. 
 
 Spec. I. In this that he did at a 
 
 meeting of Reformed congregation 
 
 held in the of 
 
 said congregation on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19...., counsel, advocate 
 
 and advise a division of said church and congre- 
 gation, and did continue to do so at sundry times 
 and places before and thereafter, and before the 
 bringing of this accusation, and did attempt to 
 organize out of the membership of said congre- 
 gation or a part thereof, a society or congrega- 
 tion independent from the general organization 
 of the Reformed Church in the United States, 
 to the detriment and injury of said church. 
 
 Charge E. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of malicious and willful lying. 
 
 Spec. I. In this, that he did at a meeting of 
 
 the of Reformed 
 
 Church held at.. in the city of 
 
 3 33 
 
County of State of 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19. . . . utter, say and express the following, 
 viz. : " " or words to 
 
 [Here insert what he said.] 
 
 that effect, then and there knowing the same 
 to be utterly false and untrue. 
 
 Spec. 2. And in this, that he did at a meeting 
 
 of held at on the 
 
 .day of A. D. 19 
 
 positively deny that he the said ever 
 
 did utter, say, or express the words as stated 
 in Spec, i of this charge. 
 
 Spec. 3. And that in this, that he did, etc.. 
 
 Charge F. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of perjury. 
 
 Spec. I. In this, that he did on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19. . . . in the court 
 
 of of County 
 
 State of as a witness called to 
 
 testify in the hearing of a cause in said court, 
 
 wherein was accuser and 
 
 was accused, upon his 
 
 solemn oath (or affirmation) testify and say 
 " " or words to that 
 
 [Here insert what he testified.] 
 
 effect then and there knowing the same to be 
 utterly false and untrue. 
 
 Spec. 2. And in this, that he did on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19. . . . 
 
 before the Spiritual Council of 
 
 Reformed Church of in the hear- 
 ing of a cause wherein the Reformed Church in 
 
 the United States was accuser and , . , . 
 
 34 
 
was accused upon his solemn oath (or affirma- 
 tion) testify and say, ".... " 
 
 [Here insert what he testified.] 
 
 or words to that effect then and there knowing 
 the same to be utterly false and untrue. 
 
 Charge G. That he, the said , 
 
 is guilty of fornication. 
 
 Spec. I. In this, that he did contrary to the 
 law of God and the good morals of society on 
 
 the day of A. D. 19.... 
 
 in the house of one at No 
 
 Street, County of State of 
 
 have carnal knowledge and criminal intercourse 
 
 with one , she, the said 
 
 not being his lawful wife at the time. 
 
 Spec. 2. In this that he, the said 
 
 did on day of 
 
 A. D. 19.... enter the house of in 
 
 County of State of 
 
 and then and there did have 
 
 carnal knowledge and criminal intercourse with 
 
 one the daughter of 
 
 which said was not his lawful 
 
 wife at the time. 
 
 Charge H. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of adultery. 
 
 Spec- I. In this, that he did contrary to the 
 law of God and the good morals of society, on 
 
 the day of A. D. 19. . . . 
 
 in the house of in.,.. 
 
 County of State of 
 
 have carnal knowledge and criminal intercourse 
 
 with one , she, the said 
 
 ...being at the time the lawful 
 
 wife of (or as the case may 
 
 35 
 
be), he, the said at the time 
 
 being the lawful husl)aiid of 
 
 Ins wife. 
 
 [State either one or botli of these facts as the case 
 may be.] 
 
 Charge I. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of drunkenness. 
 
 Spec. I. In this, that he uses alcoholic, malt 
 and vinous (or either) liquors habitually to ex- 
 cess and at times by the use thereof becomes 
 intoxicated. 
 
 Spec. 2. In this, that he, the said 
 
 did on the day of A. D. 
 
 19.... in the town of in the 
 
 County of State of 
 
 appear on the public streets of said town (or 
 as the case may be) intoxicated, unable to have 
 proper control of his person, then and there con- 
 ducting himself in a manner unbecoming a mem- 
 ber of the Church of Christ. 
 
 Charge J. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of gross profanation of the Lord's 
 Day. 
 
 Spec. I. In this, that he did contrary to the 
 law of God and to the injury of good morals 
 
 in the neighborhood he lives, on the 
 
 day of A. D. 19 , said day 
 
 being a Sunday and at other Sundays before or 
 thereafter, before the bringing of this accusation 
 keep and maintain at his dwelling place (or 
 
 business place) at No Street 
 
 City of c State of 
 
 public entertainments with music and dancing 
 and dealing out intoxicating liquors (or state 
 whatever acts of desecration are charged.) 
 36 
 
Charge K. That he, the said 
 
 is guilty of contentiousness. 
 
 Spec. T. In this, that he did wrongfully and 
 maliciously accuse the Pastor (or as the case 
 
 may be the Elders and Deacons) of 
 
 Church of at sundry times before 
 
 the bringing of this accusation, of conduct un- 
 becoming a Pastor (or Elders or Deacons) of 
 the Church, and of being arbitrary, domineering, 
 haughty, hypocritical, dishonest (or similar 
 things^ as the case may be) and has with mali- 
 cious, intent at sundry times during the last year 
 passed, stirred up strife, contention, dissatisfac- 
 tion and hatred among the members of 
 
 Church and congregation of to 
 
 the great injury of peace and harmony in said 
 church and the extension of the Redeemer's 
 kingdom in said community. 
 
 An accusation may contain either one or more charges; 
 those given in the foregoing pages are for sins named 
 in Article 124 of the constitution. Any offense morally 
 wrong is indictable before a church judicatory. Each 
 charge must first state the offense in plain unequivocal 
 terms; each occurrence of the offense must be separately 
 specified, giving time and place, w^hen and where the 
 wrong was done as near as possible. After each charge 
 is set forth in alphabetical order in consecutively num- 
 bered specifications, close the accusation as follows: All 
 of whicii the accuser above named avers to be ready and 
 able to prove and verify by good and sufficient evidence. 
 
 If the accusation is brought by order of a judicatory 
 in the name of the Reformed Church it is signed: 
 
 ] Committee appointed 
 
 for the prosecution of 
 
 I this case by 
 
 J 
 37 
 
 [Here state the judicatory 
 ordering the prosecution.] 
 
If the accusation is brought by an individual, he or 
 she signs the accusation, but in that case the heading of 
 the accusation must be as follows: 
 
 1 ACCUSATION 
 brought before Spirit- 
 ual Council of (or as 
 the case may be) 
 
 [Here state name in full 
 of Accused.] 
 
