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 THE BOOK 
 
 Church Order 
 
 iMioim§B]imiEiimio5!
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 IN MEMORY OF 
 MRS. VIRGINIA B. SPORER
 
 THE BOOK 
 
 OF 
 
 Church Order, 
 
 OF 
 
 THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
 
 THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 Adopted 1879. 
 
 RICHMOND, VA. : 
 
 Presbyterian Committee of Publication* 
 
 ST. LOUIS: 
 
 Presbyterian Publishing Co.
 
 PART I. 
 
 Form of Government. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 OP THE DOCTRINE OP CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 
 
 I. The scriptural form of church govern- 
 ment, which is that of Presbytery, is com- 
 prehended under these five heads of doctrine 
 — viz: 1. Of the Churcli ; 2. Of its members ; 
 3. Of its officers ; 4. Of its courts; and 5. Of 
 its orders. 
 
 II. The Church which the Lord Jesus 
 Christ has erected in this world for the g-ath- 
 eriug- and perfectiuo; of tlie saints, is His visi- 
 ble kingdom of grace, and is one and the 
 same in all ages. 
 
 HI. The members of this visible Church 
 catholic are all those persons in every nation, 
 together with their children, who make pro- 
 fession of the holy religion of Christ, and of 
 submission to His laws. 
 
 IV. The officers of the Church, by whom 
 all its powers are administered, are, accordii g 
 to the Scrlp!ures, Ministers of the Word, 
 Ruling Elders, and Deacons. 
 
 V. Ecclesiastical jurisdiction is not a seve- 
 ral, but a joint power to be exercised by 
 Presbyters in courts. These courts may have 
 
 2041750
 
 6 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 jurisdiction over one or miny churches : but 
 they sustain such mutual relations as to 
 realize the idea of the unity of the Church. 
 
 VI. The ordination of otiicers is ordinarily 
 by a court. 
 
 VII. This scriptural doctrine of Presbytery 
 is necessary to the perfection of the order of 
 the visible Church, but is not essential to its 
 existence. 
 
 CHAPTER n. 
 
 OP THE CHURCH. 
 
 Section I. — Of its King and Head. 
 
 I. Jesus Christ, upon whose shoulders the 
 government is, whose name is called Wonder- 
 ful, Counsellor, the Mio^hty God, the Ever- 
 lastinof Father, the Prince of Peace ; of the 
 increase of whose government and peace 
 there shall be no end; who sits upon the 
 throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to 
 order it and to establish ir with judgment and 
 with justice from henceforth, even forever; 
 having all power given unto Him in heaven 
 and in earth by the Father, who raised Him 
 from the dead, and set Him on His own riofht 
 hand, fjir above all principality and power, 
 and might, and dominion, and ever}^ name 
 that is named, not only in this world, but 
 also in that which is to come, and hath put all 
 things under His feet, and gave Him to be the 
 Head over all things to the Church, which is 
 His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 7 
 
 in all ; He beinof ascended up lar above all 
 heavens, that He might fill all thino^s. re- 
 ceived gifts for His Church, and gave all 
 officers necessary for the edification of His 
 Church, and the perfecting of His saints. 
 
 11. Jesus, the Mediator, the sole Priest, 
 Prophet, Kin^-, Saviour, and Head of the 
 Church, contains in Hiinselt, by way of emi- 
 nency, all the offices in His Church, and has 
 many of their names attributed to Him in the 
 Scriptures. He is Apostle, Teacher, Pastor, 
 Minister and Bi?hop, and the only Lawgiver 
 in Zion. It belongs to His Majesty frorn His 
 throne of glory, to rule and teach theChun^h, 
 through His Word and Spiiit, by the ministry 
 of men ; thus mediately exercising His own 
 authority, and enforcing His own laws, unto 
 the edification and establishment of His 
 kingdom. 
 
 HI. Christ as King, has given to His 
 Church, officers, oracles and ordinances ; and 
 especially has He ordained therein His system 
 of doctrine, government, discipline, and wor- 
 ship ; all which are either expres-ly set down 
 in Scripture, or by good and necessary conse- 
 quence may be deduced therefrom ; and to 
 which things He commands that nothing be 
 added, and that from them naught to betaken 
 away. 
 
 IV. Since the ascension of Jesus Christ to 
 heaven, He is present with the Church by His 
 Word and Spirit, and the benefits of all His 
 offices are efiectually applied by the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 Section 11. — TJie Visible Church Defined- 
 
 I. The visible Church before the law, under 
 the law, and now under the gospel, is one
 
 8 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 and the same, and consists of all those who 
 make profession of the true religion, together 
 with their children. 
 
 II. This visible unity of the borly of Christ, 
 though obscured, is not destroyed by its divis- 
 ion into different denominations ol professing 
 Christians; but all of these which maintain 
 the word and sacraments in tlieir fundamental 
 integrity are to be recognized as true branches 
 of the Church of Jesus Christ. 
 
 III. It is according to scriptural example 
 that the Church should be divided into many 
 particular churches. 
 
 Section III. — Of the Nature and Extent of 
 Church Power. 
 
 I. The power which Christ has committed 
 to His Church vests in the whole bodv, the 
 rulers and the ruled, constituting it a spiritual 
 commonwealth. This power, as exercised by 
 the people, extends to the choice of those 
 officers whom He has appointed in His 
 Church. 
 
 II. Ecclesiastical power, which is wholly 
 spirtual, is two fold: the officers exercise it 
 sometimes severally, as in preaching the gos- 
 pel, administering the sacraments, reproving 
 the erring, visiting the sick, and comforting 
 the afflicted, which is tlie power of order; 
 and they exercise it sometimes jointly in 
 Church courts, after the form of judgment, 
 wh'ch is .the pnver of jurisdiction. 
 
 III. The sole functions of the Church, as a 
 kingdom and government distinct from the 
 civiT commonwealth, are to proclaim, to ad- 
 minister, and to enforce the law of Christ 
 revealed in the Scriptures.
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 9 
 
 IV. The Chuicli, with its ordinances, officer?, 
 and courts, is tlie agency wliicli Clirist has 
 ordained tor tlie editication and government 
 of His people, for the propa^'ation of the faith, 
 and for the evano-elization ot the world. 
 
 V. The exercise of ecclesiastical power, 
 whether joint or several, lias th^:* divine sanc- 
 tion, when in conformity with the statutes 
 enaced by Christ, the Lawo-iver, and when 
 put forth by courts or by officers api^ointed 
 thereunto in His word. 
 
 Section IV. — Of the Particular' Church. 
 
 I. A particular church consists of a number 
 of professing Christians, with their oftspriiig, 
 associated together for divine worship and 
 godly living, agreeably to the Scriptures, and 
 submittintr to the lawful government of 
 Christ's kingdom. 
 
 II. Its officers are the Pastor, the Kuling 
 Elders, and the Deacons. 
 
 Ill Its jurisdiction being a joint power, is 
 lodged in tlie hands of the church session, 
 consisting of the Pastor and Kuling Elders. 
 
 IV. To the Deacons belongs the adminis- 
 tration of the offerings for the poor and other 
 pious use5. To them, also may ])e pro])erIy 
 committed the charge of the temporal aflairs 
 of the church. 
 
 V. The ordinances established by Christ, 
 the Head, in His Church are, prayer; sinking 
 praises: reading, expoundiuir. and preaching 
 the Word of Cod; administering the sacra- 
 ments of baptism and the Lord's Supper; 
 public solemn tasting and tiianksgiving; 
 catechising; making offerines for tlie relief 
 of the poor, and for othei pious uses ; exer- 
 cising discipline ; and blessing the people.
 
 10 
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Vr. Churches destitute of tlie official minis- 
 trations ol the Word ouo^lit not ther<;loit!, to 
 forsake theassenibnn<r of themselves together, 
 but should be convened by the b^e>sion on the 
 Lord's day and at other suitable times lor 
 prayer, praise, the reading of the Holy r-erip- 
 lures, and exhortation, or the reading of a 
 sermon of some approved minister. In like 
 manner. Christians whose lot is cast in desti- 
 tute regions ought to meet for the worship of 
 God. 
 
 Section V. — Of the Organization of a Particur 
 lar Church. 
 
 I. In the organization ol a church, the first 
 step shall be to receive testimonials on behalf 
 of such of the applicants as are members of 
 the Church, if there be any ; and then to 
 admit upon a profession of faith in Christ 
 such candidates as on examination may be 
 found qualified. 
 
 i I . These persons should, in the next place, 
 be requii ed to enter into covenant, by answer- 
 ing the following questions affirmatively, with 
 the uplilted hand, viz : " Do you, in reliance 
 on God for strength, solemnly promise and 
 covenant that you will walk together as an 
 organized church, on the principles of the 
 faith and order of the Presbyterian Church, 
 and that you will study the purity and har- 
 mony of the whole bodyV" The presiding 
 minister shall then say : •' I now pronounce 
 and declare that you are constituted a church, 
 according to the Word of God and the faith 
 and order of the Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States. In the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy GUoa^,
 
 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 11 
 
 Iir. Ruling Elders and Deacons are then to 
 be elected, ordaiued and installed. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OP CHURCH MEMBERS. 
 
 I. The infant seed of believers are, through 
 the covenant and by right of birth, members 
 of the Church. Hence, they are entitled to 
 baptism, and to the pastoral oversight, in- 
 struction, and government of the Clmrch, 
 with a view to their embracing Christ, and 
 thus possessing personally all the benetits of 
 the covenant. 
 
 n. All baptized persons are entitled to the 
 watchful care, instruction and government of 
 the Church, even though they are adults and 
 have made no profession of fliithin Christ. 
 
 III. Ihose only who have made a profession 
 of faith in Christ are entitled to all the rights 
 and privileges of the Church. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 OP CHURCH officers; 
 
 Section I. — Of their General Classification, 
 
 I. Under the New Testament, our Lord a* 
 first collect<d His people out of different 
 nations, and united tliem to the household of 
 fuith by the mission ot extraordinary officers,
 
 12 
 
 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 
 
 endued with miraculous gilts, which have 
 lon«- since ceased. 
 
 II. Tlie wliole polity of the Church con- 
 sists in doctrine, government, and distribution. 
 And tlie ordinary and perpetual ofiicers in the 
 Church are, Teacliing Elders, or Ministers of 
 the Word, who are comnn'ssioned to preach 
 the gospel and administer the sacraments, and 
 also to rule; Ruling Elders, whose office is 
 to wait on government; and D( aeons, whose 
 function is the distribution of the offerings of 
 the faithful for pious uses. 
 
 III. No one who holds office in the Church 
 ought to usurp authority therein, or receive 
 any official titles of spiritual pre-eminence, 
 except such as are employed in the Scriptures. 
 
 Section II.— Of the Minister of the Word. 
 
 I. This office is the first in the Church, both 
 for dignity and usefulness. 'Jhe person who 
 fills it has in Scripture different titles expres- 
 sive of his various duties. As he has the 
 oversight of the flock of Christ, he is termed 
 Bishop. As he feeds them with spiritual 
 food, he is termed Pastor. As he serves 
 Christ in His Church, lie is termed Minister. 
 As it is his duty to be grave and prudent, and 
 an example to the flock, and to goA'ern well in 
 the house and kingdom of Christ, he is termed 
 Presbyter or Elder. As he is the messenger 
 ot God, he is termed Angel of the Church. 
 As he is sent to declare the will of God to 
 sinners, and to beseech them to be reconciled 
 to God thr ugh Christ, he is termed Ambas- 
 sador. As he bears the glad tidings of salva- 
 tion to the ignorant and perishing, he is 
 termed Evangelist. As he stands to proclaim 
 the gospel, he is termed Preacher. As he ex-
 
 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 13 
 
 pounrTs the Word, and by sound doctrine both 
 exhorts and convinces the gainsayer. lie ia 
 termed Teacher. And as lie dispenses the 
 manifold ffrace of God, and the or<linance3 
 institured by Christ, he is termed Steward of 
 the mysteries of God. These titles do not 
 indicate ditferent grades of office, but all de- 
 scribe one and the same officer. 
 
 II. He that fills this office should possess a 
 competency of human learning, and be blame- 
 less in life, sound in the faith, and apt to teach ; 
 he should exhibit a sobriety and holiness of 
 conversation becoming the gospel ; he should 
 rule his own house well ; and should have a 
 ^ood report ot them that are without. 
 
 HI. As the Lord has given different gifts to 
 the Ministers of the Word, and has committed 
 to them various worlds to execute, the Church 
 Is authorized to call and appoint them to 
 labour as Pastors, Teachers and Evangeii>ts, 
 md in such oiher works as may be needful to 
 the Church, according to the gifts in which 
 they excel. 
 
 IV. When a minister is called to labour as a 
 Pastor, it belongs to his office to pray for and 
 with his fiock, as the mouth of tlie people 
 unto God ; to feed the flock by reading, ex- 
 pounding and preaching the Word ; to direct 
 the congr gation in singing the praises of 
 God; to administer the sacraments; to bless 
 the people from God; to cat«-chise the chil- 
 dren and youth ; to visit officially the people, 
 devoting especial attention to the poor, the 
 sick, the affiicted, and the dying ; and, with 
 the other Elders, to exercise the joint power 
 of government. 
 
 V. When a minister is appointed to be a 
 teacher in a school of diviuit}^ or to give in-
 
 14 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 struction in the doctrines and duties of reli- 
 gion lo youth assembhd in a college or uni- 
 versity, it appertains to his ofhce to take a 
 pastoral oversight ot those committed to his 
 chargo, and be diligent in sowing the seed of 
 the Word, anM gathering the fruit thereof, as 
 one who watches for souls. 
 
 VI. When a minister is appointed to the 
 work of the Evangelist, he is commif-sioned 
 to preach the Word and administer the sacra- 
 mt^nts in foreign coiii^tries, frontier settle- 
 ments, or the destitute parts of the Church ; 
 and to him may be entrusted power to organ- 
 ize churclies, and ordain Euling Elders and 
 Deacons therein. 
 
 Vil. When a minister is called to labor 
 through the press, or in any other like need- 
 ful WDjk. it shall be incumbent on him to 
 make full proof of his ministry by dissemi- 
 nating the gospel for the edification of the 
 Church. 
 
 Section III. — 0/ the Ruling Elder, 
 
 I. As there were in the Church, under the 
 law, Elders of the people for the government 
 ther eof. so, in the gospel Church, Christ has 
 furnished others besides the Ministers of the 
 Word, with shifts and commission to govern 
 when called thereunto, which officers are 
 entitled Ruling Elders. 
 
 II. These Kuling Elders do not labor in the 
 Word and doctrine, but possess the same 
 authority in the courts of the Church as the 
 Ministers of the Word. 
 
 III. I hose who fill this office ought to be 
 blameless in life and sound in the faith; they 
 should be men of wisdom and discretiou;
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 15 
 
 and by the holiness of their walk and conver- 
 sation, should be examples to the flock. 
 
