The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-12-01
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE NEW BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER.

al
| Church, or at least the necessity of some
changes in the old, has been for some time
felt Our last General Assembly has sent
down to the Presbyteries book of Church
Order, not for immediate adoption, but that
amendments to it may be suggested and pro-
posed. 1t is greatly desirable that the ac-
tion of the Presbyteries should be in this
matter uniform and harmonious We take
the liberty of pointing out some desirable
changes in the Book which has been SUBJ
mitted. ga
1. In chapter 5, section "A, (page Ill., of
the new Book it isproposed that, "Any three
ministers belonging to the Presbytery, TO-
gether wtth at least one ruling elder, being
met at the time and place appointed, shall be
quorum. According to our present Form
of Government, sany three ministers, and
Psng elders qs assAbe present belonging
to the Presbytery," shall be quorum. 1t
has generally been understood in our Church.
that, however desirable the presence of
elders, yet it is not necessary to consti-
tute quorum. We hope the New Book
will be so altered, in the matter indicated, as
to correspond with the old The change
that is proposed is important and even fun
damental. Its tendency is to destroy the
distinction between the minister and the rul-
ing elder, to establish in fact the new theory
in relation to the Office of ruling elder which
has been advocated by some distinguished
men in our Church, but which never has met
the appreciation of the Church generally.
If the presence of ruling elder is made
necessary to quorum, the advocates of the
nea0 theory alluded to, will contend that the
ruling elders must take part in the laying on
of hands in the ordination of ministers. 1t
will be contended that there can be no ordi-
nation without the laying on of the hands of
a ruling elder, as there can be no ordination
except by quorum of Pres6ytery. Let
every presbyter opposed to the new view of
the Office of ruling elder vote against the
change just spoken of. Let us mediate on
the logical consequences Of that change.
2. In chapter 5, section 7.3, (page 49,
it is said, in the New Book, 1.-The commits
sion of a Synod shall consist of not less
than of fifteen, of whom five shall be ruling
elders; the commission of the Assembly, of
not less than twenty-seven, of whom nine
shall be ruling elders" We propose to
amend this by adding, ''and these shall be
chosen by the Assembly or Synod itself, and
none of them be taken from the body from
which the appeal ,has come" We must
guard against the imperfections of men as
far as possible An unfair Moderator might
pack his commission from districts 50 inter
ested, as to defeat the purposes of the ap-
peal.
8. Chapter 6, section 7.2, (page "a, in
the New Book, it is proposed that, "the
Book of Church Order may be amended by
the recommendation of one General Assem-
bly,, when majority of the Presbyteries ad
wise and consent thereto, and succeeding
General Assembly shall ordain the same.
We prefer that the words, ga majority"
should be substituted by the word "two
thirds" Constitutional law ought not to
depend for its existence on the huctuating
feelings and opinions of mere majority.
We also prefer the word approve to the word
ordain, the use of which latter word seems
to indicate that the source of power in the
Church is the Assembly and not the Presby-
teries. Is it necessary to require the action
of second Assembly at all?
4, Part 2, chapter $40, it is proposed
that, "Whenever Presbytery has strong
grounds for believing that minister has
been inducted into Office without divine vo-
cation, even though he may think himself
called, it shall be its duty to divest him of
his office without censure, and restore him to
the position of private member" We
hope that this portion of the New Book will
be stricken out. 1t is not necessaryNto the
preservation of the purity of the ministry,
since ministers guilty of immoral conduct or
heresy, may be regularly tried and deposed.
Good men, if it is adopted, becoming unpop
ular, may be deprived of their Office, simply
because they may be, for time, unable to
obtain suitable field of labor. or because
the condition of their health renders them
unable to labor, or because the necessities of
their families require them to engage for a
period in school teaching, or in agriculture.
Presbyteries cannot determine from man. S
present success whether he has divine vo-
cation; nor is it in the power of any man
to determine the exact degree of any minis
ter's usefulness. We have known some of
the most useful ministers in the Church who
were not regularly engaged in preaching the
word. Let the passage of the book here
referred to be adopted, and soon the effort
will be made to deprive of their sacred Office
our ministers who are school teachers and
professors in colleges. W.
TO BE CONTINUED.
A CAREFUL READER of the Bible was as
sailed by an infdel with such expressions as
these: "That the blood of Christ can wash
a;. 10 fooIishnass. don't nndarstand q