PUBLISHED byAUTHQRJTY OF THE. GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY From the collection of James Collins, Drumcondra, Ireland. Purchased, 1918. 285.2 P92.c THE Constitution and Government OF THE Pmbgtmatt Cljutrij in felanir, WITH A DIRECTORY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF ORDINANCES. IttMisjjefr Iju t|rc ^tttlroxtt]| of tjre ©mral ^ssornWg. BELFAST: 1887 . PRINTED AT THE UNIVERSITY BOOK-PRINTING HOUSE, (Allen , Son & Allen), 40 AND 42 ARTHUR STREET. 2*5. X CONTENTS. i * 1 CHAPTER I. Section THE CHURCH. Page I. The Church Catholic 9 II. Head of the Church. . .. 10 III. Officers in the Church . . . . . . 11 IV. Power of the Teaching and Ruling Elders of the Church in things spiritual 14 V. Right of Private Judgment 16 VI. Right of Church Members to choose their Officers . • . • 18 CHAPTER II. THE RULE OF FAITH 18 CHAPTER III. THE JUDICATORIES OR COURTS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. I. II. III. IV. I. II. IIP. IV. V. Judicatories and their Constitution Powers of Judicatories, and their Relations to one another . . General Rules for the Management of Business in Judicatories Rules for the Management of Business in Church Courts in cases of Reference and Appeal CHAPTER IV. . THE SESSION. Qualifications and Election of Ruling Elders Ordination and Installation of Ruling Elders Duties of Ruling Elders . . Meetings of the Session Jurisdiction of the Session CHAPTER V. THE BOARD OF DEACONS. I. Qualifications of Deacons and their Appointment to Office II. Duties of the Board of Deacons . . 19 20 23 31 34 37 39 40 41 44 46 437490 IV CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. Section THE CONGREGATION. Page I. Meetings of the Congregation 50 II. Trustees of the Property of the Congregation 51 CHAPTER VII. THE PRESBYTERY. I. Meetings of the Presbytery 52 II. Rights and Duties of the Presbytery 54 III. Jurisdiction of the Presbytery over Ministers 59 IV. Jurisdiction of the Presbytery over Sessions and Boards of Deacons 62 V. Jurisdiction. of the Presbytery over Students for the Ministry 63 VI. Jurisdiction of the Presbytery over Licentiates and Ministers without Charge 71 VII. Jurisdiction of the Presbytery over Congregations : 1. Formation, Amalgamation, and General Oversight of Con- gregations . . 73 2. Supply of Ordinances in Congregations which are without Ministers, or where Ministers have retired from Active Duty 75 3. Preparation of Lists of Voters for Congregations Requiring Ministers 76 4. Arrangements for the Hearing of Candidates in Congre- gations 78 5. Moderation in Calls from Congregations to Ministers or Licentiates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 6. Receiving Trial Discourses from Licentiates 85 7. Ordination and Installation of Ministers 85 8. Visitation of Congregations . . 89 CHAPTER VIII. THE gJNOD. I. Meetings of the Synod 95 II. Powers and Duties of the Synod 98 CHAPTER IX. THE GENERAL ASSEIOLY. I. Meetings of the General Assembly 100 II. Powers of the General Assembly 103 III. Committees of the General Assembly 105 CONTENTS. V CHAPTER X. PROCEDURE IN CASES OF SCANDAL AND IN THE INFLICTION AND Section REMOVAL OF CHURCH CENSURES. Page I. General Principles .. .. .. .. 115 II. General Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 III. Procedure where there is a Fama Clamosa . . . . . . 126 IV. Procedure where there is a Complaint . . 128 V. Special Rules as to Cases before the Session 129 VI. Special Rules as to Cases before the Presbytery . . . . 129 VII. Sentences 130 CHAPTER XI. A DIRECTORY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF ORDINANCES. I. The Worship of God . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 II. The Sanctification of the Lord’s Day . . 134 III. Public Services of the Lord’s Day : 135 1. Singing of Psalms 136 2. Reading of the Scriptures 136 3. Prayer 137 4. The Preaching of the Word 139 5. The Administration of Baptism . . . . . . . . 140 6. The Administration of the Lord’s Supper 143 IV. Days of Humiliation and Thanksgiving . . . . . . . . 146 V. Secret Devotion and Family Worship . . . . . . . . 146 VI. Prayer Meetings 147 VII. The Solemnization of Marriage . . . . . . . . . . 147 VIII. Ministerial Visitation .. .. .. .. .. .. 149 IX. The Visitation of the Sick . . .. .. .. .. .. 149 X. The Burial of the Dead 151 CHAPTER XII. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE ASSEMBLY’S COLLEGES. I. The Presbyterian College, Belfast 152 II. The Magee Presbyterian College, Londonderry 154 CHAPTER XIII. THE SUSTENTATION FUND. I. Objects of the Fund and Claims upon it . . . . . . . . 159 II. Organization of the Fund 159 III. Management of the Fund ^ . . . . . 160 IV. Regulations for Application of the Fund 161 VI CONTENTS. Section CHAPTER XIY. p ag e THE COMMUTATION FUND. 166 CHAPTER XY. THE MISSIONS. I. General Rules of Management . . . . . . . . . . 167 II. The Irish Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 III. The Church Extension Scheme 171 IV. The Mission to Soldiers and Sailors, and for Weak Congrega- tions 172 V. The Foreign Mission . . .... . . . . . . 173 VI. The Jewish Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174 VII. The Colonial Mission . . . . . . . . . . , . 175 VIII. The Continental Mission . . . . . . . . 175 APPENDIX. I. Act of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland approv- ing the Confession of Faith 176 II. Forms of Certificate to Members of Congregations : 1. Certificate of Disjunction to a Member in full Communion 177 2. Certificate of Disjunction to a Member not in full Com- munion . . . . . . . . 177 3. Certificate of Marriage . . . . 178 4. Certificate of Baptism . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 III. Form of Commission of Ruling Elder to a Presbytery. . . . 178 IV. Forms of Notification by Clerks of Presbyteries, Commissions, or Synods : 1. Notification of Licensure 178 2. Notification of Ordination or Installation of a Minister . . 179 3. Notification of the Death or Resignation of a Minister .. 179 4. Notification of the Suspension or Degradation of a Minister, or of his being Disannexed from his Charge . . . . 179 5. Notification of Days of Meeting of a Presbytery . . . . 179 V. Forms of Credentials to Ministers and Licentiates : 1. Credentials to a Minister of a Congregation . . . . . . 179 2. Credentials to a Minister without a Charge 180 3. Credentials to a Licentiate . . . . . . . . . . 180 VI. Forms of Memorials and Petitions : 1. Memorial to a Presbytery for Supply of Preaching, with a view to the erection of a New Congregation in a district remote from other Congregations of the Church . . . . 181 CONTENTS. Vil Section Page 2. Memorial for Supply of Preaching, with a view to the erec- tion of a New Congregation in the neighbourhood of other Congregations of the Church . . . . . . . . . . 181 3. Memorial for Supply of Preaching and other Gospel Ordi- nances in a Congregation without a Minister, or where the Minister has obtained leave to retire from active duty 182 4. Memorial for Preparation of List of Voters in a Vacant Congregation . . . , 182 5. Petition of a Congregation to a Presbytery, or a Commission of a Presbytery, to obtain for them the Hearing of a Candidate or Candidates on Trial . . . . . . 182 6. Petition of a Congregation to a Presbytery, or to a Commis- sion of a Presbytery, to Moderate in a Call to a Candidate 183 VII. Forms of Notices to Congregations : 1. Notice to a Congregation of a proposed reading of a List of Voters 183 2. Notice to a Congregation of the intention to Petition a Presbytery, or a Commission of a Presbytery, for the hearing of a Candidate or Candidates on Trial . . . . 183 3. Notice to a Congregation as to a Petition to a Presbytery, or a Commission of a Presbytery, to Moderate in a Call . . 183 4. Notice to a Congregation of appointment of a Commission of Presbytery to Moderate in a Call to a Minister or Licentiate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 5. Notice to a Congregation of a meeting to appoint New Trustees 184 VIII. Form of Lease and other Forms relating to Congregational Property : 1. Lease of Site for a Church, or Manse, or School-house, etc., or for a Glebe 185 2. Declaration of Trust 188 3. Memorandum of choice and appointment of New Trustees of Congregational Property 190 IX. Forms as to Overtures : 1. Overture from a Presbytery or Synod . . . . . . 191 2. Overture from a member of a Church Court . . . . 191 3. Extract Minute as to an Overture sent down by the General Assembly 191 X. Forms of Charges : I. Charges in Cases of Complaint— 1. Charge of Immorality against a Church Member . . . . 192 2. Charge of Immorality against a Minister 192 viii CONTENTS. Section Page 3. Charge of Heresy against a Minister, or Licentiate . . 193 4. Alternative Charge in a case of Heresy 193 II. Charges in Cases of Fama Clamosa — 1. Charge of Immorality against a Minister or Licentiate . . 194 2. Charge of Heresy against a Minister or Licentiate . . 194 XI. Form of Oath of Purgation 195 XII. Bye-Laws, Rules, and Regulations made by Belfast Presbyterian College Trustees 195 XIII. Scheme for Building and Endowment of Magee Presbyterian College, Londonderry .. •• 199 XIV. Bye-Laws of the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland 205 XV. Rules for Preservation of Documents in Muniment Room of General Assembly, and for access to such Documents 209 XVI. Form of Bequest to the Presbyterian Church 210 Index 211 THE CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE <&f)uxtf) in Errlantr, WITH A DIRECTORY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF ORDINANCES. CHAPTER I. THE CHUBCH. Section I. — The Church Catholic. 1. The Church of Christ may be regarded as the Church invisible, or the Church visible. 2. The invisible Church, which is catholic or universal, con- sists of the whole number of the elect who have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the Head.* 3. The visible Church which, under the Gospel, is catholic or universal (not confined to one nation as before, under the law), consists of all persons throughout the world who profess to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, and to live obedient to the precepts of His Word, together with their children. + * Eph. v. 25-27 — Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it ; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Heb. xii. 23 — To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven. Col. i. 18, 24 — And he is the head of the body, the church .... for hia body’s sake, which is the church. Eph. i. 22, 23 — And gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (See also John xi. 52.) f Acts vii. 38 — This is he that was in the church in the wilderness. Dan. vii. 13, 14 — I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him : his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Col. i. 1, 2, compared with Col. iii. 20 — Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ 10 THE CHURCH. 4. The catholic or universal Church visible includes many particular Churches. 5. A particular visible Church consists of a number of persons (with their children) who profess faith in Christ and obedience to Him, and are associated for the administration and observance of ordinances according to the Scriptures ; or of a number of con- gregations under a common government.* * Section II. — Head of the Church. 6. The Lord Jesus Christ is the sole King and Head of the Church, and He has appointed therein a government to be administered by officers, such government being distinct from civil magistracy. The Kingdom of Christ is not of this world ; its laws are founded upon His authority, they are specially directed to the conscience, and their sanctions are spiritual, t by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse Children, obey your parents in all things ; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Gen. xvii. 7 — I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Acts ii. 39 — For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 1 Cor. vii. 14 — For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean ; but now are they holy. Matt. xiii. 47 — Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind. Matt. xiii. 41 — The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity. * Acts xv. 41 — And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. 1 Cor. xvi. 19— The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. Gal. i. 22 — And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judasa which were in Christ. Acts viii. 1 — And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem. Acts ix. 31 — Then had the churches [correct reading “ church”] rest throughout all Judasa and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified ; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. •f Col. i. 18 — And he is the head of the body, the church. Eph. i. 22, 23 — And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him OFFICERS IN THE CHURCH. 11 Section III. — Officers in the Church. 7. Officers in the Church are divided into two classes, extra- ordinary and ordinary. 8. At the head of the extraordinary officers stood the Apostles, who — having seen the Lord and having been appointed to be witnesses of His resurrection, and having been endowed with power to work miracles and impart spiritual gifts, and to declare infallibly the doctrine, worship, and polity of the Church — have, as Apostles, no successors.* * to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Eph. v. 23 — For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church : and he is the saviour of the body. Eph. iv. 15, 16 — But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. Psalm ii. 6 — Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. John xviii. 36 — Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world : if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews : but now is my kingdom not from hence. Matt, xxviii. 18-20 — And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Heb. xiii. 17 — Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves : for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account. 1 Peter v. 1, 2 — The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder. . . . Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the over- sight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly ; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. * Eph. iv. 11-13 — And he gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ : till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Eph. iii. 5 — Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. (See also 1 Cor. xii. 28-31.) 2 Cor. xii. 12 — Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. Acts viii. 17, 18 — Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money. Acts i. 21, 22— Wherefore of these men which have companied with us 12 THE CHURCH. 9. Ordinary officers in the Church of Christ, according to the New Testament, are Presbyters (Elders) or Bishops, and Deacons. That bishop and presbyter (elder) were in the apostolic Church but different titles for the same officer is plain from Acts xx. 17, compared with Acts xx. 28, where we find Paul charging the presbyters or elders of the Church of Ephesus to take heed to the flock over the which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers or bishops . Paul, in Titus i. 5-7 , also directs that those appointed to the office of elder should be of blameless character, because “ a bishop must be blameless.” Peter exhorts elders (1 Peter v. 1, 2) — “ Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof ” — that is, exercising the office of bishop in the Church. The presbyter (elder) or bishop receives in Scripture different titles expressive of the various duties incumbent on him. As he has oversight of the flock, he is termed bishop or overseer ; as he is required to be grave and prudent in guiding and govern- ing the Church, he is termed presbyter or elder . These different titles, and others, are in Scripture applied to the same officers, without marking any superiority or difference of rank. All elders were apostolic bishops, and held their commission from Christ. In each apostolic Church there was a plurality of elders. All elders ruled, and some of them also laboured in the word and doctrine. Hence the titles Teaching Elder and Buling Elder.* * all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. 1 Cor. ix. 1 — Am I not an apostle ? am I not free ? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord ? are not ye my work in the Lord ? * Phil. i. 1 — Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. 1 Tim. iii. 2, 8 — A bishop then must be blameless. . . .Likewise must the deacons be grave. Acts xx. 17, 18, 28 — And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them .... Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers [bishops] , to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Titus i. 5-7 — Por this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee : if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God ; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre. 1 Peter v. 1, 2— The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder. .. .Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight bishopric] thereof. OFFICEBS IN THE CHUBCH. 13 10. The Teaching Elder, in addition to the oversight of the Church, which he exercises in conjunction with the Ruling Elders, labours in the word and doctrine, and is set for the defence of the Gospel. As he is sent to preach the Gospel and to instruct the people, he is called 'preacher and teacher ; and as the servant of his Divine Master, and of the people for his Master’s sake, he is called minister .* * 11. The Ruling Elder is appointed to watch for souls and to exercise government and discipline in conjunction with the Teaching Elder : Heb. xiii. 17 — “ Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls as they that must give account 1 Tim. v. 17 — “ Let the elders Acts xiv. 23 — And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 1 Tim. v. 17 — Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. * 1 Tim. v. 17 — Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. Phil. i. 17 — I am set for the defence of the gospel. Bom. x. 14, 15 — How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed ? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach, except they be sent ? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things ! 1 Cor. ix. 14 — Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. 1 Cor. xii. 28, 29 —And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles ? are all prophets ? are all teachers ? are all workers of miracles ? Eph. iv. 11 — And he gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pastors and teachers. 1 Tim. ii. 7 — Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not ;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 2 Tim. i. 11— Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 2 Tim. iv. 2 — Preach the word ; be instant in season, out of season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine. Eph. vi. 21 — But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things. Col. i. 7, 24, 25 — As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow- servant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ . . . for his body’s sake, which is the church : whereof I am made a minister. 2 Cor. iv. 5 — For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord ; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 14 THE CHUECH. that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” In Rom. xii. 7, 8, he who is appointed to teach is exhorted to wait on teaching : he that ruleth is exhorted to rule with diligence.* 12. Deacons are distinct officers in the Church, appointed to care for the poor and to manage the temporal affairs of the congregation.! Section IY. — Power of the Teaching- and Ruling Bldees of the Chuech in Things Spiritual. 18. Teachers in the Church, in reliance upon the promised aid of the Holy Spirit, are to search the Scriptures in order to ascertain the mind of the Spirit speaking therein ; to declare the whole counsel of God ; to produce the authority of Scripture for what they teach ; and to administer those rites, and those only, which are prescribed in the Word, or which are sanctioned therein for the Church by Christ’s example, or by apostolic practice. I * Acts xi. 29, 30 — Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judasa : which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. Acts xv. 6 — And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. Acts xvi. 4 — And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. James v. 14, 15 — Is any sick among you ? let him call for the elders of the church ; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord : and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. f Phil. i. 1 — Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. Acts vi. 2, 3 — Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 1 Tim. iii. 8-13 — Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double- tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre ; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. J Isa. viii. 20 — To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. POWER OF CHUKCH OFFICERS. 15 14. The teachers and rulers of the Church, both in teaching and ruling, are bound to have respect to the laws which Christ has given in His Word for the preservation of order and purity in His Church. They are empowered, and it is their duty, to receive into the communion of the Church those who make a credible profession of faith in Christ ; to “reprove, rebuke, exhort to exclude the unworthy from the communion of the Church ; and to restore the penitent in the spirit of meekness. In the discharge of these various duties they are entitled to receive the assistance of the other members of the Church.* * Hag. i. 13 — Then spake Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, in the Lord’s message unto the people. Acts xvii. 11 — These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 1 Tim. iv. 13, 15, 16 — Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhorta- tion, to doctrine. .. .Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them ; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine ; continue in them. Titus i. 9 — Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. Titus ii. 1 — But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. 2 John 10 — If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. John xiii. 15 — For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 1 Peter ii. 21 — Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps. Acts ii. 42 — And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 1 Cor. xi. 1, 2 — Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. Phil. iv. 9 — Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do. 2 Tim. iii. 14 — But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. Heb. xiii. 7 — Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God : whose faith follow. * Acts xx. 26, 27 — Wherefore I take you to record this day, that lam pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Acts ii. 41 — Then they that gladly received his word were baptized : and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 1 Thess. v. 14 — Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 2 Tim. iv. 2 — Preach the word ; be instant in season, out of season ; re- prove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. 16 THE CHUECH. 15. The Word of God directs Christians to know those -who labour among them and are over them in the Lord, to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake, and to obey them that have the rule over them. But teachers and rulers are not thereby warranted on their own authority to publish any doctrine, or enjoin any practice, or prescribe any ceremony ; nor is sub- mission to them obligatory, except in so far as their doctrines and decisions are consistent with the Word of God.* * Section Y. — Eight of Private Judgment. 16. It is the privilege, right, and duty of every man to examine the Scriptures for himself, and he is bound to submit to their authority. The Jews were exhorted by the Saviour to “ search the Scriptures ” (John v. 89), and the Bereans were commended “ in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things Titus iii. 10 — A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admo- nition, reject. 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14, 15 — Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that waiketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. .... And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 1 Cor. v. 11 — But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner ; with such an one no not to eat. Matt, xviii. 17 — And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church : but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Gal. vi. 1 — Brethren, 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. * 1 Thess. v. 12, 13 — And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you ; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Heb. xiii. 17 — Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves : for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief : for that is unprofitable for you. Gal. vi. 6 — Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 1 Tim. v. 17 — Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 1 Peter v. 3 — Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. PRIVATE JUDGMENT. 