 Against 
 
 [Here state name in full 
 
 of Accuser.] J ^ -^ ^^ 
 
 Classis of the Re- 
 formed Church. The 
 day of 
 
 I, the accuser in this ac- 
 cusation brought by me against 
 
 the accused before do 
 
 [Here state the judicatory.] 
 
 hereby state, that I am a member in good stand- 
 
 ig in Reformed Church at 
 
 having last communed at the 
 
 communion celebrated in said Church on 
 
 last passed and being a regular contributor to 
 said church ; that before bringing this accusa- 
 tion, the law of the church as laid down in Ar- 
 ticle 139 of the constitution, was duly observed 
 by the accuser, but the offer was not accepted 
 by the accused, and that I have good and suffi- 
 cient reason to believe the facts set forth in the 
 following charges to be true and correct, and 
 that I am not actuated by malice or ill-will in 
 making the charges herein contained. 
 
 And now, I, the said accuser say, 
 
 Charge A. That he, the accused, 
 is guilty of 
 
 Spec. I. In this, that he did... 
 38 
 
Accusations based upon an investigation had 
 upon evil rumors: 
 
 The Reformed Church ^ ACCUSATION 
 
 in the United j upon investigation of 
 
 States I Evil Rumors brought 
 
 Against i before .. 
 
 I 1 he day of 
 
 "[Name of Accused.] J A. D. 19. . . . 
 
 Whereas, the Spiritual Council of 
 
 at (or Classis 
 
 of the Reformed Church) were 
 
 credibly informed, that evil rumors were in cir- 
 culation against a 
 
 of at that he, the 
 
 said is guilty of 
 
 Whereupon the said Spiritual Council ( or 
 Classis) having proper jurisdiction in the matter 
 
 did convene in special session in at 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19. . . . said meeting being legally called 
 for the purpose, did then and there appoint 
 a committee to investigate 
 
 [Here insert the names of committee.] 
 
 said rumors and make report of their investiga- 
 tion to said and did 
 
 [Classis or Spiritual Council.] 
 
 then and there adjourn to meet on 
 
 day of A. D. 19 in 
 
 at to hear said report and did 
 
 meet in accordance with said adjournment at 
 which meeting the aforesaid committee did re- 
 port that they have investigated the evil rumors 
 
 aforesaid in circulation against the said 
 
 and find tliem to be extensively cir- 
 culated in the neighborhood where he lives, well 
 tounded, permanent and not transient and ac- 
 compared with strong presumption of truth 
 39 
 
that he, the said is guilty of 
 
 , whereupon the said 
 
 [Here state the names of the offenses.] 
 
 Classis (or Spiritual Council) did 
 
 appoint members of the Re- 
 formed Church a committee to bring accusation 
 
 against the said And now the 
 
 said committee in the name of the Reformc . 
 Church in the United States do say, 
 
 Charge A. That he, the said., 
 is guilty of 
 
 Spec. I. In this that he did, 
 
 FORMS OF COMPLAINT. 
 
 To the Elders of the Spiritual Council of 
 
 Reformed Church at 
 
 County of State of 
 
 Complaint of 
 
 complainant '] And now 
 
 Against \ A. D. 19. . . . 
 
 defendant [ The petition of 
 
 Pastor of said I 
 
 Church. J respectfully sets forth 
 
 I.) That 3''0ur petitioner is a member in good 
 
 and regular standing of Reformed 
 
 Church and congregation at 
 
 2.) That your petitioner is the father of - 
 male child born to him in lawful wedlock on the 
 day of A. D. 19.... 
 
 3.) That the defendant although repeatedly 
 thereunto requested, has refused or neglected to 
 40 
 
perform the holy rite of baptism upon said child, 
 as he is as a minister of the Gospel in duty 
 bound to do. 
 
 Your petitioner therefore prays your reverend 
 
 body to cite the Rev to appear before 
 
 you on a day certain to answer this complaint, 
 giving him due notice together w^ith a copy of 
 this complaint, and your petitioner awaits your 
 proper action and notice in the matter. 
 Most respectfully, 
 
 LSiguature of pLtilioncr.] 
 
 To the Reverend Fathers and Brethren of 
 
 Classis of the Reformed Church 
 
 in the United States. 
 
 Complaint of 
 
 complainant >, 
 
 Against 
 
 [Here give the names.] 
 
 And now 
 
 A. D. 19. 
 
 The Consistory of { ^^e P^^^^^ifif by ns 
 Reformed congregation ^.V^^T.^.u ^^^P^^^^^^^^ 
 
 of 
 
 defendant 
 
 sets forth. 
 
 I.) That your petitioner is the pastor of 
 
 charge of which 
 
 Reformed congregation at 
 
 is a component part. 
 
 2.) That the Consistory (the Elders and 
 
 Deacons) of said congregation 
 
 have joined in a call to the petitioner dated 
 
 A. D. 19.... in which the annual 
 
 salary of the pastor is stipulated at 
 
 dollars of which said defendants agreed to pay 
 
 the one-half, viz. : dollars, per 
 
 year, payable quarterly. 
 41 
 
3-) That the said defendants have failed to 
 collect and to pay over to your petitioner the 
 said annual salary as they agreed to do and 
 
 that the sum of dollars is due to 
 
 the petitioner from them up to the close of 
 last quarter day of A. D. 19 
 
 Your petitioner therefore prays your reverend 
 
 body to . cite Elders and 
 
 Deacons of said 
 
 Reformed Church to appear before you on a 
 day certain to answer this complaint giving them 
 due notice together with a copy of this com- 
 plaint and your petitioner waits your proper 
 orders and notice in the matter. 
 Most respectfully, 
 
 [Signature of petitioner.] 
 
 To the Reverend Fathers and Brethren of 
 
 Synod of the Reformed Church 
 
 in the United States. 
 
 Confplaint of 
 
 complainant "] And now 
 
 Against j A. D. 19 
 
 Classis of f The plaintiff by his 
 
 the Reformed Church, I petition respectfully 
 
 defendant. J sets forth. 
 
 T.) That he is an ordained minister in good 
 standing in the Reformed Church in the United 
 
 States and in Classis of said 
 
 Church standing in connection with said Classis 
 since day of A. D. 19 
 
 2.) That your petitioner desires to remove to 
 
 the State of and within the bounds 
 
 and jurisdiction of Classis, has 
 
 therefore requested said Classis to 
 
 issue to him an honorable dismission to said 
 42 
 
Clcissis which said , 
 
 Classis failed to do. 
 
 Whereof your petitioner complains and there- 
 fore prays your reverend body to cite said 
 
 Classis through its proper officers or 
 
 representatives to appear before your reverend 
 body to be assembled in regular annual session 
 
 on the day of A. D. 19. . . 
 
 in Reformed Church at 
 
 to answer this complaint and to show cause why 
 the humble request of your petitioner above 
 stated should not be granted to him, giving due 
 notice together with a copy of this complaint to 
 
 the proper officers of said Classis 
 
 and your petitioner awaits proper orders and 
 notice in the matter. 
 