 IV. Ruling Elders, the immediate repre- 
 sentatives of the people, are chosen by them, 
 that in conjunction with the Pastors or Min- 
 isters, they may exercise governmcut and dis- 
 cipline, and take the oversight of the spiritual 
 interests of the particular church, and also 
 of the Church generally, when called there- 
 unto. It appertains to their office, both seve- 
 rally and jointly, to watch diligently over 
 the "flock committed to their charge, that no 
 corruption of doctrine or of morals enter 
 therein. Evils which they cannot correct by 
 private admonition, they should biinof to the 
 notice of the Session. They should visit the 
 people at their home?, especially the sick; 
 they should instruct the ignorant, comfort 
 the mourner, nourish and guard the children 
 of the Church ; and a'l those duties- which 
 private Christians are bound to discharge by 
 the law of charity are especially incumbent 
 upon them by divine vocation, and are to be 
 discharged as official duties. They should 
 pray with and for the people ; they should be 
 caretul and diligent in seekiuif the fruit of 
 the preached word among the flock : and 
 should inform the pastor of cases of sickness, 
 affliction, and awakening, and of all others 
 which may need his special att( ntiou. 
 
 Section IV. — Of the Deacon, 
 
 T. The office of Deacon is set forth in the 
 Sciiptures as ordinary and perpetual in the 
 Church. 
 
 II. The duties of this office especially relate 
 to the care of the poor, and to the collection 
 and distribution of the offerings ol the people
 
 16 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 
 
 for pious uses, under the direction of the Ses- 
 sion. To tlie Deacons, also, may be properly 
 committed the mniiugement of the temporal 
 affairs of the Church, 
 
 III. To this office should be chosen men of 
 honest repute and approved piety, ^vho are 
 esteemed lor their prudence and sound judge- 
 ment, wliose conversation becomes thecjospel, 
 and whose lives are exemplary ; seeint? that 
 those dutie? to which all Christians are called 
 in the way of beneficence are especially in- 
 cumbent on the Deacon as an officer in Christ's 
 house. 
 
 IV. A complete account of collections and 
 distributions, and a full record of proceedings 
 shall be kept by the Deacons, and submitted 
 to the Session for examination and approval 
 at least once a year. 
 
 V. In churches where it is impossible to 
 secure the appointment of a sufficient number 
 of Deacons, the duties of this office devolve on 
 the Rulino- Elders. 
 
 VI. Where it shall apj)ear npedful, the 
 church Session may select and appoint godly 
 women for the care of the sick, of prisoners, 
 of poor widows and orphans, and in general 
 for the relief of distress. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 OF CHURCH courts; 
 
 Section I. — Of the Courts in General, 
 
 I. The Church is governed by various 
 Bourts, in regular *>:radation ; which are all,
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 17 
 
 nevertheless. Presbyteries, as being composed 
 exclusively of Presbyters, 
 
 II. 'lliese courts are church Sessions, Pres- 
 byteries, Synods, and the General Assembly. 
 
 III. The Pastor is Moderator of the ^ession. 
 The Moderator of the Presbytery, the >Synod, 
 and the General Assembly, shall' be chosen at 
 each stated meeting of these courts ; ftnd the 
 Moderator, or in case of his absence, the last 
 Moderator present, or, the oldest minister in 
 attendance, shall open the next meeting- with 
 a sermon, unless it be highly inconvenient, 
 and shall hold the chuir until a new Moderator 
 be chosen. 
 
 IV". The Moderator possesses all authority 
 necessary for the pieservation of order, and 
 for convening and adjourninof the court, ac- 
 cording to its own ruling. He may also, on 
 any extraordinary emergency, convene the 
 court by his circular letter before the ordinary 
 time of meeting. And m case of the failure 
 of the appointed meeting, he may convene 
 the court at a suitable time and place. 
 
 V. It is the duty of tlie Clerk, whose con- 
 tinnance in office shall be durino the pleasure 
 of the court, besides recording the trans- 
 actions, to preserve the records carefully, and 
 to grant extracts from them whenever prop- 
 erly required. Such extracts under the hand 
 of the Clerk, shall be evidence to any ecclesi- 
 astical court, and to every part of the Church. 
 
 VI. Every meeting of the Presbytery, Synod 
 and General Assembly shall be*^ opened an^ 
 closed with prayer ; and in closing the final 
 meeting, a psalm or hymn may be sung, and 
 the bei edictinn pronounced. 
 
 VII. The expenses of Ministers and Rulingr 
 Elders, in their attendance on the courts,
 
 18 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 
 
 shall be defrayed by the bodies which they 
 respectively represent. 
 
 Section II. — Of the Jurisdiction of Church 
 Courts. 
 
 T. These assemblies arc altogether distinct 
 from the jivil magistracy, nor nave they any 
 iurisdiction in polirital or civil affairs. 1 hey 
 have no power to intlict temporal pains and 
 penalties ; but their authority is in ail resp' cts 
 moral or spiritual. 
 
 II. The jurisdiction of church courts is only 
 ministerial and declarative, and relates to the 
 dootrines and precepts ot Christ, to the order 
 of ihe Church, and to the exercise of disd- 
 pline. First, they can make no laws binding 
 the conscience; but may frame symbols of 
 faith, bear testimony against error in doc- 
 trine and immorality in jiractice, within or 
 without the pale of the church, and decide 
 cases of conscience. Secondly, they hava 
 power to establish rules for the government, 
 discipline, worship, and extension of the 
 Church, which must "toe agi'eeable to the doc- 
 trines relating thereto contained in ihe IScrip- 
 tu'es, the circumstantial details only of the^e 
 matters being lefc to the christian prudence 
 and wi dom of church oflHcers and courts. 
 Thirdly^ they possess the right of requiring 
 obedience to the laws of Christ. Hence, they 
 admit those qualified to sealing ordinances 
 and to their respective offices; and they ex- 
 clude the disobedient and disorderly irom 
 their oflEices. or from sacramenial ptivileg- s; 
 but the highe-t censure to which their 
 authority extends, is to cut off" the contu- 
 macious and impenitent from ihe congre 
 gatiou ot believers. Moreover, they possess
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 19 
 
 all the administrative authority necessary to 
 give el^ect to these powers. 
 
 Ill All cliiirch courts are one in nature, 
 constitutpd of the same elements, possessed 
 inherenly of the same kinds of rio-hts and 
 powers, and differin^: only as the Constitution 
 may provide, ^'et it is according to scriptu- 
 ral example, and needful to the pur-ty and 
 harmony of the whole Church, that dispu'ed 
 mat ers of doctrine and order, arising in the 
 lower courts, should be relerred to the higher 
 courts for decision. 
 
 lY. For the orderly and efficient dispatch of 
 ecclesiastical business, ii is necessarv that the 
 sphere of action of each court should be dis- 
 tinctly defi wed. 'I'he Session exercises juris- 
 diction over a single church ; the Presbytery 
 over what is common to the Ministers, Ses- 
 sions and churches within a prescribed dis- 
 trict; the Synod over what belongs in com- 
 mon to three or more Presbyteries, and their 
 Ministers, Sessions and churches ; and the 
 General Assembly over such matters as con- 
 cern the whole Church; and the jurisdiction 
 ot these courts is limited by the express pro- 
 visions of the Constitution. Every court has 
 the right to resolve questions of doctrine and 
 discipline i^eriously and reasonably proposed, 
 and in general to maintain truth and right- 
 eousness, condemning erroneous opinions and 
 practices which tend to the injury of the 
 peace, purity or pro^rress of the Church ; and 
 althoutrh each court exercises exclusive origi- 
 nal jurisdiction over all matters specially be- 
 longing to it, the lower courts are subject to 
 the review and control of the higher courts, 
 In regular gradation. Hence, the>e courts 
 are not sepimite and independent tribunals;
 
 20 FORM OF GOVERNMITNT, 
 
 but they have a mutual relation, and every 
 act of jurisdiction is the act of the whole 
 Church, performed by it through the appro- 
 priate organ. 
 
 Section III. — Of the Church Session. 
 
 I. The church Session consists of the Pastor 
 or Pastors, if there be any, and the Kuling 
 Elders of a church. Two Ruling Elders, if 
 there be so many, with the Pastor, if there be 
 one, shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. 
 
 II. In case of the absence of the Pastor, or 
 when for prudi^ntial reasons it may appear 
 advisable that some other Minister should 
 preside, such Minister belonging to the same 
 Presbytery, as the Pastor with the concur- 
 rence of the Elders may designate, shall be 
 invited to preside in his place. 
 
 III. When a church is without a Pastor, the 
 Moderator of the Session shall be either the 
 Minister appointed for that purpose by the 
 Presbytery, or one invited by the Session to 
 preside on a particular occasion. But when 
 it is inconvenient to procure the attendance 
 ol such a Moderator, the Session may proceed 
 without it. In judicial casis this Moderator 
 fehall always be a member of the same Pres- 
 bytery to which the church belongs. 
 
 IV. In churches where there are two or 
 more Pn>;tors, they shall, when present, alter- 
 nately preside. 
 
 V. The church Session is charged with 
 maintaining the spiritual government ot the 
 church, for which ]»urpose it has power to 
 inquire into the knowledge, principles and 
 christian conduct of the church members 
 under its care ; to censure those found delin- 
 quent; to see that parents do not neglect to
 
 POEM OP GOVERNMENT. Si 
 
 present their children for baptism ; to receive 
 members into the communion of the Church ; 
 to ^-aut letters of dismission to other churches, 
 which, when given to parents, shall always 
 include the names of their baptized children ; 
 to ordain and install Kulin^ Elders and Dea- 
 cons on their election by the church, and to 
 require these officers to devote themselves to 
 their work ; to examine the records of the 
 proceedings of the Deacois ; to establish and 
 control Sabbath schools and Bible classes, 
 with especial reference to the children of the 
 Church ; to order collections for pious uses ; 
 to take the oversight of the singing in the 
 public worship of God; to assemble the 
 people for worship when there is no minister ; 
 to concert the best measures for promoting 
 the spiritual interests of the church and con- 
 gregation ; to observ e and carry out the law- 
 mi injunctions of the higher courts ; and to 
 appoint representatives to the Presbyterj'' and 
 the Synod, who shall, on their return, make 
 report of their diligence. 
 
 VL The Session shall hold stated meetings 
 at least quarterly. Moreover, the Pastor has 
 power to convene the Session when he may 
 judge it requisite ; and he shall always con- 
 vene it when requested to do so by any two of 
 the Euling Elders; and when there is no 
 Pastor, it may be convened by two Ruling 
 Elders. The Session shall, also, convene 
 when directed so to do by the Presbytery. 
 
 VII. Every Session shall keep a fliir .record 
 of its proceedings, which record shall be at 
 least once in every year submitted to the in- 
 Bpeetion of the Presbytery. 
 
 VII[. Every Session should keep a fair 
 record of baptisms, of those admitted to the
 
 22 I^ORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Lord's table, of non-communicating members, 
 and of the deaths and dismissions of church 
 members. 
 
 IX. Meetings of the Session sliould ordi- 
 narily be opened and closed with prayer. 
 
 Section IV.— Of the Presbytery. 
 
 I. The Presbytery consists of all the Minis- 
 ters and one llulinyf Elder from each church 
 within a certain district. 
 
 II. Every Kuling Elder not known to the 
 Presbytery shall produce a certificate of his 
 regular appointment from the Session of the 
 church which he rcDresents. 
 
 III. Any three Ministers belonging to the 
 Presbytery, together with at lea>t"one Ruling 
 Elder, being met at the time and place ap- 
 pointed, shnll be a quorum competent to pro- 
 ceed to business. 
 
 IV. Ministers seeking admission to a Pres- 
 bytery shall be examined on experimental 
 religion, .and also touching their views in 
 tiieology and church government. If appli- 
 cants come from other denominations, the 
 Presbytery shall also require th m lo answer 
 in the atlinnative the questions put to candi- 
 dates at their ordination. 
 
 V. The Presbyter3^ shall cause to be trans- 
 c ibed in some convenient part of the book of 
 records, the obligations required ot Ministers 
 at their ordination, which shall be sub>cribed 
 by all admitted to membership, in the follow- 
 ing form, viz: 'I, A B, do ex anirno receive 
 and subscribe the above obligat'on-^ as a just 
 and true exhibition of my faith and principles 
 and do resolve and promise to exercise my 
 ministry in conformity thereunto." 
 
 VI. The Presbytery has power to re-
 
 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 23 
 
 ceive and issue appeals, complaints, and 
 references brouo:lit before it in an orderly- 
 manner ; to examine and license ca didates 
 for tlie lioly miiistry; to r. c« ive, dismiss, 
 ordain, install, remove, and jndo-e Minis- 
 ters; to review the r. cords of church iSes- 
 sious, redress whatever they may have 
 done contrary to order, and take effectual 
 care that they observe ihe Constitution of the 
 Church ; to establish the pastoral relation, and 
 to dissolve it at the r* quest of one or both of 
 the parties, or where tlie interests of relioioH 
 imperatively demand it : to set apart Evange- 
 lists to their proper work ; to require Minis- 
 ters to devote themselves diho-ently to their 
 sacred callino;-. and to censure the delinquent; 
 to see that tlie lawfuliinunctions of tlie higher 
 courts are obeyed ; to condemn erroneous 
 opinions which injure the purity or peace of 
 the Church ; to vi.-:it churches for the purpose 
 of inQuiring into and reclressinof the evils that 
 may have arisen in them ; to unite or divide 
 churches, at the request of the members 
 thereof; to torm and receive new churches; 
 to take special oversifrht of vacant churches; 
 to concert measures for the enlartrement of 
 the Church within its bounds ; in geueial, to 
 order whatever pertains to the spiritual wel- 
 fare of the churches under its care ; to appoint 
 commissioners to the General Assembly ; and, 
 finally, to propose to the Synod or to the As- 
 sembly such measures as may be of common 
 advantage to the Church at large. 
 
 VII. The Pr< sbytery shall kes p a full and 
 lair record of its proceedings, and shall send 
 it up to the Synod annually for review. It 
 shall report to the Synod and the General 
 Assembly every year the condition and pro-
 
 3& PORM OP GOVERNMENT. 
 
 gress of reliofion within its bounds during the 
 year; and all the important changes which 
 may have taken place, such as the licensures, 
 the ordinations, the receiving or dismissing of 
 members, tlie removal of members by death, 
 the union and tlie division of churches, and 
 the formation of new ones, 
 
 VIII. The Presbytt ry shall meet at least 
 twice a year on its own adjournment ; and 
 when any emergency shall require a meeting 
 sooner than the time to whicli it stands na- 
 journed, the Moderator, or, in case of his ab- 
 sence, death, or inability to act, the Stated 
 Clerk sh;dl, with the concurrence, or at tlie 
 request of two Ministers and two Euling El- 
 ders of different churches, call a special meet- 
 ing. For this purpose he shall give notice, 
 specifying the particular business of the in- 
 tended meeting, to every Minister belonging 
 to the Presbytery, and to the Session of every 
 vacant church, in due time previous to the 
 meeting, wiiich shall not be less than ten days. 
 And nothing shall be transacted at such spe- 
 cial meeting" besides the particulai' business 
 for which the court has been thus convened. 
 
 IX. Ministers, in good standinof in other 
 Presbyteries, or in any ecclesiastical body with 
 which this Church has estab'ished corres- 
 pondence, being present at any meeting of the 
 Pnsbyteiy, may be inviti d to sit and deliber- 
 ate as corresponding members. Also Mm-s- 
 ters of like standing in other Evan^'elicaJ 
 Churches may be invited to sit as visiting 
 brtthren. In all these cases n is proper for 
 the Moder itor to in'rodui e ihese Ministers to 
 the Presbytery, and give them the light baud 
 of fellowship.
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 25 
 
 Section V. — Of the Synod. 
 
 T. The Synod consists of all the Ministers 
 and onn Rulino- Eldf r ironi each church, in a 
 district coniprising at ieasr th e- Presbyteries. 
 The qua itications lor membership la tlie 
 Synod and ihe Presbyt* ry are the same. 
 