17 were so” (Acts xvii. 11). Christians are exhorted — 4 ‘Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. v. 21): and Paul says to the Corinthians — “ I speak as to wise men ; judge ye what I say ” (1 Cor. x. 15). Every Christian in studying the Scriptures should devoutly seek the light and guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead him into all truth. It is his duty to attend regularly on the public preaching of the Word and other religious ordinances, and to avail himself, as he may have opportunity, of the society of experienced Christians, and of such writings as explain and illustrate the Word of God. Thus the Christian in exercising the inalienable right of private judgment is not to set his reason above Scripture, or refuse light from any quarter : he is to use his reason to ascertain the divine will revealed in Scripture, and to refuse to subject conscience to any authority but that of the Word of God. Having ascertained what the will of God is upon any subject, it is his bounden duty to believe and obey. As it is expressed in the Confession of Faith (Chap. xx. Sect, ii), “God alone is Lord of the conscience ; and has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are in anything contrary to His Word, or beside it, in matters of faith or worship.”* * 2 Tim. iii. 15 — And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Col. iii. 16— Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom ; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Luke xxiv. 45 — Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. John xvi. 13 — Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. 1 Cor. ii. 14 — But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Eph. i. 17, 18 — That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him : the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. Heb. x. 25 — Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is. Psalm xxvi. 8— Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Psalm cxxii. 1 — I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Mai. iii. 16 — Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another : and the Lord hearkened, and heard it. Isa. viii. 20 — To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 18 RULE OF FAITH. Section YI. — Eight of Church Members to Choose their Officers. 17. There are recorded in the New Testament two instances of the election at Jerusalem of Church officers ; one in Acts i. 12-26, the other in Acts vi. 1-6. From these it is plain that the right of election to office in the apostolic Church belonged to the Church members. In the former instance, the election of Matthias to the apostleship was evidently the act, not of the apostles, but of all the brethren assembled to the number of about one hundred and twenty. In the second instance, namely, the election of the seven deacons, the apostles, though possessed of the gift of discerning spirits and invested with the highest authority in the Church, did not take upon them to make the choice ; but directed the multitude of the disciples to look out among themselves, for the office of deacon, seven men of honest report and full of the Holy Ghost. The practice of the primi- tive Church, under the direction and sanction of the apostles, is the model for the Church in all ages. It is, therefore, the inalienable right of the members of the Church freely to elect their own officers, while it belongs to those already in office to ordain proper persons when thus chosen.* CHAPTEB II. THE j RULE OF FAITH . 18. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the only infallible rule of faith and practice. 19. Inasmuch as heresy and false doctrine have arisen in every age, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, as a witness for Christ, sets forth in formularies what she understands the Word of God to teach on certain important points of doctrine, worship, and government. These formularies are a testimony for truth and * Acts vi. 3, 6 — Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. . . . Whom they set before the apostles : and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 1 Tim. iv. 14 — Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. COURTS OF THE CHURCH. 19 against error, and serve as an outward bond of union among the members of the Church.* 20. The formularies of this Church are the Confession of Faith, and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms, agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster. The Confession is received as approved by the Church of Scotland in her Act of 1647,+ and with this declaration — That, in the judgment of this Church, subscription to the Confession does not imply the belief that the civil magistrate has any right to require, or enforce by civil penalties, adherence to ecclesiastical formularies, or conformity in religious worship. i » i CHAPTER III. TEE JUDICATORIES OR COURTS OF TEE PRESBYTERIAN CEURCE. Section I. — Judicatories and their Constitution. 21. The government of this Church is vested in Sessions, Presbyteries, Synods, and a General Assembly. These are the Courts or Judicatories of the Church. * 2 Peter ii. 1, 2 — But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways ; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. Acts xx. 29, 30 — For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 1 Cor. xi. 19 — For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 1 Tim. iv. 1 — Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Isa. xliii. 10 — Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord. 1 Tim. vi. 13, 14 — I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession ; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unre- bukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gal. i. 8, 9 — But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which' we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 2 Tim. i. 13 — Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Titus i. 9 — Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. f See copy of the Act printed in Appendix I, pp. 176, 177. 20 COURTS OF THE CHURCH. 22. The Session consists of the minister or ministers, and the ruling elders, of a congregation. 23. The Presbytery consists of the ministers of a defined district, and a ruling elder from the Session of each congregation in that district. 24. The Synod consists of the ministers of the Presbyteries in a defined district, and a ruling elder from the Session of each congregation. 25. The General Assembly (also called The Assembly) consists of the ministers of the various Synods of the Church, a ruling elder from the Session of each congregation, and such ruling elders as the General Assembly has constituted members. (Cf. Paragraphs 27 and 442: 1.) 26. The ministers who are members of Presbyteries, Synods, and the General Assembly, are ministers and assistant ministers of congregations under their jurisdiction; Assembly’s professors who are ministers ; ordained missionaries, secretaries of missions, and chaplains, in the service of the Church or retired from active duty with the consent of the Assembly ; and such other ministers as the Assembly has constituted members. (Cf. Paragraphs 27 and 442: 1.) 27. The Convener of the Assembly’s Sustentation Fund Committee, if a minister or ruling elder of the Church, is ex-officio a member of the General Assembly. Section II. — Powers of Judicatories, and their Eelations to one another. 28. Each congregation and each member of a congregation, in all matters of doctrine, discipline, worship, and order, is under the immediate jurisdiction of the Session of the congrega- tion ; each Session, in these matters, is under the immediate jurisdiction of the Presbytery with which the congregation is connected; each Presbytery is similarly under the immediate jurisdiction of the Synod of which it constitutes a part ; and. each Synod is similarly under the jurisdiction of the General Assembly. Every inferior judicatory is bound to yield submission in the Lord to a judicatory immediately or remotely superior to it* 29. A superior judicatory may direct any judicatory which is either immediately or remotely subordinate to it to in- vestigate a case properly falling within the jurisdiction of such subordinate judicatory; it may remove a case from POWERS OF JUDICATORIES. 21 before such judicatory, and may itself, or by a commission, investigate and adjudicate upon it, as the inferior court could have done (provided that in a case of discipline there shall not be final adjudication by the highest court or by a commission thereof, unless the case has come up by way of appeal) ; and it may call for and amend the records of any such judicatory, pass upon it such sentence, and give to it such directions, as it deems right. 30. A superior court may appoint a commission to investigate and report in a case which properly comes under the jurisdiction of a subordinate judicatory, or to investigate and adjudicate with the powers of the superior court in such case; or it may appoint one or more of its ministers, or of the ruling elders within its jurisdiction, to sit and act in any such judicatory as assessor or assessors in a case, and the person or persons so appointed shall, with regard to that case, be a mem- ber or members of the court to which he or they have been ap- pointed assessor or assessors, and the superior court may give such court with assessors the powers of a commission to investigate or to adjudicate in its room : provided that in a case of discipline there shall not be final adjudication by the highest court or by a com- mission thereof, unless the case has come up by way of appeal. 31. A superior court may confirm, alter, or reverse any deliverance of a court immediately or remotely under its juris- diction ; may declare that any sentence of such court shall stand, or be changed, or be null and void ; and may order that any addition shall be made to the record of the proceedings of such court, or that the whole or any part of the record or docu- ments in a case before it shall be changed or deleted. 32. Before pronouncing judgment with respect to a deliver- ance or sentence of a court under its jurisdiction, or giving direction with regard to any of the minutes of proceedings or documents of such a court, the superior court shall have before it the inferior court or its representatives, and its records or authenticated copies thereof. 33. No deletion or change shall be made in the minutes of any inferior court, after their confirmation by the court, without the leave or order of a judicatory which is superior to it. 34. Every change in, deletion of, or addition to, a record ordered by a superior court, shall be effected either by the inferior court or by the clerk of the superior, as the superior may direct. 35. Every change in, or addition to, a record shall be set out on the margin of the record, with the attestation of 'the person 22 COURTS OF THE CHURCH. making it ; and every deletion shall be effected by crossing out the word or words to be deleted, so that the writing shall be undecipherable, and marking on the margin the number of words or lines deleted, with a like attestation, or by having leaves cut out of the minutes and destroyed and entering on the record the number of pages so dealt with, with the proper attestation. In every case the minute of the superior court directing the change, addition, or deletion, shall be inserted in the record of the inferior court. 36. No inferior court has a right to review the proceedings of a superior or co-ordinate court ; but it shall be competent for an inferior court to petition a superior with respect to such proceed- ings, or to complain to it against any court with co-ordinate or lower authority, over which the superior has jurisdiction ; but in every such case, at least ten days before the superior judicatory meets, notice of the intention to petition or complain, and of the matters to be complained of, shall be given to the co-ordinate or lower court by the court complaining. 87. An inferior judicatory shall not meet during any sitting of a judicatory to which it is subordinate, unless by leave thereof. The same rule applies to a committee of a judicatory. 88. Any church court may resolve itself into a committee of the whole house ; or may appoint a committee, either of two or more of its ministers exclusively, or of two or more of the ruling elders within its bounds exclusively, or of such ministers and ruling elders conjointly, for a special purpose ; may designate a member of such committee to be its convener ; may fix the time and place of its meeting ; and may require the committee to report to it. The convener of a committee is ex-officio its chairman or moderator, and presents its report ; but at his request the committee may appoint another chairman. Every committee shall conduct its meetings according to the “ General Rules for the Management of Business in Judicatories,” with these exceptions^-that the clerk to a committee shall not be required to make or sign the declaration in Paragraph 49 ; that any member of a committee may speak more than once to a question ; and that from a committee there is no appeal. Any member of a committee dissatisfied with any part of its proceed- ings or any of its conclusions, may object to the adoption of its report by the judicatory, or may seek to have it altered. BUSINESS IN JUDICATORIES. 23 Section III. — General Eules for the Management of Business in Judicatories. Moderators. 39. Each judicatory shall be under the superin- tendence of a Moderator. 40. The Moderator shall preside at the meetings of the judicatory ; shall have every session opened and closed with prayer ; shall decide questions of order ; shall see that order is maintained in the proceedings, and that the rules for the manage- ment of business are observed ; shall declare the decisions and pronounce the sentences of the judicatory ; and shall, when necessary, sign official documents. 41. When the Moderator desires to move, or second, or speak to any motion, he shall leave the chair, which shall then be taken for him by the immediately preceding or some former Moderator, until he has concluded his statement. This rule does not apply in the case of a Session. 42. The Moderator shall have no deliberative vote; but when, on a vote having been taken, the numbers are equal, he shall have a casting vote. Should he decline to give a casting vote, the motion before the judicatory, not having a majority in its favour, shall lapse, and shall not be renewed at the same meeting of the judicatory. 43. Any proposal to a court to pause in its proceedings, with a view to engage in special devotional exercises, shall be made by the Moderator. Death or Incapacity of } 44. In the event of the Moderator Moderators and Conveners. I of any court (except of a Session), or the convener of any commission or committee, dying, or becoming wholly incapacitated for official duties during his period of office, the Moderator next preceding, or the member whose name is first upon the list of the commission or committee, shall assume the office, and shall have authority to discharge all the functions of such Moderator or convener for the remainder of the period, or until it be otherwise determined by the court, com- mission, or committee. Quorum. 45. If a quorum is not present within one hour after the time appointed for the meeting of a judicatory, the Moderator shall fix another day for the meeting, and he shall give notice of the time and place of such meeting to all the members. 46. If at any time during the meeting of a judicatory it is ascertained that a quorum is not present, the members shall not 24 COURTS OF THE CHURCH. transact any further business, except to appoint the time and place of the next meeting, where this has not been already done. Private Meetings. 47. Any member of the Church may be present at the proceedings of Church courts ; but when a court deems it expedient, and no law of the Church interferes, it may transact its business in private. Clerks and Minutes. 48. Each judicatory shall have a Clerk to record its proceedings, who shall be chosen by the judicatory, shall hold office during the pleasure of the judicatory, and shall be responsible to it for all official documents intrusted to his care. 49. Every Clerk on his election shall make, and sign in the minute book of the judicatory, the following declaration : — I,-.. , being chosen Clerk of , do hereby solemnly promise that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office to which I have been appointed ; and that I will carefully preserve and, when required by this court, restore the records and other documents now committed, or that may hereafter be committed, to my care. 50. It is the duty of the Clerk to make and keep a correct roll of the members of the judicatory ; to write and read to the judicatory, and keep safely, the minutes of its proceedings ; to endorse and preserve in order official documents ; and to conduct correspondence, as he may be directed. 51. Minutes shall be made of every meeting of a judicatory. The minutes shall faithfully record the time and place of the meeting, the fact that it has been opened and closed with prayer, the names of the members present, all motions and amendments moved and seconded, and the disposal of them, and whatever else may have been done by the judicatory. 52. The minutes of proceedings of each meeting of a judica- tory shall be read to the judicatory; shall be corrected if found inaccurate ; and shall be confirmed by the judicatory as a true record. This may be done before the court rises, or at its next session or stated meeting. Minutes which have been confirmed shall be attested by the signature of the Moderator presiding at the time of their confirmation, and the signature of the Clerk ; and the fact of their confirmation shall be recorded : minutes of Synods and of the Assembly, which have been confirmed, shall be attested by the signatures of the respective Clerks at the close of each meeting. In correcting minutes, care shall be taken that no alteration is made in the words in which any motion was before the court and was disposed of. BUSINESS IN JUDICATORIES. 25 53. Extracts from the minutes of proceedings shall not be given, except to a superior court, without the leave of the judi- catory. Clerks shall receive remuneration for making extracts for individuals, the amount to be fixed by the judicatory. 54. Extracts from the minutes of proceedings of a judicatory, under the hand of the Clerk or (in the event of his death, incapacity, or failure from any cause) under the hand of the Moderator, shall be accepted as authentic evidence of the proceedings by every other judicatory. 55. In the absence of the Clerk the judicatory may appoint a substitute, or Clerk pro tempore , who shall record its proceedings and discharge the duties of the Clerk for the time being. lotions. 56. When a subject is before a court, any member may submit his opinion upon it by a competent motion, which, if seconded, shall be entered on the minutes, and may be discussed. There shall be no discussion and no record of a motion or amendment which has not been seconded. 57. No motion is competent which is the same in substance as any motion which, during the same meeting of the judicatory, has been resolved in the affirmative or negative ; nor is a motion competent which violates any of the Buies for the Management of Business, contravenes any law or regulation of the Church or any decision of a superior court, or proposes to interfere in a matter which does not legitimately come under the jurisdiction of the judicatory. 58. When a motion is under consideration, no other motion shall be received, except (1) To adjourn the House ; (2) To pass from the question ; (3) To postpone or adjourn the debate ; (4) To refer to a committee ; (5) To amend ; or (6) To close the debate : and these motions shall have precedence in the order in which they are here given. 59. A motion 44 to adjourn the House ” is always in order, ex- cept when a vote is being taken, or when a member is speaking. 60. The motion 44 to pass from the question ” may be moved on either a motion or an amendment, and may be discussed before it is put. If carried, the court proceeds to the next business. The motion 44 to pass from the question ” shall not be competent in the disposal of an appeal. 61. When a motion is made 44 to adjourn the House” or 44 the debate,” neither the mover nor the seconder, nor any other member, shall be at liberty to speak to it, but the motion shall be immediately put. 62. When a motion is made 44 to close the debate,” the mover 26 COURTS OF THE CHURCH. shall have liberty to speak to it for five minutes, and a reply of five minutes shall be allowed, after which the motion shall be put without further debate. 63. The motion “ to close the debate ” shall not carry unless there be at least two-thirds of the votes in its favour. 64. A motion to “adjourn the debate” is in order during debate on a question, but not when a member is speaking. When a question is postponed to a time specified, it becomes “the order of the day” for that time, takes the precedence then of all other business, and cannot be entered upon sooner. 65. When a motion has been made and seconded, or while it is being discussed, an amendment may be moved ; and, if this be seconded, it becomes the question before the court and, unless it has been rejected or withdrawn, no other amendment can be moved. 66. The mere negation of a motion shall not be a competent amendment, neither shall a proposal which does not set the motion aside ; nor, in cases of legal process or appeal, shall any amendment be competent, unless it be of such a nature as to determine the case or to forward it in its progress. 67. If the amendment be negatived, a second amendment may be moved, seconded, and disposed of ; if this second amend- ment be negatived, a third may be moved, seconded, and disposed of; and, if it be rejected, the original motion shall be disposed of without further amendment. 68. If an amendment (1st or 2nd) be carried, it shall take the place of the original motion and become the substantive motion before the court, on which one further amendment may be moved. If this fresh amendment carry, it is the deliverance of the court. If it be lost, the now substantive motion shall be put without further amendment. 69. The purport of every motion or amendment shall be stated to the court by the mover before he speaks to it. Every motion or amendment, before it be discussed, must be written out and placed in the hands of the Clerk, if the Moderator or any member require it ; and no change in its terms shall be permitted without the unanimous leave of the court. 70. Every motion or amendment shall, if desired by any member, be read before the debate upon it shall commence ; and the decision of the court upon it shall not be declared by the Moderator, until the question shall have been formally put to the House and a vote taken upon it. 71. A motion or amendment may be withdrawn by the BUSINESS IN JUDICATORIES. 27 mover, with the unanimous leave of the court ; but such motion or amendment shall remain on the minutes, and the fact of its withdrawal shall be recorded. Discussions. 72. During discussions no member shall direct his speech to any but the Moderator. 78. Members addressing the court shall study brevity, and avoid personal reflections. 74. A member may speak only to a motion or amendment before the judicatory, or to a motion or amendment to be proposed by himself, or to a question of order arising out of the debate. 75. No member shall speak more than once to the same question of order, nor shall a member speak more than once to a motion or amendment, except the mover (or seconder), who has the right of reply ; but a member who has already spoken shall be allowed to explain any statement of his own which he considers has been misapprehended, provided he confine himself to such explanation. 76. In resuming an adjourned debate, the member who moved its adjournment is allowed precedence by courtesy, provided he rises in his place at the proper time. 77. Should a member object to words used in debate, and, at the time when the words are used, desire them to be taken down, the Moderator, if it appear to be the will of the judicatory, shall have them taken down by the Clerk. 78. Should a member use offensive words in a judicatory, whether in debate or otherwise, and should he not, when required by the judicatory, explain or retract them, or apologize, to the satisfaction of the judicatory, he shall be censured or otherwise dealt with by the court. 79. If, during a debate, a member rises to speak to a question of order, the person who has been addressing the judicatory shall stop his address until the order has been decided. 80. A member unnecessarily raising questions of order, or persisting in violating order, may be censured by the court. 81. When two or more members rise to speak, the Moderator shall call upon the member whom he first observed to rise in his place. 82. The Moderator shall not permit any member, except the speaker, to stand during debate. 88. Whenever the Moderator rises during debate, any member then speaking, or offering to speak, shall sit down, and the House shall listen to the Moderator without interruption. 28 COURTS OF THE CHURCH. 