 Most respectfully, 
 
 [Signature of petitioner.] 
 
 Complaint may be brought in any of the preceding 
 forms liy any member or minister of the Church, before 
 any nf t!ie church judicatories, in matters concerning the 
 Church. 
 
 CITATION OF AN ACCUSED PERSON. 
 
 Citation to be served on defendants, in accusa- 
 tions or in complaints : 
 
 FORM OF CITATION, 
 
 Whereas, Charges (or complaint) were (or 
 was) lodged with the President (or Stated Clerk 
 
 or Secretary) of 
 
 [Here insert the title of the judicatory to which the ac- 
 cusation or complaint is directed.] 
 
 43 
 
against you a member of (or tlie 
 
 minister of) Reformed Church at 
 
 (or in case of a complaint 
 
 against a judicatory insert its title) a correct 
 copy whereof is hereto attached. 
 
 Now, in pursuance of the requirement of the 
 Constitution of the Reformed Church in the 
 United States, that is sent to cite you to be and 
 to appear before 
 
 [Here insert the title of the judica- 
 tory issuing the summons.] 
 
 assembled in special (or regular annual) ses- 
 sion in the 
 
 [Here insert the place and date of the meeting of the 
 judicatory for trial describing place so it can easily be 
 found, and give the hour of the opening of session.] 
 
 to answer the charges (or complaint) aforesaid; 
 and then and there present all matters of plea 
 and defense proper and in order. 
 
 By order and authority of the 
 
 [Here insert the title of judicatory issuing this.] 
 
 at this day of 
 
 A. D. 19. . . 
 
 Secretary, President or Stated Clerk. 
 
 Note. — The second citation of the person accused shall 
 be the same in form as the first citation excepting the 
 necessary change of date. The following paragrapli shall 
 also be added: "This being your second citation you are 
 hereby informed that if you refuse to appear you shall 
 not only be liable to censure for contumacy, but the 
 judicatory may proceed with the investigation and deci- 
 sion of the case as tliough you were present; in wliich 
 case the judicatory shall appoint some person or persrnr. 
 to represent you as counsel" (Art 144 of the Consti" 
 tution). 
 
 44 
 
MATTERS TO BE OBSERVED IN SERV- 
 ING A CITATION. 
 
 (See Articles 143 and 144 of the Constitution.) 
 
 Make two copies of the citation. Attach to 
 each copy thereof a copy of the accusation or 
 complaint. Both copies should be placed into 
 the hands of the person who is to serve it on 
 the accused. He must compare the two copies 
 and all further copies before service, so that he 
 may know that the copies are correct. Service 
 is made by handing to the accused a copy of the 
 citation and accusation or complaint attached, or 
 by leaving them at his present or last known 
 place of residence with an adult member of the 
 family or household, or where this cannot be 
 done, by mailing them in a registered letter. 
 
 The person who served the papers shall write 
 on the outside of the original copy he retained, 
 
 "Served on the within named 
 
 on the day of A. D. 19. . . , 
 
 by personally handing him (her or each of them) 
 a true and correct copy of this citation and accu- 
 sations (or complaint) attached, (or by leaving 
 at his, her or their last known place of resi- 
 dence, with an adult member of the family or 
 household, or by sending him a registered letter 
 addressed as follows , with a true and cor- 
 rect copy of this citation and accusation (or 
 complaint) thereto attached." He signs this and 
 is sworn to it before a Notary Public or Justice 
 of the Peace, who certifies to the oath. The 
 papers are then to be immediately returned to 
 the officer who issued them. 
 
 In case of complaint against a Consistory, 
 Spiritual Council, Classis or Synod service upon 
 the Secretary, Stated Clerk or President thereof 
 45 
 
is sufficient. A citation must be served at least 
 ten days before the trial, but it is advisable to 
 serve it from fifteen to thirty days before trial 
 if the case is to be heard by a Classis or Synod, 
 so as to give all parties time for preparation. 
 The accuser or complainant must also be noti- 
 fied of the time and place of the trial at least 
 ten days previous. 
 
 FORM OF CITATION OF A WITNESS. 
 
 A citation of a witness is served in the same manner 
 as a citation of an accused person. (See Article 143 
 of Constitution). 
 
 To 
 
 [Here insert the names of the witnesses you want.] 
 
 You are hereby cited to be and appear be- 
 fore 
 
 [Here insert the judicatory trying the case.] 
 assembled in special (or regular annual) ses- 
 sion 
 
 [Here insert time and place of hearing.] 
 
 Then and there to testify all and singular those 
 things of which you shall know in the matter of 
 
 charges (or complaint) preferred by 
 
 [Name of accuser or complainant.] 
 
 against 
 
 [Name of accused.] 
 
 for 
 
 [Here state name of charge or complaint.] 
 
 on part of (accuser of accused). 
 
 By order of 
 
 [Insert title of judicatory trying the case.] 
 
 A. D. 19.... 
 
 Signed by the officer issuing the citation, giving his name 
 and official title. 
 
 46 
 
FORM OF NOTICE FOR TAKING TESTI- 
 MONY. 
 
 [isame of accuser.] 
 
 ACCUSATION (or 
 complaint) brought be- 
 fore 
 
 [iitle or name.] t ^j^^ . . . day of 
 
 Against I A. D. 19... 
 
 I [Here state judicatory's 
 
 I title.] 
 
 [Name of accused.] J 
 
 To 
 
 [Insert name or title of opposite party, its attor- 
 rkey or committee.] 
 
 This is to notify you that testimony will be 
 taken to be read in the hearing of the above 
 named case, on part of accuser (or accused) 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19..., between the hours of .... o'clock 
 A. M. and .... o'clock P. M., of said day before 
 
 a Notary Public (or a Justice 
 
 of the Peace or Commissioner), at his office, 
 
 No Street, of 
 
 in the County of State of , 
 
 by which testimony said party expects to 
 prove 
 
 [Here insert briefly point in complaint you wish 
 to prove.] 
 
 at which time and place you may cause the wit- 
 nesses examined to be cross-examined. 
 
 Signature of party, attorney or commit- 
 tee issuing the notice. 
 
 Serve a copy of this notice upon the opposite party at 
 least ten days before the testimony is taken. Then prove 
 service as in the case of a citation on back of original 
 notice, and send it to the ofhcer who is to take the testi- 
 mony, who shall attach "t to the testimony and send it 
 or hand it to the party that issued the notice. 
 
