National Republican., 1873-04-10

sembly until neafly nfty years afterwards ~ s
In direct antagonism with the deliyesanee n. o. .ne
semSiIes % OF isas and issS and d the old scnool
assembly ef iRsp, and IL certainly not IN accofd
with the action Of the assemblies OF lsIo and II
men Y VINO S framed and adopted this rple 70 A.
tempt % attach % u Z meaning which their fatl-
8, me constttutional history Of the Scottish
aud American Churches shows, that whlle for a
few years, In their carry, chaotic state the term
Carefully adjust their stsndaris 70 the teeohinsa
Of the Word Of God, they at once dropped out OF
their revised constitutions the rotary practice
N me ~ @s wSsn he
ment Of the Church once settled down upon the
maxim, "0nce q ruling elder always ruling
elder the inevitable question foll2yed, VIII,
NIT 70 be the true historica explanation OF this
great constitutional change, -.
o. The position assumed By the adyocates Of
at any time obtained In the GeneyAn. German,
Dutch, French and Scottish Reformed Churches
on this subject are 40 many Inherited rights OF
70 Il by our oar present cons,itntion. Ills has no
support, either In the language or spirit OF that
constitution, and even n admitted, y would
prove entirely too much for u friends; hwonld
OF churches whose tonuto OF eldershlp was nKed
by legal enactment, Of elders who combined In
the one once the functions ofa spiritual judge
perpetual as q once, but actually appointing
their own successors. -r. -.....I
Hyksrrg skssloN.
ali ,ss, WSss wss sss s.eSss 10 IS proper SdSS
cation Of the case lay within very narrow
grounds, aud would require little time 70 state
he could not understand how church meet
/ ing could come direct TO the prcsbytcry. liz
was willing TO assume that the session was be
| fore the pfesbytery on complaint; but the ques
| ton was whether what the session had done II
/ approving the rotary election Of elderB was ap
proved OF ocnsured by the prcsbytgry. severa
OF the large churches IN the city OF Brooklyn haf
adopted The system Of cidership service, an
/ were working harmoniously and successfully
In 81. Louis the plan hal been started rocontl,
and found W wort won-
Now, tho presbytcry was called on to condemn
the New YORK avenue chnrch, but ly 20 dptnl
/ they win condemn many others throughout TIT
land. There was, beyond doabt, such thing a
| an elder In church without the right TO act
but there was Considerable difference bctweci
Sobody No y'e elaimed hat ar ruling elder might no
cease to he an active Que. II WAS Illogical y
make such an assertion. Where wna She OK
| preston In The constitution nf the church tina
declared ruling elder should always be an actly,
onef II was not claimed In Prcshyterianisn
that there was permanent active oldorship.
In isiS The question came up before the ocnc
had adopted the limited tenure-of-ofice systctn
After lengthy discussion they decided that
church could change its eldershp from perma
nency 10 limited period without violating IN
Church constitution. There wore two ways Q
defining q constitutlon-one by It's liberal terms
and another by Judicial decision, The Generl
Assembly, the highest court OF The Church,
the final Judicial tribunal for all constitutions
Interpretations
the last action OF tho General Assembly ha
"a, The matter open 70, ,as decson g % ~
ne asked u the New York avenue church wa
deserving Of oonsure for the action they hA
taken.
Rev. s. 8. Mitchell said he had heard Of goo
argument against perpetual service--ono ma
! remarking that n that change went Into eneS
he would be out Of once In q day. The prime
pal arguments on the subject OF eldershl
, hinged on one point one party malntainin
J that IL was against the Book, and the other tai
: ing direct opposite course. There were "
sides to the question, and while he respect,
: gentlemen and their opinions, still, though dl
2 fering with some Of them on that subject,
, felt that he was fully entitled 10 retain and e
press bis ldeas.
. ject the presbytery, at few minutes past
O'Clock, adjourned until O'Clock this mornin