84. No member shall speak after the debate is closed, except with regard to the manner of taking the vote. 85. No member shall speak to a motion or amendment after it has been put by the Moderator to the judicatory and the voices have been given thereon in the affirmative and negative. Taking the Vote. 86. A vote or decision of a court on a question may be given — (1) by a majority of voices, 4 ‘aye” or “ no ” ; (2) by a show of hands ; or (8) by a call of the roll or division of the House. No vote by proxy is allowed. 87. If the opinion of the Moderator that the question is car- ried or rejected by the voices, or by a show of hands, is not ac- quiesced in, or if any member desires it, the roll shall be called or a division taken. 88. When the roll of a judicatory is called, the names of the ministers shall be read by the Clerk, in the order in which they stand on the roll of the court, and then the names of the elders in similar order ; and the votes shall be marked by the Clerk and by tellers appointed by the Moderator, if he consider it advisable to have tellers. 89. At elections to office by a judicatory, should there be more than one candidate, all the candidates shall be proposed and seconded seriatim , and then the number of votes in favour of each shall be ascertained. Should it appear that any one of them has a clear majority of all the votes given, he shall be declared elected. Should no candidate have such a majority, the person who has received the fewest votes shall then be set aside, and the number of votes in favour of each of the remaining candidates shall be ascertained; and so on, in like manner, until only two candidates remain, when a final vote shall be taken, and the candidate who has the majority shall be declared elected. 90. The numbers voting on any question shall be recorded in all cases where the votes are reckoned. 91. No member of a judicatory shall be entitled to deliberate or vote in any case in which he is a party, or in which he is a candidate for an office. 92. No member shall introduce new business till the matter under consideration shall have been issued, or deferred by resolution of the court. 98. No member shall reflect upon any decision of the judicatory, except when he is moving, after notice regularly given and received, that the decision shall be rescinded or modified, or when he is speaking to such a motion. BUSINESS IN JUDICATOBIES. 29 94. No member shall retire from the court if leave be refused by the Moderator. Dissents and Protests. 95. A member who has voted or spoken against any decision of a judicatory may intimate his dissent from, or protest against, the decision ; and has a right to have a statement of the fact of his dissent or protest entered on the minutes, pro- vided he intimate his dissent or protest immediately after the decision has been pronounced. 96. When a dissent or protest has been thus intimated, it is competent for any other member or members, who voted or spoke against the decision, to intimate, either before the sederunt closes or at an after session of the judicatory, his or their adherence to the dissent or protest ; and the fact of such adherence shall be recorded in the minutes. 97. Any member who dissents from or protests against a decision, is entitled to give in writing his reasons of dissent or protest, either when the decision is pronounced or at a subsequent session to be fixed by the judicatory. 98. Reasons of dissent or protest shall be read in the judicatory, and preserved among its documents, but shall not be entered on the minutes of proceedings without the leave of the judicatory. 99. Should the judicatory see fit to have answers prepared to reasons of dissent or protest, these answers, as adopted by the judicatory, shall either be held in retentis along with the reasons to which they are a reply, or entered with them on the minutes of proceedings, according as the judicatory may determine. 100. A member of a judicatory, however he may relieve himself of responsibility for a decision by dissenting from or protesting against it, does not thereby free himself from obligation to sub- mit to the decision until it be reversed or altered. Appeals. 101. Any member of an inferior judicatory who dis- approves of a decision and desires to have it reviewed, has the right of protesting and appealing to the judicatory immediately superior. 102. Any party in a case before a judicatory who feels aggrieved by a decision in the case, and desires to have the de- cision reviewed, has the right of complaint and appeal to the judicatory immediately superior. Petitioners and Commissioners. 103. When any matter is brought before a court by petitioners or commissioners, they shall conclude their statement before the court proceeds to delib- erate, and shall not be heard again, unless they obtain the 80 COUKTS OF THE CHUBCH. permission of the court to give additional facts or to explain something in their statement which has been misunderstood. Overtures* and the Rescinding) 104. A judicatory may alter or or Altering of Decisions. J rescind any of its decisions, or where it is competent may enact a new law or regulation, after a proposal to alter or rescind the decision, or to enact the new law or regulation, has been regularly brought before it by notice of motion or overture ; but a subordinate court shall not alter or rescind any decision with reference to the suspension or degradation of a minister, or the withdrawal of the licence of a probationer, or any decision against which an appeal has been regularly taken to a superior judicatory. 105. Any member may submit in writing a proposal to alter or rescind a decision of a judicatory, or to enact a new law or regu- lation ; but such proposal shall be brought before the judicatory, as a notice of motion or overture, through a committee on over- tures of the judicatory. 106. Every judicatory shall have, or when required shall appoint, a committee on overtures, of three or more of its mem- bers, to which notices of motion or overtures may be submitted in writing by any member of the judicatory. 107. The committee on overtures of a judicatory shall license, or amend and license, or reject, a notice of motion or overture submitted to it. 108. Should the committee license, or permit the introduction of, the notice of motion or overture, whether in the original or an amended form, and should its report be adopted by the court, the notice of motion or overture shall be entered on the record, and the motion or overture shall be disposed of by the court at its next stated meeting or at a meeting fixed for the purpose. 109. Should the committee on overtures of the judicatory refuse to license the notice of motion or overture, it shall not be introduced. In the event, however, of such refusal, it shall be competent for any member of the court, when the report of the committee is submitted to it, to move that the notice of motion or overture be received, and that the motion or overture be held over for future consideration ; but every such motion shall be made, considered, and disposed of in private, and the member making it shall be liable to censure if the judicatory consider his procedure groundless or vexatious. 110. Unless in a case of discipline, or where an appeal has been taken, a decision may be reconsidered and rescinded at the same meeting of the judicatory at which it has been given, REFERENCE AND APPEAL. 31 provided two-thirds of the members who took part in the decision consent, and provided the motion to reconsider and rescind be made and seconded by members who were in the majority. 111. An overture declarative of the established practice or law, if introduced through the committee on overtures, may be passed immediately by the judicatory. Section IY. — Rules for the Management of Business in Church Courts in Cases of Reference and Appeal. Cases of Reference. 112. When serious difficulties have arisen in the investigation of a case by an inferior judicatory, or when for special reasons it is expedient that a higher court should first deal with a case, the inferior judicatory may refer the case, or any branch of it, to the court immediately superior for advice, or for investigation and adjudication. 113. In cases of reference the inferior court shall notify all parties directly concerned that the case is referred, and such notice may be given to the parties or their representatives, either by intimation at the time in the inferior court or by letter. 114. In cases of reference, whether for advice or adjudication, the judicatory referring shall lay before the superior court an authenticated copy of its proceedings together with the reasons of reference. 115. When a case comes before a superior court by reference, the members of the inferior court who are members of the superior are entitled to deliberate and vote upon the entire case, in the same way as the other members of the court. 116. After a reference has been stated, the superior court may decline to advise, or to investigate and adjudicate, remitting the case to the court which has made the reference ; or it may give advice, or taking the place of the court referring may itself adjudicate ; or it may appoint a commission (or an assessor or assessors to be with the subordinate court a commission) either to deal with the case in the room of the subordinate court, or to investigate and adjudicate with the powers of the superior court: provided that in a case of discipline there shall not be final 32 COURTS OF THE CHURCH. adjudication by the highest court or by a commission thereof, on a reference. Cases of Appeal. 117. A member of an inferior judicatory who protests against a decision and appeals to a superior judicatory, or any party in a case who complains and appeals against a decision, must give verbal notice, at the time the decision is pronounced, of his intention to appeal ; and within ten days he shall serve the Moderator of the inferior judicatory with a written notice of his intention and with his reasons of appeal : otherwise the decision shall stand. 118. The Moderator, having received the written notice and reasons of appeal from a party in a case within the time specified, shall cause a copy of the notice and reasons to be served on the opposite party. 119. When an appeal is regularly notified, the inferior court and all parties in the case are thereby cited to the bar of the superior court, and execution of the judgment of the inferior court shall be stayed while the appeal is pending ; but notification of an appeal does not remove that temporary suspension from the ministerial office, or from Christian communion, under which the inferior court may have placed a minister or a church member while a serious charge against him was being investigated ; nor does an appeal in the process of a case, or where the appeal in the judgment of the court is manifestly frivolous and vexatious, arrest procedure. 120. Every appeal against a decision of a Presbytery, arrived at in the interval between the meeting of the Synod with which the Presbytery is connected and the meeting of the General Assembly, shall come directly to the General Assembly as the court of review. 121. Every appellant is entitled to such extracts' from the minutes of the inferior court, and to copies of such documents in its custody, as are necessary to enable him to bring his appeal before the superior court ; but such extracts or copies shall not be given without the express leave of the inferior court, and when they are given the Clerk shall be remunerated by the appellant as the court may determine. 122. A court appealed from shall submit the minutes of its proceedings, and all the documents and evidence before it in the case, to the superior judicatory ; and shall appoint not more than three of its members to defend its proceedings and decision before the superior judicatory. 128. When a case comes before a superior court by appeal, REFERENCE AND APPEAL. 33 the members of the court appealed from are entitled to be heard in explanation of their proceedings, but not to deliberate or vote while the regularity of their proceedings is under review ; but, in the investigation and decision of the case on its merits, they resume all their rights as members of the superior judicatory. 124. In hearing an appeal, the superior court should re- member that the inferior court, from local knowledge and from having had the witnesses before it, has often special advantages in judging in a case ; and that therefore its judgment should not be set aside without good and sufficient reason. 125. An appeal shall be held to be abandoned and the decision appealed against shall stand, if the appellant, after giving notice of appeal to a superior judicatory, fail to prosecute it, or if he do not appear before the judicatory to which the appeal lies, at its stated meeting next ensuing the date of his appeal, when his appeal is called for, unless he can satisfy the court that his absence was unavoidable. 126. The grounds on which an appeal may be sustained are : — 1st. Any irregularity in the proceedings of the inferior court. 2nd. Error in the decision, or injustice done by it to any party concerned. 3rd. Disproportion of the sentence to the charge alleged to be proved. 127. If an appeal in these respects be groundless, the judica- tory shall dismiss it ; and, if it see cause, shall censure the appellant. 128. The superior judicatory shall hear and decide upon an appeal, or shall refer it to a commission. 129. In hearing appeals the following shall be the order of proceeding: — (1.) Read the decision appealed against. (2.) Read the reasons of appeal. (3.) Read the whole record of the proceedings of the inferior judicatory in the case, and all the documents and evidence which were before it. (4.) Hear the appellant or appellants. (5.) Hear the other party or parties in the case, if there be such. (6.) Hear the court appealed from, through its appointed representative or representatives. (7.) The members of the superior judicatory may then elicit any further information deemed requisite in the case. (8.) The original parties, if there be such, shall withdraw. (9.) The superior judicatory shall pronounce on the regularity of the pro- ceedings of the inferior. (10.) The superior judicatory shall next consider the case and come to a decision. (11.) Parties shall then be called and the decision declared. 130. Before coming to a decision the superior judicatory may 84 THE SESSION. receive new evidence and treat it as evidence in the case ; but it shall not do so until it has pronounced on the regularity of the proceedings of the inferior court. When new evidence is about to be received the original parties shall be recalled, and shall resume all their rights as parties in the case. 181. The superior judicatory, in its decision, may sustain or dismiss the appeal, and confirm, reverse, or alter the decision of the inferior judicatory, according to the law and equity of the case, and may also amend the record, should it appear to be in- correct or defective ; or it may send back the case to the inferior court, with instructions to take it up de novo and proceed with it according to the rules of the Church ; or it may refer it to a com- mission with instructions to adjudicate and report, or with the full power of the court to adjudicate and issue the case and report the decision. 182. Every commission appointed to adjudicate in a case, shall conduct its business according to the Eules for the Manage- ment of Business in Judicatories, and, with regard to that particular case, shall have the powers of a church court. 188. When a case is referred by a judicatory to a commission, all the parties and the court appealed from shall attend and conduct the case before the commission, on receiving notice of the time and place of its meeting ; and such notice may be given in the judicatory on the appointment of the commission, or by letter from its convener. 184. If anything in the conduct of a court appealed from be found culpable, the court shall be admonished, censured, or otherwise dealt with, by the superior judicatory, as the nature of the case may require. 185. A commission shall not have power to pass any sentence on a judicatory ; but, upon the report of a commission, a superior judicatory may pass such sentence. CHAPTEE IV. THE SESSION . Section I. — Qualifications and Election of Euling- Eldees. 186. The number of ruling elders in a congregation should be proportioned to its extent. It is desirable that every congre- ELECTION OF RULING ELDERS. 85 gation should be divided into districts, and a ruling elder be appointed by the Session over each. 187. A ruling elder must, in every case, be a member in full communion with the particular church in which he is appointed, an attendant on all its ordinances, and a contributor to all its funds. He should be grave, circumspect, and exemplary in his conduct, of acknowledged piety, “ apt to teach,” regularly maintaining the worship of God in his family, and held in estimation by the people. 188. In a new congregation without a minister, the Presbytery shall appoint an interim or temporary Session, consisting of a minister or ministers of the Presbytery, and a ruling elder or ruling elders under its jurisdiction; and shall appoint a minister to be Moderator of such interim Session, until a minister has been ordained or installed in the congregation, when the latter shall ipso facto be Moderator. 189. In a congregation not having two ruling elders fit for active duty, the Presbytery shall take measures to have elders elected by the congregation ; but, until a Session be thus obtained, the Presbytery shall associate one or more of the ministers or ruling elders under its jurisdiction with the minister or ministers, or with the minister or ministers and ruling elder or elders of the congregation, as the case may be, and these together shall constitute its interim Session. 140. An interim Session shall exercise all the powers of the Session of the congregation. 141. It devolves upon the Session of the congregation to de- termine when an election of ruling elders shall take place, and the number of ruling elders to be chosen ; but it is competent for any member of the congregation to petition the Session upon the subject, and the decision of the Session with reference to such petition is subject to review by the superior courts. 142. Before an election to the eldership, the minister shall explain to the congregation the qualifications and duties of ruling elders ; and the Session shall make out a correct list of the qualified voters, and have it read to the congregation and lodged with the Moderator of the Session. 148. Every member of the Church in full communion with the congregation, whose name has been in the stipend book before the decision to elect elders has been made, or twelve months before the day of making out the poll-list ; and who is clear of stipend up to the last annual, half-yearly, or quarterly period when stipend was due in the congregation, shall be entitled to vote, 86 THE SESSION. and his name shall be entered on the poll-list. Should the name of a husband not in communion be on the list of con- tributors to the stipend, his wife, if in communion, or if she be not, then the eldest child residing in the family and being in communion in the congregation, shall be the elector. 144. Should the head of a household registered as an elector die in the interval between the making out of the poll-list and the day of voting, his widow, if in full communion in the church, shall have the right to vote. Should his widow not be in full communion, or should there be no widow, the eldest child in full communion in the congregation and resident in the family, shall be the elector. Should the deceased registered elector have been a widow, the eldest child in full communion in the congregation and resident in the family, shall be the elector. 145. Buling elders shall be elected, according to one or other of the following methods, as the Session may determine : — First Method. It shall be intimated by the Session to the congregation that an election of ruling elders is to take place. Any member of the congregation entitled to vote may then propose in writing for the consideration of the Session any member qualified for the office. If the Session approve, the name of the person proposed, in the event of his consenting, shall be read publicly to the congregation on at least two Lord’s days. Should an objection be made to him by any voter it must be lodged with the Moderator of the Session within a week from the second announcement. Should the objection not be sustained by the Session, or should there be no objection, then on a subsequent day fixed by the Session and announced to the congregation, the opinion of the electors shall be taken regarding him. If on that day the voters be unanimously in his favour, he shall be declared elected. Should a poll be de- manded, and he allow his name to remain before the congrega- tion, the poll shall be taken by the Session on the list of voters ; and, if two-thirds of those who vote be in his favour, he shall be declared elected. Second Method. On two successive Lord’s days the Session shall intimate to the congregation that a certain number of ruling elders is required ; and shall invite those entitled to vote to look out among themselves persons suitable for the office, and to give to the Session, on the Sabbath following, a list of those whom they nominate, not exceeding the number required, each list to be signed by the voter. These lists shall be examined by the Session, and the names which occur most frequently, and ORDINATION OF RULING ELDERS. 87 of which the Session approves, up to the number of ruling elders wanted, shall be read to the congregation on two successive Lord’s days. Should an objection be made to any of them by a voter, it must be lodged with the Moderator of the Session within a week from the second announcement. Should the objection not be sustained by the Session, or should there be no objection, then on a subsequent day, fixed by the Session and announced to the congregation, the opinion of the electors shall be taken regarding each of those whose names have been read to them, provided he has given his consent. Any one in whose favour the voters are unanimous, shall be declared elected. If a poll be demanded, and he allow his name to remain before the congrega- tion, the poll shall be taken by the Session on the list of voters ; and, if two-thirds of those who vote be in his favour, he shall be declared elected. 146. Every ruling elder elect, unless he has been already in office in another congregation, shall receive special instruction from the minister, or from some other member of the Presbytery at the minister’s desire, upon the doctrine and government of the Church, and the duties pertaining to the office of elder. 147. The name of every elder elect shall be notified by the Session to the Presbytery, who shall appoint a committee to con- verse with him respecting his acquaintance with divine truth, his personal piety, and his sense of the responsibilities and duties of the office. 148. A ruling elder, certified as such from one congregation to another, if he be elected by the congregation which he has joined, shall be installed by the Presbytery ; but a ruling elder shall not hold office in more than one congregation at the same time, except as a member of an interim Session. Section II. — Ordination and Installation of Ruling Elders. 149. The Presbytery shall appoint a day for the ordination or installation, and shall appoint ministers to conduct the services. The order of these services shall be as follows : — 1. The Presbytery shall be constituted. 2. After praise, prayer, and the reading of the Word, an appropriate sermon shall be preached. 3. The Scriptural warrant for the office of elder, and for his election and ordination, shall be stated* 88 THE SESSION. 4 . The person or persons to be ordained or installed, shall be publicly interrogated in the following terms : — (1.) Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice ? (2.) Do you believe the Westminster Confession of Faith, as described in the book of the Constitution and Government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (Chap. ii. par. 20), to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and as such do you acknowledge it as the confession of your faith ? (8.) Do you approve of the Catechisms compiled by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, and received as the Catechisms of this Church ? (4.) Are you resolved, through divine grace, firmly and con- stantly to adhere to the doctrine contained in the said Confession and Catechisms? (5.) Do you believe the Presbyterian form of Church Govern- ment to be founded on, and agreeable to, the Word of God ; and do you promise to adhere to and support it, and to yield sub- mission in the Lord to the courts of this Church ? (6.) So far as you know your own heart, are zeal for the glory of God, love to the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and a desire for the salvation of souls, your great motives in entering upon the office of elder ? (7.) Do you accept the office of elder in this church, and do you engage through divine grace to discharge its duties with diligence and faithfulness, and to seek the purity, peace, edifica- tion, and extension of the Church ? (8.) Are you prepared to subscribe the Westminster Confession of Faith in terms of the General Assembly’s formula? [or, in the Presbytery of Munster, Are you prepared to write out and present the declaration of your adoption of and adhesion to the West- minster Confession of Faith ?] 