The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-03-19
TIE REVISED BOOK OF CHURCH ORDER.
BY STUART ROBINSON.
Extracts from the Southern Presbyterian Review for
January, 1879.
(CoNcTUDED \

CONCLUDED.
The Revised supplies a very important
omission of the old Book, in the statement
that the doctrine of jurs diviao government
by no means excludes the evangelical denom-
nations from place in the true Church of
Christ. That "this visible unity of the
Church of Christ, though obscured, is not
destroyed by it's division into different de-
nominations" etc.--a statement not only i'm
portaut but very timely in the present age of
the Church. Il protects, on the one hand,
the principle of jurs diUinO against the un-
reasonable charge of "High ChurchiSm, y
and on the other, silenceS the clamor Of Pa
pists and CsmpbelliteS about the "sects" Of
evan gelical Professionalism.
Important omissions are supplied in Chap
ter II. in the statements concerning "the
Nature and Exten. Of Church Power ;" "Ol
the Particular Church." and in the specific
direction for "the organization of aparticular
Church" The value of all the additions in
this Chapter will hardly be Questioned
While there is no new principle introduced,
yet the principle on which the provisions OF
the present Book rest are distinctly set forth.
Indeed, this is one Of the great advantages
of the Revised Book, that it so clearly brings
out the doctrinaI principle involved in the
provisions for the administration and gov.
ernmeut of the Church. The shortest and
surest method Of getting at the meaning and
purpose of law is to get clearly before the
mind the principle upon which the law rests
1t is a distinguishing mark of the Revised
Book that IL gives prominence to the princi,
pie in every case.
Without noting several minor improve
mentS, We may point to the clear and definite
statement in Chapter ". of the duties and
functions of Church officers, in which al
must admit the deficiency of the presen
Book is garing, while the Revision is every
way admirable. Thus, for instance, how
marked the contrast between the Revised
and the present Book in setting forth the
official functions of ruling elders and descOnS
Who can distinctly define the duties of either
under the vague incidental allusion to tht
subject in the present Book ? Where is tins
ruling elder who can fad out from thia Book
what his place is in the Church, and what
the functions CT bis ofioey One would sup
pose that a.compariSon on this single poin
would con8sran every such elder in the
Church to accept the Revised Book gladly
unless he should fad something elsewhere il
the Book which opposed insuperable objec
tions to it. With the provisions of this par
asraph in our Book formulating so distinct
the du,ie5 of tue office which is the distin
gushing feature of our system, if the elder
ship can be brought up to it as the measure
of their duty, the Church will be practically
revolutionised within FIVE years. With th'
blessing of God upon the labOrs of such rul
ing elders, the Presbyterian Church vii
stand forth "clear as the sun, fair as tn,
moon, and terrible as an army with ban
ners." The lamentable failure of our church
es in so many instances to reach the masse
of the people is largely due to the fact tina
the eldersbip at present is SO truly represen
tative of Chapter v. of our present Book
which asserts simply the propriety Of an elder