 II. The Synod slia'll meet at least, once in 
 each year, and any seven Ministers helona-in»' 
 to it v^ ho sball convene at the time and place 
 of met-ting-, witli at lea-t three Kulino- Elders, 
 shal be a quorum : Provid- d not more than 
 three or the said AJinisters belong- to one 
 PresbyIerJ^ 
 
 III. The same rule a«! to corresponding 
 members, which is laid down with respect to 
 the Presbytery, shad apply to the Synod. 
 
 IV. I he Synod has power to receive and 
 issue all appeals, c< mplnints, and references, 
 regul>^rly brought up irom the Presbyteries; 
 to review the records of the Presb \ teries, 
 and redress whatever they may have done 
 contrary to order; to take effectual care tint 
 thev observe the (Constitution of the Church, 
 and that they obey the lawful injunctions 
 of the higher courts ; to erect new Pres- 
 byteries, and unite or divide those which 
 were before erected; to appoint Ministers 
 t@ such work, proper to their office, as 
 as may fii'l under its own particidar juris- 
 diction ; ill general, to take such order with 
 respect to the Presbyteries, Sessions and 
 Churches under its care as may be in con- 
 formity with the Word of God and the estab- 
 lished rules and may tend to promote the 
 edification of the Church , to concert meas- 
 ures for promoting the pro-perity and en- 
 largement of the Church within its bounds ;
 
 26 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 
 
 and, finally, to propose to the General Assem- 
 bly such measures hs may be of common ad- 
 van tao^e to the whole ('hurch. 
 
 V. It sliail be the duty of the Synod to ke^p 
 full and f.sir records ot its proceediuf^s, to sub- 
 mit them annually to the inspection of the 
 General Assembly, and to report to it the 
 number of its Presbyteries, and of the mem- 
 bers thereof, and in general, all important 
 changes which may have occurred within its 
 bounds during the year. 
 
 Section VI. — Of the General Assembly. 
 
 I. The General Assembly is the highest 
 court of this Church, and represents in one 
 body all the churches thereof. It bears the 
 title of '1'he General Assembly of the 
 Presbyterian Church in thk Unitkd 
 States, and constitutes the bond of union, 
 peace and correspondence among all its con- 
 gregations and courts. 
 
 II. The General Assembly shall meet at 
 least annually, and shall consist of commis- 
 sioners from the Presbyteries in the following 
 proportion, viz ; Every Presbytery shall be 
 entitled to send one Minister and one Ruling 
 Elder; but if it consists of more than twenty- 
 four ministerial members, it shall send an ad- 
 ditional Minister and Ruling Elder. 
 
 III. Each Commissioner, before his name 
 shall be enrolled as a member of the Assem- 
 bly, shall produce from his Presbytery a com- 
 mission under the hand of the Moderator and 
 Clerk in the following or like form, viz : 
 
 " The Presbytery of , 
 
 being met at on the 
 
 day of , doth
 
 PORM OP GOVERNMENT. 27 
 
 hereby appoint A. B., Minister [or Ruling 
 Elder, a? the case may be], and in case of his 
 absence, then C. D., Minister [or Euling El- 
 der, as the case may be], to be a Commissioner 
 on behalf of this Presbytery to the next Gen- 
 eral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 
 the United btates, to meet at , 
 
 on the day of A. D., 
 
 or wherever and whenever the said Assembly 
 may happen to sit; to consult, vote, and de- 
 termine on all things that may come before 
 that body, according to the principles and 
 Constitution of this Church and the Word of 
 God. And of his diligence herein he is to 
 render an account at his return. 
 
 '* Signed hy order of the Presbytery. 
 
 (C. D.) Clerk. (A. B.) Moderator. 
 
 IV. Any eighteen ot these commissioners, 
 of whom one-half shall be Ministers, and at 
 least five shall be Ruling Elders, being met on 
 the day and at the place appointed, shall be a 
 quorum tor the transaction of business. 
 
 y , The General A ssembly shall have power 
 to receive and issue all appeals, references and 
 complaints regularly brought before it from 
 the inferior courts ; to bear testimony against 
 error in doctrine and immorality in practice, 
 injuriously affecting the Church ; to decide in 
 all controversies respecting doctrine and dis- 
 cipline ; to give its advice and instruction, in 
 conformity with the Constitution, in all cases 
 submitted to It ; to review the records of the 
 Synods; to take care that the inferior courts 
 observe the Constitution : to redress whatever 
 they may have done contrary to order ; to con- 
 cert measures for promoting the prosperity 
 and enlargement of the Church ; to erect new 
 Synods; to institute and superintend the
 
 28 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 agencies necessary in the preneral work of 
 evan<i;clization ; to appoint Ministers to such 
 labors as fall under i:s jurisdiction; to sup- 
 press schismatical contentions and disputa- 
 tious, according to tlie rnlos provided there- 
 for; to receive under its jurisdiction, with the 
 consent of a majority of the Presbytei'ies, 
 other ecclesiastical bodies whose organ'ization 
 is conformed to the doctrine and order of this 
 Church; to authorize iSynods and Presbyte- 
 ries to exercise smiilar power in receiving 
 bodies suited to become constituents of those 
 courts, and lying witliin tlien- geogmphical 
 bounds respectively; to superintend the af- 
 fairs of the whole Church ; to correspond 
 with other Churches ; and in general, to re- 
 commend measnies for the promotion of 
 chanty, truth and holiness through all the 
 churches under its care. 
 
 VI. The whole business of the Assembly 
 being finished, and the vote taken for dissolv- 
 ing the present Assembl}'', the Moderator 
 Bha'l say from the chair : " By virtue of the 
 authoriiy delegated to me by the Chuich. let 
 this General Assembly be dissolverl, and I do 
 hereby dissolve it, and require another Gene- 
 ral Assembly, chosen in the same manner, to 
 meet at at 
 
 on the day of A. 
 
 D.;" after which he shall pray and return 
 thanks, and pronounce on those present the 
 apostolic benediction. 
 
 Section VII. — Of Ecclesiastical Commissions. 
 
 I. Commissions differ from ordinary com- 
 mitt< es, in this, that while the comnii tee is 
 appointed simply t<> examine, consid r. and 
 report, the commission is authorized to delib-
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 29 
 
 erate upon and conclude the business submit- 
 ted to it, subject, however, to the review of 
 the court appointinof it. 'i'o this end full re- 
 cords of its proceedinc^- shall be submitted to 
 the court appointing- it, which, it approved, 
 may be entered on the minu^s of that court. 
 
 11. The tak'ng of testimony in judicial cases, 
 the ordination of Ministers, the installation of 
 JNlinisters, the visitation of portions of the 
 Church aftected with disorder, and theor<>'au- 
 ization of ntw churches, may be executed by 
 commission. The commission for the ordina- 
 tion of a Minister shall always consist of a 
 quorum of the court, but the Presbyteiy itself 
 shall conduct the previous examinations. 
 
 ill. 'J'he !:?ynod and the General Assembly 
 may, with tlie consent of parties, commit any 
 case of trial coming before them on appeal to 
 the judgment of a commission, composed of 
 others than members of the court from which 
 the appeal shall come up. The commission 
 of a Synod shall consist ol not less than fifteen, 
 ot whom seven shall be Euling Elders ; the 
 comniission of the Assembly of not less than 
 twenty-seven, of whom thirteen shall be Rul- 
 ing Elders. In each ca.^e, two-thirds of the 
 commissioners shall be a quorum to attend to 
 business. Tln^ commission shall try the cause 
 in the manner prescribed by the Rules of Dis- 
 cipline; and in renderin/ judgment shall 
 make a full statement of the case, which shall 
 be submitted to the c urt for its action as its 
 judgment in the cause. 
 
 iV. The General Assembly shall have power 
 to commit the various interests pertaining to 
 the general work of evangelizati<.)n to one or 
 more commissions.
 
 30 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF CHURCH ORDERS. 
 
 Section I. — Of the Doctrine of Vocation. 
 
 1. (J linary vocation to office in the Church 
 is the calhng- of God by the Spirit, through 
 the inward testimony of a good conscience, 
 the manitest approbation of God's people, and 
 the concurring judgment of the lawful court 
 ot Christ's house according to His Word. 
 
 n. Since the goA'crnment of the Church is 
 representative, the right of the election of 
 their officers by God's people, eitiier immedi- 
 ately by their own suffrages, or mediately 
 through church courts composed of their 
 chosen representative^, is indefeasible. Nor 
 can any man be placed over a church, in any 
 office, without the election, or at least the con 
 sent of that church. 
 
 I([. Upon those whom God calls to bear 
 office in His Church He bestows suitable gifts 
 for the discharge of their various duties. 
 Wherefore every candidate for office is to be 
 approved by the court by which he i? to be or- 
 dained. And it is indispensable that, besides 
 possessing the necessary gifts and abilities, 
 natural and acquiied, every one admitted to 
 an office should be sound in the faith, and 
 that his life and conversation be according to 
 godliness. 
 
 Section II. — Of the DoctHne of Ordination. 
 
 I. Those who have been lawfully called are 
 to be inducted into their respective offices by 
 the ordination oi a court.
 
 rORM OF GOVERNMENT. 31 
 
 II. Ordination is. the authoritative admis- 
 sion of one duly called to an office in the 
 Chuieh of God, arconinanied with prayer and 
 the imposition of hands, to which it is'proper 
 to add the giving of ihe riglit hand of tellow- 
 ship. 
 
 11 f. As every ecclesiastical office, according 
 to the Scriptures, is a special charge, no man 
 sha 1 be ordained unless it be to the perform- 
 ance of a delinite work. 
 
 Section III. — Of the Election of Church Offi- 
 cers. ■ 
 
 I. Every church shall elect persons to the 
 ofRces of Pastor, Ruling Elder and Deacon in 
 the following manner, viz: Public notice 
 shall previousl}' be given b}^ the Session that 
 the church is to convent^ at the usual place of 
 public worship for ^xwh ourpose : and it shall 
 always be the duty of the t^ession to convene 
 iliem when requested by a majority of the 
 persons eniitled to vote. 
 
 II. Jtis imijortant thatin ail these elections 
 a Minister siiould preside; but if the Session 
 tind it impracticable, without hurtful de'ay, 
 to procure ihe attendance of a Minister, tie 
 election may nevertheless be heid. 
 
 in. 'J'he voters being convened, the Moder- 
 ator shall put the question to them whether 
 they are ready to proceed to the election If 
 they declare themselves read}^ the Moderator 
 shall call for nominations, after which the 
 election shall immc diately proceed, unless the 
 electors prefer to postpone it to a subsequent 
 day; or the e'ection may proceed by ballot 
 without i;ominations. Hut in every case a 
 majority of all the volers pre.-ent shall be re- 
 quired to elect.
 
 JW FOKM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 \V. All conuniinicating members in orood 
 and rep:iilar stjindiiif^, but no others, are enti- 
 tled to vote in the election of church officers 
 u: the chui-clies to ^vhich thej' are respect- 
 tvely attached; and \vnen a majority of the 
 fJectors cast tlieir votes for a person for either 
 ot these otHces, he shall be considered 
 elected. 
 
 V, On the ejection of a Pastor, if it appear 
 that a lartr-e minority of the voters are averse 
 from the candidate who has a majority of 
 votes, and cannot be induced to concur in the 
 call, the Moderator shall endeavor to dissuade 
 the majority from prosrcuting it further; but 
 if the electors be nearly or quite unanimous, 
 or if the majority shall insist upon their right 
 to call a Pastor, the Moderator in tliat case 
 shall proceed to draw a call in due form, and 
 to have it subscribed by them, certify in »• at 
 the same time in writing the number Tuid cir- 
 cumstMUces of tliose who do not concur in the 
 «;all. all of which proceedings sh dl be laid 
 before the Piesbytery to^'ether with the call. 
 
 V r. The call shall be in the following or 
 iike form, viz : 
 
 The church of , being, 
 
 on sufficient grounds, well satisfied of the 
 ministerial qualirications of you , 
 
 and having good hopes from our past experi- 
 p.nce (or knowledge) of your labors, that your 
 ministrations in the go-pel will be profitable 
 10 our spiritual intere.-ts, do earnestly c;dl 
 you to undertake the pastoral office in said 
 ijongregation, promising j'ou, in thedischaige 
 of your duty, all proper support, encournge- 
 inenr and obedience in the Lord. And that 
 you may be free from woildly cares and avo- 
 caiions, we hereby promise and oblige our-
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 33 
 
 selves to pay you the sum of 
 in re£:ular monthly (or quarterly, or half- 
 yearly, or yearly) payments, during the time 
 of your being and continuing the regular 
 Pastor of this cliurch. 
 
 In testimony whertof we have respectively 
 subscribed our names this day of 
 
 A. D. 
 Attested by A. B., Moderator of the Meeting. 
 
 VII. But if any church shall choose to sub- 
 scribe its call by the Kuling Elders and Dea- 
 cons, or by a committee, it shall be at liberty 
 to do so. J?>ut it shall, in such case, be fully 
 certified to the Fresbj^tery by the Minister, or 
 other person who presided, that the persons 
 signing have been appointed for that purpose 
 by a public vote of tlie church ; and that the 
 call has been, in all other respects, prepared 
 as above directed. 
 
 Vill. One or more commissioners shall be 
 appointed to present and^,prosecute the_call 
 before the Presbytery. 
 
 lA. If the call be to a Minister or proba- 
 tioner of another Presbytery, the commis- 
 sioners appointed to prosecute the call shall 
 produce an attested certificate from their own 
 Presbytery that it has been laid before that 
 body and found in order, and that permission 
 has been granted them to prosecute it before 
 the Presbytery to which he belongs. 
 
 Section IV — 0/ the Ordination and Installation 
 
 of Ruling Elders and Deacons^ and of 
 
 the Dissolution of their 
 
 Official Relations. 
 
 I. When any person has been elected to 
 either of these ofttces, if the way be clear, and
 
 34 POUM OP GOVERNMENT. 
 
 he declare his purpose to acce])t, the Session 
 shall appoint a day for hifi oidination. 
 
 II. 'J'he day havino^ arnvecf. and the Ses- 
 sion being convened in the presence of the 
 church, a sermon shall be preached if con- 
 venient, after which the pre-idiii"' Minister 
 shall state in a concise manner the warrant 
 and nature of the ofhce of Kuling Elder, or 
 Deacon, together with thechnracter proper to 
 be sustained, and the duties to be fidtilled. 
 Having done this, he shall propose to the can- 
 didate, in the presence of the church, the fol- 
 lowing questions, viz: 
 
 1 . Do you believe the Scriptu' es of the Old 
 and New Te-taments to be the Word of God, 
 the only Infallible rule ot foith and practice? 
 
 2. Do y»u sincerely receive and adopt the 
 Confession of Faith and the Catecliisms of 
 this Church, as containing the system of doc- 
 ti'ine taught in the Holy Scriptures? 
 
 3. Do yon approve of the government and 
 discipline of the Presbyterian Church in the 
 United States? 
 
 4. Do you accept the office of Euling Elder 
 (or Deacon, as the case may be) in this church, 
 and promise faithfully to perform all the du- 
 ties thereof? 
 