5. The elder or elders elect, having answered these questions in the affirmative, shall subscribe the following formula in the Minute Book of the Session : — “ I believe the Westminster Confession of Faith, as described in the book of the Constitution and Government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (Chap. ii. par. 20), to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and as such I subscribe it as the confession of my faith.” [In the Munster Presbytery, the elder elect shall write out and present the following declaration DUTIES OF RULING ELDERS. 89 “I, do hereby declare, that I do believe the West- minster Confession of Faith, as received by the Church of Scotland, in the year 1647, and by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and as such I declare it to be the confession of my faith : ” and this declaration shall be retained among the records of the Presbytery.] 6 . He or they shall then be ordained with prayer and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, or installed with prayer, as the case may be, the Moderator usingjthe following or like words : — “ In the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sole King and Head of His Church, we, the Presby- tery of , do hereby ordain you, , with prayer and the laying on of our hands to the office [or install you, , with prayer in the office] of elder, and we appoint you to the oversight of the church in this place.” 7 . Prayer shall be offered up for the divine blessing; the right hand of fellowship shall be given by the members of the Presby- tery to the ruling elder or elders, ordained or installed ; and their names shall be registered in the Minute Book of the Session. 8. A suitable charge shall be given to the ruling elder or elders, ordained or installed, and to the people. 150. The ordination or installation of ruling elders shall be conducted by the Presbytery, and not by a commission or com- mittee thereof. 151. A minister who, from any cause not involving church censure, is without a pastoral charge, may, if chosen by the congregation to which he belongs, be installed in it as a ruling elder. 152. A ruling elder shall not resign his office in a congrega- tion without the consent of the Session, nor the eldership without the consent of the Presbytery. Section III. — Duties of Ruling Elders. 158. Ruling elders should co-operate with the minister in the oversight and government of the congregation ; visit the sick and afflicted, and pray with and for them ; visit the members of the congregation and converse with them on spiritual matters; commend the practice of family worship, and con- 40 THE SESSION. duct worship in families as opportunity may offer; look after the neglecters of ordinances ; care for the poor ; encour- age the godly training of children in families and schools, and the liberal support of Gospel ordinances and missions ; and promote peace, truth, honesty, and temperance among the people. Having been appointed to watch for souls, they should warn the unruly, reprove the careless, comfort the weak, and urge all to avoid prevailing errors and sins, and to discharge faithfully the duties of the Christian life. 154. Each ruling elder should keep a list of all persons in his district connected with the congregation, and should regularly report to the Session concerning his district. 155. When a ruling elder finds any one in his district depart- ing from the faith, negligent in duty, or indulging in sinful practice, he should first in great meekness speak to him in private. If the admonition be disregarded, he should report the case to the Session. Where the sin is notorious and scandalous, he should at once report the case to the Session. Section IV. — Meetings of the Session. 156. Each Session shall hold stated meetings for business. 157. The Moderator may convene the Session by his own authority, and shall convene it at the request in writing of any two members of the Session. 158. A meeting of the Session may be convened by intimation from the pulpit at a public service in the congregation, or by notice given to every member of the Session on the authority of the Moderator. 159. The Session shall also convene , when directed to do so by the Presbytery, Synod, or General Assembly. 160. Without a minister to act as Moderator there cannot be a meeting of the Session. 161. The Moderator and two other members of the Session constitute a quorum. 162. The minister of the congregation is Moderator of its Session. Where there is an assistant minister, he is Moderator only in the absence or at the request of the senior minister, unless it has been determined otherwise by a superior court. 163. In a congregation without a minister, or where the minister is incapacitated to act, or is temporarily suspended from ministerial functions, the Presbytery shall appoint one of its ministers to be Moderator of the Session. JURISDICTION OF THE SESSION. 41 164. In the absence of the Moderator of the Session, any other minister of the Church, at his request, may act as Moderator for the time being. 165. Each Session shall appoint a Clerk from its members, and his continuance shall be during the pleasure of the Session. 166. The roll of the members of the Session shall be kept in the Minute Book of the Session, the names of the ruling elders being entered therein in the order of the dates of their respective ordinations. 167. When a ruling elder has received from the Session a certificate of disjunction, or has been suspended or cut off from church privileges without appeal, or the sentence of suspension or degradation after appeal has been confirmed, he ceases to be a member thereof. During temporary suspension from office, while a charge against him is under investigation, he ceases to act as a member of the Session. 168. Every Session shall submit its minute book to the Presbytery for inspection, once a year, or whenever it may be required by the Presbytery. Section Y. — Jurisdiction of the Session. 169. It devolves upon the Session : (1) to exercise authority in the Lord over all persons connected with the congregation, both with regard to their doctrine and conduct ; (2) to watch over and promote the spiritual interests of the congregation ; (8) to admit suitable persons to church privileges ; (4) to grant certificates to church members ; (5) to inquire into and judge concerning the truth of allegations or charges with reference to the doctrine or conduct of members of the congregation ; (6) to call before it members of the congregation charged with offence and witnesses connected with the Church, and to procure when possible the testimony of other witnesses where this may be necessary to bring any process to an issue ; (7) to admonish, rebuke, suspend from church privileges, or exclude from communion, those who are found to deserve cen- sure ; (8) to restore to church privileges, on satisfactory evidence of repentance, those who have been suspended therefrom, or cut off from communion ; (9) to notify the suspension or exclusion from privileges, or the restoration to them ; (10) to receive and decide on petitions and complaints from members ; (11) to fix the time and place for the administration of the ordinances of the church ; (12) to appoint times for humiliation or thanksgiving in the con- gregation; (13) to appoint collections for congregational and B 42 THE SESSION. other purposes; (14) to take a special care of the young ; (15) to appoint and to dismiss the precentor, or those employed to lead in the congregational praise ; (16) to call meetings of the congregation, and decide what matters shall be brought before such meetings ; (17) to conduct the election of ruling elders, and of deacons or members of committee ; (18) to transmit memorials and other documents from the congregation to the Presbytery ; (19) to decide what meetings may be held in the church build- ings ; and (20) to commission one of its ruling elders to sit, deliberate, and vote in the Presbytery, Synod, or General Assembly. 170. The Session shall admit to the Lord’s Supper those only who have been baptized, whose views of the doctrines of grace are , in accordance with the standards of this Church, who make a profession of faith in Christ, and whose character is becoming the Gospel. 171. The Session shall not admit to the privileges of church membership a member of another congregation of this Church, without first receiving from the Session of that congregation a regular certificate of disjunction ; but the Session may admit to the Lord’s Supper, without such certificate, a communicant from another congregation who being temporarily within its bounds desires to join in the observance of the ordinance. 172. The Session shall keep a roll of all members of the congregation in full communion, and shall correct this roll from time to time, as changes in the membership take place. The Session shall revise this roll at least once in each year. 178. In revising the roll, the Session shall take special notice of the absence of communicants from the Lord’s table or their neglect of public worship ; and shall deal, by way of admonition or other discipline, with those who are culpably negligent. 174. The Session shall not erase the name of a communicant from the roll unless on his decease or removal from the congrega- tion, or unless it has dealt with him by way of church censure, or he is a fugitive from discipline. 175. The Session shall on application give a certificate of disjunction to a person entitled to it. No member has a right to this certificate unless he is free of scandal, and clear of all demands for stipend and of every other pecuniary claim of the congregation. [For Form of a Certificate of Disjunction, see Appendix ii. 1, 2, p. 177.] 176. It is the duty of a member, when leaving a congregation, to obtain a certificate of disjunction and to present it at the JURISDICTION OF THE SESSION. 43 earliest opportunity to the Session of another congregation. If there has been delay in presenting such certificate, the Session shall not admit to privileges until it is satisfied regarding the reasons for the delay and also regarding the character of the person during the interval, or until he has been dealt with in the way of discipline. 177. The Session shall keep a record of all baptized persons in the congregation not yet in full communion, and shall have them in due time instructed as to their personal religion, their public profession of Christian discipleship by attendance on the means of grace, and especially in regard to their attendance on the Lord’s Supper. 178. Any member of the congregation has the right to petition the Session, or to lay his grievances before it for redress ; and has also the right of appealing against its decision in the case. 179. When a member of the congregation is charged with heresy or heinous sin, should difficulties appear at the outset or arise in the course of the investigation, the Session should refer to the Presbytery for advice, or request the Presbytery to investigate and decide. 180. The Session must be satisfied of the moral and religious character of any one appointed to lead in the congregational praise, and should confer with the Board of Deacons before appointing him. The permanent leader of the congregational praise must be a communicant. 181. The Sabbath schools of the congregation shall be under the control of the Session. The teachers employed, the books used, and the regulations of the schools, shall be such as the Session approves. 182. The Session shall give answers to such statistical or other queries as may from time to time be addressed to it by any superior court. 183. A ruling elder’s commission to a judicatory shall con- tinue in force, as regards that particular judicatory, until the commission has been withdrawn and its withdrawal has been certified to the judicatory, or until another commission has been issued. [For Form of Elder’s Commission to the Presbytery, see Appendix iii, p. 178.] 44 THE BOARD OF DEACONS. CHAPTER Y. THE BOARD OF DEACONS. Section I. — Qualifications of Deacons and their Appointment to Office. 184. A deacon shall be a member in full communion with the particular congregation in which he is appointed, an attendant on all its ordinances, and a contributor to all its funds. He should be grave, sincere, temperate, unworldly, sound in the faith, a wise administrator, and of good reputation. 185. The deacon, as such, has no authority to preach the Word, administer the sacraments, or exercise discipline ; his office has respect to the care of the poor, and the temporal affairs of the congregation. 186. It devolves upon the Session of the congregation to de- termine when an election of deacons shall take place, and the number to be chosen ; but it is competent for any member of the congregation to petition the Session on the subject, and the decision of the Session with reference to such petition is subject to review by the superior courts. 187. In the election of deacons the rules given in Paragraphs 142 to 145 inclusive, with reference to the election of ruling elders, shall be observed. 188. The name of every deacon elect shall be notified by the Session to the Presbytery, who shall appoint a member or members to converse with him respecting his personal piety, and his sense of the responsibility and duties of the office. 189. A deacon certified as such from one congregation to another, if he be elected by the congregation which he has joined, shall be installed by the Presbytery ; but a deacon shall not hold office in more than one congregation at the same time. 190. The Presbytery shall appoint a day for the ordination or installation of the deacon or deacons, and shall appoint ministers to conduct the services. The order of these services shall be as follows : — 1. The Presbytery shall be constituted. 2. After praise, prayer, and the reading of the Word, an appropriate sermon shall be preached. 3 . The Scriptural warrant for the office of deacon, and for his election and ordination, shall be stated. APPOINTMENT OF DEACONS. 45 4 . The person or persons to be ordained or installed shall be publicly interrogated in the following terms : — (1.) Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice ? (2.) Do you believe the Shorter Catechism to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God? (8.) Are you resolved, through divine grace, firmly and con- stantly to adhere to the doctrine contained in the said Catechism ? (4.) Do you believe the Presbyterian form of Church Govern- ment to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God ; and do you promise to adhere to and support it, and to yield submis- sion in the Lord to the courts of this Church ? (5.) Do you accept the office of deacon in this church, and do you undertake through divine grace to discharge its duties with diligence and faithfulness ? 5. The deacon or deacons elect having answered these questions in the affirmative, shall then be ordained with prayer and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, or installed with prayer, as the case may be, the Moderator using the follow- ing or like words : — “ In the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sole King and Head of His Church, we, the Presbytery of , do hereby ordain you, , with prayer and the laying on of our hands to the office [or install you, , with prayer in the office] of deacon, and we appoint you to the care of the poor and of the temporal affairs of this congregation.” 6 . Prayer shall be offered up for the divine blessing, and the names of the deacons ordained or installed shall be registered in the Minute Book of the Session. 7. A suitable charge shall be given to the deacon or deacons, ordained or installed, and to the people. 191. The ordination or installation of deacons shall be con- ducted by the Presbytery, and not by a commission or committee thereof. 192. Should a deacon be suspended or cut off from privileges without appeal, or should he leave the congregation or resign office in it, he ceases to be a deacon in the congregation. The resignation of a deacon shall be to the Board of which he is a member. 46 THE BOARD OF DEACONS. Section II. — Duties of the Board of Deacons. 193. The Board of Deacons consists of the members of the Session and the deacons of the congregation ; and to it are in- trusted the care of the poor, and the temporal affairs of the congregation. 194. The temporal affairs of the congregation include all matters connected with its income and expenditure ; the purchase, care, and sale of the church property ; the management of the grave-yard ; and the erection, repair, and renewal of the buildings belonging to the congregation. No monument shall be erected in a grave-yard, or inscription be put on any monument, of which the Board of Deacons disapproves. 195. It devolves upon the Board of Deacons to allocate sittings in the church ; regulate and collect pew rents ; provide for the support of the minister and other officials ; defray all expenses incurred in the maintenance of the ordinances of religion, and in connexion with the church property ; promote the interests of the Sustentation Fund of the Church ; and manage the funds raised for the poor of the congregation. 196. The appointment and dismissal of the sexton rest with the Board of Deacons. 197. Each Board of Deacons shall convene statedly for business. 198. The Moderator of the Session may convene the Board of Deacons by his own authority, and shall convene it at the request in writing of any three of its members. 199. The Board of Deacons may be convened by intimation from the pulpit at a public service of the congregation, or by notice given to every member on the authority of the Moderator of the Session. 200. The Board of Deacons shall also convene when directed to do so by the Presbytery, Synod, or General Assembly. 201. In the Board of Deacons the Moderator of the Session has the right to occupy the chair ; but, in his absence, the Board may appoint any of its members to preside. 202. In the Board of Deacons three members constitute a quorum. 203. The Board of Deacons shall appoint a secretary to record its proceedings and keep its minutes and papers, and a treasurer or treasurers to take charge of the congregational funds. These officials hold their appointments at the pleasure of the Board ; are responsible to it for the books, documents, and funds with DUTIES OF BOAKD OF DEACONS. 47 which they may be respectively intrusted ; and shall deliver up such books, documents, and funds, when required by the Board. 204. The Board of Deacons shall conduct its proceedings in accordance with the “ General Rules for the Management of Business in Judicatories” — Paragraphs 89, 40, 42, 48, 45, 46, 50 to 100 inclusive, and 108 to 110 inclusive. 205. From a decision of the Board of Deacons there is no right of regular appeal, but any member of the Board or of the congregation, after notice to the Board, may petition the Presby- tery against the proceedings ; and the decision of the Presbytery, or superior court if there be an appeal, is binding on the Board. Church Property. 206. The lease and trust deed of every church, manse, and school-house, or of site for the same, or of glebe, in connexion with the congregation, shall, before being executed, be submitted by the Board of Deacons to the Presby- tery of the bounds, and shall not be executed without the approval of the Presbytery. (Cf. Paragraph 889.) 207. When any sale or leasing of a church edifice, manse, school-house, or glebe, or change of site of church or manse, is contemplated, the matter shall be reported to the Presbytery, and the Board of Deacons shall act under its advice and control. A name shall not be assumed by a congregation, or the name of a congregation be altered, without the leave of the General Assembly. 208. No alteration shall be made in the form or size of the church buildings without the approval of the congregation. 209. The trustees of the congregational property are respon- sible for its adequate preservation and insurance, and shall notify to the Board of Deacons when repair or insurance is necessary. It belongs to the Board of Deacons to effect repairs or improvements, make contracts and payments for the same, and supervise their execution ; and they shall pay any annual premiums for insurance. PewSj and Sittings in Pews. 210. No person should have any proprietary right in a pew, or control over it, or advantage from it, except that of accommodation for himself and his family when attending public worship. The Board of Deacons should take care that no person be allowed, in giving up a sitting or sittings, to transfer it or them to another, or to claim any sum by way of compensation or on any other account. The Board of Deacons alone has the power to let seats. 211. No person shall be allowed to sublet his sittings or make any profit by them. Every transaction by which it is sought to 48 THE BOARD OF DEACONS. effect this, shall be null and void, and shall cause the holder of the sittings to lose all right to them. 212. Should a seat-holder and his family, if he have any, he absent for a whole year from public worship without satisfactory reason, it shall be in the power of the Board of Deacons to de- prive him of his holding. 218. On the death of a seat-holder, his holding shall be offered by the Board of Deacons to his widow ; but if she decline to take it, or if there be no widow, it shall be offered to a member of the family. If more than one member of the family apply for it, the right of selection shall rest with the Board of Deacons. 214. When part of a pew is to be let, those in the other part shall have the first offer of it. Should they decline to take it and yet be unwilling to admit the person applying for it, the objectors shall pay for it until it is let to a person with whom they are satisfied. 215. The Board of Deacons, in letting vacant sittings, shall give a preference to such seat-holders as wish to change their pews. The Board is not bound to let sittings to any or every applicant. 216. The Board of Deacons shall prevent encroachments upon the rights of seat-holders, and shall have power to remove holders of single sittings to other pews, if it deem it expedient. 217. No alteration shall be made in any pew without the approval of the Board of Deacons, under pain of forfeiture. A lock shall not be placed upon a pew, nor shall there be any fastening of which the Board disapproves. Stipend. 218. It devolves upon the Board of Deacons to fix the rates at which pews or sittings shall be let, the times of payment of stipend and whether it shall be paid in advance, and the length of notice of surrender which must be given in writing to the Secretary of the Board before sittings can be given up. 219. When a seat-holder has fallen into twelve months’ arrears of stipend, and does not discharge the same within one month after written notification of the arrears and demand for payment, he shall forfeit all right to his sitting or sittings, which may thereupon be let. Sustentation Fund. 220. The Board of Deacons shall en- courage the people to contribute to the Sustentation Fund of the Church ; and should itself, or through a sub-committee of its members or other special committee, divide the congregation into small and convenient districts, and appoint persons to call DUTIES OF BOAKD OF DEACONS. 49 monthly or quarterly on the people, give them information regarding the Fund, and bring in their contributions. 221. The Board of Deacons shall convene monthly, or at least quarterly, to receive reports regarding the state of the Sustenta- tion and other funds of the Church, consider how the temporal interests of the congregation may- be best promoted, and implore the Lord’s blessing on their work. Official and General Church Expenses. 222. The Board of Deacons shall defray the assessment to the Incidental Fund of the General Assembly, and the fees payable by the congregation to the Clerks of Presbytery and Synod ; and should provide for the expenses incurred by the minister and the commissioned elder in attending meetings of Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly. Statement of Accounts. 223. The Board of Deacons shall pre- pare each year a full statement of the congregational accounts ; have its accuracy certified by auditors appointed by the con- gregation or, failing this, appointed by the Board ; and submit this audited statement to the congregation, and a copy thereof, with a list of all contributors to stipend and the Sustentation Fund and the amount paid by each, and, if required, the Minute Book of the Board, to the Presbytery, at its stated meeting on the first Tuesday or Wednesday after the second Sabbath of April. It is recommended that Boards of Deacons adopt the 31st of March as the close of their financial year. 224. The Board of Deacons shall give answers to such statis- tical or other queries as may from time to time be addressed to it by any superior court. Congregational Committees. 225. Where deacons have not been appointed in accordance with the law in Paragraph 190, and until they are so appointed, or where the deacons are too few in number to discharge the duties intrusted to them, the qualified voters of the congregation shall, under the oversight of the Ses- sion, annually choose from among themselves a certain number possessing the qualifications required of deacons, to whom, in conjunction with the members of the Session, and the deacon or deacons (if there be .any), the temporal affairs of the church shall be intrusted. Upon the committee so constituted shall temporarily devolve all the duties required of the Board of Deacons, and the meetings of this committee shall be under the same regulations as those of the Board. 