 47 
 
FORM OF TAKING DEPOSITIONS. 
 1 
 
 [Name of accuser.] 
 
 I ACCUSATION (or 
 [Or title.] L coini^laint) brought be- 
 
 I fore 
 
 [The same as in notice.] 
 
 Against 
 
 [Name of accused.] J 
 
 DEPOSITIONS OF WITNESSES. 
 
 Sworn (or affirmed) and examined before me, 
 the undersigned named in notice hereto attached, 
 
 at my office at No Street 
 
 on the day of 
 
 A. D. 19 
 
 [Name of witness.] 
 being produced on part of accuser (or accused) 
 after being duly sworn (or affirmed) upon his 
 solemn oath (or affirmation) deposes and says, 
 
 I reside at No Street 
 
 I am 
 
 [Here give occupation.] 
 
 I am .... years of age. I have known 
 
 [Record the testimony as it falls from the lips of witness.] 
 
 [Tf there is cross-examination mark it "Cross-Exami- 
 nation."] 
 
 [In this manner proceed with each witness.] 
 
 [If you adjourn to another day, state the day and 
 hour of adjournment publicly and make a record of it 
 in the ord..r as it comes. Let each witness sign his 
 testimony. When all the testimony is taken the officer 
 certifies as follows:] 
 
 I do hereby certify that the witnesses herein 
 above named were duly qualified and examined 
 by me at the time and place herein above stated, 
 that their testimony was reduced to writing 
 under my supervision, as stated by the witnesses, 
 48 
 
and each witness signed his depositions in my 
 presence. 
 
 Signature of Notary or Justice or Com- 
 missioner, and seal if he has one. 
 
 [Attach all the papers — notice, depositions and exhibits 
 or documentary evidence produced, and deliver them to 
 the person that issued the notice.] 
 
 FROM OF OATH. 
 
 The witness holding up the right hand, the person ad- 
 ministering the oath shall say to the witness: 
 
 "You do solemnly swear (or affirm) that the 
 testimony you shall give in the matter now in 
 hearing before us shall be the truth, the whole 
 truth, and nothing but the truth, and that as 
 you shall answer to God at the great day." 
 
 [The witnesses are to be sworn or affirmed by the 
 president or by any member of the body whom he shall 
 appoint.] 
 
 CERTIFICATE OF A TRANSCRIPT FROM 
 THE RECORD. 
 
 This is to certify that the foregoing is a true 
 and correct transcript from the records of 
 
 [Here insert the title of the judicatory from whose rec- 
 ords the transcript is made.] 
 
 in the above stated case, of all the proceeilings 
 had by said judicatory in said case (or if it is 
 only part of the record state what part). 
 
 Witness my hand (and seal if there is one) 
 
 this day of A. D. 19. . . 
 
 at 
 
 Name and title of officer who made the transcript, 
 
 4 49 
 
•p^:^ut^AV poUiCfi jo ss^^nuiiv 
 
 suojinq 
 
 •sasod.ind i^uoii^^eJ^uoo 
 
 sasodanji ^uaioAaua^ 
 
 iC.nsiuiiM oqi .loj suiapnaw 
 
 •|oui },cla(i auioH 'sjuioqon 
 
 •s.iaqowajj pue sjaoujo 
 
 •siooqoQ JO jequmM 
 
 ^lBI.laa 
 
 •saaBi.i.iBW 
 
 •paiu.iuuoouxi 'sqi\}8Q 
 
 •s^utioiumuuioo 'sq^Baa 
 
 •saunj^ JO se.insB.ia 
 
 •pa-jTiotunuiuiooxa 
 
 •passuusici 
 
 •UOISS9JOJJ JO siuAvauaH 
 
 oiijoqni siion«"Uiioaa(i aaq^o uio.i^ 
 -.lao ka I ^suoi^uaa.isiioop jey luo.iji 
 
 •paiujijuoo 
 
 •suisndT^a linpv 
 
 •suisuduH auBjui 
 
 •pam.iuuooun 
 
 •pauniumoo 
 
 siiufoiununuot) 
 
 •snonB^9-iS"00 
 
 ^< 
 
 50 
 
C/3 
 
 H ^ ^ 
 
 Q f^ ^ 
 
 CO ^ [y 
 (n ^ *^ 
 
 S ^ w 
 
 O pij ^ 
 
 1-1 o S 
 
 ^ ^ fe 
 
 ^ s 
 
 ffi Q 
 Q^ 
 
 '^ s 
 
 " = d 
 
 w e Q 
 
 ° -Oi 
 
 ■*■' ,i^ i^ <D 
 
 <D O Cj VM Qh 
 
 
 m Pi 
 
 
 1° 
 
 T3 
 
 (« 
 
 c3 
 
 
 CO .:^ 
 
 > o 
 
 
 
 
 P ^ 
 
 ;- O 
 
 p. 53 -^ ON 
 
 «« <D ^ ^H 
 
 o J^ o 
 
 d ^ c\3 ^, , - 
 
 t/3 C 
 P O ' 
 
 61 
 
 0) 
 03 
 V) O 
 
 
 JO e.otif J 
 
 pun 911J(f 
 
 uoi:^uuip.i(j 
 uo 
 
 9,nrauioojo 
 
 SJ9((tU9J\' 
 
 1 
 
 JO 
 
 SI8SCI0 ^q 
 
 P9UIt?p.I() 
 
 
 •UOI-JTiU 1 
 
 -IPJQ 1 
 
 JO 90t?I J 
 
 pux?9jiJ(y 1 
 
 JO 
 
 sf8s«io ^q 
 
 P9SU9.0rj 
 
 
 9.insU90l'l 
 JO ©0«[^ 
 
 put? 9ao( [ 
 
 
 Name and 
 Residence of 
 
 Licentiate 
 
 or Ordained 
 
 Minister. 
 
 
 No. 
 
