miserable state whilst unconverted, and put them upon the diligent use of those means necessary in order to obtaining the sanctifying influences of the Spirit of God; whether he do, and how he doth, discharge his duty toward the young people and children of his congregation in a way of catechising and familiar instruction; whether he do, and in what manner he doth, visit his flock and instruct them from house to house.

And the Synod hereby orders that a copy of this minute be inserted into the books of each of our Presbyteries, and be read at every of their Presbyterial meetings, and a record of its being read minuted in said books at the beginning of every session, and that there be also an annual record in each Presbytery book of a correspondence with this minute. And in case any minister within our bounds shall be found defective in any of the above-mentioned cases, he shall be subject to the censure of the Presbytery, and if he refuse subjection to such censure, the Presbytery are hereby directed to represent his case to the next Synod. And the Synod recommends to each of the ministers within our bounds to be as much in catechetical doctrines as they in prudence may think proper. -1734, p. 111.

c. That in the discharge of pastoral duties, they take the utmost care that the Word of God be known and understood by the people, and that for this purpose, in their public instructions the practice of lecturing on certain portions of holy Scripture be not laid aside, but rather revived and increased; that they endeavor, where it is prudent and practicable, to institute private societies for reading, prayer, and pious conversation; above all, that they be faithful in the duties of family visitation and the catechetical instruction of children and youth. And that in order to aid these views, they endeavor to engage the sessions of the respective congregations, or other men most distinguished for intelligence and piety in them, to assume as trustees the superintendence and inspection of the schools established for the initiation and improvement of children in the elements of knowledge; to see that they be provided with teachers of grave and respectable characters; and that these teachers, among other objects of their duty, instruct their pupils in the principles of religion, which should be done as often as possible in the presence of one or more of the aforesaid trustees, under the deep conviction that the care and education of children, the example set before them, and the first impressions made on their minds are of the utmost importance to civil society as well as to the church.-1799, p. 182.

[NOTE.-See also under Directory for Worship, Chaps. i, vi and Minutes passim, for duties, etc., of a pastor, and under Form of Government, Chaps. xv, xvi and xvii, for questions relating to the pastoral office. Also Chap. x, Sec. viii.]

2. The pastoral relation emphasized and encouraged.

The following paper in reference to the pastoral relation was adopted: The General Assembly deems it important to reiterate and enforce the doctrine of our Standards in regard to the pastoral relation, as the scriptural, apostolic, and permanent order for the edifying of the body of Christ and the extension of saving influences throughout the world. This was evidently the view of the subject held by those who laid the foundations of the Presbyterian Church, who drew the wondrous plan of its organization, and impressed upon it those features which give it so striking a resemblance to the churches presided over by the apostle John, by Timothy, by the venerable Polycarp, and others in those times

of early development under the special guidance of divine inspiration. Nothing is more fundamental in our order than the law which calls for an educated, pious, ordained, settled, permanent ministry. Our Book recognizes no ministerial relation to the Church as thoroughly legitimate and vital but that of a regularly constituted pastorate; all besides this it regards as exceptional and temporary.

As an Assembly we feel solemnly bound to remind the Presbyteries and churches of these facts, and to express our deep sense of the danger which threatens us, in consequence of a very manifest decline from the law and the practice of our fathers on this subject, and the growing evil of frequent change of pastoral relations, in consequence of which we are somewhat losing a peculiarity which has given us distinction in times past, and are becoming more and more, in this respect, like those denominations among whom change is not exceptional, but an adopted principle and a confirmed habit. For Presbyterians this tendency is alarming. The Assembly would therefore warn all concerned to be on their guard against it. Since much depends upon the views of the subject with which young men enter the ministry, we would respectfully suggest, to the teachers in our theological seminaries, the importance of emphasizing their instructions in regard to the pastoral office, as one to be desired and sought as a divine and permanent institution, and as absolutely essential to the most healthful development and increase of the Church and the Christian cause. We would also earnestly call upon all our churches to coöperate with their Presbyteries in creating and extending a public sentiment favoring the formation of pastoral relationships which time and years shall only serve to strengthen and to hallow, and which may suitably represent in outward form the stable tendencies of our ancient and orthodox faith. Our people must be encouraged to call pastors with a view of keeping them; and our ministers must enter the pastorate to abide. When the two parties come together with such views and purposes, they will be so joined together that man may not and only God can put them asunder. At the same time, the Assembly would deprecate undue haste in the consummation of pastoral ties as itself prophetic of speedy dissolution. We would advise

the parties to take time to ascertain whether they have a proper liking and fitness for each other, and not marry under the first impulse of inclination, much less on account of what, at the moment, may appear the best or the only chance. Relationships designed to be lasting must be carefully considered and prayerfully entered into; then will the causes which so frequently unsettle or disturb be powerless, and the beautiful order of the pastorate will remain, to the praise of God and the glory of the Church, in the midst of changes which mar all other relations and vitiate so many of the works of man.-1877, pp. 542, 543.