50 THE CONGREGATION. CHAPTER VI. THE CONGEEGATION . Section I. — Meetings of the Congregation. 226. A meeting of the congregation is called from the pulpit, by the authority of the Session. It may be called to consider the state of religion ; promote the cause of mis- sions or Sabbath schools, or otherwise advance the Lord’s work ; choose ruling elders or deacons, or members of the Congregational Committee ; receive reports from the Session, Board of Deacons, or Sabbath schools ; appoint auditors of the congregational accounts ; memorialize the courts of the Church or the civil authorities, and appoint commissioners to act on its behalf, and to support its memorials ; authorize the purchase or sale of lands, or the purchase, erection, or sale of buildings, for the congregation ; approve of site for the church, manse, or school-house, or of proposed alterations of the same ; contribute, or authorize the raising of, funds for congregational or other religious or charitable objects ; appoint, or accept the resignation of, trustees of the congregational property ; or for such other Christian objects as the Session may determine. 227. The congregation shall also convene when directed to do so by the Presbytery, or by a superior court. 228. In every case of the meeting of a congregation, the notice convening it shall specify the business to be transacted ; and no business except that specified shall be brought before the meeting. 229. No purchase, leasing, or sale of church property, or selection of site of church or manse, or erection of new buildings on congregational property, shall be made without the approval of the congregation convened to consider the matter after at least a week’s notice, and without the sanction of the Presbytery. 280. At every meeting of the congregation the Moderator of the Session has the right to preside ; but, at his request, any other minister of the Church or any qualified voter chosen by the meeting may act as chairman. 281. A faithful record of the proceedings of every meeting of the congregation shall be made by the Clerk of Session in the Minute Book of the Session. 282. Every meeting of the congregation shall be conducted in accordance with the “ General Rules for the Management of TRUSTEES OF CONGREGATIONAL PROPERTY. 51 Business in Judicatories,” Paragraphs 39, 40, 42, 43, and 51 to 100 inclusive. 233. In a meeting of the congregation, should a question be put to the vote, it shall be decided by the qualified voters only. Section II. — Trustees of the Property of the Congregation. 234. The trustees of every house of worship, school-house, or other building, or of any grave-yard, belonging to the congre- gation, shall hold the same for the members of the congregation in connexion with the General Assembly professing the doctrines contained in the Confession of Faith, and the Catechisms, Larger and Shorter, compiled by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster ; and such creation or declaration of trust shall be either embodied in the lease of the building or grave-yard, or expressed in a separate deed. 235. The trustees of every manse or manse-farm or glebe belonging to the congregation, shall hold the same for the benefit of the minister of the congregation in connexion with the General Assembly professing the aforesaid doctrines, and such creation or declaration of trust shall be embodied or expressed as aforesaid. 236. The trustees of property of any kind whatsoever belong- ing to the congregation, shall be members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and should not be fewer than three in number. On the reduction, by death or otherwise, of the number of the trustees below three, the congregation should lose no time in choosing and appointing an additional trustee or trustees. 237. Leases, or declarations of trust, shall provide that when a trustee for a congregation of which he is a member has received a certificate of disjunction from the Session, he shall ipso facto cease to be a trustee, unless the congregation he has left request his continuance in office. 238. No resignation by a trustee of his trusteeship of congre- gational property shall be accepted, and no choice or appointment of a new trustee or trustees whether original or new shall be made, except by the congregation assembled either at public worship or at any other time, as the Session may determine, and after notice of the time and place of such meeting and of the object for which it is to be held, has been given from the pulpit 52 THE PRESBYTERY. on at least two Lord’s days preceding. [For Form of Notice of Meeting of Congregation to appoint New Trustees, see Appendix vii. 5, p. 184.] 239. Before a resignation by a trustee of his trusteeship of congregational property is accepted, it should be ascertained that the acceptance of such resignation is in accordance with the lease or declaration of trust, and is otherwise legal. 240. At the meeting of the congregation held to receive a trustee’s resignation of his office, or to choose and appoint a new trustee or trustees, a memorandum of such resignation or of the choice and appointment of the new trustee or trustees shall be executed in the presence of such meeting, be attested by two or more witnesses, and be preserved among the records of the congregation. [For Form of Lease to Trustees, Form of Declaration of Trust, and Form of Memorandum of Choice and Appointment of New Trustees, see Appendix viii. 1-3, pp, 185-190.] 241. The trustees for the congregation should have all its title-deeds and securities deposited in the muniment room of the General Assembly, and should give copies of all such deeds and securities to the Board of Deacons to be retained among its records. [For Buies for Preservation of Documents in Muniment Room of General Assembly, and for access to such documents, see Appendix xv, pp. 209, 210.] CHAPTER VII. THE PBESBYTERY . Section I. — Meetings of the Presbytery. 242. The Presbytery shall hold at least four stated or general meetings in each year ; and, should it alter the times of its stated or general meetings, it shall report the alteration to the Synod. 243. The Presbytery shall also meet when and where it is directed to do so by the Synod or the General Assembly. 244. The Presbytery has the right to choose its own Moderator ; but it is expedient that the office be rotatory, and that no one be appointed Moderator till he has been at least three years a presbyter. When a new Presbytery is formed and meets for the first time, the oldest minister of the Presbytery MEETINGS OF THE PRESBYTERY. 53 who is present shall act as Moderator in constituting it, unless the General Assembly has appointed otherwise. 245. The Moderator shall enter upon office at the stated meet- ing of the Presbytery immediately preceding the annual meeting of the Synod with which the Presbytery is connected, and shall continue in office one year, unless in the course of the year it be otherwise determined by the Presbytery. 246. When the Moderator is not present at a meeting, the Presbytery shall appoint the ex-Moderator, or some other member, to preside as Moderator pro tempore . 247. The Presbytery may appoint a special or in hunc effectum meeting, for transacting any particular business, and such meet- ing may adjourn from time to time, but not beyond the next stated meeting of the Presbytery. At a special meeting no business can be entered upon except that for which the meet- ing was appointed. 248. An occasional, or pro re nata , meeting of the Presbytery may be called by the Moderator in the exercise of his own dis- cretion ; and, at the request in writing of any three members of the Presbytery, he shall convene such a meeting. When con- vening a pro re nata meeting the Moderator must in every case state in his notice the time and place of the meeting, and the specific business or object for which it is called ; and must deliver or post such notice to each minister of the Presbytery and the representative elder of each of the Sessions, at least two clear days before the day of meeting. Unless this has been done no business can be transacted at the meeting. At a pro re nata meeting no business can be entered on except that for which the meeting has been called; and the conduct of the Moderator in calling the meeting, or of the requisitionists in having it called, must be considered and approved or disapproved before the Pres- bytery deals with the subject for which it has been convened. 249. The Presbytery may hold an occasional, or pro re nata , meeting at any time during the sittings of a court superior to it, if authorized to do so by that court ; and in such case sufficient notice is given if intimation is publicly made, from the chair of the superior court, of the time, place, and object of the meeting. 250. Three members of the Presbytery, at least one of them being a minister, met at the appointed time and place, are a quorum, and, when constituted as a Presbytery, are competent to transact business. 251. The Presbytery having been constituted with prayer, the 54 THE PEESBYTEEY. Clerk, or Clerk pro tempore, shall receive any new commissions of ruling elders, adjust and call the roll of ministers and ruling elders, and mark the attendance of members. (On the roll of the Presbytery the names of the ministers shall be entered in the order of the dates of their ordinations.) If the meeting be a stated one, he shall then read the minutes of the last stated meeting and of any other meetings which may have been held subsequently ; and the minutes shall be confirmed and attested by the signature of the Moderator presiding at the time of their confirmation, and the signature of the Clerk, unless they had been previously read and confirmed by the Presbytery. The minutes, when so signed, cannot be altered in any respect, unless by leave or order of the Synod or General Assembly ; but, should any omission or inaccuracy be detected, the Presbytery may insert in a subsequent minute the supplement or the correc- tion, on motion to that effect. Of such motion previous notice must be given, and it must be passed at a stated meeting of the Presbytery. In such a case a note of reference to the amended minute shall be entered on the margin opposite the original minute. 252. At a special meeting of the Presbytery, the minute appointing it shall be read ; and at a pro re nata meeting, the notice of the Moderator convening it shall be read, and a copy thereof entered on the minutes. 258. When a Moderator pro tempore, or a Clerk pro tempore, is appointed at a meeting of the Presbytery, such appointment shall be noted in the minutes. 254. After the minutes have been signed, the Clerk shall in- timate what business is to be transacted, and the Presbytery shall determine the order in which it is to be taken up. As a general rule, business arising out of the minutes has precedence of any new matter. 255. A minister, or a ruling elder, who is a member of another Presbytery of the General Assembly, or of a Presbytery of a Church holding fraternal relations with this Church, being present, may sit and deliberate with the Presbytery, on its invitation ; but he shall not do so when a judicial process is before the court, and in no case shall he be allowed to vote. Section II. — Eights and Duties of the Peesbyteey. 256. It belongs to the Presbytery : (1) to deal with memorials or petitions addressed to it from the Sessions or Boards of Deacons, DUTIES OF THE PRESBYTERY. 55 or from the ministers, congregations, or members of congrega- tions, under its care ; (2) to deal with memorials or petitions from any Church courts, or from ministers or members of other congre- gations, with reference to wrongs alleged to have been done them by the Sessions or Boards of Deacons under its jurisdiction ; (8) to receive and decide or judge in references for advice or for adju- dication from Sessions, and in appeals against decisions of Sessions ; (4) to call for and review records of Sessions and of Boards of Deacons ; (5) to inquire into the conduct of Sessions and Boards of Deacons, and set them right if they have erred ; (6) to license petitions or memorials to the superior courts ; (7) to appoint interim Sessions and interim Moderators of Sessions ; (8) to receive under its care students for the ministry, examine them, try their gifts, and license them to preach the Gospel when found qualified ; and when necessary to certify such to other Presby- teries ; (9) to receive licentiates and ministers without charge duly certified to it by other Presbyteries of the Church, and receive and report on applications for admission from licentiates and ministers without charge of other Churches ; (10) to arrange for the election of ministers ; (11) to receive, and sustain, or reject calls ; (12) to make trial of probationers called to congregations or mission fields, and ordain them to the ministry ; (13) to install ministers ; (14) to ordain and install ruling elders and deacons ; (15) to receive from ministers demissions of congregations, and loose them from their charges ; (16) to inquire into and deal with reports affecting the character or efficiency of ministers of the Presbytery, and the character of ministers without charge, and of licentiates for the ministry, under its care ; (17) to receive charges or complaints against ministers or licentiates, cite witnesses, and take evidence in cases of complaint or charge, judge thereon, and pronounce and publish sentence ; (18) to see that the various duties of the ministry are properly discharged within its bounds ; (19) to provide preaching and other Gospel ordinances for destitute districts, and for congregations in the pastorate of which there is a vacancy ; (20) to organize congre- gations when it has obtained leave from the General Assembly to do so, and in certain circumstances to amalgamate congre- gations ; (21) to visit- and inspect congregations, superintend generally their spiritual and temporal affairs, and interpose in any matter which, in the judgment of the Presbytery, affects their welfare. 257. Every Presbytery has the right to memorialize, petition, or overture the Synod or the General Assembly. 56 THE PRESBYTERY. 258. When a superior court has fixed a day for the meeting of a Session or a congregation, or for a special sermon or address, or for a collection for a mission or other object, the Presbytery shall, at its first stated meeting after the day so appointed, inquire respecting the fulfilment of the order ; and, where the order has not been complied with, shall take steps to have the sermon or address delivered, the meeting held, or the collection made, by appointing, if necessary, a member to visit the congregation. 259. Each Presbytery shall meet annually on the first Tuesday, or Wednesday, after the second Sabbath of April ; and shall examine, certify, and forward before the following Thursday to the Convener of the Committee on Statistics of the General Assembly the answers furnished by Sessions and Boards of Deacons to the queries of that Committee. 260. The Presbytery shall not certify the annual statistical returns from a congregation until it is satisfied of their accuracy, and until the congregation has made payment of the fees payable by it to the Clerks of Presbytery and Synod, and of the assess- ment to the Incidental Fund of the General Assembly. 261. The Presbytery shall have the financial reports of all the congregations under its care printed annually in pamphlet form ; shall certify to the Synod that such pamphlet has been or is being prepared ; and shall forward a copy thereof, not later than the 1st of June in each year, to the Convener of the General Assembly’s Committee on Statistics, the Clerk of the Synod, and the Clerk of the General Assembly. 262. When a member of the Presbytery ceases to be a minister of a congregation, or to be a missionary, or a professor in the ser- vice of the Church, not having retired from active duty with its sanction ; or is suspended or degraded from his office without appeal, or the sentence of suspension or degradation after appeal has been confirmed, he ceases to be a member of the Presbytery. During temporary suspension from office, while a charge against him is under investigation, he ceases to act as a member of the Presbytery. 263. The Presbytery shall annually submit to the Synod its Minute Book for examination. Annual Report. 264. The Presbytery shall annually report to the Synod : — (1.) The name of its Moderator for the ensuing year. (2.) The names of ministers or missionaries who, since its last annual report, have died, resigned their charges, been or- dained or installed, with the dates of death, resignation, ordina- DUTIES OF THE PRESBYTERY. 57 tion or installation, as the case may be, and that the ministers ordained or installed have signed the Westminster Confession of Faith in terms of the General Assembly’s formula ; also the names of those who, during the year, have engaged to subscribe to the Widows’ Fund of the Synod of Ulster, the Secession Synod, or the Southern Association, and the names of any who, accord- ing to the law of the Church, have been exempted from such engagement, with the reasons of exemption. (3.) The names of ministers who request that their congrega- tions may be allowed to choose assistants and successors to them in the ministry ; and of home missionaries who seek to retire from active duty. (4.) The names of ministers or missionaries who, since its last annual report, have resigned the office of the ministry, or have been suspended or degraded, or have been declared to be no longer ministers of this Church ; and of licentiates from whom licence has been withdrawn. (5.) The names of candidates for the ministry licensed or entered upon trials, and of students examined, during the year ; specifying in a schedule accompanying the report the classes for attendance on which the students have presented certificates. In reporting the licensure of a candidate for the ministry, the Pres- bytery shall state that he signed the Westminster Confession of Faith in terms of the Assembly’s formula. (6.) The names of licentiates, and ministers without charge, under its care, with their places of residence. (7.) The names of licentiates, or ministers without charge, from other Churches applying to be received under the care of this Church, with the opinion of the Presbytery as to such appli- cations. (8.) The names of ministers and ruling elders whom it homi- nates for the Committees on Overtures, Bills, Books, and Order of Business, of the Synod and the General Assembly, and for the Theological Examination Committee and the Directory of Mis- sions of the General Assembly ; and of ministers, ruling elders, and deacons whom it nominates for the General Assembly’s Sustentation Fund Committee — giving the residences of the elders nominated for the Directory of Missions and of the elders and deacons nominated for the Committee on the Sustentation Fund. (9.) References of cases to the Synod for advice or for ad- judication, and appeals against the decisions of the Presbytery, during the year. 58 THE PRESBYTERY. (10.) The state of religion within its bounds ; the names of congregations which it proposes should be erected, or which have been erected by order of the General Assembly ; the names of congregations which have given no replies, or replies which were defective, to the queries of the General Assembly’s Statistical Committee ; and the names of congregations which have not made the collections required by the General Assembly, or paid the assessment to its Incidental Fund. (11.) That the financial reports of the congregations have been or are being printed in pamphlet form. (12.) Any other matter, and its opinion or judgment on any matter, which the General Assembly or the Synod directs it to report. 265. The report of the Presbytery to the Synod shall be sent to the Clerk of the Synod three days before its meeting. 266. When the Presbytery of its own motion desires to bring before a superior court an opinion or proposal, or a suggestion concerning a law, it shall present it in the form of an overture ; and, when it desires to lay before it a petition or complaint, it shall do so in the form of a bill : such matters shall not be embodied in its report. 267. Each Presbytery may nominate a candidate for the office of Moderator of the Synod and a candidate for the office of Moderator of the General Assembly ; but such nomination shall not be made except at a stated meeting of the Presbytery in February, March, or April. Special Duties of the Clerk ~~ ~~ ‘ " General Assembly, on their occurrence, all licensures and minis- terial changes, with the dates thereof. [For Forms of Notifica- tion, see Appendix iv. 1-4, pp. 178, 179.] 269. The Clerk of the Presbytery shall notify to the Secre- taries of the Widows’ Funds, or, in the case of the Secession Widows’ Fund, to the Agent and Treasurer, ordinations, installations, degradations, and deaths of ministers, with the dates thereof, upon their occurrence. 270. The Clerk of the Presbytery shall notify every minis- terial change, upon its occurrence, with the date thereof, to the Clerk of the Synod and to the Agent for the Sustentation Fund of the General Assembly. JURISDICTION OVER MINISTERS. 59 Section III. — Jurisdiction of the Presbytery oyer Ministers. 271. The Presbytery shall see to it that ministers preach the Word faithfully to their congregations, regularly visit and ‘Catechise the families under their charge, visit the sick and afflicted, promote peace and temperance among the people, adopt means for the instruction of the young in Gospel doctrine and the distinctive principles of the Presbyterian Church, encourage education and missionary enterprise, and discharge all the other duties of the pastoral office. 272. The Presbytery shall require that ministers of congre- gations maintain two services each Lord’s day* unless in cases which it deems exceptional, and that they make provision for the holding of meetings during the week for praise and prayer and the religious instruction of the people. 273. When the minister of a congregation becomes, from illness, unfit for a time for ministerial work, the Presbytery shall hold a conference with the Session and Board of Deacons of the congregation, with the view of providing for the supply of the pulpit during his illness. 274. It belongs to the Presbytery, and not to a Session, to inquire into rumours derogatory to the character, usefulness, or soundness in the faith of one of its ministers, or of a minister without charge under its care ; and to receive and investigate any complaint or charge against a minister under its jurisdiction. 275. When no charge is preferred against a minister and there is no fama clamosa injuriously affecting his moral character, but when there is reason to believe that he is negligent in duty, or holds opinions inconsistent with the standards of the Church, the Presbytery shall first deal with him privately. Should it be necessary, the Presbytery shall put him on trial for such alleged neglect of duty or unsoundness in the faith, in accordance with the rules of Procedure in Cases of Scandal. 276. When it is publicly reported that a minister’s usefulness has been seriously impaired, either through unfitness for his particular sphere of labour, or through inefficiency, indiscretion, or secularity, the Presbytery shall first confer with him, and if need be inquire into the matter ; and, should there appear to be ground for the report, it shall take evidence regarding the facts alleged, and, if necessary, conduct a special visitation of the congregation. On sufficient evidence the Presbytery shall loose 60 THE PRESBYTERY. the minister from his charge, and shall declare his congregation vacant. 277. The Presbytery shall see that a minister who has pro- mised to subscribe to a Widows’ Fund shall implement his promise within the period prescribed by the rules of the Fund. 278. The Presbytery shall require members to attend the stated meetings of the Presbytery, or to give satisfactory reasons for their absence. 279. A minister in active service shall not leave the pastoral charge of his congregation for more than two successive months, or demit the charge of his congregation, without previous notifi- cation to the Session and congregation and the consent of the Presbytery. 280. Should a minister seek aid outside the hounds of the Presbytery for the erection of any ecclesiastical building or removal of debt upon the same, he shall obtain a certificate from the Presbytery and shall submit his collection book to the Presbytery. 281. No Presbytery shall accept the demission of a congregation from a minister, or loose a minister from his charge, while a com- plaint is lodged against him, or while there is a fama clamosci injuriously affecting his ministerial character. 282. When a minister's demission of his congregation or of his professorial or missionary appointment is accepted, or he is loosed from his charge, his name shall be removed from the roll of the Presbytery, and he shall, if he so desire, receive credentials of his ministerial standing. Such credentials shall be ordered only at a stated meeting of the Presbytery, or at a special meeting or pro re nata meeting of the Presbytery expressly appointed therefor ; and they shall always specify the particular Presbytery,, Synod, or General Assembly with which the minister proposes to become connected. [For Form of Credentials, see Appendix v. 1, p. 179.] 