 

 C 
 
 o 
 
 •lOoqoQ JO ijoddng 
 
 
 j -aoaaioAauoa aaq^o 1 
 
 3 
 
 n-'o^M'S-S s.pou.-CsiTjjduao 1 
 
 
 •ouioH iSUT^qdJO 1 
 
 U 
 < 
 
 •suoTssiH uSia.iOji 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 •SUOISSIIV[ 8UIOH j 
 
 o 
 
 
 w-a^Ji aqi 1 
 aui.inp paui.iTjuoo s.ii?[oqo8 1 
 
 •peiu.iyaoo 1 
 loti inq paznduq sj«[oqo8 1 
 
 C/3 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 u 
 
 c/2 
 
 •diqs.ioquiaH 
 qa.mqo nn; ut s.n?|oq3S 
 
 p.isn sdiaH noss>ri poui.iojaH 9-iV 1 
 
 •^.[u.iqiT III s^iooa JO -ONj 1 
 
 < 
 P 
 
 C/2 
 
 •ODuupiia^^Y aSn.iaAy 
 
 •:^u8mno.iu3 iTJ^oj, 
 
 
 •^iiaxin.n?d8C[ euiou I 
 
 O 
 
 "IIOH 9IP«J0 
 
 
 •It?ioj^ 
 
 2 
 
 •!^u8un.iT?daa .loriiag 1 
 
 
 "^uau^.Tudea o^nipauMa^ui 1 
 
 •:}U8uii.it;d8a: ^.itjuii.tj i 
 
 
 •sjaiptjox puB s.iaoTyo 
 
 
 •jiioDuo'nii.iecInK jo 1 
 SS9.IPP V •() 'cI P'liJ 8un?K 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 •siootj.ig .TO looqos JO emxJM j 
 
 &; 
 
 
 •ea.iijqo JO 8iuB^ 
 
 58 
 
C4 
 
 
 < 
 
 
 w 
 
 
 >H 
 
 
 (4 
 
 
 o 
 
 -u 
 
 i^ 
 
 O 
 
 (/} 
 
 
 (^ 
 
 
 t—t 
 
 in 
 
 
 rC 
 
 t— t 
 
 C 
 
 o 
 
 T! 
 
 C/2 
 
 D 
 
 
 Td 
 
 y: 
 
 p 
 
 W 
 
 
 
 1-^ • 
 
 
 CL, : 
 
 o 
 
 o • 
 
 G 
 
 w • 
 
 <D 
 
 ^ : 
 
 
 ii 
 
 ^ 
 
 rt 
 
 ^ Q 
 
 C 
 
 p^ 
 
 _o 
 
 •^ w 
 
 X 
 
 fc 
 
 .^ 
 
 o 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 o 
 
 C^ 
 
 a 
 
 o 
 
 -*-> 
 
 Ci. 
 
 
 w 
 
 TJ 
 
 c^ 
 
 
 
 
 ij 
 
 0) 
 
 < 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 
 rn 
 
 H 
 
 
 C/3 
 
 
 1— ( 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 < 
 
 
 H 
 
 
 C/3 
 
 
 
 •s.icjod.inj 1 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 •90ua[OAau9f[ 
 
 
 suoissTH uSia.iojrl 
 
 
 •SUOISSIl\[ 8UTOH 1 
 
 
 •aimoossy 1 
 
 5 
 S 
 
 •a-vnoy 
 
 o >, 
 
 
 
 53 
 
ORDER OF BUSINESS OF A CLASSIS. 
 
 Article 
 
 I. 
 
 II. 
 
 III. 
 
 IV. 
 
 V. 
 
 VI. 
 
 VII. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 IX. 
 
 X. 
 
 XL 
 
 XII. 
 
 XTIT. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 XV. 
 
 XVI. 
 XVII. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Religious Services. 
 Calling of the Roll. 
 Election of Officers. 
 Defining the Bar of the House. 
 Fixing the Hours of Meeting and Ad- 
 journing. 
 Appointment of Standing Committees. 
 
 On Religious Services. 
 
 On INIinutes of General Synod. 
 
 On Minutes of District Synod. 
 
 On jNIinutes of Classes. 
 
 On Overtures. 
 
 On Examination and Licensure. 
 
 On Missions — Home and Foreign. 
 
 On Ilenevolent Institutions. 
 
 On Sunday Schools. 
 
 On Nominations. 
 
 On State of the Church. 
 
 On Finance. 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 
 3. 
 
 4. 
 
 5. 
 
 6. 
 
 7. 
 
 8. 
 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 
 Communications. 
 
 Parochial Reports. 
 
 Report of the Treasurer. 
 
 Reports of Standing Committees. 
 
 Appeals and References. 
 
 Complaints. 
 
 Nominations and Elections. 
 
 Appointment of an Executive Com- 
 mittee. 
 
 Miscellaneous Reports and Other Busi- 
 ness. 
 
 Necrology. 
 
 Resumption and Close. 
 
 \ Calling of the Roll. 
 
 2. Reading. Correction and Adoption 
 of Minutes. 
 
 Adjournment. 
 
 54 
 
ORDER OF BUSINESS OF A SYNOD. 
 
 Articli 
 
 I. 
 
 II. 
 
 III. 
 
 IV. 
 
 V. 
 
 VI. 
 
 VIT. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 IX. 
 
 X. 
 
 XI. 
 
 XII. 
 
 XTII. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 XV. 
 
 XVI. 
 XVII. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Religious Services. 
 Calling of the Roll. 
 Election of Officers. 
 Defining the Bar of the House. 
 Fixing the Hours of Meeting and Ad- 
 journing. 
 
 Appointment of Standing Committees. 
 
 10. 
 
 11. 
 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 
 On Religious Services. 
 
 On Minutes of General Synod. 
 
 On Minutes of District Synod. 
 
 On Minutes of Classes. 
 
 On Overtures. 
 
 On Educational Institutions. 
 
 On Missions — Home and Foreign. 
 
 On Publication. 
 
 On Benevolent Institutions. 
 
 On Sundav Schools. 
 
 On Nominations. 
 
 On State of the Church. 
 
 On Finance. 
 
 On Press. 
 
 On Advisory Members. 
 
 Reports of Boards and Communications. 
 
 Report of the Treasurer. 
 
 Reports of Standing Committees. 
 
 Appeals and References. 
 
 Complaints. 
 
 Nominations and Elections. 
 
 Church Government. 
 
 Synodical Archives. 
 
 Miscellaneous Reports and Other Busi- 
 ness. 
 Necrology. 
 Resumption and Close. 
 
 1. Calling of the Roll. 
 
 2. Reading, Correction and Adoption 
 
 of Minutes. 
 Adjournment. 
 
 55 
 
ORDER OF BUSINESS OF GENERAL 
 SYNOD. 
 
 Article 
 
 I. Religious Services. 
 II. Determining the Presence of a Quorum. 
 
 III. Election of Officers. 
 
 IV. Defining the Bar of the House. 
 
 V. Fixing the Hours of Meeting and x\d- 
 journing. 
 VI. Appointment of Standing Committees. 
 
 1. On Religious Services. 
 
 2. On Minutes of General Synod. 
 
 3. On Minutes of District Synod. 
 
 4. On Minutes of Classes. 
 
 5. On Overtures. 
 
 6. On Correspondence with Sister Churches. 
 
 7. On State of the Church. 
 On Missions — Home and Foreign. 
 On Orphan Homes. 
 On Ministerial Relief. 
 On Sunday Schools. 
 On Societies. 
 On Nominations. 
 On Finance. 
 On Press. 
 On Advisory Memhers. 
 
 of the Boards and Communi- 
 
 8. 
 