3. Ministerial rights unaffected by being honorably retired. From the Synod of Cleveland, inquiring whether those ministers whose names in the Assembly's Minutes are followed by the letters H. R." have still the right to preach, to administer the sacraments, to sit in the higher judicatories of the Church, and to exercise other functions of the ministry, as in former times. The Committee recommend that the following answer be returned: The designation referred to in the overture does not affect, in any way, the status of the minister, or deprive him of any of the functions of his office.-Adopted 1875, p. 507.

[NOTE.-See also Form of Government, Chap. x, Sec. viii.]

4. Installation of pastors-elect insisted on, and none to be designated as P. E. whose call has not been regularly acted on.

The Committee of Bills and Overtures reported the following resolution:

Whereas, It is commonly reported that in several of our Presbyteries the custom prevails, first, of permitting ministers who have received calls from churches to serve such churches through a series of years without installation; and, secondly, of placing the names of such ministers in the statistical tables as pastors-elect (P.E.); and,

Whereas, Such customs are manifestly inconsistent with the express requirements or implications of Form of Government, Chap. xv, `viii, and xvi, iii; therefore,

Resolved, That all our Presbyteries be enjoined:

1. To take order that as soon as possible after a licentiate or ordained minister has been called by a church and the call been approved and accepted such person be installed as pastor of the church calling him.

2. To place the names of none in the statistical tables as pastors-elect (P.E.) whose calls have not been regularly approved by the Presbytery having charge of the church issuing the call, and who have not signified their acceptance thereof and readiness for installation. —Adopted 1886, p. 56.

II. STATED SUPPLIES.

1. Stated supplies to be discouraged.

a. The Committee on Overture No. 9, viz., a memorial from East Hanover Presbytery on inefficiency in the ministry, made the following report, which was adopted, viz.: . . . . 3. That it be enjoined on all the Presbyteries to take such measures as they may deem expedient for forming the pastoral relation in a regular manner in all cases where churches are now served by stated supplies, unless there be special reasons to the contrary, of which reasons the Presbytery is required to judge, and to make their judgment matter of record on their minutes. 1834, p. 450.

b. "Resolved, That it be enjoined on all the Presbyteries to take early and efficient measures for terminating, as far as possible, the growing evil of the system of stated supplies, and for leading all our churches to seek the regular installation of their stated teachers as pastors in the full sense of the term, as used in our Form of Government."-1839, p. 177, O. S.

c. The pastoral office should be more and more highly appreciated, practically honored and mainly promoted in all our judicatories and churches as the ordinary, the permanent, and the incomparable way of the Lord in promoting his own cause and in educating his people for heaven."-1840, p. 17, N. S.; confirmed 1886, p. 56.

d. "That the relation of stated supply which has grown up between many of our churches and ministers is unknown in our system, and tends to disorder and injury in many ways. The Presbyteries are therefore directed to supplant it, as far as possible, in all cases by the regular pastoral relation; and to discountenance it as a permanent relation." 1842, p. 29, O. S.; 1895, p. 102.

e. "Churches having stated supplies only are not such churches as are contemplated in Form of Government, Chap. x, Sec. iv, and have a right of representation according to the principles of the Form of Government, Chap. x, Sec. v."-1851, p. 15, N. S.; 1886, p. 56.

f. Resolved, That this Assembly observes with solicitude and deep regret, the wide extent to which the practice of admitting stated supplies prevails throughout the Church, and would call the attention of our Presbyteries especially to the importance of discouraging this practice, and would recommend that our Presbyteries, as far as possible, insist upon the institution of the pastoral relation.—1887, p. 141.

2. Presbytery can terminate stated supply at discretion.

"Resolved, That as Mr. Clapp was merely a stated supply of the church in New Orleans, the Presbytery of Mississippi had a right, and it was their duty, under existing circumstances, to adopt measures to detach him from said congregation."-1831, p. 340.