288. When a minister is suspended or degraded from office, or is declared to be no longer a minister of this Church, without appeal to a higher court, or when the sentence of suspension or degradation, or the declaration, after appeal, has been confirmed, his name shall be removed from the roll of the Presbytery. 284. If in the interval between the date of a minister’s credentials and of his connecting himself with another Presbytery, or after such connexion, a fama clamosa against him comes to the knowledge of the Presbytery which gave the credentials, it shall forthwith notify the existence and character of the fama to the JURISDICTION OYER MINISTERS. 61 Presbytery he has joined, whose duty it shall be to investigate it by commission or otherwise, and decide according to the laws of the Church. 285. A Presbytery shall not transmit the request of a minister to be allowed to retire from the active duties of his office, without affording his congregation sufficient opportunity of expressing its views on the subject. 286. A minister is not permitted to enter into any private arrangement with a congregation, or its representatives, as to stipend, manse, or glebe, as a condition of his settlement amongst them. 287. The senior minister of a congregation is entitled to remain in possession of the manse and any glebe or farm con- nected with it, until he is removed from the charge by his own act, by the act of the Presbytery, or by death. 288. If a minister who commuted his annuity in lieu of Eegium Donum, resign the charge of his congregation, but not to enter upon ministerial work in another congregation of this Church, he shall, before such resignation be accepted, sign in the Minute Book of the Presbytery a surrender of his claim upon the Commutation Fund of the General Assembly. Occasional Assistants. 289. It is the right of a minister to employ, as an occasional assistant, any minister or licentiate of this Church, or of any Church in communion with her. A theological student of the fifth or sixth year may be occasionally employed to conduct a public service in any congregation of the Church, provided he has authority from his Presbytery so to exercise his gifts. 290. A minister shall not employ, as an occasional assistant, a minister or licentiate of any other Church, without having ascertained his Christian character, his good standing, his soundness in the faith, and his capacity to edify the congregation. Celebration of Marriage. 291. Every ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has a right to solemnize marriage. (Cf. Paragraphs 671-677.) 292. In cases of difficulty, the minister may consult the Session before granting the certificate for marriage. He should also endeavour to ascertain that there is no lawful impediment to the marriage. 298. It is recommended that a minister do not join in marriage a member of the Presbyterian Church with an infidel or a Romanist. 294. A minister shall not solemnize marriage between parties 62 THE PRESBYTERY. within the degrees of consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the Word of God. In the divine law the like rule governs both degrees.* 4 4 The man may not marry any of his wife’s kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own, nor the woman of her husband’s kindred nearer in blood than of her own.”f 295. A minister should not celebrate marriage on the Lord’s day. 296. Before celebrating marriage the minister should ascertain that the parties have complied with the requirements of the law of the land ; and at least two witnesses shall be present when a marriage is solemnized. Registry of Baptism. 297. Every minister shall keep a Register of Baptisms, and shall enter therein the name of each child baptized in connexion with the congregation, the dates of birth and baptism, and the names and residence of the parents, giving the maiden name of the mother. 298. The Register of Baptisms shall be the property of the congregation, and be under the charge of the minister. In case of a vacancy in the congregation, the Clerk of the Session shall be responsible for its safe keeping. 299. As the pastoral charge of a minister extends only to his own congregation, he shall not baptize the child of a member of another congregation without authority from the minister ; or, in case of the minister’s absence or of a vacancy in the congregation, without a request from the Session. Section IV. — Jurisdiction of the Presbytery over Sessions and Boards of Deacons. 300. It is the duty of the Presbytery to give advice to ministers, Sessions, and Boards of Deacons, in cases of difficulty. 301. The Presbytery has the right to call for and review, at any time, the records of a Session or of a Board of Deacons within its bounds. It shall, at its meeting on the first Tuesday, or Wednesday, after the second Sabbath of April in each year, examine the statement of accounts of the congregation, and the lists of contributors and their payments to stipend and the Sustentation Fund, furnished by the Board of Deacons. * Lev. xviii ; xx. 19-21 ; 1 Cor. v. 1. f Confession of Faith, Chap. xxiv. Sect. iv. JURISDICTION OVER STUDENTS. 68 Section Y. — Jurisdiction of the Presbytery over Students for the Ministry. 802. In the Presbytery is vested the right of receiving under its care students for the ministry, of superintending and direct- ing their education, of deciding as to the qualifications of candidates for the ministerial office, and of licensing them to preach the Gospel. 808. Every student for the ministry should before entering college place himself under the care of the Presbytery which has jurisdiction over the congregation to which he belongs. Reception of Students. 304. In receiving a student under its care the Presbytery shall observe the following rules 1. When a student applies to be received for the first time under the care of a Presbytery, the Presbytery shall require from him a certificate from the Session of the congregation to which he belongs, stating that he is a member of the church in full communion, and has given evidence of piety and of gifts for the Christian ministry. This certificate he must present to the Presbytery with which the congregation is connected. 2. Before receiving the student under its care, the Presbytery shall not only require the certificate of the Session, but shall satisfy itself by conferring with the student that he is a person of intelligence, gifts, and piety, and is seeking the office of the ministry from right motives. 8. A student who began his collegiate studies without a defi- nite view to the ministry, and who, either during the progress or at the close of his undergraduate course, seeks to place himself under the care of the Presbytery, shall be received, as a student joining it for the first time, in accordance with Rules 1 and 2. 4. The Presbytery shall not receive under its care, without the special leave of the General Assembly, a student who has entered upon his theological course ; but this does not apply to a case of transfer from another Presbytery. 5. When a student from another religious denomination applies to be received under the care of a Presbytery, the Presby- tery, having first satisfied itself as to his motives for desiring to enter the ministry of this Church, may receive him at any period in his undergraduate course, but in his reception Rules 1 and 2 must be observed. If he applies to be received after he has entered the theological course, Rule 4 must be observed. 6 . When a student under the care of a Presbytery applies to 64 THE PRESBYTERY. be transferred to another, the Presbytery with which he is con- nected shall, on sufficient cause being shown, give him creden- tials to that other Presbytery. Education of Students. 805. In superintending the education of students under its care the Presbytery shall see that the follow- ing rules are observed : — 1. Students shall attend college at least six complete sessions — the first three to be passed in the undergraduate course, em- bracing English, Latin, Greek (two sessions), Logic, Mental Science, Mathematics, Physics, and, in places where there are such classes, at least one of the following subjects : — French, German, Political Economy, Geology, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany, Senior Latin, or Senior Mathematics ; and the last three sessions in the course of theology. 2. Each session in the undergraduate course shall extend over at least five months, or two full terms. 8. The General Assembly sanctions the attendance of stud- ents during the undergraduate course at the following colleges : — The Magee Presbyterian College, Londonderry ; the Queen’s Colleges in Ireland ; Trinity College, Dublin ; and also at the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and St. Andrews. 4 . During the undergraduate course students shall attend a class of Sacred Rhetoric and Catechetics ; but in places where there is no such class they must attend, in lieu thereof, the Bible and Catechetical Class of some evangelical minister, and produce to the Presbytery a certificate of such attendance. 5. Students may attend a Hebrew Class during one session of the undergraduate course. Before entering the Hebrew Class students shall pass an examination in the elements of Hebrew Grammar. 6. The attendance of a student on a theological class, before he has completed his undergraduate course, shall not be sus- tained by the Presbytery ; but this shall not apply to the classes of Hebrew, and Sacred Rhetoric and Catechetics. 7. The Presbytery shall encourage the student to engage in appropriate Christian work during his undergraduate course ; and shall, before he enters the theological classes, satisfy itself that he is manifesting a spirit and maintaining a walk befitting a candidate for the ministerial office. 8. In the theological course each session shall be not less than five months in duration. JURISDICTION OYER STUDENTS. 65 9. During the theological course in the General Assembly’s College. Belfast, students shall attend the following classes : — First Session . — Hebrew ; Christian Ethics, including Natural Theology ; Ecclesiastical History ; Sacred Rhetoric andCatechetics. Second Session . — Hebrew, if not taken in the undergraduate course ; Systematic Theology ; Ecclesiastical History, including Church Government and Pastoral Theology ; Biblical Criticism ; Sacred Rhetoric and Catechetics. Third Session. — Systematic Theology ; Biblical Criticism ; Sacred Rhetoric and Catechetics. 10 . During the theological course in the Magee Presbyterian College, Londonderry, students shall attend the following classes : First Session . — Hebrew ; Ethics ; Church History and Pas- toral Theology ; Catechetics. Second Session. — Hebrew, if not taken in the undergraduate course ; Theology ; Church History and Pastoral Theology ; Biblical Criticism ; Catechetics. Third Session . — Theology; Biblical Criticism; Catechetics. 11 . The General Assembly sanctions the attendance of a student at any fully equipped theological college of a Church which holds the standards of this Church, or at any such foreign college whose teaching is in harmony with the standards of this Church ; but requires the student to take all the classes and do all the work in each class prescribed by such Church for its own students, and to present to the Presbytery certificates showing that he has done so in a satisfactory manner. Should a student take his whole theological course at such a college, he shall attend, for two complete sessions, each of the following classes : — Hebrew ; Systematic Theology ; Ecclesiastical History ; Biblical Criticism ; Pastoral Theology ; and Sacred Rhetoric and Catechetics : he shall also attend a class of Ethics for one session. 12. During their theological course in any college, students shall attend an Elocution class for at least one session ; and they are strongly recommended to attend a class of Sacred Music. 13 . Every student (undergraduate or theological), under the care of a Presbytery, shall lay before it, at its first stated meeting after the close of each college session, class tickets from the several professors under whom he has studied, certifying that his attendance, moral conduct, and progress in his studies have been satisfactory; and that he has attended the usual class 66 THE PRESBYTERY. examinations, performed the prescribed exercises, and passed the examination in each department at the close of the session. He shall also produce from some minister of the Presbyterian Church a certificate of his regular attendance on public worship. 14 . Each Presbytery having students under its care, shall hold a special meeting on the first Tuesday or Wednesday of September in each year, for the purpose of examining them, either orally or by written papers, and transacting any other business connected with their education. Of this meeting each student shall be apprised when he submits his certificates to the Presbytery. In order to secure an early and continued attention to Scripture and the subordinate standards of the Church, every student shall be examined on the following subjects: — (1.) After his first session, on the Old Testament, from Genesis to Deuteronomy inclusive ; and the Shorter Catechism, Questions 1-88, with the Scriptural proofs. (2.) After his second session, on the books of Scripture from Joshua to Job inclusive ; the remainder of the Shorter Catechism, with proofs ; and the Confession of Faith, Chapters i-iii. (8.) After his third session, on the remaining books of the Old Testament; the Larger Catechism, Questions 1-90; and the Confession of Faith, Chapters iv-x. (4.) After his fourth session (first in the theological course), on the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles; the Larger Catechism, Questions 91-148; and the Confession of Faith, Chapters xi-xx. (5.) After his fifth session (second in the theological course), on the remaining books of the New Testament ; and the remainder of the Larger Catechism, and of the Confession of Faith. 15 . When, in accordance with Paragraph 804, Rule 8, a student is taken under the care of a Presbytery during the progress or at the close of his undergraduate course, he shall present to the Presbytery the certificates required of students of his standing who have been taken under its care at the beginning of their collegiate course ; and shall be examined on the books of Scripture, and portions of the Catechisms and Confession of Faith, appointed for such students. 1 ( 5 . A student from another religious denomination, on becoming connected with a Presbytery, shall present such certificates and submit to such examinations as are prescribed for students of the same standing. 17 . The Presbytery shall not, at any one meeting, extend the examination of a student beyond the subjects appointed for a JURISDICTION OYER STUDENTS. 67 single year ; nor shall a student be examined oftener than once in three months, nor during the college session except in the holidays. Trials of Students j 806. When a student has passed the before Licence. J prescribed examinations and has attended one session of the theological course, the Presbytery may take him on trial for licence. Before doing so it shall satisfy itself as to his personal religion, and shall put to him the following questions : — (1.) So far as you know your own heart, have you felt your need of a personal Saviour, and have you been persuaded and enabled by God’s Spirit to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to you in the Gospel ? (2.) Have you been induced, so far as you know your own heart, to seek the office of the Christian ministry from love to Christ, and a desire to promote His glory in the salvation of sinners ? 807. The Presbytery shall prescribe to the student the follow- ing pieces of trial : — 1. A homily on a given subject. 2. An exposition of a portion of Scripture. 3. A critical exercise. In the critical exercise the student shall (1) establish the correct reading of the text, if that is con- tested ; (2) critically analyze and expound the text from the original, pointing out and removing difficulties of interpretation, if any occur ; (8) paraphrase the text ; (4) state the doctrinal propositions contained in the passage. 4 . A discussion of a controverted question in theology. In this discussion the student shall (1) state the question ; (2) ex- plain the terms ; (8) adduce different opinions held ; (4) support by appropriate arguments the view which appears agreeable to truth, and illustrate it by a portion of Scripture which may be adopted as a text ; (5) answer objections to the view advocated. 5. A popular discourse upon a prescribed text. 808. Of these pieces of trial, the first and second shall be given to the Presbytery by the student before the commencement of his second session in the theological course ; the remaining pieces before the commencement of his third session : the first, third, and fourth may be read ; the second and fifth must be de- livered without manuscript. The Presbytery shall not, at any one meeting, accept more than one piece of trial from the student. 309. The Presbytery shall criticise each piece of trial privately, 68 THE PRESBYTERY. in the presence of the student, that he may profit by its judg- ment and may, if requisite, give explanation of his statements. 310. The Presbytery may authorize a theological student of the fifth or sixth year to conduct occasionally a public service in any congregation to which he may be appointed, provided the Presbytery is satisfied of his fitness to do so. 311. When the student has satisfactorily passed the exami- nations required after each of the first five sessions of the colle- giate course, has given evidence that he has been engaged in appropriate Christian work and is manifesting a spirit and main- taining a walk befitting a candidate for the ministerial office, and has delivered the first and second pieces of trial ; the Presbytery shall give him a certificate of these facts to the Theological Examination Committee of the General Assembly, and recom- mend him for its first examination. 312. Every student must before receiving licence pass two examinations conducted by the Theological Examination Com- mittee. 313. The first examination by the Theological Examination Committee shall be annually held in the month of October, shall be conducted by written papers, and shall embrace the following subjects : — (1.) A specified portion of the Hebrew Scriptures, with Hebrew Grammar. (2.) A specified portion of the Greek New Testament. (3.) Ethics, from a specified text-book. (4.) A specified portion of Church History. Students must pass this examination before they enter on their final session in the theological course. 314. A student coming to the first examination must send to the Convener of the Theological Examination Committee, eight clear days before the examination, his diploma of Bachelor or Master in Arts, or the General Assembly’s Certificate in Arts ; satisfactory tickets from all the undergraduate classes on which attendance is enjoined by the General Assembly ; and the proper certificate from the Presbytery with which he is connected, recommending him for examination. 315. When a student has passed all his examinations in Scripture and in the formularies of the Church, has delivered all his pieces of trial to the satisfaction of the Presbytery, and has finished the third session of the theological course, he may proceed to the second examination by the Theological Examina- tion Committee. 316. The second examination by the Theological Examina- tion Committee shall be annually held in the month of April, JURISDICTION OVER STUDENTS. 69 shall be partly by written papers and partly oral — all the students in the oral examination being questioned, as far as possible, upon the same topics — and shall embrace the following subjects : - — (1.) Systematic Theology, from a prescribed text-book. (2.) Biblical Criticism and Exegesis. (8.) Scripture, including Biblical History and Geography ; and Catechetics. Students shall also be examined as to their personal religion and motives in seeking the ministerial office, and shall be asked whether they are pre- pared to sign the Westminster Confession of Faith. 817. A student coming to the second examination must, eight clear days before the examination, send to the Convener of the Theological Examination Committee satisfactory tickets from all the theological classes on which attendance is enjoined by the General Assembly, and a certificate from the Presbytery with which he is connected, testifying that he has delivered all his pieces of trial and passed all his examinations in the Presbytery. Licensing of Students] 818. When a student has delivered as Probationers l all the prescribed pieces of trial to the for the Ministry, j satisfaction of the Presbytery, has passed all the Presbyterial examinations, has presented to the Presbytery the certificate of the Theological Examination Com- mittee stating that he has passed its first and second examina- tions, and has signified his desire to be licensed, the Presbytery shall appoint a minister to address him on his responsibilities and duties. 819. The student, before receiving licence, shall be asked the following questions : — (1.) Bo you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice ? (2.) Bo you believe the Westminster Confession of Faith, as described in the book of the Constitution and Government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (Chap. ii. par. 20), to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and as such do you acknowledge it as the confession of your faith ? (8.) Bo you approve of the Catechisms compiled by the Assembly of Bivines at Westminster, and received as the Catechisms of this Church ? (4.) Are you resolved, through divine grace, firmly and con- stantly to adhere to the doctrine contained in the said Confession and Catechisms, and to teach and defend it to the utmost of your power against all errors ? (5.) Bo you believe the Presbyterian form of Church govern- 70 THE PRESBYTERY. ment to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and do you promise to adhere to and support it, and to yield submission in the Lord to the courts of this Church ? (6.) Have you been induced, so far as you know your own heart, to seek the office of the Christian ministry from love to God, and from a sincere desire to win souls to Christ and promote the divine glory ? (7.) Are you prepared to subscribe the Westminster Con- fession of Faith in terms of the General Assembly’s formula ? 320. The student, having answered these questions in the affirmative, shall subscribe the following formula in the Minute Book of the Presbytery : — “ I believe the Westminster Confession of Faith, as described in the book of the Constitution and Government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (Chap. ii. par. 20), to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and as such I subscribe it as the confession of my faith.” 321. The Presbytery shall then engage in prayer, and license the student as a probationer for the ministry, the Moderator using the following or like words : — “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sole King and Head of the Church, and by the authority with which He has invested us for its edification, we, the Presbytery of , do hereby license you, , to preach the Gospel publicly, as a probationer for the ministerial office ; and may the Spirit of the Lord rest upon you, and make you sufficient for the work to which you are appointed.” 322. The minister appointed shall deliver appropriate in- structions and counsels to the licentiate, and the proceedings shall be concluded with prayer. 323. Licence shall be given to a student only by the Presby- tery, and not by a commission or committee thereof. 324. The following shall be the form of the record of the licence in the Minute Book of the Presbytery : — 4 4 The Presbytery having previously received satisfactory testimonials from the Session of , in favour of ; having had evidence of his piety ; of his pro- ficiency in languages, philosophy, and theology ; of his talents for public instruction ; and having ascertained his soundness in Christian doctrine, and having been certified thereof by his subscription of the Westminster Confession of Faith as the confession of his faith, did this day license JURISDICTION OYER LICENTIATES, ETC. 71 the said to preach the Gospel as a probationer for the Christian ministry.” 825. If the student has passed through part of his course of study under the superintendence of another Presbytery, the form of record of the licence shall be altered to correspond with the circumstances of the case. 826. When a student has received licence, the Clerk of the Presbytery shall forthwith notify his name and residence, and the date of his licence, to the Clerk of the General Assembly. Section VI. — Jurisdiction of the Presbytery oyer Licentiates and Ministers without Charge. 327. Every licentiate shall be at the disposal of the Presby- tery for the supply of its vacant congregations, or for the relief of its ministers who may be temporarily invalided, except when he holds an appointment from the Board of Missions of the General Assembly, or has accepted the invitation of another Presbytery to supply a vacancy. 