 5. Do you promise to study the peace, unity, 
 edification and purity of the Clsurch ? 
 
 'Ihe Ruling Elder or Deacon elect having 
 answered in the affirmative, the Minister shall 
 address to the members of the church the fol- 
 lowing questions, viz : 
 
 Do you, the members ol this church, ac- 
 knowledge and reci ive this brother as a Rul- 
 ing Elder (or Deacon), and do you i)romise to 
 yield him all that honour, encourage ment and 
 obedience iu the Lord, to which liis office, ao-
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 35 
 
 cording to the Word of God and the Consti- 
 tution of this church, entitles him? 
 
 The members of the chureli having an- 
 swered tliis question in the atfirmative, by 
 holding up their right hands, the Minister 
 shah proceed to set apart tlie candidate, with 
 prayer and the lay ng on of the liands ot the 
 fcjession, lo the ottice ot IJuling Eider (or Dea- 
 con, as the case may be). Prayer bting ended, 
 the members of tlie Session (and the Deacons, 
 if the case be that of a Deacon) shall talce the 
 newly ordained officer b}" the hand, saying, in 
 words to this efF ct: " Wa give you tlie right 
 hand ot fellowship to tal^e i-ai t in tlii> office 
 with us."' The Minister shall then say : '* I 
 now pronounce and declare that A. B. has 
 been reguhiriy elected, ordained and installed 
 a Ruling Elder (or Deacon) in this church, 
 Hgreeably to the VV^ord of God, and according 
 to tlie f.'o'nsti! ution of the I^resbyterian Church 
 in the United States ; and that a-; such he is 
 eniitled to all encouragemei t, honour, and 
 obedience in the Lord: In the name of the 
 Father, and of the >on, and of the Holy 
 Ghost. Amen." After which he shall give 
 to the Rul ng Elder (or Deacon) and to the 
 church, an exhortation suited to the occa- 
 sion. 
 
 111. 'I he offices of Ruling Elder and Dea- 
 con a?e perpetual; nor can they be laid aside at 
 pleasure; nor can any person be degraded 
 from either office but by lieposition after reg- 
 ular trial. Yet a Ruling Elder or Deacon 
 may, though chargeab e with neither her«sy 
 nor immorality, become unacceptab e in his 
 official character to a majority of the church 
 wliich he >erves. In such a case, it is compe- 
 tent for the Session, upon application, either
 
 00 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 from tlic olllcer or from tlie cliurcli, to dia- 
 eolve tli(3 relation. Hut no suv.h aijplicalioa 
 from cither p;irty sliall be granted \\itlioat 
 alfording to tiie other party full opportunity 
 for statiuiT objections.* 
 
 IV. When a lUiIing Elder or Deacon re- 
 moves permanently beyond the bounds of the 
 churcli wiiich he serves, his official rdation 
 shall be thereby dissolved, and the tessiou 
 shall rt cord the foct. 
 
 V. When a Ruling Elder or Deacon who 
 has been relia«ed from his official relation, is 
 again elected to his office in the same or an- 
 cther church, he sha 1 be installed after the 
 above form, with the omission of ordina- 
 tion. 
 
 Section V. — Of the Ordination of Ministers, 
 
 a7id the Formation and Dissolution, of 
 
 the Pastoral Relation. 
 
 I. No Minister or probationer shall receive 
 a call from a church but by the permission of 
 his Prcsbyteiy. When a call has been pre- 
 sented to the Presbyterj^ if lound in order, 
 and the Presbytery deein it tor the good of 
 the church, they sba 1 place it in the hands of 
 the persou to whom it is addressed. 
 
 II. When a call for the pas'oral services of 
 a probationer has been acce ted hj him, the 
 Presbyteiy.<hall take immediate steps for his 
 ordination. 
 
 'IF. Trials for ordination, especially in a 
 different Piesbyterj^ trom that in which the 
 candidate W..S licensed, shall consist of a care- 
 ful examination as lo his acquaintance with 
 experimental religion ; as to his knowledge 
 of philosoph.v, theology, ecclesiastical history, 
 the Greek and Hebresv languages, and such 
 
 * See Kules of Discipline, Ch. VIII, J X.
 
 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 37 
 
 other branches of learnins: as to the Presby- 
 tery shall appear requisite : and as to liia 
 knowledge of the doctrine of the sacraments, 
 and the principles nnd rules of the government 
 and discipline of the Church. He shall furtlier 
 be required to preach a sermon before the 
 Pi-esbytery. Tl>^ Presbytery being fully sat- 
 istied othis qualiticationsfor t!ie sacred oliice, 
 shall appoint a day for his ordination, -Ahich 
 ought, if practicable, to be iu that church of 
 which he is to be the pastor. 
 
 IV. The day Mppoiuted for the ordination 
 having come, at d the Piesbytery being con- 
 vened, a niem])er of the Presb5'tcry, previ- 
 ously appo'nted ro that duty, shall preach a 
 sermon adapted to the occasion. The same, 
 or another member aj^pointed to preside, shall 
 after ;varJs brierty recite from the pulpit the 
 proceedings of the Presbytery preparatory to 
 the ordination ; he shall poiut out the nature 
 and importance of the ordinance, and en- 
 deavor 10 impress the audience with a proper 
 sense ot ihe solemnity of the transaction. 
 
 Tiien addressing himself to Ihe candidate, 
 he shall propose to him the following ques- 
 tions, viz : 
 
 1. Do vou believe the Scriptures of thn Old 
 and New Te-taments to be the Word of God, 
 the only infallible rule ot faith and practice ? 
 
 2. Do y®u sincerely receive and adopt the 
 Confession of Faith and the Catechisms of 
 this Church, as containing the system of doc- 
 trine taught in the Holy'Scriptiu-es? 
 
 3. Do you approve of the government and 
 discipline of the Presbyterian Chiu'ch in the 
 United States? 
 
 4. Do you promise subjection to your breth- 
 ren in the Lord?
 
 88 FORM OF OOVERNMENT. 
 
 5. Have you been iiKluced, as fnr as you 
 know your own heart, to seek the office of the 
 holy mh)istiy from love to God and a sincere 
 desire to promote His glory in the gospel of 
 His Son? 
 
 6. Do you promise to be jealous and faith- 
 ful in mainttiinin^ the trimis of 'he gospi 1 
 and the purity JHuTpcac*' of tlie Church, what- 
 ever persecution or opposition may arise unto 
 you on that account? 
 
 7. Do you engage to be faithful and diligent 
 in the exercise of all your duties as a Chris- 
 tian and a Minister of the gospe', whether 
 personal or relative, i^ivate or public ; and to 
 endeavour by the grace of God to adorn the 
 prof< ssion of the gospel in your conversation, 
 and to walk with exemplary pit ly b( fore the 
 flock of which God shall make you overseer? 
 
 8. Are you now willing to take the charge 
 of this church, agreeably to your declaration 
 at accepting their call ? And do you. relying 
 upon God tor strength, piomise to dischaige 
 to it the duties of a Pastor ? 
 
 V. The candidate having answered these 
 questions in the affirmative, the presiding 
 Minister shall propose to the church the fol- 
 lowing questions : 
 
 1. Do you, the people of this congregation, 
 continue to profess your readiness to receive 
 
 , whom you have called to be your 
 Pastor? 
 
 2. Do you promise to receive the word of 
 truth from his mouth with meekness and lo\e, 
 and to submit to him in the due exercise of 
 discipline ? 
 
 3. Do you promise to encourage him in his 
 labours, and ro assist his endeavours for your 
 instruction and spiritual edificaiion?
 
 f ORM OP GOVERNMENT. 39 
 
 4. And do you engnofe to continue to him 
 whilelie is your Pastor that competent worldly 
 maintenance which you have promised, ^nd 
 to furnish him witl^ whatever you may see 
 needful for the honour of religion and for his 
 comfort anion o* you ? 
 
 Vr. The peo;ole having answered these 
 questions in the" nffirmative, by holding up 
 their right hands, the candidate shad kned. 
 and the presiding Minister shall, wiih prayer 
 and the laying on of the hands of the Presby- 
 tery, according to the apostolic example, sol- 
 emnly set him" apart to the holy office of the 
 gospel ministry. Prayer beinsf ended, he shall 
 ri-e from his knees f and the Minister who 
 presides shall first, and afterward all the mem- 
 bers of the Presbytery in their order, fcike 
 him by the right hand, saying, in words to 
 ths effect: **\Vegive you the right hand of 
 fcllowsliip, to take part in this ministry with 
 us." The Moderator shall then say: "1 i ow 
 pronounce and declare that A. B. has been 
 regidnrlv elected, ordained and installed Pas 
 tor of tins congregation, agrc eably to the 
 Word 01 God. and accordinuf to the Constitu- 
 tion of the Presbyierian Church in the United 
 States; and that as such lie is entitled to all 
 support, encouragement, nonor, and obed-- 
 ence in the Lord. In the name of the Father, 
 and of the -on, and of the Holy Gho-t. Amen." 
 After which tlr^ Minister p esiding, or som • 
 other apj)ointed for the purpose, shall give a 
 solemn charge to the Pastor, and to the con- 
 gregation, to p rsevere in the discharge of 
 their reciprocal duties ; and then by pi-ayer 
 rec-mmend them both to the grace of (iod 
 and His lu.ly keeping: and finally, alter sing- 
 ing a psalm or hymn, shall dismiss the con-
 
 40 rov.M or hovernment. 
 
 oToofitioii wiUi tlie usual blos-sinf*-. And the 
 Presbytery shall duly record the transac- 
 tion. 
 
 Vir. After the installation, the heads of 
 families of the conirreo-ation then present, or 
 atleastthe Ruling- Elders and Deacons, should 
 come forward to their Pastor, and ^ive liiiii 
 their ri,^ht hand, in token of cordial reception 
 and affectionate regrard. 
 
 VUI. In the ordination of probationers at'. 
 Evangelists, the eio^lith of the precedi no- ques- 
 tions shall be omitted, and the following sub- 
 stituted for it. viz: 
 
 Do you now undertake the work of an 
 Evangelist, and do you promise, in reliance 
 on (jiod tor strength, to be faithful in the dis- 
 charge of all the' duties incumbent on you as 
 a Mniister of the Gospel of the Lord JesuR 
 Christ ? 
 
 IX. No Presbytery shall ordain any proba- 
 tioner to the office "of the gospel ministry, 
 with reference to his labouring within the 
 bounds of another Presbytery, but shall fur- 
 nish him with the n^^cessary testimonials, an(J 
 require him to repair to the I'resbytery within, 
 whose bounds he expects to labour, that he- 
 may submit himself to its authority, according 
 to the Constitution of the Churcir. 
 
 X. In the installation of an ordained Minis- 
 ter, the following questions are to be substi- 
 tuted for those addressed to a candidate for 
 ordination, viz : 
 
 1. Are you now willing to take charge of 
 this congregation as their Pastor, agreeably to 
 your declaration at accepting it? call? 
 
 2. Do you conscientiously believe and de- 
 clare, as far as j^ou know your own heart, 
 that, in taking upon you this charge, you are
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 41 
 
 Infiiiencecl hv a sincere desire to prorrote the 
 g'lory of <'0(1 and tlie oood of the ("liurch? 
 
 3. Do you soknnnly pronii.-e that, b,v the 
 assistance ol the ofrace of God, you will en- 
 deavour faitlifuUy" to discharoe all the duties 
 of a Pastor to this congretration, and will be 
 careful to maintain a deportment in all re- 
 spects becomino- a Minister ot the gospel of 
 Christ, aoreeably to your ordination engage- 
 ments V 
 
 Xr. A congregation desiring to call a Pas- 
 tor from his charge, shall, by its commission- 
 ers, represent to the Presbytery tlie ground 
 on which it pleads his removal. The Presby- 
 tery- having lieard all the parties, may, upon 
 viewing the whole casf, either recommend 
 them to desist from prosecnting the call, or 
 may order it to be delivered to the Minister 
 to whom it is addressed, with or without ad- 
 vice; or may decline to place the call in his 
 hands, asit'^shail appear most for the peace 
 and edification of the Church at large; or it 
 may refer the whole matter to the next Synod 
 for advice and direction ; and no Pastor shall 
 be trans'ated without his own consent. If 
 the parties are not ready to have the matter 
 issued at the meeting then in progress, a writ- 
 ten citation shad be given the Mi-istt rand his 
 churcl) to appear before the Presbytery at its 
 next meeii' g, which citation shnll be read 
 from the pulpit on the Sabbath after sermon, 
 at least iwo Sabbaths befoie the intended 
 meeting 
 
 XII. If the congregation, or other field of 
 labour, to which a Minister or i^robationer is 
 called, bennder the jurisdicti'^n of a different 
 Presbytery, on his acceptance of a call he shall 
 be furnished with the proper testimonials, and
 
 ^ FORM OP GOVERNMENT. 
 
 required to repair immediately to that Pres- 
 bytery, in order ihnt he may be re<^iilarly in- 
 ducted into bis otiice, according to the pre- 
 cedinf^ directions. 
 
 Xllt. When any Minister sliall tojider the 
 resig-nation of his pastoral charge to his Pres- 
 bytery, the Presbytery shall cite the churcli, 
 as in the preceding directions, to appear by its 
 commissioners at the next meeting, to show 
 cause, if any it lias, why the Presbyiery should 
 not accept the resignation. If the church fail 
 to appear, or if irs reasons for retaining its 
 Pastor be deemed insufficient, liis resignation 
 shall be accepted, and the pastoral relation 
 dissolved. If any church desires to be relieved 
 of its Pastor, a similar process shall be ob- 
 served. But whether the Minister or the 
 el lurch initiate proceedinsrs for a dissolution 
 of the relation, ther.i shall always be a nr. et- 
 ing of the chm-ch, called and conducted pre- 
 cisely in the same manner as when the call of 
 a Pastor is to be made out. 
 
 Section VL — Of the Licensure of Probationers 
 for the Gospel Ministry. 
 
 r. Presbyteries shall license probationers to 
 preach the gospel, in order that, after suffi- 
 cientlj^ trying their gifts, and recei\ing Irom 
 the church a good report, they may, in due 
 time, ordain them to the sacrod ottice. 
 
 I r. The trials of a candidatf for licensure 
 shall ordinarily be had b}'' the Presbytery 
 having jurisdiction of the church of which he 
 is a member ; but should any one find it more 
 convenient to put himself under the care of a 
 Presbytery at a distance from that to which 
 he most naturally belongs, he may be received
 
 FOKM OF GOVERNMENT. 43 
 
 by the said Presbytery on his producing testi- 
 monials, eitlicr froin"^the Presbytery within 
 the bounds of \\hielilie has usually nsided, 
 or from any two Ministers of that Presbytery 
 in good standing, ol liis exemplary piety and 
 other requisite qiialiticiitions. 
 
 III. Caudidcites applyino to the Presbytery 
 to belicen-ed to pi-each the gospel, shall pro- 
 duce satisfactory testiniouials of their good 
 moral character,\and of their being communi- 
 cating members of tlie Church, in regular 
 standing. And the Presbytery shall exam- 
 ine them respecting their experimental ac- 
 quaintance with religion, and the motives 
 which intiuence them to desire the sacred 
 olfice. This examination thail be close and 
 particular, and shall ordinarily be conducted 
 in the presence of the Presbytery only. And 
 it is recommended that the'candidate be also 
 required to woduce a diploma of Bachelor or 
 Master of Arts from some college or univf-r- 
 sity ; or at least authentic testimonials of his 
 having gone through a regular course of 
 learning". 
 