3. Evangelists not to be ordained to serve as stated supplies. "That while the instability of the pastoral relation arises out of the uneasiness incident to growing and changing communities, and so cannot be removed by legislation, still the Presbyteries themselves can do much to abate it by honoring the pastoral relation, and declining, except in extraordinary cases, to ordain young men as evangelists to serve as stated supplies."-1869, p. 262, N. S.; 1886, p. 56.

4. Stated supplies have no pastoral powers.

Overture from the Presbytery of Knox, asking a reply to the question, Has a stated supply the right, power, and prerogative in the church Session as a pastor?

The Committee respectfully recommend that the Assembly answer the overture in the negative.

The report was adopted.-1877, p. 549.

5. Have only such rights as may be conferred by Presbytery.

It was Resolved, That the question submitted by the Presbytery of Los Angeles, as to what rights and prerogatives belonging to a pastor a stated supply had not, be answered, That stated supplies have such rights and prerogatives as may be expressly conferred on them by the Presbytery, and no other.-1878, p. 120.

6. Should not preach in the pulpits of any Presbytery without its consent.

Overtures from the Presbyteries of Lackawanna and Binghamton. Stated supplies should not preach in the pulpits of any Presbytery without its consent; and, when the consent is refused, the Presbytery to which such minister serving as stated supply belongs, being notified, should recall him within its own bounds. -Adopted 1874, p. 83.

7. A pastor-elect not stated supply ipso facto.

A pastor-elect is not stated supply by any virtue of the call in progress.-1880, p. 45.

[See also under Form of Government, Chap. ix, Sec. iii, below.]

8. Deliverances on stated supplies reaffirmed.

The Committee recommend the adoption of the following: Resolved, That the careful attention of Presbyteries be directed to the deliverances of past Assemblies on the subject of stated supplies, as they are set forth

in Chap. iv of Moore's Digest (1886, pp. 112, 113), and also in the Supplement of said Digest, pp. 476-478, all which deliverances are hereby reaffirmed by this Assembly.-1886, p. 56.

9. What is a stated supply; and what is a vacant church?

Overture from the Presbytery of Bloomington, asking an answer to the following questions: 1. What is a stated supply? 2. What is a

vacant church?

Answer. Question 1. The official title "stated supply" is unknown to our system (Moore's Digest, 1886, p. 113). Inasmuch, however, as the growing evil has been recognized by the Assembly, in so far as to adopt a rule for the record of stated supplies in its Minutes (see Minutes, 1894, p. 350, Item 5), it is recommended that the Assembly reply to the overture, that a stated supply is a minister employed by a church, with the authority of Presbytery, for a definite time or period of service. Answer. Question 2. Every congregation or church is vacant which has not a pastor duly installed" (Moore's Digest, 1886, p. 139). Adopted.-1895, p. 102.

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CHAPTER V.

OF RULING ELDERS.

Ruling Elders are properly the representatives of the people, chosen by them for the purpose of exercising government and discipline, in conjunction with pastors or ministers. This office has been understood, by a great part of the Protestant Reformed Churches, to be designated in the holy Scriptures, by the title of governments; and of those who rule well, but do not labor in the Word and doctrine.

[NOTE.-See under Form of Government, Chap. xiii.]

1. Ruling elders assistants to ministers.

For the better establishing and settling congregations, it is ordered and appointed that in every congregation there be a sufficient number of assistants chosen to aid the minister in the management of congregational affairs.-1714, p. 37.

2. The eldership essential to the existence of a Presbyterian Church.

The report of the Committee to examine the records of the Synod of the Western Reserve was adopted, and is as follows, viz.: That the records be approved, with the exception of the sentiment on page 154, viz., that the eldership is not essential to the existence of the Presbyterian Church. In the opinion of the Committee the Synod advance a sentiment that contravenes the principles recognized in our Form of Government, Chap. ii, Sec. iv; Chap. iii, Sec. ii; Chap. v; Chap. ix, Secs. i, ii.-1833, p. 404.

[NOTE. This does not forbid the forming of congregations for religious worship, where they may not have suitable persons among them to sustain the office of ruling elder. See Chap. ii, Sec. iv, and Minutes, 1890, pp. 113-119.)

3. Elders must be duly elected and set apart.

[NOTE.-See Form of Government, Chap. xiii, Secs. i, ii, iv, viii.