328. A licentiate, or minister without charge, shall not preach in a vacant congregation except he has been appointed or invited to do so by the Presbytery with which the congregation is con- nected, or by the commission or committee of the Presbytery, or superior court, in charge of the congregation. 329. The Presbytery shall watch over the character of every licentiate under its care, or labouring within its bounds ; and, should a charge be made against a licentiate, or report arise to his prejudice, shall make such charge or report the subject of immediate and strict investigation. If the licentiate be under its care, the Presbytery shall in such investigation proceed as in a case of complaint or injurious rumour against a minister ; and, should the complaint or injurious rumour be established by evidence, shall admonish or rebuke the licentiate, or withdraw his licence, or give direction that he be excluded from communion by the Session of the congregation of which he is a member. If the licentiate against whom there is a charge or unfavourable rumour be not under the care of the Presbytery, but only tem- porarily labouring within its bounds, it shall apprise the Presbytery with which he is connected of the existence and nature of the charge or rumour, and this Presbytery shall jnake the investiga- tion. 330. If a licentiate, or minister without charge, becomes a re- 72 THE PBESBYTEKY. sident within the bounds of another Presbytery, or receives and accepts a call to be a missionary or a minister of a congregation in another Presbytery, he shall obtain credentials of his standing from the Presbytery with which he is connected,— in the former case, within six months from his change of residence, and in the latter, within a month after the call has been placed in his hands ; and shall forthwith present such credentials to the Presbytery within whose bounds he has become a resident, or in connexion with which he has accepted a call. 831. Credentials in favour of licentiates or ministers without charge shall be granted by the Presbytery, and not by a commis- sion or committee thereof ; and shall be signed by the Moderator and by the Clerk of the Presbytery. Such credentials shall be held to be presented to a Presbytery when they are transmitted to the Moderator. [For Forms of Credentials, see Appendix v. 2, 3, p. 180.] 332. A licentiate or a minister without charge from any other Church, applying to be received under the care of a Presbytery of this Church, must produce to the Presbytery — at least three months before the annual meeting of the General Assembly, or six months, if he has been residing outside the United Kingdom — should he be a licentiate, proof of his attendance on a collegiate course in Literature, Science, and Theology, equal to that which the General Assembly requires of its own students, extract minutes of his licensure, and a certificate of his good standing as a licentiate ; and, should he be a minister without charge, a certificate of his good standing as a minister. On his doing so, the Presbytery shall enter the application in the minutes of its proceedings, taking a memorandum of the documents produced ; shall make full inquiry as to the history, character, and doctrine of the applicant, and his reasons for seeking to join this Church ; and shall transmit his request, with its opinion thereon, through the Synod, to the General Assembly. 333. Should the General Assembly authorize a Presbytery to receive under its care a licentiate, or minister without charge, from another Church, the Presbytery shall require such licentiate or minister, previous to his reception, to sign the Westminster Confession of Faith in terms of the General Assembly’s formula, in the Minute Book of the Presbytery ; and shall report his sign- ing of the Confession to the Synod. JURISDICTION OYER CONGREGATIONS. 73 Section VII. — Jurisdiction of the Presbytery over Congregations. 1. Formation, Amalgamation, and General Oversight of Congregations. Formation and Amalgaina-) 334. It is the duty of the Presby- tion of Congregations. j tery to supply spiritually destitute districts within its bounds with the preaching of the Gospel, and to encourage, where necessary, the formation of congregations ; but it shall not organize a new congregation until it has reported on the case to the Synod, and has obtained the sanction of the General Assembly. [For Forms of Memorials to a Presbytery for Supply of Preaching, see Appendix vi. 1, 2, p. 181.] 335. When a new congregation is organized, the Presbytery shall appoint an interim Session to take charge of it, in accordance with Paragraph 138. 336. Where two or more congregations in connexion with the Presbytery or with different Presbyteries, adjoin, and a vacancy in the pastorate occurs in one or more of them, the Presbytery or Presbyteries, as the case may be, may unite the vacant con- gregation with an adjoining one, or may unite the two vacant congregations ; provided each of the congregations to be united has agreed to the projected union, at a meeting of the congregation called for the purpose on at least two Lord’s days preceding. 337. When adjoining congregations are united, the Sessions and Boards of Deacons of such congregations are ipso facto amal- gamated ; and the names, books of registry, and properties of every description, heretofore belonging to the separate congrega- tions, belong thenceforth to the united congregation. 338. Should a congregation be dissolved or cease to exist, the Presbytery shall take measures to secure that the property of the congregation be retained or disposed of for the use and behoof of the Presbyterian Church in that district. Leases and Trusts of ) 339. The Presbytery shall see Congregational Property. J that every new lease, or assign- ment of lease, for any property of a congregation, be drawn in accordance with the Draft Forms and Precedents given in the Appendix, and that there be in the lease or assignment, or in a separate declaration of trust, words securing such property to the congregation, in connexion with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland professing the doctrines contained c 74 THE PRESBYTERY. in the Confession of Faith and the Catechisms, Larger and Shorter, compiled by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster ; and, in the case of a manse or glebe, stating also that it is^ given or held for the benefit of the minister of the congregation. [For Draft Forms and Precedents, see Appendix viii, pp. 185-190.] Sabbath and j 840. The Presbytery shall foster Sabbath Day Schools. J and day schools ; and shall see that there is at least one Sabbath school maintained throughout the year in connexion with each of its congregations, and that the system of religious instruction in the Sabbath schools embraces the learning of the Shorter Catechism as well as the study of Holy Scripture. 841. The Presbytery shall make provision for holding, at least once a year, by committees of its members or otherwise, an ex- amination, in Scripture and the Shorter Catechism, of the Presbyterian children attending day schools within its bounds. 842. The Presbytery shall take special care that the manage- ment of National and other schools does not pass from the hands of the officers or members of this Church ; and that in the case of the death or removal of a minister, who has been the manager of a school, arrangements be made for the transmission of such management to his successor. Church Edifices) 848. The Presbytery shall take care that and Services, f nothing superstitious be allowed in a church edifice, or in church services. Annual Meetings ) 844. The Presbytery shall encourage the of Congregations. } holding of public annual meetings of the congregations, at which Gospel addresses shall be delivered, and the claims of the mission schemes of the Church, and of Christian work generally, shall be brought before the people with the view of increasing their interest in the advancement of the kingdom of God at home and abroad. Deports on State of Religion, ) 845. The Presbytery, having and Accounts of Congregations, j obtained from the Session of every congregation under its care a report on the state of religion in the congregation, shall, at its stated meeting on the first Tuesday or Wednesday after the second Sabbath of April in each year, prepare a general report on the subject for the Synod ; and it shall at the same meeting obtain from each Board of Deacons an audited statement of the accounts of the congregation, signed by the minister and treasurer, with lists of all contributors to stipend and the Sustentation Fund, and the amount paid by each. JURISDICTION OYER CONGREGATIONS. 75 346. Should it appear, from the statements of accounts furnished to the Presbytery by the Board of Deacons of a congregation, that it has failed to pay the minister, in any year, the amount promised to him in the call from the congregation, the Presbytery shall take a note of any arrears which may have accrued since the last Presbyterial visitation ; and the Presbytery, in settling accounts between the congregation and the minister or his heirs, after his resignation or death or when an assistant is being appointed, as the case may be, shall take into its consideration only the accumulated arrears so noted, and any others which may have accrued subsequently. 847. Should the accumulated arrears of stipend, which have been noted by the Presbytery as due by a congregation to its minister, at any time amount to double the annual stipend promised in the call, the Presbytery shall notify the Board of Deacons and congregation of the fact, and shall specially report the matter to the Synod. 2. Supply of Ordinances in Congregations which are without Ministers, or where Ministers have Retired from Active Duty. 348. A vacancy in the pastorate of a congregation is created by the death of the officiating minister thereof, or his being loosed from his charge ; by the retirement of its minister from active duty with the leave of the General Assembly ; or by the suspension or degradation of the officiating minister from the pastorate, or his being declared no longer a minister of this Church, without appeal to a superior court, or when such sen- tence of suspension or degradation, or such declaration, after appeal, has been confirmed : and such vacancy dates from the day of death, resignation, retirement, sentence or declaration, or con- firmation of sentence or declaration, as the case may be. 349. When there is a vacancy in the pastorate of a congrega- tion, the Presbytery shall have notification of the vacancy duly made in the congregation ; and shall see that the congregation is supplied with the preaching of the Word and with other Gospel ordinances. A congregation in such circumstances may be supplied only by ministers or licentiates of the Presbytery, or by ministers or licentiates of other Presbyteries of the Church, or by ministers of Presbyterian Churches holding fraternal relations with this Church ; but in all cases the persons so supplying must be appointed or invited by the Presbytery with which the con- gregation is connected, or by a commission of the Presbytery. 76 THE PRESBYTERY. [For Form of Memorial for Supply of Preaching, see Appendix vi. B, pp. 181, 182.] 850. If a person appointed or invited to supply the congrega- tion with ordinances on a day or days specified, be unable to do so, he must give timely information of his being so unable to the Clerk of the Presbytery or the convener of the commission, who shall carry out the directions given to him by the Presbytery or the commission, as to the supply in that event, or, failing such directions, shall supply the congregation himself or by some other minister or licentiate of the Presbytery. 351. The fee to be paid by a congregation for the remuneration of a supplier shall be fixed by the Presbytery, and shall be in proportion to the stipend paid by the congregation. The amount of such fee shall in all cases be stated beforehand to the supplier. 352. When the Board of Missions of the General Assembly aids a congregation in defraying the expenses of a supplier, the Presbytery and the Board shall make such arrangements, as to the duties and remuneration of the supplier, as shall seem to them judicious. 353. While the officiating minister of a congregation is under temporary suspension by the Presbytery before or during trial, or while an appeal against the sentence of suspension or degradation passed upon him, or against the declaration of the Presbytery that he is no longer a minister of this Church, remains unde- cided, the Presbytery shall see that the congregation is supplied with ordinances in accordance with the preceding rules. 3. Preparation of Lists of Voters for Congregations Requiring Ministers. 354. When there is a vacancy in the pastorate of a congrega- tion, it is the duty of the Presbytery to appoint one or more of its own members, in addition to the interim Moderator of the Session, to be assessors with the Session in preparing a list of the qualified voters of the congregation ; and in having such list read in the congregation, corrected (if necessary), and lodged with the Moderator of the Presbytery or with the convener of the commission of the Presbytery in charge of the congregation, if such commission has been appointed. Notice of the purposed reading of such list of voters, and of the time and place of the reading thereof, must be given at least eight days previously to the congregation at public worship on a Sabbath. [For Form of Memorial for preparation of List of Voters, see Appendix vi. 4, p. 182 ; and for Form of Notice of purposed reading of List of Voters, see Appendix, vii. 1, p. 183.] JURISDICTION OVER CONGREGATIONS. 77 355. Every member of the church in full communion with the congregation, whose name has been in the stipend book before the date of the vacancy in the pastorate, or twelve months before the day of making out the poll-list, and who is clear of stipend up to the accustomed period of payment immediately preceding the making out of the list, shall be entitled to vote, and his name shall be entered on the poll-list. Should the name of a husband not in communion be on the list of contributors to the stipend, his wife if in communion, or, if she be not, then the eldest child residing in the family and being in communion in the con- gregation, shall be the elector. 856. In the case of a new congregation, a communicant whose name has been three months in the stipend book before the day of making out the poll-list, and who has paid his stipend, shall be entitled to vote, and his name shall be entered on the poll-list. 357. At meetings of the Session with assessors, the interim Moderator of the Session shall preside ; but in his absence, or at his request, one of the assessors being a minister shall preside. 358. On the day of reading the list of voters in the congregation, should any member of the congregation who claims to be a qualified voter thereof, discover that his name is not upon the list read, or object to the retention of any name thereon, he has the right to bring his claim or objection before the Session, which shall consider the claim or objection, give its decision thereon, and if necessary amend the list accordingly, or shall refer the case to the Presbytery. Should the member claiming or objecting, or any other member, be dissatisfied with such decision, amendment, or reference, he has the right of appeal to the Presbytery. The same right belongs in such case to any member of the Session with assessors, in regard to any of its decisions. 359. When the list of voters has been perfected by the Session, without appeal or reference, or by the Presbytery after appeal or reference, it shall be dated, signed, and certified as correct by the Moderator presiding at the meeting of the Session, or at the meeting of the Presbytery, as the case may be, who shall forth- with have it lodged with the Moderator of the Presbytery or with the convener of the commission, a certified duplicate being retained by the interim Moderator of the Session. 360. A poll-list, after being lodged with the Moderator of the Presbytery or convener of the commission, shall not be altered during the vacancy in the pastorate, unless the vacancy extend beyond twelve months ; in which case the Presbytery shall have 78 THE PRESBYTERY. a new list of voters prepared in accordance with the preceding rules. 861. Until the foregoing regulations have been complied with, the congregation shall not appoint any deputation to hear a candidate ; nor shall the Presbytery or its commission appoint or invite a candidate to exercise his gifts in the congregation, or moderate in a call in favour of a minister or licentiate. 862. Should the head of a household registered as an elector die in the interval between the making out of the poll-list and the day of voting, his widow, if in full communion in the church, shall have the right to vote. Should his widow not be in full communion or should there be no widow, the eldest child in full communion in the congregation and resident in the family, shall be the elector. Should the deceased registered elector have been a widow, the eldest child in full communion in the congregation and resident in the family, shall be the elector. 4. Arrangements for the Hearing of Candidates in Congregations. 868. No person shall have a hearing in a congregation as a candidate for a vacant pastorate, unless he is a minister or licen- tiate of this Church, or a minister of a church whose ministers the General Assembly has declared to be eligible ; and unless he has been appointed or invited by the Presbytery, or the commis- sion of the Presbytery in charge of the congregation, to officiate in it as a candidate. 864. Any voter who wishes the congregation to hear a particular minister or licentiate, may apply to the Session to bring the name of such minister or licentiate before the con- gregation, and the Session shall give a decision upon the application. 865. Should the Session not approve, the name of the minister or licentiate shall not be brought before the congregation ; but the voter has the right of petition to the commission of Presby- tery, and of appeal to the Presbytery against the decision. 366. Should the Session approve — notification of the intention to petition for the hearing of a candidate or candidates having been given to the congregation on the preceding Lord’s day — it shall bring the name of the minister or licentiate before the congregation, as that of a candidate who may be asked on trial ; and, should more than half of those who vote (being qualified voters) be in favour of his being heard, a petition to the Presby- tery or the commission of the Presbytery, asking it to procure JURISDICTION OVER CONGREGATIONS. 79 for the congregation a hearing of the candidate, shall be prepared, read in the congregation, and signed in its name by the presiding minister, who must in such case be the interim Moderator of the Session, or some other minister of the Presbytery appointed for the purpose. Commissioners shall also be appointed by the congregation to support its petition in the Presbytery or the commission of the Presbytery, and otherwise act on its behalf ; and the names of such commissioners and a statement of their appointment shall be entered in or attached to the petition. [For Form of Notification of intention to Petition for the Hearing of a Candidate or Candidates, see Appendix vii. 2, p. 18B ; and for Form of Petition, see Appendix vi. 5 , p. 182.] 367. The petition of the congregation may ask for a hearing of any number of candidates, for such times and in such order as it may specify, provided the Session has brought the name of each candidate before the congregation, and that more than half of those who vote (being qualified voters) have been in favour of hearing each ; but it is not advisable that the congregation should request a hearing of many candidates. 868. Before granting a hearing of a candidate or candidates, the Presbytery shall ascertain the amounts which the congregation is prepared to pay toward stipend and the Sustentation Fund of the General Assembly, and shall use its best efforts to secure that these amounts shall be in proportion to the means of the people. 369. When the Presbytery or the commission of the Presbytery grants the prayer of the petition, it shall appoint or invite the candidate or candidates to officiate in the congregation ; and shall inform each candidate of the day or days upon which he is to officiate, and of the remuneration which he is to receive. 370. A candidate unable or declining to officiate in the con- gregation at the time appointed, must give timely notice of his inability or declinature to the Clerk of the Presbytery, or to the convener of the commission of the Presbytery, who has informed him of his appointment, that the Clerk or the convener may provide a substitute ; and such substitute may be another appointed candidate, if such be available, but failing him must be a minister or licentiate of the Presbytery. 371. After the congregation has heard the candidate or candi- dates for a hearing of whom it at any time petitioned, or has heard so many of them as could be procured to officiate, it may ask the Presbytery or the commission of the Presbytery for a rehearing of one or more of them, or for a hearing of another candidate or other candidates ; or may ask it to moderate in a call for 80 THE PKESBYTEEY. some particular candidate, or for any minister or licentiate of the Church, or minister of a Church whose ministers the General Assembly has declared to be eligible, whether it has heard such minister or licentiate, or has been otherwise satisfied of his fitness. But it may ask the Presbytery to moderate in a call without having heard any candidate. [For Form of Petition to Moderate in a Call, see Appendix vi. 6, p. 182.] 372. As often as the congregation asks for the hearing of a candidate or candidates, the provisions of Paragraphs 863-870 shall he complied with. 373. When, and as often as, the Presbytery is asked to moderate in a call, notice must be given' by the Session to the con- gregation, on the preceding Lord’s day, that on the following Sabbath a minister will attend to ascertain if the congregation is ready to petition the Presbytery or the commission of the Presbytery to moderate in a call, and, if so, to what particular minister or licentiate ; and such notice must be preserved and attested by the Clerk of the Session as having been read in the congregation. [For Form of Notice, see Appendix vii. 3, p. 183.] 374. On the Sabbath specified in the notice, the presiding minister, who must be either the interim Moderator of the Ses- sion or some other minister of the Presbytery appointed for the purpose, after reading the notice with the attestation to the con- gregation, shall put the question — “ Petition the Presbytery or the commission of the Presbytery to moderate in a call, or not ? ” and should half or more than half of those who vote, being qualified voters, be against petitioning, the congregation may arrange to ask the Presbytery or the commission of the Presby- tery for a hearing of a candidate or candidates. 375. Should more than one half of those who vote, being qualified voters, be in favour of petitioning,. the presiding minister shall then announce that it is open to any voter to move that the congregation shall ask the Presbytery or its commission to moderate in a call to a particular minister or licentiate. 376. Should any voter so move, and the motion be seconded by a voter and not withdrawn, it shall be put to the congregation ; and if more than one half of those who vote, being qualified voters, be in its favour, a petition from the congregation to the Presbytery or its commission, asking it to moderate in a call to such minister or licentiate, shall be drawn up, read in the con- gregation, signed in its name by the presiding minister, and transmitted to the Presbytery or its commission. Commissioners shall also be appointed by the congregation to support its petition JURISDICTION OYER CONGREGATIONS. 81 in the Presbytery or the commission of the Presbytery, and otherwise act on behalf of the congregation ; and the names of such commissioners and a statement of their appointment shall be entered in or attached to the petition. Should there not be a majority for the motion, a proposal to petition the Presbytery to moderate in a call to another minister or licentiate may then be moved, seconded, and similarly voted on ; and so on, until no further motion is made, or a motion is carried by a majority of those who vote, when a petition in accordance therewith shall be drawn up, read, signed, and transmitted. If no motion have a majority in its favour, the congregation may arrange to ask the Presbytery or the commission of the Presbytery for a hearing of a candidate or candidates. 877. A vote in the congregation may be taken by the voices, or by a show of hands ; but, if any voter demand it, the list of voters shall be called, and the votes marked and reckoned. 5. Moderation in Calls from Congregations to Ministers or Licentiates. 878. The Presbytery shall not moderate in a call to a minister or licentiate who is not a minister or licentiate of this Church, or a minister of a Church whose ministers the General Assembly has declared to be eligible. (Cf. Paragraph 863.) 