 IV. The Presb^-tery shall try each candi- 
 date as to his knowledge of the Latin lan- 
 guage and the original language s of the Hoiy 
 Scriptures. Jt shall also" examine him on 
 mental philosophy, logic and rhetoric; on 
 ethics ; on the naturaT and exact sciences ; 
 on theology, natural and revealed ; and on 
 ecclesiastical history, the sacraments, and 
 church government. Moreover, the Presby- 
 tery shall require of him — 
 
 1. A discussion in T.atin of a thesis on some 
 common head in divinity. 
 
 2. An exegesis or critical exercise, in which 
 the candidate shall give a specimen of his tastQ
 
 44 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 and judgment in sacred oriticipm ; prepentin*^ 
 an explication of the original text, statin<i: its 
 connection, illiistratiiif^ its force and beauties, 
 removing its dillicnlties, and solving any im- 
 portant questions which it may present. 
 
 3. A lecture or exposition of sevei-al verses 
 of Scripture. 
 
 4. A sermon. 
 
 V. 'J'hese, or other similar exercises, at tlie 
 discretion of the Piesbyter5% shall be exhib- 
 ited until it shall have obtained satisfaction 
 as to tlie candidate's piety, learning and apt- 
 ness to teach in the Church. 
 
 VI. ]So candidate, excopt in extraordinary 
 cases, phall be licensed, unless he shall have 
 completed the usual course ot academical stud- 
 ies, and shall also have s; udied divinity at least 
 two years under some approved teacher of the- 
 clogj^; and whenever any Presbytery shall 
 see reason to depart from this rule, it shall 
 always make a record of the fact upon its min* 
 utes,*with the reasons therefor. 
 
 VII. If the Presbytery be satisfied with his 
 trials, it shall then proceed to license him in 
 the following manner: 'i h© Moderator shall 
 propose to him the following questions, 
 viz: 
 
 1 . Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old 
 and New\Tes«taments to be the Word of God, 
 the o\\\y infallible rule ot laith and practice? 
 
 2. Do y«u sincerely receive and adopt the 
 Confession of Faith and the Catechisms of 
 this Church, as containing the system of doc- 
 trine taught in the Holy Scriptures? 
 
 3. Do you iwomise to study the peace, unity, 
 and purity of the Cliurch ? 
 
 4. Do you promise to submit yourself, m 
 the Lord, to the government of this Presby-
 
 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 45 
 
 tery, or any other into the bounds of which 
 you may be called ? 
 
 VIII. The cauclidate having answered these 
 questions in the afhrmative, and the ilodera- 
 tor havinp: oftered up a prayer suitable to the 
 occasion, he shall address the candidate to the 
 following- pnrpose : " In the name of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, and by that authority which He 
 has o-iven to the Church for its edilieation, we 
 do license you to preach the go-pel as a pro- 
 bationer for the holy ministry, wherever God 
 in His providence may call you ; and for this 
 purpose may the blessing of God rest upon 
 you, and the Spirit of Christ fill your heart. 
 Amen." And record shall be ^rnade of the 
 licensure in the following- or like form, viz : 
 
 At , the day of 
 
 , the Presbytery of 
 having received testimonials in favour of 
 
 , of his ha^dng gone through 
 a regular course of literatm-e, of his good 
 moral character, and of his being in the com- 
 munion of the Church, proceeded to take the 
 usual parts of trial for his licensure. And he 
 having given satisfaction as to his accomplish- 
 ments in literature, as to his experiuiental ac- 
 quaintance with religion, and as to his profi- 
 ciency in divinity and other studies, the Pres- 
 bytery did, and hereby does, express its ap- 
 probation of all these parts of trial. And he 
 having adopted the Confession ot Faith and 
 the Catechisms of this Church, and satifacto- 
 rily ans\\^red the questions appointed to be 
 put to candidates to be licensed, the Presby- 
 tery did, and hereby does, license him, the 
 said , to preach 
 
 the gospel of Christ, as a probationer for the 
 holy miuLstry, within the bounds of this Pres-
 
 46 FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 bytery, or wherever else he shall be orderly 
 called. 
 
 IX. When any candidate for licensure shall 
 have occasion, while his trials are going on, to 
 remove from the bounds of his own Presby- 
 lery into tho^e of another, it shall be consid- 
 ered regular for the latter Presbytery, on his 
 producing proper testimonials Irom the form- 
 er, to take up his trials at the point at which 
 they were left, and conduct them to a conclu- 
 sion in the same manner as if they had been 
 commenc d by itself. 
 
 X. In like manner, when any probationrr, 
 after licensure. sh;ill by the permission of his 
 Presbyter)^ remove beyond its limits, an ex- 
 tract of the record of his licensure, and a pres- 
 byterial recommendation, signed by the Clerk, 
 shall be his testimonials to the Presbytery un- 
 der whose care he shall come. 
 
 Xr. Presbyteries should require probation- 
 ers to devoe themselves diligently to the trial 
 of their gifts ; and no one should be ordained 
 to the work of the gospel ministry until he 
 has given evidence 6t his ability to edify the 
 Church. 
 
 XII. When a probationer shall have been 
 preaching tor a considerable time, and his 
 services do not appear to be edifj'ing to the 
 (-hurch, the Presbytery may, if it thinks 
 proper, recall his license; audit shall be its 
 duty to do so whenever the probationer shall 
 without necessity devote himself to .«uch pur- 
 suits as interlere with a full tilal of his gifts, 
 according to his license.
 
 FORM OP GOVERNMENT. A7 
 
 CHAPTER Vir. 
 
 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS CHURCH. 
 
 I. The Constitution of the Presbyterinn 
 Church iu the United States consists of its 
 doctrinal sj^mbols, embraced in the Confession 
 of Faith, and the Larger and Shorter Cate- 
 chisms, together with the Book of Cliurch 
 Order, which comprises the Form of Govern- 
 mfiit, the Rules of Discipline, and the Direc- 
 toiy of Worship. 
 
 II. The Book of Church Order may be 
 amended on ihe recommendation of one Gen- 
 eral Assembly, when a majoriiy of the Pres- 
 byteries advise and consent tliereunto, and a 
 succeeding Geiieral Assembly shall enact the 
 &ame.
 
 tART It. 
 
 The Rules of Discipline. 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 OF DISCIPLINE— ITS NATURE, SUBJECTS, ANT- 
 ENDS. 
 
 L Discipline is the exercise of that author- 
 ity, and the application ot that system ot laws 
 which the Lord Jesus Christ has appointed in 
 His Church. The term has two senses, the 
 one referring to the wiiole ofoverainent, in- 
 Epection, traininof, guardianship, and control, 
 which the Church maintains over its mem- 
 bers, its officers, and its courts ; the other a 
 re>tricfed and technical sense, signifying judi- 
 cial prosecution. 
 
 II. In the one sense, all baptized persons, 
 being members of the Church, are subject to 
 its discipline, and entitled to the benefits 
 thereof; but in the other, it refers only to 
 those w ho have made a profession of their 
 faith in Christ. 
 
 III. The ends of discipline, as it involve* 
 judicial prosecution, are the rebuke of offences, 
 the removal of scandal, the vindication of the 
 honour of Christ, the promotion of the purity 
 
 4L»
 
 CO THE RULES OP DISCIPLINE. 
 
 and general edification of the Church, and the 
 spiritual good of offenders themselves. 
 
 IV. The power which Chiist has given to 
 the rulers of His Church is for ( dification. anv< 
 not for destruction ; it is a dispensation (»? 
 mercy, and not of wrath. As in the preach 
 ing of the word the wicked are doctrinal 1 1 
 separated from the good, so by discipline th' 
 Cnurch authoritatively separates between th' 
 ho:y and the profane. In this it acts the pai 
 of a tender mother, correcting her children fo 
 their good, that every one of them may b » 
 presented faultless in the day of the Lorl 
 Jesus. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 OF THE DISCIPLINE OF NON-COMMUNICATINil 
 MEMBERS. 
 
 I. The oversio;ht of the children of thu 
 Church is committed by God primarily to be 
 lieving parents, who are responsible to rh^ 
 Church for the faithful discharge of this duty 
 1'he resp.onsibility of parents continues durin|j 
 the minority of their children, and extends to 
 all such conduct contrary to the purity anr"' 
 sobriety of the gospel as parents may ancl 
 ou»;ht to restrain and control. 
 
 II. The Church should make special provis- 
 ion for the instruction of its youth in the doc- 
 trines of the Bible as set forth in the Cate 
 chisms. Hence, Church Sessions ought to 
 establish, under tlieir own authoritv, Bible 
 classes and Sabbath schools for this object, or
 
 TDE RULFS OP DISCirLINE. 51 
 
 to adopt such other methods as shall secure 
 the same end. 
 
 III. When the children of the Church arrive 
 at years of discretion, they are bound to dis- 
 charge all the duties of church members. If 
 they give evidt-uce of saving faith in Christ, 
 together with a correct walk and conversation, 
 the}' should be informed that it is their privi 
 lege and duty to make a profession of faith in 
 Christ, and to come to His table. If they ex- 
 hibit a wayward disposition, and associate 
 themselves with the profane, the Church 
 should still cherish them in laith, and ought 
 to use all such means as the Word of God 
 warrants and tlie christian prudence of church 
 othcers shall dictate, for reclaiming them and 
 brino-ing them to appreciate their covenant 
 privileges, and to discharge theii* covenant 
 obligations. 
 
 IV. Those adult non-communicating mem- 
 bers who submit with meekness and gratitude 
 to the government and instruction of the 
 Church, are entitled to special attention. 
 Th(4r rights under the covenaijt should be 
 frequently and fully explained and their du- 
 ties enforced on their consciences ; they should 
 be warned of the sin and danger of neglecting 
 their covenant obligations, and urged by the 
 mercies ot Christ to come up to their full dis- 
 charj^e. 
 
 V. All non-communicating members shall 
 be deemed under the care of the church to 
 which their parents belong, if they live under 
 the parental roof and are minors ; or other- 
 wise, under that of the church where they re- 
 side, or with which they ordinarily worship.
 
 62 THE RULT58 OF DISCTPtlNB. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 OP OFFENCES. 
 
 I. An offence, the proper object^of judicial 
 process, is anything in the principles or prac- 
 tice of a church member professing faith in 
 Christ, which is coutrarj^ to tiie Word of God. 
 The Confession of Faith and the T.arger and 
 Shorter Catechisms of the Westminster As- 
 sembly, together with the formularies of gov- 
 ernment, discipline, and worship, are accepted 
 by the Presbyterian Church in the United 
 States as standard expositions of the teach- 
 ings of Scripture in relation to both faith and 
 practice. Nothing, therefore, ought to be 
 considered by any court as an offence, or ad- 
 mitted as a matter of accusation, which can- 
 not be proved to be such from Scripture, as 
 interpreted in these standards. 
 
 II. Offences are either personal or general, 
 private or public ; but all of them being sins 
 against God, are, therefore grounds of discip- 
 line. 
 
 III. Personal offences are ^dolatious of the 
 Divine law, considered in the special relation 
 ot wrongs or injuries to particular individu- 
 als. General offences are heresies or imnaor- 
 ralities. having no such relation, or considered 
 apart trom it. 
 
 l\. Private offences are those which are 
 known only to a few persons. Public offences 
 are those which are notorious.
 
 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 63 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 OF CHURCH CENSURES. 
 
 I. The censures which may be inflicted by 
 church courts are, admonition, suspension, 
 
 excommunication, and deposition. Wlieu a 
 lower censure lails to reclaim the delinquent, 
 it may become the duty of the court to pro- 
 cef^d to the infliction of a hio-her censure. 
 
 II. Admonition is the formal reproof of an 
 offender by a church court, warning him of 
 Ills guilt and danger, and exhorting him to 
 be more ch-cumspe'ct and watchful in the fu- 
 tm-e. 
 
 III. Suspension, with respect to church 
 membei's, is their temporary exclusion from 
 sealing ordinances; with respect to church 
 officers, it is their temporary exclusion from 
 the exercise of their offlce. It may be either 
 defluire or indefinite as to its duration. Defi- 
 nite suspension is administered when the 
 credit of religion, the honour of Christ, and 
 the good of the delinquent demand it, even 
 though he may have given satisfiiction to the 
 court. Indefinite suspension is the exclusion 
 of an oflender from sealing ordinances, or 
 from his ofiice, until he exhibit signs of re- 
 pentance, or until, by his conduct, the ne- 
 cessity 01 the highest censure be made mani- 
 fest. 
 
 IV. Excommunication is the excision of an 
 offender from the communion of the Church. 
 This censure is to be inflicted only on account 
 of gross cr.me or heresy, when the offender 
 6hov7S himself incorrigible and contumacious. 
 The design of this censure is to operate on 
 the offender as a means ot reclaiming him, to
 
 64 THE RULES OF DISCIPLTNE. 
 
 deliver the Cliurch from the scandal of his of- 
 fence, and to inspire all with lear by the ex- 
 ample of his di-scipline. 
 
 V. Deposition is the degradation of an ofli- 
 cer from his otH( e, and may or may not be 
 accompanied with the intiiction of other cen- 
 sure. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 OP THE PARTIES IN CASES OP PR0CES8. 
 
 I. Original jurisdiction in relation to Min- 
 isters of the Gospel pertains exclusively to the 
 Presbytery, and in relation to other church 
 members to the i?ession. 
 
 II. It is the duty of all church Sessions and 
 Presbyteries to exercise care over those sub- 
 ject to their authority; and they shall, with 
 due diligence and great discretion, demand 
 from such persons satisfactory explanations 
 concerning reports aftecting their Christian 
 character. This duty is 'more imperative 
 when tliose wlio deem themselves aggrieved 
 by injurious reports shall ask an investiga- 
 tion. Jf such investigation, however origin- 
 ating, should result in raising a strong pre- 
 sumption of the guilt of the party involved, 
 the court shall institute process, and shall ap- 
 point a prosecutor to prepare the indictment, 
 and to conduct the case. This prosecutor 
 shall be a member of the court, except that, 
 in a case before the Session, he may be any 
 communicating member of the same^ congre- 
 gation with the accused.
 
 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 55 
 
 Til. The Original and only parties in a case 
 of process are the accuser "and the accused. 
 The accuser is always the Presbyterian 
 Church in the United States, whose honour 
 and purity are to be maintained. 'J'he prose- 
 cutor, whether voluntary or appointed, is 
 always the representative of the Uluu'ch, and 
 as such has all its rights in the case. In ap- 
 pellate courts the parties are known as appel- 
 lant and appellee. 
 
 IV. Every indictment shall begin : " In the 
 name of the Piesbyterian Church in the Uni- 
 ted States," and shall conclude, •* against the 
 peace, unitj^ and purity of the Church, and 
 the honour and niajesry of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ as the King and Head thereof." In 
 every case the Church is the injured and ac- 
 cusing partj^, versus the accused. 
 
 Y. An injured party sliall not become a 
 prosecutor of personal offences without hav- 
 ing previouslj^ tried the means ot reconcilia- 
 tion, and of reclaiming the offender, required 
 by Christ : '•' Moreover, if thy brother shall 
 trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault 
 betvveen thee and him alone : if he shall h^ar 
 thee, thou hast gained thy brother ; but if he 
 will not hear thee, then take with thee one or 
 two more, that in the mouth of two or three 
 witnesses every word may be established." 
 Matt, xviii : 15, 16. A church court, however, 
 may judiciady investigate personal offences 
 as if general, when the interests of religion 
 seem to demand it, So, also, those to whom 
 private offences are known cannot become 
 prosecutors, without having previously en- 
 deavoured to remove the scandal by private 
 means. 
 