 9. 
 10. 
 It. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 
 ir.. 
 YU. Reports 
 cations. 
 VIIT. Report of the Treasurer. 
 
 IX. Reports of Standing Committees. 
 X. Appeals and References. 
 XT. Complaints. 
 
 XTT. Nominations and Elections. 
 X/f'T. Church Government. 
 XIV. Appointment of a Judicial Committee. 
 
 XV. Synodical Archives. 
 XVT. Publication. 
 ^^"^^TT. Miscellaneous Reports and Other Busj- 
 XVIII. Necrology. [ness. 
 
 XIX. Resumption and Close. 
 
 1. Calling of the Roll. 
 
 2. Reading, Correction and .Adoption 
 XX. Adjournment. [of Minutes. 
 
 56 
 
THE RULES OF ORDER. 
 
 I. ORGANIZATION. 
 
 1. The president shall take the chair at the 
 hour to which the judicatory stands adjourned 
 or is summoned to meet, and shall immediately 
 call the members to order and open the session 
 with the prescribed religious services. 
 
 2. In the absence of the president the stated 
 clerk shall call the members to order and put in 
 nomination a president pro tcm., who shall pre- 
 side until the president takes his place or until 
 an election has been held. Should the president 
 and the stated clerk both be absent, the oldest 
 minister in attendaiice shall preside. 
 
 3. The roll shall then be called, on which the 
 names of all those entitled to a seat and having 
 proper credentials shall have been entered and 
 about whose right there is no contest. If a 
 quorum is present, the judicatory shall proceed 
 to business; but if not, any two members present 
 may adjourn from time to time to give oppor- 
 tunity for a quorum to assemble. 
 
 4. If a contest Is made as to the right of any 
 one claiming a seat, or if there are present two 
 or more sets of delegates from a lower judica- 
 tory, the matter shall at once be referred to a 
 committee which shall examine into the case and 
 shall report within twenty-four hours after its 
 appointment. 
 
 5. As soon as an organization has been fully 
 effected an election shall be held for such officers 
 as may be required by the Constitution of the 
 Church or the custom of the judicatory. When 
 two or more persons are nominated for an office, 
 a majority of the votes cast shall be required 
 for an election. 
 
 6. Immediately after the organization the 
 
 57 
 
president shall define the bar of the house and 
 no one outside of its limits shall have the privi- 
 leges of a member of the judicatory. 
 
 7. A quorum to transact business in any judi- 
 catory of the Church shall consist of the number 
 of members required by the Constitution. 
 
 II. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT. 
 
 8. When the president has opened the session 
 and found a quorum present after the first day, 
 he shall cause the' minutes of the preceding day 
 to be read, and, if necessary, to be corrected, 
 when he shall declare them approved; and be- 
 fore the final adjournment the remaining pro- 
 ceedings shall be read and corrected ; and when 
 no further corrections are required the president 
 shall say: "Shall the minutes be now approved?" 
 If no objections are made, he shall declare them 
 to stand approved. 
 
 9. He shall preserve order, guard against a 
 violation of the Constitution of the Church and 
 the rules of order, and endeavor to conduct all 
 business to a speedy and proper conclusion. 
 
 ID. He shall, as soon as possible after the 
 organization has been effected, appoint the sev- 
 eral standing committees required for the prompt 
 accomplishment of the business before the judi- 
 catory ; and, unless otherwise provided for, he 
 shall appoint all special committees that may be 
 called for in the process of business. 
 
 11. He shall keep exact account of all items 
 of business that have been laid over or assigned 
 to a particular day and call them up at the proper 
 time. 
 
 12. He shall receive all minutes, reports, com- 
 munications, etc., addressed to or intended for 
 the judicatory, and with its consent refer them to 
 the appropriate committees. 
 
 58 
 
13. He shall sign the minutes and all ad- 
 dresses or circulars, etc., issued by the judica- 
 tory ; and shall decide all questions of order sub- 
 ject to an appeal to the judicatory by any two 
 members. 
 
 14. He may state a question sitting, but shall 
 rise to put it and shall say: "As many as are 
 in favor (as the question may be) say 'aye.'" 
 After the affirmation is expressed he shall say : 
 "As many as are opposed say 'no.' " If he is 
 in doubt as to the results or a division is called 
 for, those voting in the affirmative shall rise, 
 stand, and be counted; after which those voting 
 in the negative shall also rise, stand, and be 
 counted. The president &hall then announce the 
 result. 
 
 15. When a vote is taken by ballot in any 
 judicatory, the president shall vote with the other 
 members ; but he shall not vote in any other 
 case, unless the judicatory is equally divided; 
 when, if he does not choose to vote, the ques- 
 tion shall be lost. 
 
 in. DUTIES OF THE STATED CLERK. 
 
 16. The stated clerk shall have prepared in 
 advance of the time of the meeting of the judica- 
 tory a complete roll of its members, and, as soon 
 as possible, perfect a roll of those members pres- 
 ent for the use of the president. Whenever any 
 additional members take their seats, he shall add 
 their names, in their proper places, to the said 
 roll. 
 
 17. He shall make correct and concise minutes 
 of all proceedings of the judicatory and carefully 
 preserve them. He shall, if required, prepare a 
 correct and authenticated copy of the minutes 
 and transmit them in due time to the higher 
 judicatory for review. He shall read all papers 
 
 59 
 
by order of the president, shall publish due no- 
 tice of the time and place of all stated meetings, 
 and, by order of the president, of all special 
 meetings. 
 
 i8. A memorial, communication, or other 
 paper confided to his care shall not be withdrawn 
 from the files without the warrant of the judica- 
 tory. 
 
 19. He shall make, for convenient reference, 
 a digest of the legislative actions and of all de- 
 cisions made on constitutional questions or on 
 the rules of order by the judicatory. 
 
 IV. THE ORDER OF BUSINESS. 
 
 20. After the minutes have been read and 
 approved, an opportunity shall be given to an- 
 nounce the presence of recently arrived members 
 or of secundi in order that they may be recog- 
 nized. 
 
 21. Business unfinished at a previous session 
 shall be taken up first, unless a special order has 
 been set for that hour. 
 
 22. Reports from permanent committees shall 
 have precedence, unless a matter has been set for 
 a special hour. 
 
 V. MEMBERS — THEIR RIGHTS AND DUTIES. 
 
 23. Every member shall be present within the 
 bar of the house while the judicatory is in ses- 
 sion, unless excused or necessarily prevented, 
 and shall vote on each question put, unless pre- 
 viously excused, or unless he has a direct per- 
 sonal or pecuniary interest in the determination 
 of such question. 
 