379. When the Presbytery is petitioned to moderate in a call to a particular minister or licentiate, in accordance with Paragraphs 371, 373 — 377, and grants the prayer of the petition, it shall appoint two or more of its members as a commission to moderate in a call to such minister or licentiate, upon a specified day which shall not be the Lord’s day ; and notice of this appointment shall be given to the congregation on the two pre- ceding Sabbaths, and shall be preserved and attested by the Clerk of the Session as having been read in the congregation. [For Form of Notice with attestation, see Appendix vii. 4, p. 184.] When a commission of the Presbytery in charge of the congregation is so petitioned, it shall itself moderate in the call. 380. On the day specified, after appropriate religious exercises, the convener of the commission, or other minister thereof chosen to preside, shall read again to the congregation the notice given, with the attestation attached, and shall put the question — 44 Call Mr whom you have named in your petition to the Presby- tery [or the commission of the Presbytery] or not ?” 381. Should the congregation be unanimous as to the giving of a call to him, a call shall be drawn up, signed in the con- 82 THE PRESBYTERY. gregation by as many voters and other members as wish to do so, and certified by the Moderator of the commission. 882. Should the congregation not be unanimous, and a poll be demanded by a voter, a poll shall be taken on the list of voters which has been lodged with the Moderator of the Presby- tery, or with the convener of the commission of the Presbytery, the provisions in Paragraph 862 being observed. 888. Should two-thirds of those who vote be in favour of giving a call, a call shall be drawn up, signed in the congregation by as many voters and other members as wish to do so, and certified by the Moderator of the commission. The commission, when making out a call, should recommend the congregation to promise to pay the stipend to the minister quarterly. Commis- sioners may be appointed by the congregation to support its call. 884. In taking a poll the rule in Paragraph 877 shall be observed. After the list of voters has been read and the votes marked, no one shall be allowed to vote, unless he can show that his name was not called, or that he had not heard it called, or that he came in after his name had been read. In no case shall a vote be accepted after the state of the poll has been declared by the presiding minister. 885. Should there not be two-thirds of those who vote in favour of giving a call to the particular minister or licentiate, a call to him cannot be made out, but the congregation may arrange to ask the Presbytery or the commission for a hearing of a candidate or candidates. No second moderation in a call to the candidate, or second poll for him in the congregation, shall be allowed during the vacancy then existing, unless the laws of the Church have been violated in the carriage of the poll. 886. It being desirable that a call should be signed by as large a number of the congregation as possible, the call may be retained by the Session till the succeeding Sabbath, when the officiating minister shall invite those who have not already signed it to do so, and shall certify any additional signatures. 887. The following shall be the form of call : — “ We, the members of the congregation of , in connexion with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, having heard a good report of you, , and being fully satisfied of your fitness to be our teacher in the Lord, do hereby call and invite you to undertake the work of the ministry among us, promising to respect you for your work’s sake, to attend to your instructions in the Gospel, JURISDICTION OVER CONGREGATIONS. 83 and to submit to the discipline of the Presbyterian Church according to the law of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and we further promise the annual sum of , payable , for your support and encouragement, and to contribute to the Sustentation Fund of the Church according to the regula- tions of the General Assembly. Dated and signed in our congregation at , this day of , in the year “ Signed, ” “We certify that we attended in the congregation of , this day of , in the year , by ap- pointment of the Presbytery of , as its commission, to moderate in a call from the said congregation to , and that we were present at the signing of the call.” , Moderator. 388. Should any voter in the congregation, or member of the commission of the Presbytery in charge of the congregation, or of the commission moderating in the call, be dissatisfied with a decision or proceeding of the commission with reference to the poll or call, and protest against it, he shall be informed that he has the right to petition the Presbytery (if he be a voter), or to complain (if he be a member of the commission), with reference to the decision or proceeding, at the first meeting of the Presby- tery when the commission shall report, and when all its proceedings and the question of the validity of the call shall be before the Presbytery. 389. The commission of the Presbytery in charge of a congre- gation requiring a minister, or appointed to moderate in a call from the congregation, shall report to the Presbytery at its first stated meeting after the signing of the call, or to any special or pro re nnta meeting which may be held for the purpose before the stated meeting. 390. When the report of the commission, with the call, is submitted to the Presbytery, it is the duty of the Presbytery to consider any petition from a voter or complaint from a member of the commission, as to the proceedings of the commission, and to decide if the proceedings have been regular, and if the call be valid. It shall also determine whether the amount of stipend promised in the call is proportioned to the means of the people, and whether under all the circumstances of the case the call shall be sustained. Against its decisions, any voter in the 84 THE PRESBYTERY. congregation, as a party in the case, or any member of the Presbytery, has the right of appeal. 891. If the call be found invalid, and there be no appeal, the proceedings of the moderation are annulled. 892. If the Presbytery sustain the call, and there be no appeal against its decision, and the person elected be a professor or mis- sionary in the Presbytery, or a minister without charge or licen- tiate under the care of the Presbytery, the Presbytery shall pre- sent the call to him ; and, if he accept it or retain it for con- sideration, shall appoint him to supply the congregation. Should he be a minister and accept the call, the Presbytery shall fix a day for his installation. 898. Should the person elected be a minister of a congregation of the Presbytery, the Presbytery shall have the congregation of such minister notified, at the public service upon the Lord’s day, that a call to its minister shall be before the Presbytery, at an adjourned meeting to be held on a specified day, and that, if it desire, it may petition or send commissioners to such meeting ; and the Presbytery shall adjourn to the time specified and may then present the call. No such notification or adjournment, however, shall be necessary, if the Presbytery be certified that the congregation has been already publicly apprised of the call and of the day of meeting of the Presbytery to consider it, and if by petition or commissioners it be before the Presbytery or have declined to petition or appoint commissioners. 894. When the Presbytery meets, and the petitions (if there be any) for or against the translation of the minister have been read, and the commissioners supporting or opposing it heard, and the minister heard, the Presbytery shall decide whether the call shall be presented. Should it present the call, and the minister accept it, the Presbytery shall loose him from the pastoral charge of his congregation, appoint him constant supplier, and fix a day for his installation. Should he decline the call, the call is ipso facto set aside. 395. If the person elected be not a minister of the Presbytery, or a minister or licentiate under its care, the Presbytery shall forward the call, and if it think fit send commissioners, to the Presbytery with which he is connected, which shall deal with the call and, if the call be presented and accepted, shall give him credentials of transference to the Presbytery to which the congre- gation belongs. If the person elected be the minister of a congre- gation, the Presbytery with which he is connected must observe the rules in Paragraphs 393 and 394. JURISDICTION OVER CONGREGATIONS. 85 896. When a call is presented it may be retained for con- sideration ; but if not accepted or declined within one month from the day of presentation, it shall be held to be declined and is ipso facto set aside. 897. While a vacancy exists in a pastorate it devolves upon the Presbytery to supply the congregation with ordinances ; but when a minister or licentiate of another Presbytery has been called, the Presbytery shall appoint him constant supplier of the congregation so soon as he presents satisfactory credentials, and shall, in the case of a minister, fix a day for his installation. 898. Stipend shall be reckoned from the date of the call, if accepted ; and the minister elect shall be responsible for the pay- ment of all suppliers from the same date. 6. Receiving Trial Discourses from Licentiates. 399. When a licentiate has accepted a call to a congregation or to labour in a mission field, the Presbytery before arrang- ing for his ordination shall prescribe to him the following pieces of trial: — (1.) A lecture. (2.) A question on a common head of divinity. (3.) A popular sermon. Of these pieces, the second may be read ; the first and third must be delivered without manuscript. 400. A licentiate shall not deliver his pieces of trial before ordination within a shorter period than a month from the time when he was appointed constant supplier. 401. Should the Presbytery approve of the trial discourses of the licentiate, it shall appoint a day for solemnly setting him apart to the work of the ministry. 7. Ordination and Installation of Ministers. 402. When the Presbytery has appointed a day for ordain- ing or installing a minister in a congregation, it shall send a member to serve the edict in the congregation, at least eight days before the day of ordination or installation. The form of the edict shall be as follows : — “ A call from this congregation having been presented to , sustained by the Presbytery, and accepted by him, the Presbytery of hereby publishes its edict, that the day of has been appointed for his or- dination and induction [or, in the case of an ordained minister, for his installation] . If any member of this 86 THE PEESBYTEEY. congregation have objection to his life or doctrine, or if any person or persons have claims against the congrega- tion for arrear of stipend, ministerial expenditure for the congregation with its recorded sanction, or supply of ordinances, such objection or claims must be lodged, within three days from this time, with , the Moderator of the Presbytery, otherwise the Presbytery will not take them into its consideration. The congregation is further notified, that should such claims as this edict has specified be made in the time specified and be found valid by the Presbytery, the congregation must have them settled three days before the day fixed for the ordination [or installation] . It must also pay any accounts due by it to the Presbytery. The Presbytery has appointed the day to be observed by all concerned as a season of special prayer for the divine blessing. , Moderator of the Presbytery of ” “ Published in the congregation of , by , this day of ” 403. It is the duty of the Moderator of the Presbytery to lay before the Presbytery, prior to the ordination or installation, any objections and claims which have been lodged with him ; and it is the duty of the Presbytery to consider such objections and claims, the parties concerned being previously notified by the Moderator. 404. The Presbytery shall see that all congregational debts to itself, and debts for stipend or for occasional supply of ordinances, be duly settled ; also all debts incurred by the existing or preced- ing minister of the congregation for its benefit with its recorded sanction. If any of these remain unpaid, the Presbytery shall not proceed with the ordination or installation ; but no account shall be taken by the Presbytery of any debts which, having been incurred before the last Presbyterian visitation of the congrega- tion, were not reported at such visitation. 405. In prospect of an ordination or installation, the Presby- tery shall appoint ministers to conduct the services. 406. On the day of ordination or installation the order of the services shall be as follows : — 1. The Presbytery having been constituted, shall be satisfied that the edict has been duly published in the congregation, and that there is no impediment to the induction. 2. Should the minister elect be a licentiate, or be a minister JURISDICTION OVER CONGREGATIONS. 87 Prom another Church who has been ordained within five years preceding the date of his admission to this Church, the Presbytery shall require him to promise to subscribe to one of the Widows’ Funds of the General Assembly ; and shall record such promise. 3. After praise, prayer, and the reading of the Word, an appropriate sermon shall be preached. 4 . The principles of Presbyterian Church government shall be expounded. 5. The minister elect shall be publicly asked the following questions : — (1.) Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ments to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice ? (2.) Do you believe the Westminster Confession of Faith, as described in the book of the Constitution and Government of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (Chap. ii. par. 20), to be founded- on and agreeable to the Word of God, and as such do you acknowledge it as the confession of your faith ? (8.) Do you approve of the Catechisms compiled by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, and received as the Cate- chisms of this Church ? (4.) Are you resolved, through divine grace, firmly and con- stantly to adhere to the doctrine contained in the said Confession and Catechisms ; and to teach the same, and defend it to the utmost of your power against all error ? (5.) Do you believe the Presbyterian form of Church govern- ment to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and do you promise to adhere to and support it, and to yield submis- sion in the Lord to the courts of this Church ? (6.) Do you hold it to be your duty to maintain and prosecute the reformation work of our covenanted fathers of the Church of Scotland ? (7.) So far as you know your own heart, have you been induced to seek the office of the Christian ministry [or (in a case of installation), to come to discharge in this congregation the func- tions of your sacred office] [or (in a case of installation as a missionary), to devote yourself to labour in the field of missions] from love to God, and from a sincere desire to promote His glory, and to win souls to Christ ? (8.) Having accepted the call of this congregation [or (in the case of a missionary), the call of the Board of Missions of this Church] , do you promise through divine grace to make full proof 88 THE PRESBYTERY. of your ministry among them [or (in the case of a missionary), in the field allotted to yon] , preaching the Gospel of the grace of God, administering the sacraments, visiting the people, catechis- ing and instructing the young, visiting the sick, aiding in the government of the Church, and discharging all other duties incumbent upon you as a minister of Jesus Christ ? (9.) Are you prepared to subscribe the Westminster Confes- sion of Faith in terms of the General Assembly’s formula ? [or (in the Presbytery of Munster), Are you prepared to write out and present the declaration of your adoption of and adhesion to the Westminster Confession of Faith ?] 6 . The minister elect having answered these questions in the affirmative, shall subscribe the following formula in the Minute Book of the Presbytery : — 44 1 believe the Westminster Confession of Faith, as described in the book of the Constitution and Government of the Presby- terian Church in Ireland (Chap. ii. par. 20), to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and as such I sub- scribe it as the confession of my faith.” [In the Munster Presbytery, the minister elect shall write out and present the following declaration: — 44 1, , do hereby declare, that I do believe the Westminster Confession of Faith, as received by the Church of Scotland in the year 1647, and by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, to be founded on and agreeable to the Word of God, and as such I declare it to be the confession of my faith and this declaration shall be retained among the records of the Presbytery.] 7. The minister elect shall then kneel, and be ordained with prayer and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, or shall be installed with prayer. In a case of ordination the Moderator shall use the following or like words : — 44 In the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sole King and Head of His Church, we, the Presbytery of , authorized and appointed by Him to commit to faithful men the ministry of the Word and the administra- tion of ordinances, do hereby ordain you, , with prayer and the laying on of our hands [the Presbytery laying hands on his head] to the ministry of the Gospel, and we appoint you to the oversight of the church in this place [or (in the case of a missionary), to missionary service in ] ” JURISDICTION OVER CONGREGATIONS. 89 In a case of installation the Moderator shall use the following or like words : — “ In the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sole King and Head of His Church, we, the Presby- tery of , authorized and appointed by Him to commit to faithful men the ministry of the Word and the ad- ministration of ordinances, do hereby install you, , with prayer and appoint you to the oversight of the church in this place [or (in the case of a missionary), to missionary service in ] ” 8. Prayer shall be offered up for the divine blessing, and the right hand of fellowship be given by the members of the Presby- tery to the minister ordained or installed. 9 . A suitable charge shall be given to the minister ordained or installed, and to the people. 10. Praise and prayer shall be offered up, after which the minister ordained or installed may receive the friendly congratu- lations of the people. 11 . The Presbytery, before the close of its proceedings, shall have the name of the minister, ordained or installed, entered on the roll of its members, except in the case of a missionary pro- ceeding to the Presbytery in India or to the service of another Church. 407. The ordination or installation of ministers shall be con- ducted by the Presbytery, and not by a commission or committee thereof ; and the proceedings of the Presbytery at ordinations or installations shall be carefully recorded in its Minute Book. 8. Visitation of Congregations. 408. The Presbytery shall visit the congregations under its care in succession, visiting each congregation once at least in seven years. It shall also hold a pro re nata or a special meeting for the visitation of a congregation when it considers it to be necessary. In ordinary circumstances there should not be a visitation of a congregation within the twelve months immediately succeeding the ordination or installation of the minister. 409. When the Presbytery resolves to visit a congregation, it shall appoint a committee to examine the minute books of its Session and Board of Deacons, the roll of its communicants, and its registers of baptisms and marriages, and to report to the Pres- bytery on the day of the visitation. 410. The Presbytery shall appoint a minister to go, at least 90 THE PRESBYTERY. eight days before the day of the visitation, to the congregation to be visited ; to give public notice to it of the intended visitation ; and, as Moderator pro tempore , to see that the Session appoint two of the ruling elders, and the Board of Deacons or Committee of the congregation two of its number, to represent them respectively at the visitation. The minister of the congregation to be visited shall be responsible for the supply of the pulpit of the minister so appointed. 411. The visitation shall be conducted in the following manner : — 1. The minister of the congregation shall lead in exercises of public worship, and expound or preach from a portion of Scripture. 2 . The Presbytery having been constituted, the minute re- cording the appointment of the visitation shall be read ; and the finding of the Presbytery at the last visitation of the congrega- tion shall also be read. 3 . The Presbytery shall be certified by the minister who gave notification to the congregation that due notice of the visitation was given ; and that representatives were appointed by the Session and Board of Deacons respectively ; and the names of these representatives returned by the presiding minister shall be entered on the minutes, and the attendance of the represen- tatives shall be also noted on the minutes. Questions to the Representatives of the Session. 4 . The following questions shall be put to the representatives of the Session : — (1.) Do you believe that your minister is a man of piety? (2.) Is he a man of integrity and truthfulness ? (8.) Does he main- tain the worship of God in his family, and rule well his house- hold ? (4.) Does he faithfully preach the doctrines of the Gospel, as they are set forth in the Confession of Faith of this Church ; especially the doctrines of the Trinity ; the fall of man ; his recovery through the atonement of the Lord J esus Chrisi ; justification by faith in Christ through His imputed righteousness ; the deity, personality, and work of the Holy Ghost ; the sover- eignty of divine grace ; the perseverance of the saints ; the necessity of faith and repentance wrought in us by God’s Spirit ; and, as an evidence of a work of grace, the necessity of a life of practical godliness ? (5.) Do his pulpit services indicate careful preparation, and an accurate knowledge of the Holy JURISDICTION OVER CONGREGATIONS. 91 Scriptures ? (6.) What services does he conduct in the congregation each Lord’s day? (7.) What stated service has he during the week? (8.) Does he regularly visit all the families of the congregation ? (9.) How often has he visited the congregation during the last three years ? (10.) Does he faithfully visit the sick and afflicted? (11.) Does he endeavour to remove differences, and promote peace among the families of his charge ? (12.) Is he a man of sobriety, and does he strive to promote temperance amongst the people ? (18.) Does he visit Sabbath and day schools, and endeavour to promote the education of the young? (14.) Does he inculcate Christian stewardship, and encourage the people to contribute to the relief of the poor, the maintenance of the Gospel ministry, and the missions of the Church ? (15.) Is he engaged in any employment which interferes with the due performance of his ministerial work ? (16.) Do the people respect their minister, and are they profited by his labours ? Question to the other Ruling Elders. 5. The following question shall be put to the other ruling elders : — Do you concur in the answers given by the representatives of the Session ? Question to the Congregation. 6 . The congregation shall be asked — Do you approve of the answers given by the ruling elders ? Questions to the Minister. 7 . The following questions shall be put to the minister : — (1.) How many ruling elders are in the Session of this con- gregation ? (2.) Have they all been ordained to the elder- ship in the congregation, or installed in office in it, according to the laws of the Church ? (8.) Do you believe that they are men of piety? (4.) Are they men of integrity and truthfulness ? (5.) Do they maintain the worship of God in their families, and rule well their households ? (6.) Do they attend regularly on public ordinances ? (7.) Do they co-operate zealously with you in the oversight and government of this church ? (8.) Do they look after the careless and those who neglect ordinances, and do they encourage the people to attend on the means of grace ? (9.) Do they visit the sick and afflicted, and conduct worship in families as opportunity offers ? (10.) Do they strive to promote education and to foster the godly training of the young in families and 92 THE PRESBYTERY. schools ? (11.) Do they take an interest in the work of the Church at home and abroad, and encourage the people to support liberally Gospel ordinances and missions ? (12.) Are they men of sobriety, and do they promote peace and habits 'of temperance among the people? (IB.) Have you books for the registration of baptisms and marriages? (14.) Where are these kept? Produce them. (15.) What special means do you employ for the instruction of the young in the doctrines of the Gospel, and the distinctive principles of the Presbyterian Church ? (16.) Are there any arrears of stipend due you by the congregation ? (17.) Have you a claim against the congregation for any other debt ? (18.) Do you hold an official situation in any public institution ? If so (a.) What are the duties of the office ? ( b .) Do you see to it that the inmates under your charge are adequately supplied with Bibles, Psalm books, and Catechisms ? (