 VI. When the offence is general, the cause
 
 66 THE RULES OP DISCIPLmfi. 
 
 may be conducted either by any person ap« 
 pearino: as prosecutor, or by a prosecutor ap- 
 pointed by the court. 
 
 VII. VVhen the prosecution is instituted by 
 the court, the previous steps required by our 
 Lord in the case of personal offences are not 
 necessary. 'J'here are many cases, however, 
 in wiiich it will promote the interests of reli- 
 gion to send a committee to converse in a 
 private manner with the offender, and en- 
 deavour to bring him to a sense of his guilt, 
 before instituting actual process. 
 
 VIII. Great caution ought to be exercised 
 in receiving accusations from any person who 
 is known to indulge a malignant spirit to« 
 Avards the accused ; who is not of good char, 
 acter ; who is liimself under censiu-e or pro- 
 cess; who is deeply interested in any respect 
 in the conviction of the accuse<l; or who i? 
 known to be litigious, rash, or highly impru- 
 dent. 
 
 IX. Every voluntary prosecutor shall be 
 previously warned, that if he fail to show 
 probable cause of the charges, he must him- 
 self be censured as a slanderer of the bn thren, 
 in proportion to the malignity or rashness 
 mat ifested in the prosecution. 
 
 X. V\ hen a member of a church court is 
 under process, all his olhcial functions may 
 be suspended, at its aiscretion: but this shall 
 never be done in the way of censure. 
 
 Xf. In the discus-ion of all questions aris- 
 ing in his own case, the accused shall exer- 
 cise the rights of defendant only, not of 
 judge.
 
 THE RULES OP DISCIPLINE. 57 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 OF GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL 
 
 CASES OF PROCESS. 
 
 I. It is incumbent on every member of a 
 court of Jesus Christ, enofao-e'd in a trial ol 
 offenders, to bear in mind the inspired in- 
 junction : '* If a man be overtaken in a fault, 
 ye which are spiritual restore such an one in 
 the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, 
 lest thou also be tempted." 
 
 II. Process a«-ainst an offender shall not be 
 commenced unless some person or persons 
 Lmdertake to make out the charge ; or unless 
 the court linds it necessarj^ for the honour ot 
 religion, itself to take the step provided for in 
 chapter v., paragraph II. 
 
 II[. When a charge is laid before the Ses- 
 sion or Presbytery, it shall be reduced to writ- 
 ing, and nothing shall be done at the first 
 meeting of the court, unless by consent of 
 parties, exce])t to appoint a pjosecutor, and 
 order the indictment to be drawn, a copy of 
 which, with the witnesses i hen known to sup- 
 port it, shall be served on the accused, and to 
 cite all parties and their witnesses to appear 
 and be heard at another meeting, which shall 
 not be sooner than ten days after such cita- 
 tion; at which meeting of the court the 
 charges shall be read to the accused, if pres- 
 ent, and he shall be called upon to say whether 
 he be guilty or not. If he confess, the court 
 may deal with him according to its discretion; 
 if he plead and take issue, the trial shall pro- 
 ceed. Accused paities may phad in writing, 
 when they cannot be personally present, and
 
 68 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 parties necessarily absent should have counsel 
 assio^ned to them. 
 
 IV. The citation sliall be issued and signed 
 by the Moderator or Clerk, by onUr and in 
 the name of the court; he shall also issue ci- 
 tations to such witn( sses as either party sliall 
 nominate to appear on his behalf. 
 
 V. In drawing the indictment, the times, 
 places and circumstances shonld, if possible, 
 be particularly stated, that the accused may 
 have full opportunity to niiike his defence. 
 
 VI. When an accused person shall refuse to 
 obey a citation, he shall be cited a second 
 time ; and this second citation shall be accom- 
 panied with a notice that if he do not appear 
 at the time appointed (unless providentially 
 hindered, which tact he must make known to 
 the court), or that if he appear and refuse to 
 plead, he shall be dealt with for his contu- 
 macy, as hereinafter provided. 
 
 VII. The time which must elapse between 
 the serving of the first citation on the accused 
 person, and the meeting of the court at which 
 he is to appear, shall be at least ten days. But 
 the time allotted for his appearance on the 
 subsequent citation, shall be lelt to the discre- 
 tion of the court ; provided that it be not less 
 than is quite sufficient for a seasonable and 
 convenient compliance with the citation. 
 
 VI II. When the offence with which an ac« 
 cused person stands charged took place at a 
 distance, and it is inconvenient for the wit- 
 nesses to appear before the court having ju- 
 risdiction, that court may either appoint a 
 commission of its body, or request the co-or- 
 dinate court connguous to the place where 
 the tacts occurred, to take the testimony for it. 
 The accused shall always have reasonable no-
 
 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 59 
 
 tice of the time and place of the meeting oi 
 this commission. 
 
 IX. When an offence, alleofed to have been 
 committed at a distance, is not lilvcly other- 
 wise to become known to the conrt having 
 jnrisdiction, it shall be the duty of the conrt 
 within whose bonnds the facts occurred, after 
 satislying itself that there is probable ground 
 of accusation, to send notice to the court hav- 
 ing jurisdiction, wiiich shall at once.proceed 
 against the accused : or the whole case may 
 be remitted for trial to the co-ordinate court 
 within whose bounds the offence is alleged to 
 have been committed. 
 
 X. Before proceeding to trial, courts ought 
 to ascertain that their citations have been duly 
 served. 
 
 XI. In every process, if deemed expedient, 
 there may be a committee appointed, which 
 shall be called the Judicial Committee, and 
 whose duty it shall be to digest and arrange 
 aU the papers, and to prescribe, under the di- 
 rection of the court, the whole order of the 
 proceedings. The members of this commit- 
 tee shall be entitled, notwithstanding their 
 performance of this duty, to sit and vote in 
 the case as members of the court. 
 
 XII. When the trial is about to begin, it 
 shall be the duty of the Moderator solemnly 
 to announce from the chair that the court is 
 about to pass to the consideration of the cause, 
 and to enjoin on the members to recollect and 
 regard their high cliaracter as judges of a 
 court of Jesus (Jhri>t, and the solemn dutj'' in 
 which they are about to engage. 
 
 XIII. In order that the trial may be fair and 
 impartial, the witnesses shall be examined in 
 the presence of the accused, or at least after
 
 bO THE RULES OF DISCirLiyB. 
 
 he shall have received due citation to attend. 
 Witnesses may be cross-examined by both 
 parties, and any questions asked which are 
 pertinent to tiie issue. 
 
 XIV. On all questions ari^^ing in the pro- 
 gress of a trial, the discussion shall fir.-t be 
 between the parties ; and when they have 
 been heard they maybe required to withdraw 
 from the court, until the members deliberate 
 upon an(3 decide the point. 
 
 XV. When a court of first resort proceeds 
 to the trial of a cause, the following order shall 
 be observed,: 1. The Moderator shall charge 
 the court. '2. The indictment shall be read, 
 and the answer of the accused heard. 3. The 
 witnesses for the prosecutor, and then those 
 for the accused, shall be examined. 4. The 
 parties shall be heard, first the prosecutor, 
 and then the accused, and the prosecutor shall 
 close. 5. The roll shall be called, that the 
 members may express their opinion in the 
 cause. 6. The decision shall be made, and 
 judgment entered on record. 
 
 XVI. Either party may, for cause, chal- 
 lenge the right of any member to sit in the 
 trial of the case, which question shall be de- 
 cided by the members of the court, other than 
 the one challenged. 
 
 XVI [. Pending the trial of a cause, any 
 member of the court who shall express his 
 opinion of its merits to either party, or to any 
 person not a member of the court ; or who 
 Fhall absent himself from any sitting without 
 the permission of the court, or satisfactory 
 reasons rendered, sliall be thereby disqualified 
 from taking part in the subsequt'ut proceed- 
 ings. 
 
 XVIII. The parties shall be allowed copies
 
 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 61 
 
 of the whole proceed in o-s, at their own ex- 
 pense, if they demand thein. Minutes of the 
 trial sliall be Ivept by the clerk, which shall 
 exhibit the charges, the answer, all the testi- 
 mony, and all such acts, orders, and decisions 
 of the court relating to the cause, as either 
 party may desire, and also the iudgment. 
 The clerk shall, without delay, attach togeth- 
 er the charges, the answer, the citations and 
 returns thereto, and the minutes herein re- 
 quired to be kept. These papers, when so 
 attached, shall constitute '• the record of the 
 cause." AVhen a cause is remoyed by appeal 
 or complaint, the lower court shall transmit 
 "the record" thus prepai'cd to the higher 
 coiu-t, with the addition of the notice of ap- 
 peal or complaint, and the re isons thereof, if 
 any shall haye been tied, is'othing which is 
 not contained in this ''record' "shall be taken in- 
 to consideration in the higher court. On the 
 final decision of a cause in a higher court, its 
 judgment shall be sent down to the court in 
 which the case originated. 
 
 XIX. No professional counsel shall be per- 
 mitted as such to appear and plead in cases of 
 process in any court; bat an accused person 
 may, if he desirts it, be represented before 
 the Session by any comnuinicating member 
 of the same particular cliureh ; or before any 
 other court, by any member of the court. A 
 member of the coiu-t so employed shall not 
 be allowed to sit in judgment in the cause. 
 
 XX. Process, in case of scandal, shall com- 
 mence within the space of one year after the 
 offence was committed, luiless it has r« cently 
 become flagrant. When, ho veyer, a church 
 member shall commit an oftence, atter remov- 
 ing to a place far distant from liis former real-
 
 9i THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 dence, and where his connection with the 
 Church is unknown, in consequence of which 
 circumstances process cannot be instituted 
 witliin the time above specified, the recent 
 discovery of tlie church membership of tlie 
 individual shall be considered as equivalent to 
 the offence itself having recently become fla- 
 gi'ant. The same principle in like circum- 
 stances, shall also apply to Ministers. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 SPECUL RXriES PERTAINING TO PROCESS BE- 
 FORE SESSIONS. 
 
 T. Process aofainst all church members, oth- 
 er than Ministers of the gospel, shall be enter- 
 ed before the Session of the church to which 
 such members belong. 
 
 II. When an accused person, having been 
 twice duly cited, shall refuse to appear before 
 the Session, or appearing, shall refuse to 
 plead, the court shall enter upon its records 
 the fact, together with the nature of the of- 
 fence charged, and he shall be suspended from 
 sealing ordinances for his contumacy. This 
 sentence shall be made public, and shall in no 
 ease be removed until he has not only repent- 
 ed of his contumacy, but has given satisfac- 
 tion in relation to the charges against him. 
 
 II[. If the charge be one of gross crime or 
 heresy, and the accused persist in his contu- 
 macy, the court may proceed to inflict the 
 highest censure. 
 
 IV. When it is impracticable immediately to
 
 THE RULES OP DISCIP1.INB. 63 
 
 comence process against an accusefl church 
 member, the Session may, if it think the edifi- 
 cation of the Church require it, prevent the 
 accused from approaching- the Lord's table, 
 until the charges against him can be exam- 
 ined. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 SPECIAL RULES PERTAINING TO PRQCE88 
 AGAINST A MINISTER. 
 
 I. Process against a Minister shall be en- 
 tered before the Presbytery of which he is a 
 member. 
 
 n. As no Minister ought, on account of his 
 office, to be screened in his sin, or slightly 
 censured, so scandalous charges ought not to 
 be received against him on slight grounds. 
 
 II [. If any one know a Minister to be guilty 
 of a private offence, he should warn him in 
 private. But if the offence be persisted in, or 
 become public, he should bring the case to the 
 attention of some other Minister of the Pres- 
 bytery for Ids advice. 
 
 IV. If a Minister accused of an offence, hav- 
 ing been twice duly cited, shall refuse to ap- 
 pear before the Presbytery, he shall be imme- 
 diately suspended. And if. after another cita- 
 tion, he still refuse to attend, he shall be 
 deposed as contumacious, and suspended or 
 excommunicated from the Church. Record 
 shaU be made of the judgment and of the 
 charges under wliich he was arraigned, and 
 the sentence shaU be made public.
 
 64 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 V. Heresy and f^cliism may be of such a na- 
 ture as to waiTiiiit deposition; but errors 
 ouiibt to be caiefully considered, whether 
 tiiey strike at the vitals of religion, and are 
 industrious]}^ spread, or Avhether they arise 
 from the weakness oftlie Imman understand- 
 ino-, and are not likely to do much injury. 
 
 VI. If the Presbytery find on trial that the 
 matter complainrrd of amounts to no more 
 than such acts of intirmity as may be amended, 
 so that little or nothin*i- remains to hinder the 
 Minister's usefulness, it shall take all prudent 
 measures to remove the scandal. 
 
 VII. When a Minister, pendino^ a trial, shall 
 make, confession, if the matter^be base and 
 fiao-itious, such as drunkenness, uiieleanness, 
 or crimes of a hi a her nature, however peni- 
 tent he may appear to tlie satisfaction of all, 
 the court shall, without delay, suspend him 
 trom the exercise of his office^ or depose him 
 from the ministry. 
 
 VI II. A Minister suspended or deposed for 
 scandalous conduct, shall not be restored, even 
 on 'he deepest sorrow for his sin. until he shall 
 exhibit for a considerable time such an emi- 
 nently exemplary, humble, and edifying walk 
 and conversation as shall heal the wound 
 made by his scandal. And a deposed Minis- 
 ter shall in no case be i-estored until it shall 
 appear that the general sentiment of the 
 Church is strongly in his favour, and demands 
 his resto ation ; and then only by the court 
 intlicting the censure, or with its consent. 
 
 IX. VV h' n a Minister is deposed his church 
 shall be delared vacant; but when he is sus- 
 pended, it shall be left to the discretion ot the 
 f're.sbytery whether the sentence shall include 
 the dissolutiou of the pastoral relation.
 
 THE RtTLES OF DISCtPLlNE. 65 
 
 X. Whenever a Minister of the gospel shall 
 habitually fail to be en«^afred in the regular 
 discharse of his official functions, it shall be 
 the duty ot the Presbytery, at a stated meet- 
 ing, to inquire into the cause of such derelic- 
 tion, and if necessary, to institute judicial pro- 
 ceedings against him for breach of his cove- 
 nant engagement. If it shall appear that his 
 neglect proceeds only from his want of ac- 
 ceptance to the Church, Presbytery may, up- 
 on the same principle upon which it with- 
 draws license from a probationer for want of 
 evidence of the Divine call, divest him of 
 his office without censure, even against his 
 win, a majority of two-thu'ds being necessary 
 for this purpose. 
 
 In such a case, the clerk shall, under the 
 order of the Presbytery, forthwith deliver to 
 the individual concerned a written notice that, 
 at the next stated meeting, the question of his 
 being so dealt with is to lie considered. This 
 notice shall distinctly state the grounds lor 
 this proceeding. The party thus notified shall 
 be heard in his own defence ; and if the decis- 
 ion pass against him, he may appeal, as if he 
 had been tried after the usual forms. 
 
 This principle may ?ip^\y . mutatis mutandis, 
 to Ruling Elders and Deacons.
 
 66 THE RULES OP DISCIPLINB. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 OF EVIDENCE. 
 
 I. All persons of proper ao^e and ii>telligenc« 
 are competent witnesses, except such as do 
 not believe in the existence of God, or a fu- 
 ture state of rewards and punishments. The 
 accused party may be allowed, but shall net 
 be compi lied, to testify ; but the accuser shall 
 be required to testify on tlie demand of the 
 accused. Either party has the right to chal- 
 lenge a witness whom he believes to be lu- 
 competent, and the court shall examine and 
 decide upon his competency. It belongs to 
 the court to judge of the degree of credibility 
 to be attached to all evidence. 
 
