The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-29
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER.

One of the questions that have been much
agitated in our Church, is with respect to
the extent of the power of Deacons and their
relation to the church session. On this SUBJ
iect the New Book is somewhat more salts
factory and explicit than the Old, but not
completely SO. Ought not the powers and
relations of the Deacons to be perfectly de-
fined in our Form of Government? In
chapter 4, section 4, 4 of the New Book, it
is said, GA complete account of all collec-
tions and distributions, and full record of
all proceedings should be kept, '''
mitted to the session for examin.
approval at least onceS year." Flom this
we infer that the session has control over
the Deacons-but has the session power to
determine beforehand for the Deacons to
whom their charities shall be given, and for
what purposes collections shall be made?
We have no zeal on either side of those
questions about Deacons, that have been so
much discussed; but we ask that they may
be settled some way, that future controversy
may be avoided. Would it not be we'll to
add to the first sentence of chapter 5, sec
ton 4, 2, the words, ''under the direction of
the sessions?"
Chapter 5, sec. 8, 3, we find the words,
''when congregation is without pastor,
the Moderator of the session shall be either
the minister appointed for the purpose, or
one invited by the session to preside on a
particular OCCASION We have known it to
be contended that the one invited by the
session to preside must be minister in the
same Presbytery, on the ground that in the
preceding paragraph it is said that when a
pastor is sick minister belonging to the
same Presbytery shall be invited to preside.
Let the words belonging to the same Pres
bytery" be inserted between the word one
and the word invited, or let the words "be,
longing to any Presbytery in our Church, :"
be settled, for they cause no small inconye-
nience.
When the New Book shall be under con-
sideration in the Presbyteries, let each pres
byter endeavor to recall those sentences, in
the Old, adopted in the New, which have
seemed to him obscure or ambiguous, and
let him suggest language more clear and
explicit, that it may be adopted.
Among the new things proposed in the
New Book we approve the following, chap
ter 5, section 4, 2: "Ministers who are
engaged in an authorised ministerial calling,
under the authority of the Presbytery, un-
less they are excused from such duties by
the Presbytery, on account of age, or other
infrmity, are under the Jurisdiction of the
Presbytery, but at the discretion of the
Presbytery may be debarred from ruling the
church, until they enter on some lawful min
isterial work
We are glad that the New Book proposes
to settle the question as to who ought to vote
in the election of church officers. Accord,
ing to the Book now in use, every congre.
CATION shall elect persons to the Office oi
ruling elders, and to the Office of deacon, OF
either of them, in the mode most approved
and in use in that congregation. What
that mode was often became the subject o.
controversy. According to the Old Book il
the election of pastor, no person is enti
tied to vote "who refuses to submit to tht
censures of the church, regularly admins
tered. or who does not contribute his jus
proportion &C. From this passage nj
man on earth can determine who are prope
electors, and we know what controversy ther,
has been on this question. We are pleased
that the New Book proposes something clea
and definite on the subject. In our opinion
it proposes what is right, viz: chapter 5
section 3, 4, that only communicating mem
bers of the church shall vote in the election
of church oficers-yet that separate vot
of non-communicating adult members an
contributors may be taken to be laid befor
the Presbytery. The world has infuenc
enough on the Church, without permitting
it to choose for US our pastors. tits strang
; indeed that the people of the Church shoul
permit the ungodly to share with them in tn
exercise of the only ecclesiastical power the
have reserved to themselves, viz; the electio
of their officers. w.