 24. Every member, in speaking, shall rise and 
 address himself respectfully to the president, and, 
 having been recognized, shall proceed to address 
 the judicatory. He shall treat the president and 
 his fellow-members with decorum and respect, 
 
shall confine himself to the subject under discus- 
 sion, and shall avoid all personalities. 
 
 25. During the transaction of business mem- 
 bers shall not engage in private conversation ; in 
 debate they shall not address themselves to any 
 one save the president. 
 
 26. When two or more members rise at the 
 same time, the president shall name the one who 
 is to speak first, A member shall not speak on the 
 same question more than twice, nor longer than 
 one-half hour unless by consent of the body. The 
 chairman of a committee, however, may open and 
 close when general debate has been had on a mo- 
 tic n reported by him. A member who has spoken 
 on the main question may speak again on an 
 amendment. 
 
 27. When a member, in speaking or otherwise, 
 shall transgress the rules of order or deviate 
 from the subject under discussion or in any way 
 act disorderly, it shall be the privilege of any 
 member, and the duty of the president, to call 
 him to order. He shall take his seat immediately, 
 unless perrnitted to explain, when, if the judica- 
 tory is satisfied, he may proceed in order; but 
 if the case requires it, he shall be liable to cen- 
 sure or reprimand. 
 
 28. A speaker shall not be interrupted unless 
 with his permission, or when he is out of order, 
 or for the purpose of correcting mistakes or 
 misrepresentations. 
 
 29. While the president is putting a question 
 or a member is speaking, members shall not pass 
 between the president and the speaker or walk 
 across the floor. 
 
 30. A motion can not be made while a member 
 is speaking or after the president has begun to 
 take a vote. 
 
 31. A member may change his vote before the 
 
 61 
 
president has announced the result, or afterward 
 in case it does not afifect the result. 
 
 VI. COMMITTEES — THEIR POWERS. 
 
 2,2. The first-named member of each commit- 
 tee shall be the chairman, unless the committee 
 prefers to elect their own chairman. In the ab- 
 sence of the first-named member or in the event 
 of his refusal to preside, the second member of 
 the committee shall take his place ; the same 
 order of succession is to be followed as often 
 as a vacancy occurs. 
 
 ZZ- A committee to whom papers have been 
 referred shall return them with its report; and 
 a paper can not go before a committee or become 
 matter for its action, unless it has been properly 
 referred to it. 
 
 34. A majority of a committee shall consti- 
 tute a quorum and it alone can make a report. 
 A minority may submit its views in writing, or 
 any member may submit a motion that contains 
 the view of the minority. 
 
 35. A committee may appoint one or more 
 sub-committees in order to facilitate its work 
 by thus distributing it among its several mem- 
 bers, but the final report must come from the 
 whole committee. 
 
 2,6. When a special committee has made its 
 report and it is received, the committee is by 
 this act discharged. A report, however, may be 
 recommitted ; or the committee may be reap- 
 pointed for another purpose. 
 
 27. A judicatory may at any time resolve it- 
 self into a committee of the whole to consider 
 any special matter, whereupon the president shall 
 name some one to preside, and vacate the chair. 
 Such committee may rise at any time, after 
 which the president shall resume the chair and 
 62 
 
the chairman of the committee shall report its 
 action, or report progress and ask leave to sit 
 again. 
 
 VII. MOTIONS — THEIR PRECEDENCE. 
 
 38. Every motion made to a judicatory and 
 entertained by the president shall, on the demand 
 of any member, be reduced to writing. The 
 president shall state the question or cause it to 
 be read by the stated clerk before it is debated. 
 It shall then be in possession of the house, but 
 may be withdrawn at any time before it has been 
 amended or a decision has been taken on it. 
 
 39. When a question is under debate, a mo- 
 tion shall not be entertained excepting it is one 
 of the following motions : 
 
 a. To adjourn. 
 
 b. To take recess. 
 
 c. To lay on the table. 
 
 d. To take the previous question. 
 
 e. To postpone to a certain day. 
 • /. To refer or commit. 
 
 g. To amend. 
 
 Ii. To postpone indefinitely. 
 These several motions shall have precedence 
 in the order named ; and a motion to refer, to 
 postpone to a certain day, or to postpone indefi- 
 nitely, having been decided, shall not be enter- 
 tained again on the same day at the same stage 
 of the question. 
 
 40. If a motion under debate contains several 
 parts, any member may request its division and 
 a question shall be taken on each part. A mo- 
 tion to strike out and insert is not divisible. 
 
 41. A subject, which has been indefinitely 
 postponed either by the operation of the previous 
 question or by a motion for indefinite postpone 
 jnent or by a motion to lay on the table uncon- 
 
 63 
 
ditionally, shall not again be called up during 
 the same sessions of the judicatory, unless by 
 the consent of three-fourths of the members 
 who were present at the decision. 
 
 42. When different motions are made with 
 respect to filling blanks, the longest time and the 
 largest sum shall be put first. 
 
 43. A motion shall not be considered as be- 
 fore the House unless it has been seconded and 
 the mover recognized by the president. 
 
 VIII. AMENDMENTS. 
 
 44. When a motion or proposition is under 
 consideration, a motion to amend and a motion 
 to amend that amendment shall be in order, and 
 it shall also be in order to offer a further amend- 
 ment in the form of a substitute for the entire 
 proposition, and to this substitute an amendment 
 may be offered which shall not be voted upon, 
 however, until the original motion is perfected. 
 
 45. A motion to amend cannot be modified 
 after the previous question has been seconded. 
 
 46. An amendment to the rules of order shall 
 not be entertained, unless it has been seconded 
 by a majority of the members present. 
 
 IX. RECONSIDERATION. 
 
 47. When a motion or resolution has been 
 offered and carried or has been lost, it shall be 
 in order for any member, who has voted with 
 the majority, to move on the same or succeeding 
 day a reconsideration of it. Such a motion shall 
 take precedence of all motions, excepting the 
 motion to adjourn or to take recess. 
 
 48. A motion to reconsider is not debatable, 
 unless the question proposed to be reconsidered 
 was debatable. 
 
 64 
 
X. THE PREVIOUS QUESTION. 
 
 49. The previous question on any motion, 
 after a reasonable time has been allowed to dis- 
 cuss it, may be called. The call, to be enter- 
 tained, must be made by at least one-fifth of the 
 members present rising m their places for the 
 purpose. The previous question shall be pre- 
 sented in the following form : "Shall the main 
 question noiv he put"? And, until it is decided, 
 it shall preclude all further amendments or de- 
 bate on the main question. The effect of this 
 motion, when sustained, shall be to bring the 
 judicatory to a direct vote on all the amend- 
 ments then pending, in their proper order and 
 on the main question itself. 
 