 IE. A hu-band ©r wife shall not be com- 
 pelled to bear testimony the one against the 
 other in any court. 
 
 III. The testimony of more than one wit- 
 ness shall be necessary in order to establish 
 any charge ; yet if, in addition to the testimo- 
 ny of one witness, corroborative evidence be 
 produced, the offence maybe considered to be 
 proved. 
 
 IV. No witness afterwards to be exam^nea 
 except a member of the court, shall be pres- 
 ent during the examination of another wit- 
 ness on the same case, if either party object. 
 
 V- Witnesses shall be examined, first by the 
 party introducing theaa ; then cross-examined 
 by the opposite party ; after which any mem- 
 ber of the court, or either party, may put ad- 
 ditional interrogatories. But no question 
 shall be put or answered, except by permis- 
 sion oi the Moderator, subject to an appeal 
 to the court ; and the court shall not permit
 
 THE HtJtKS OP BISCIPLIN^E. 67 
 
 questions Irivolous or iiTelevant to the charge 
 at issue. 
 
 Vi. The oath or afhrmation to a witness 
 shaU be administered by the Moderator in the 
 folio v\ing or like terms: ''You solemnly 
 promise, in the presence of God. that you will 
 declare the truih,the whole truth, andnoihing 
 but the truth, accordino- to ihe best of your 
 knowledge in the matter in \^hich you are 
 called to witness, as you shall answer it lo ihe 
 great Judge of quick and dead." If. however, 
 at any time a witness should present himself 
 before a court, who. for conscientious reasons, 
 
 E refers to swear or affi-im in any other manner, 
 e shall be allowed to do so. 
 
 VII. Every question put to a witness i^hall, 
 if required, be reduced to writing. When an- 
 swered, it shall, together with the answer, be 
 recorded, if d' emed by the court, or by either 
 party, ot snfiicient importance, and i he testi- 
 mony of the witness shall be read to him for 
 his approbation and subscription. 
 
 VIII. The records of a court, or any part of 
 them, whether original or transcribed, it reg 
 ularly authenticated by the Moderator and 
 Clerk, or by either of them, shall be deemed 
 good and sufficient evidence in every other 
 court. 
 
 IX. In like manner, testimony taken by 
 one court and regularly certified, shall be re- 
 ceived by every other court, as no less valid 
 than if it had been taken by itself. 
 
 X. When it is not convenient for a court 
 to have the whole, or perhaps any part of the 
 testimony in a particular c:iuse, taken in its 
 presence, a commission shad be ;^pp()inte(i to 
 take the testimony in question, which shall 
 be coiisidered as if takeu in the presence of
 
 68 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 the court; of which commission, and of the 
 time and place of its meeting, due notice shall 
 be given to the opposite party, that he may 
 have an opportunity of attending. And if the 
 accused shall desire, on his part, to take testi- 
 mony at a distance, for his own exculpation, 
 he shall give notice to the court of the time 
 and place at which it is proposed to take it, 
 that a commission, as in the former case, may 
 be appointed for the purpose. Or, the testi- 
 mony may be taken on written interrogato- 
 ries, by tiling the same with the clerk of the 
 court having jurisdiction of the cause, and giv- 
 ing two weeks' notice thereof to the adverse 
 party, durin": which time he may file cross- 
 interrogatories if he desire ir ; and the testi- 
 mony shall then be taken by the commission 
 in answer to the direct and cross-interrogato- 
 rie>!, if such are filed, and no notice need be 
 given of the time and place of taking the tes- 
 timony. 
 
 X[. A member of the court shall not be 
 disqualified for sitting as a judge by having 
 given testimony in the case. 
 
 XII. An officer or private member of the 
 church refusing to testify, may be censured 
 for contumacy. 
 
 XIII. If. atter a trial before any court, new 
 testimony be discovered, which is supposed 
 to be highly important to the exculpation of 
 the accused, it is proper lor him to ask, and 
 for the court to grant, a new trial. 
 
 XIV. If, in the prosecution of an appeal, 
 new t< stimony be offered, which, in the judg- 
 ment of the appellate court, has an importaut 
 bearing on the case, it shall be competent for 
 that court to refer the cause to the inferior 
 court lur u new tiial ; or, with the consent of
 
 THE RULES OP DISCU'LTNE. 69 
 
 parties, to take the testimony and proceed 
 with the cause. 
 
 CE AFTER X. 
 
 OF THE INFLICTION OF CHURCH CENSURES. 
 
 I. Ecclesiastical censures ought to be suited 
 to the nature of the oifeiice; for private offences 
 censures should be administered in the pres- 
 ence of the court alone, or privatel}'", by one 
 or more members on its behalf; but for pub- 
 lic offence.*, censures should be administered 
 in open session, or publicly announced to the 
 church. When there are peculiar and special 
 reasons, the court may visit public offences, 
 not very gross in their character, wiih private 
 admonition, or with definite suspension in 
 private ; but the censure of indefinite suspen- 
 sion should ordinarily be announced to the 
 church, whilst those of excommunication 
 and deposition should be either administered 
 before the church, or else announced to it, at 
 the discretion of the court. 
 
 II. When any member or officer of the 
 Church shall be guilty of a tault deserving 
 censure, the court shall proceed with all ten- 
 derness, and shall deal with its off"ending 
 brother in the spirit of meekness, the mem- 
 ber.- considering themselves, lest they also be 
 tempted. 
 
 III. The censure of admonition ought to 
 be administered in private, by one or more 
 member-, in behalf of the court, when the of- 
 fence is not aggravated, and is known only to
 
 ?0 THE RULK? OP DlSCll'LtyB. 
 
 a few. When the scandal is public, the admo- 
 nition shall be administered by the Moderator 
 in the presence ot the court, and ordinarily 
 shall also be announced in public. 
 
 IV. Definite suspension beintranexemplai^ 
 censure, ou^ht ordinarily to be either ad- 
 ministered m open session, or announced to 
 the church. 
 
 V. The censure of indefinite suspension 
 ought to be inrticted with irreat solemnity, 
 that it may be the means of impressing the 
 mind of the delinquent wiih a proper sense of 
 his danger, while he stands excluded from the 
 sacraments of t! e Church of the living God, 
 and that with the Divine blessing it may lead 
 him to repentance. When the court has re- 
 solved to pass this sentence, the Moderator 
 shall address the offending brother to the fol- 
 lowing- purpose : 
 
 " VVhereas, You, A. B. (here describe the 
 person as a Minister, Ruling Elder, Deacon, 
 or private member of the Church), are con- 
 victed by sufficient proof [or, are guilty by 
 
 your own confession], of the sin of (here 
 
 insert the offence), we, the Presbytery [or 
 church Session] of C. D., in the name and oy 
 the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, do 
 now declare you suspended from the sacra- 
 ments of the Church [and from the exercise 
 of your office], until you give satisfactory ev- 
 idence of repentance.'' 
 
 To tliis shall be added such advice or admo- 
 nition as may be judg< d necessary, and the 
 whole shall be concluded \a ith pra>erto Al- 
 mighty (iod that He would follow this act of 
 dit^cipiine with His blessing. 
 
 VI. When the seiitence of excommunica- 
 tion has been regularly passed, the Moderator
 
 tHU RtJtES OF biSCIPLlNB. 71 
 
 of the Session shall make a public statement 
 before the church of the several steps which 
 have been taken with respect to their offend- 
 ing brother, and inform them that it has been 
 found necessarj' to cut him off irom the com- 
 munion ot the Church. He shall then show the 
 authority of the Church to cast out unworthy- 
 members, from Matt, xviii: 15-18. and 1 Cor. 
 v:l-5. and shall explahi the nature, use and 
 consequence of This censiu'e, warning tiie peo- 
 ple, that they are to conduct themselves, in all 
 their intercourse witli him as is proper to- 
 wards one who is under the heaviest censure 
 ot the Church. He shall then pronounce sen- 
 tence to the follow ing eflect : 
 
 "Whereas, A B. a member of this church, 
 has been, by sufticient proof, convicted of the 
 
 sin of , and after much admonition and 
 
 prayer, obstinately refuses to heartheChurch, 
 and has maniftsted no evidence of repentance: 
 Therefore, in the name and by the authority 
 ot the Lord Jesus Christ, we, the Session of 
 the church of C. D., do pronounce him to be 
 excluded from the sacraments, and cut off 
 from the fellowship of thp ( hurch." 
 
 After which prayer shall be made that the 
 blessing of God may follow His ordinance, for 
 the conviction and reformation of the excom- 
 municated, and for the estabhshment of all 
 true believers. 
 
 VII. 'Jhe sentence of deposition shall be 
 pronounced by the Moderator, in words of the 
 following import : 
 
 " vVhereas, a. B.. a Minister of this Pres- 
 bytery [or a Kuling P:ider or [)eacon of this 
 church], has been proved, by sufficient evi- 
 dence, to be guilty of the sin of . we, 
 
 the Presbytery [or Church Session], of C. D.,
 
 72 THE RtJLES OP DISCIPLINE. 
 
 do a(ljncl<?e him totally disquniifiofl for the 
 office of the Christian Ministry [or Eldership, 
 or Deaeonship], and therefore we do hereby, 
 in the name and by the authority of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, depose from tlie office of a Chris- 
 tian Minister [or Elder, or Deacon], the said 
 A. B., and do prohibit him from exercising 
 any of the functions thereof." if the sentence 
 include suspension or excommunication, the 
 Moderator shall proceed to say : '* We do 
 moreover, by the same authority, suspend 
 the said A. B. from the sacraments of the 
 Church, until he shall exhibit satisfactory evi- 
 dence of sincere repentance," or '* exclude the 
 said A. B. from the sacraments, and cut him 
 off from the fellowship of the Church." 
 
 The sentence of deposition ought to be in- 
 fficted with solemnities similar to those al- 
 ready prescribed iu the case of excommuni- 
 caiiou. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 OP THE REMOVAL OF CENSURES. 
 
 I. After any person has been suspended 
 from the sacraments, it is proper that the 
 rulers of the church should frequently con- 
 verse with him, as well as pray with him. and 
 for him, that it would please God to give him 
 repentance. 
 
 II. When the court shall be satisfied as to 
 the reality of the repentance of a suspended 
 offender, he shall be admitted to profess his 
 repentance, either in the presence of the court
 
 THE Rm-ES OF DISCIPLINE. 73 
 
 alone, or publicly, and be restored to the sac- 
 raments of the (Jbiirch, and to his office, if 
 such be the jud^iiiient of tlie court, which re- 
 sroration shall be declared to the penitent in 
 words of the following import : 
 
 "VVhekeas, You, A. B.. have been de- 
 barred from the sacraments of the Church 
 [and from the office of the gospel Ministry, or 
 Klder.^liip, or Deaconsliip], but have now 
 nianii.jsted such repentance as satisfies the 
 churcli, we, the Session (or Pres^bytery) of C. 
 D., do hereby, in the name and Ijy the author- 
 ity of the Lord Jesus Christ, absolve you from 
 the said sentence of suspension, and do re- 
 store you to tilt' full enjoyment of sealing or- 
 dinances, [and tlie exercise of your said office, 
 and ali the functions tlureof,]" 
 
 After whicli tliere shall be prayer and 
 thanksgiving. 
 
 IK. When an excommunicated person sliall 
 be so affected with his >tate as to be brought 
 to repentance, and to dr-sire to be readmit; ed 
 to the communion of the Church, the Session, 
 having obtained sufficient evidenc^^ of his sin- 
 cere p'-nitenc-, sliall proceed to restore him. 
 In order to which, the presiding Minister shall 
 inform the church of the measures which 
 have been taken with the excommunicated 
 person, and of the resolution of the Session 
 to restore him. 
 
 On the d-y appointed for his restoration, 
 the Minist'T shall call upon the excommuni- 
 cated person, and propose to him in the pres- 
 ence of the congregation the f>llo\\ing ques- 
 tions : 
 
 " Do you from a deep sense of your great 
 wickedness, freely confess your sin in thus 
 rebelling against God, and in refusing to hear
 
 74 THE RULES OF DTSCirLTNE. 
 
 His Church; and do yrii acknowledge that 
 you have been in justice and mercy cut off 
 from the communion ottlie Churchy Answer. 
 — I do. Do you now voluntarily profess 
 your sincere 'repentance and contrition for 
 your sin and obstinacy : and do you humbly 
 ask the forgiveness of God and His Church"? 
 Answer. — I do. Do you sincerely proniise, 
 through divine grace, to live in all hum- 
 bleness of mind and circumspection ; and to 
 endeavor to adorn the doctrine of God our 
 Savior, by having your conversation as 
 becometh the gospel? A7iswer.—l do.'' 
 
 Here the minister shall give the penitent a 
 suitable exhortation, encouraging and com- 
 forting him. Then he shall pronounce the 
 sentence of restoration in the following 
 words : 
 
 "Whereas, you, A. B., have be^n shut out 
 from the communion of the Church, but have 
 now manifested such repentance as satisties 
 the Church ; in the name of the I^ord Jesus 
 Christ, and by His authority, we, the Session 
 of this church, do declare you absolved from 
 the sentence of excommunication formerly 
 denounced against you ; and we do restore 
 you to the communion of the Church, that 
 you may be a partaker of all the benetits of 
 the Lord Jesus to your eternal salvation." 
 
 The whole shall be concluded with prayer 
 and thanksgiving. 
 
 IV. The restoration of a deposed officer, 
 after public confession has been made in a 
 manner similar to that prescribed in the case 
 of the removal of censure f om an excommun- 
 icated person, shall be announced to him by 
 the Moderator in the tollowing form, viz : 
 
 <' Whereas, you, A. B., formerly a Minister
 
 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 75 
 
 of this Presbytery, [or a Ruling Elder or 
 Deacon of this chinch,] have been deposed 
 from 3^our othce, but have now manifested 
 such repentance as satisfies the Church ; in 
 the name ot the Lord Jesus Christ, and by 
 His authority, we, the Presbytery of C. D., 
 [or the Session of this church.] do declare 
 you absolved trora the said sentence of depo- 
 sition formerly pronounced aid^ainst you ; and 
 we do furthermore restore you to your said 
 office, and to the exercise of all the functions 
 thereof, whenever you may be orderly called 
 thereto." 
 
 After which there shall be prayer and 
 thanksgiving, and the members of the court 
 shall extend to him the right hand of fel- 
 lowship. 
 
 V. When an Elder or Deacon has been 
 absolved from the censure of deposition, he 
 can not be allowed ;o resume the exercis'' of 
 his oftice in the church without re-election by 
 the peop'e. 
 
 Vi. >Vhen a person under censure shall 
 remove to a part of the countr}'^ remote from 
 the court by which he was sentenced, and 
 shall desire to profess repentnnce and obtain 
 restoration it shall be lawful for the court, 
 if it deem ir expedient, to transmit a certified 
 copy of its proceedings to the Session (or 
 Prest»ytery) where ihe delinquent resides, 
 which shall take up the case, and proceed 
 with it as though it had originated with 
 itself. 
 