 50. The previous question shall apply in ques- 
 tions of privilege as in motions generally. 
 
 XL QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE. 
 
 51. Questions of privilege shall be: i. Those 
 affecting the rights of the judicatory collectively; 
 its safety, dignity, and the integrity of its pro- 
 ceedings. 2. The rights, the reputation, and 
 conduct of the members individually in their 
 representative capacity. They shall have prece- 
 dence of all questions except to adjourn and to 
 take recess. 
 
 52. It shall not be a matter of privilege to 
 have received and entered upon the minutes a 
 protest of a member or members against the 
 action of a judicatory. 
 
 52. The ayes and nays on any question shall 
 be recorded when required by any member who 
 dissents from the acts of a judicatory. 
 
 XII. APPEALS. 
 
 54. An appeal from the decision of the presi- 
 dent on any point of order may be taken by any 
 5 05 
 
member who may briefly state the reasons for 
 his appeal, to which the president may reply if 
 he deem it needful. The vote shall then be taken 
 without further debate. The form of stating the 
 question shall be : "Shall the decision of the 
 chair stand as the decision of this judicatory^' 
 
 55. A question of appeal cannot be recon- 
 sidered after other business has been done. 
 
 56. An appeal is not in order while another 
 appeal is pending. 
 
 XIII. THE MOTION TO LAY ON THE TABLE. 
 
 57. The motion to lay on the table may be 
 made to consider more important matters, or to 
 take up the matter at a more convenient time, 
 or quickly to make a final disposition of it. 
 
 58. This motion shall take precedence . of all 
 other motions except the motion to adjourn, or 
 to take recess, and shall be decided without de- 
 bate. 
 
 59. All that adheres to the subject of the mo- 
 tion goes on the table with it except it pertains 
 to a motion for correcting the minutes. 
 
 60. When this motion is made and lost, it 
 cannot be made again until some change has 
 been made in the question under consideration. 
 
 61. When a motion to lay on the table has 
 been lost, it may be reconsidered ; but when a 
 motion to reconsider is laid on the table, that 
 motion cannot be reconsidered. 
 
 XIV. MISCELLANEOUS. 
 
 62. The rules of order may be suspended by 
 unanimous consent. 
 
 63. A motion to amend the rules of order 
 shall lie over one day; and it shall require a 
 two-third vote to carrv the amendment. 
 
 '66 
 
64. A judicatory may sit with closed doors 
 if, in its jud,s:nicnt, the matter under considera- 
 tion requires it. 
 
 65. Officers, delegates to higher judicatories, 
 members of boards, etc., shall be elected by bal- 
 lot; but a judicatory may make such elections 
 by acclamation as do not conflict with any ex- . 
 isting law. 
 
 (id. It shall be in order to take recess only 
 when a quorum is present. 
 
 (fj. A m.otion to take recess may be offered 
 while another question is pending, or when an- 
 other member is holding the floor providing he 
 gives his consent. 
 
 68. The motion to adjourn, to take recess, to 
 lay on the table, or for the previous question, 
 shall be taken without debate. 
 
 69. The ayes and nays on any question shall 
 be recorded on the demand of any memlier. 
 
 70. A member shall not retire from a judica- 
 tory without the permission of the president, 
 nor withdraw from it to return home without 
 the consent of the judicatory. 
 
 71. Before the final adjournment of a judica- 
 tory the roll shall be called, and all members 
 absent without permission shall be reported by 
 the stated clerk to the body that they were sent 
 to represent. 
 
 y2. At the final adjournment, after the judica- 
 tory has united with the president in the reneti- 
 tion of the creed and the Lord's prayer, he shall 
 pronounce the apostolic benediction and declare 
 the judicatory now adjourned to meet as ordered. 
 
 67 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Annual Report of Licensure etc 51 
 
 Call of a Minister - 22 
 
 Call of a Teacher of Theology -5 
 
 Certificate of Baptism 1* 
 
 Certificate of Confirmation 15 
 
 Certificate of Dismission 15 
 
 Certificate of Licensure 21 
 
 Certificate of Marriage !■* 
 
 Certificate of Reception of Dismissed Members 10 
 
 Certificate of a Transcript from the Record 40 
 
 Church Register 1'' 
 
 ;} 
 
 Citation of an Accused Person 
 
 Constitution of a Congregation •— 
 
 Constitution of a Joint Consistory H 
 
 Credentials of Elders to Classis or Synod 26 
 
 Credentials of Delegates from Classis to Synod 26 
 
 Credentials of Delegates from Classis to General 
 
 Synod 27 
 
 Credentials of Delegates from General Synod to 
 
 Corresponding Bodies 29 
 
 Credentials of Delegates from Synod to Corre- 
 sponding Bodies ~ 29 
 
 Credentials of Delegates to Alliance of Reformed 
 
 Churches. 
 
 30 
 
 Dismission of a Minister 24 
 
 Forms of Accusation against an Offender M 
 
 A.— Heresy 31 
 
 B.— Blasphemy 82 
 
 O.— Fraudulency 32 
 
 D.— Creating Schism 88 
 
 E -Lying 33 
 
 F.— Perjury 84 
 
 G.— Fornication 85 
 
 H— Adultery 86 
 
 69 
 
PAGR. 
 
 Forms of Accusation, (Continued.) 
 
 1.— Dr.unkenuess 3() 
 
 J.— Profanation of the Lord's 
 
 Day 3fi 
 
 K.— Contentiousness 37 
 
 Form of Citation of Witness 40 
 
 Form of Complaint 40 
 
 Form of Notice for Taking Testimony 47 
 
 Form of Oath 49 
 
 Form of Taking Depositions 48 
 
 Matters to be Observed in Serving a Citation 45 
 
 Order of Business of a Classis 54 
 
 Order of Business of a Synod 55 
 
 Order of Business of General Synod 56 
 
 Recommendation of a Student to Classis ]<.» 
 
 Recommendation of a Ptudent by Classis to a 
 
 Theological Seminary 20 
 
 Reception of a Dismissed Minister 24 
 
 Roll of Ministers of Classis 2S 
 
 Statistical Report 50 
 
 Statistical Report of Sunday Scl ool 52 
 
 Statistical Report of Young People's Societies 53 
 
 Testimonial of Ordination 21 
 
 The Rules of Order ~ 57 
 
 Transfer of a Student from one Classis to 
 
 Another.. .c... 19 
 
 70 
 
Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries 
 
 Illllllllllllllllllll 
 
 1 1012 01182 7385