 VII. In proceeding to restore a suspended 
 or deposed Minister, it is the duty of the Pres- 
 bytery to exercise great caution ; first admit- 
 ting him to the sacraments, if he has been 
 ^^baiTed from the same, afterwards granting
 
 76 THE RULES OP DISCIPLINE. 
 
 him the pnvile<?e of preaching for a peason on 
 probation, so as to test tlie" sincerity ol his 
 repentance and the prospect ofln's iisefuhiess; 
 and finally restoring him to his ofhcc But 
 the case shall always be sub judice until 
 the sentence of restoration has been pro- 
 nounced. 
 
 CHAPTER Xri. 
 
 OF CASES WITHOUT PROCESS. 
 
 I. When any person shall come forward 
 and make his offence known to the court, a 
 full statement of the facts shall be recorded, 
 and judgment rendered without process. 
 
 II. When a communicating member shall 
 confess before the church Session an unie- 
 generate heart, and there is no evidence of 
 other offence, the court may transfer his 
 name to the roll of non-communicating mem- 
 bers, and he shall be faithfully warmd of his 
 guilt in disobeying the gospel, and encour- 
 aged 10 seek the redi mption freely offered in 
 Christ ; and a statement of the case sliall be 
 made to the chin-ch. But tlii>t action shall 
 not be taken until the church Session has 
 ascertaint'd, after mature inquiry and due 
 delay, that this confession does not result 
 from Satanic teniptation or transient dark- 
 ness of spirit. This rule, however, shall not 
 be applied to those who wilfully absent them- 
 selves from the Lords tiible, which is always 
 an offence. 
 
 III. A Minister of the gospel, against whom
 
 THE RULES OP DTSCirLINE. 77 
 
 there are no charges, if fully satisfied in his 
 own conscience that God has not called him 
 to the ministry, or if he has satisf istory evi- 
 dence of his inability to serve the Church 
 with acceptance, may report these facts at a 
 stated meetintr. At the next stated meetinof, 
 if after full deliberation the Presbytery sluili 
 concur with him in judgment, it may divest 
 him of his office without censure, and shall 
 assign him membership in some particular 
 church. 
 
 IV. When a member or officer shall re- 
 nounce the communion of this Church by 
 ioiuing some other evangelical Church, if in 
 good standing, the irregularity shall be re- 
 corded, and his name erased. But if charges 
 are pending against him, they shall be com- 
 municated to theChurch which he has joined. 
 If the denomination be heretical, an officer 
 shall have his name stricken from the roll, 
 and all authority to exercise his office 
 derived from this Church shall be withdrawn 
 from him ; but a private member shall 
 not be othei'wjse noticed than as above pre- 
 scribed.
 
 78 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 OP THE MODES IN WHICH A CAUSE MAY BK 
 
 CARRIED FROM A LOWER TO A 
 
 HIGHER COURT. 
 
 I. Every decision which is made by any 
 church court, except the hiij-hest, is subj<'Ct 
 to the review of a superior court, and may 
 be brought before it by genernl review and 
 control, reference, appeal, or complaint. 
 
 I[. When a matter is transferred in any 
 of these ways from an inferior to a superior 
 court, the members of the inferior court shall 
 not lose their right to .«it, deliberate, and vote 
 in the case in tlie hiyher courts, except that 
 either of the original parties may challenge 
 the right of any members of the inferior 
 court to sit, which question shall be decided 
 by the vote of all those members of the 
 superior court who are not members of the 
 inferior. 
 
 Section I — Of General Review and Control, 
 
 I. It is the duty of every court above a 
 church Session, at lea*t once a year, to 
 review the records of the proceedings of the 
 courts next below. And if any lower court 
 shall omit to send up its records for this pur- 
 pose, the higher court may issue an order to 
 proQUce them, either immediately, or at a 
 particular time, as circumstances may re- 
 quire. 
 
 II. In reviewing the records of an inferior 
 court, it is proper to examine. First, Whether 
 the proceedings have been constitutional and 
 regular ; Secondly, Whether they have been 
 wise, equitable, and for the edilication of the
 
 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 79 
 
 Church ; Thirdly^ Whether they have been 
 correctly recorded; Fourthly, Whether the 
 lawful injunctions of the superior courts have 
 been obeyed. 
 
 III. In most cases tlie superior court may 
 be considered as fulfilling' its duty by simply 
 recording on its own minutes the approval, 
 the correction of proceedings, or the censure 
 which it may think proper to pass on the 
 records under review ; and also by making 
 an entry of the same in the book reviewed. 
 But should any irregular proceedings be found 
 such as demand the interference ot the super- 
 ior court, the inferior court may be required 
 to review and correct them. 
 
 IV. In cases of process, however, no judg- 
 ment of an inferior court shall be reversed, 
 unless it be regularly brought up by appeal 
 or complaint. 
 
 V. Courts may sometimes entirely neglect 
 to perform their dutj', by which neglect here- 
 tical opinions, or corrupt practices may be 
 allowed to gain ground ; or oflenders of a 
 very gross character may be suffered to 
 escape ; on some circumstances in their pro- 
 ceedings of very gi'eat irregularity may not 
 be distinctly recorded by them ; in any of 
 which cases their records' will by no means 
 exhibit to the superior court a full view of 
 their pr'^eeedings. If, therefore, the next 
 superior court be well advised tliat any such 
 neglect or irregularity has occurred on the 
 pare of the inferior court, it is incumbent on 
 it to take cognizance of the sanae and to exam- 
 ine, deliberate and judge in the whole matter 
 as completely as if it liad been recorded, 
 4nd thus brought up by the review of th© 
 records.
 
 80 THE RULES OP DISCrPLTNE. 
 
 VI. When any court having appellate jur- 
 isdiction shall be advised, either by the re- 
 cords of the court next below, or by me- 
 morial, either with or without protest, or by 
 any othor satisfactory method, of any impor- 
 tant delinquency or grossly unconstitutional 
 proceedings of such court, the first step shall 
 be to cite the court alleged to have offended 
 to appear by representative or in writing, at 
 a specified time and place, and to show what 
 it has done or failed to do in the case in ques- 
 tion. The court thus issuing the citation 
 may reverse or redress the proceedings of the 
 court below in other than judicial cases ; or it 
 may censure the delinquent court ; or it 
 may remit the whole matter to the delinquent 
 court, with an injunction to take it up and 
 dispose of it in a constitutional manner ; or it 
 may stay all further proceedings in the case, 
 as circumstances may require. 
 
 VII. In process against an inferior court, 
 the trial shall be conducted according to the 
 rules provided for process against individuals, 
 so far as they may be applicable. 
 
 Section II. — Of References. 
 
 I. A reference is a representation of a mat- 
 ter not yet decided, made by an inferior to a 
 superior com-t, which representation ought 
 always to be in writing. 
 
 II. Cases which are new, important, diffi- 
 cult or of peculiar delicacy, the decision of 
 which may establish principles or precedents 
 of extensive influence ; on which the senti- 
 ments of the inferior court are greatly divided; 
 or on wliich, for any reason, it is desirable 
 that a superior court should first decide, are 
 proper subjects for reference.
 
 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 81 
 
 III. References are either for mere advice, 
 preparatory to a decision by the inferior 
 court ; or for ultimate decision by the super- 
 ior court. 
 
 IV. In the former case, the reference only 
 suspends the decision of the court from which 
 it comes ; in the latter, it submits the whole 
 case to the final judg^ment of the superior 
 court. 
 
 V. Although references may, in some cases, 
 be proper, yet it is, generally, conducive to 
 the good ot the Church that every court 
 should fulfil its duty by exercising its judg- 
 ment. 
 
 VI. A reference ought, generally, to pro- 
 cure advice Irom the superior court, yet that 
 court is not bound to give a final judgment, 
 but may remit the whole case, either with 
 or without advice, to the court by which it 
 was referred. 
 
 Vil. Eeferences by any court are to be made 
 to the court immediately superior, 
 
 VII r. When a court makes a reference, it 
 ought to have all the testimony and other 
 documents duly prepared, produced, and in 
 perfect readiness, so that the superior court 
 may be able to consider and issue the case 
 with as little difficulty or delay as possible. 
 
 Section III, — Of Appeals. 
 
 I. An appeal is the removal of a cause, 
 already decided, from an inferior to a super- 
 ior coui% the efiect of which is to arrest sen- 
 tence until the matter is finally decided. It is 
 allowable only after judgment has been ren- 
 dered, and to the party against whom the 
 decision has been rendered. 
 
 II. Those who have not submitted to a
 
 82 THE RULES OP DISCIPLlNB. 
 
 regular trial are not entitled to appeal. 
 
 nr. Any irregularity in the proceedinors o( 
 the inferior court; a refusal ol reasonable indul- 
 gence to a party on trial; declining to receive 
 important testimony ; hurrying to a decision 
 before the testimony is Jully taken; a mani- 
 festation of prejudice in the cause; and mis- 
 take or injustice in the judgment, are all pro- 
 per grounds of appeal. 
 
 IV . Every appellant is bound to give notice 
 of his intention to appeal, and also to lay the 
 reasons thereof in writing before the court 
 appealed from, either before its rising or 
 within ten days thereafter. If this notice oi 
 these reasons be not given to the court while 
 in session, they shall be lodged with the Mod- 
 erator or Clerk. 
 
 V. No appeal shall be carried from an 
 inferior to any other court than the one imme- 
 diately superior, without its consent. 
 
 VI. The appellant shall lodge his appeal, 
 and the reasons of it, with the Clerk of the 
 higher court before the close of the second 
 day of its sessions ; and the appearance of the 
 appellant and appellee shall be either in person 
 or by writing. 
 
 Yll. In taking up an appeal, after ascer- 
 taining that the appellant on his part has 
 conducted it regularly, the first stop shall be 
 to read "the record of the cause;" the second, 
 to hear the parties, first the appellant, then 
 the appellee, and the appellant shall close; the 
 third, to call the roll, that the members may 
 express their opinion in the cause ; and then 
 the vote shall be taken. 
 
 VI LI. The decision may be either to confirm 
 or reverse, in whole or in part, the judgment 
 of the inferior court ; or to remit the cause
 
 THE RULES OF DISCIPLINE. 83 
 
 for the purpose of amending the record; 
 should ir appear to be incorrect or defective, 
 or for a new trial. 
 
 IX. If an appellant, after entering his 
 appeal to a superior courr, fail to prosecute 
 it, it shall be considered as abandoned, and 
 the judgment appealed from shall be tinal. 
 And" an appellant shall be considered as aban- 
 doning his app: al if he do not appear before 
 the appellate court by the second day of its 
 meeting next ensuing the date of his notice 
 of appeal, unless it shall appear that he was 
 prevented by the providence of God from sea- 
 sonably prosecuting it. 
 
 X. Jf an appellant is found to manifest a 
 litigious or other unchristian spirit in the 
 prosecution of his appeal, he shall be cen- 
 sured according to the degree of his offence. 
 
 XI. If the infliction of the sentence of sus- 
 pension, excommuuication or deposition be 
 arrested by appeal, the judgment appealed 
 from shall nevertheless be considered as in 
 force uutid the appeal shall be issued. 
 
 XII. if any court shall negleot to send up 
 the record of the cause, especially if thereby 
 an appellant who has proceeded with regu- 
 larity shall be deprived of ihe privilege of 
 having his appeal seasonably tried, it shall be 
 censured according to the circumstances of the 
 case, and thi- judgment appealed from shall 
 be suspende^d until the record be produced, 
 upon which the issue can be fairly tried. 
 
 Section IV. — Of Complaints. 
 
 I. A comp'aint is a representation made to 
 a superior court against an inferior court. 
 Any member ot the Church, submittin^to its 
 authority, may complain against every species
 
 84 THE RULES OP DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ©f decision, except where a party, against 
 whom a decision has been rendered, takes 
 his appeal against it. But the complaint shall 
 not suspend, while pending, the effect of the 
 decision complained of. 
 
 II. Notice of complaint sliall be given in the 
 same form and time as notice of appeal. 
 
 III. The parties to a complaint shall be 
 denominated complainant and respondent ; 
 and the latter shall be the court against which 
 the comi)laint is taken. After tlie superior 
 court has ascertained that the complaint is 
 regular, its tirst step shall be to read "the 
 record ' of the case; its second, to hear the 
 complainant; its third, to hear the respondent 
 by its representative ; its fourth, to hear the 
 comphiinant again ; and then it shall consider 
 and decide the case. 
 
 IV. The superior court has discretionary 
 power either to annul any portion or the 
 whole of the decision complained of. or to 
 send it back to the inferior court with instruc- 
 tions for a new hearing. 
 
 V. The court against which complaint is 
 taken is bound to send up its records in the 
 case, as liereinbefore provided. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 OF DISSENTS AND PROTESTS. 
 
 I. A dissent is a declaration on the part of 
 one or more members of a minority in a 
 court,expressin^ a different opinion from that 
 of the majority in a particular case. A dis-
 
 THE RULES OP DISCIPLINE. S5 
 
 sent unaccompained with reasons shall be 
 entered on the records of the court. 
 
 II. A protest is a more solemn and formal 
 declaration by members of a minority bearing 
 th( ir testimony acjainst what they deem a 
 mischievous or erroneous judgment, and is 
 generally accompanied with a detail of the 
 reasons on which it is founded. 
 
 III. If a protest or dissent be couched in 
 temperate language, and be respectful to the 
 court, it shall he recorded; and the court may, 
 if deemed necessar}^ put an answer to the 
 protest on the records along with it. But 
 here the matter shall end, unless the parties 
 protesting obtain permission to withdraw 
 their protest absolutely, or for the sake of 
 amendment. 
 
 IV. None can join in a protest against a 
 decision of any court, except those who had 
 a right to vote in the case. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 OFJURISDICTION. 
 
 I. When any member shall remove from 
 one clmrch to another, he shall produce satis- 
 factory testimonials of his church-member- 
 ship and dismis-ion before he be admitted as 
 a regular member of that congregation, unless 
 the church Session has other satisfactory 
 means of information. 
 
 II. VVlien a church member or officer shall 
 remove his resid'Mce beyond the bounds of 
 the court to whose jurisdiction he belongs
 
 86 THE RULES OF IMSCIPLTNB. 
 
 into the bounds of another, it he shall noglect 
 for twelve months, without satisfactory rea- 
 gons given to both these courts, to transfer 
 his ecclesiastical relations, the court whose 
 bounds he has It^ft shall be required to trans- 
 fer them. And should that court neglect 
 this duty, the one into whose bounds he has 
 removed shall assume jurisdiction, giving due 
 notice to the other body. 
 
 III. Members of one chui'ch dismissed to 
 ^oin another shall be held to be under the 
 jurisdiction of the Session dismissing them, till 
 they form a regular connection with that to 
 which tliey have been dismissed. 
 
 IV. If the residence of a communicating 
 member be unknown for three years, he shall 
 be retired upon a separate roll until he shall 
 reappear and give satisfaction ; of which due 
 record shall be made. 
 
 V. When a Presbj^tery shall dismiss a min- 
 ister, probationer or candidate, the name of 
 the Presbyterj'^ to which he is dismissed shall 
 be given in the certificate, and he shall remain 
 under the jurisdiction of the Presbytery dis- 
 missing him, until- received by the other. 
 
 VI. No certificate of dismission, from either 
 a Session or a Presbytery, shall be valid testi- 
 mony of good standing for a longer period 
 than one year, unless its earlier presentation 
 be hindered by some providential cause ; and 
 such certificates given to persons who have 
 left the bounds of the Session or Presbytery 
 granting them, shall certify the standing of 
 such persons only to the time of their leaving 
 those bounds.
 
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