The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-05-28

,,,,,. ~. o.,,Id ma, agree upon ali po,h's WIN
mnv r oy.'u ~ Faith. aud asyed how
..,' oo" .a.o a. this could be reaeIed. :,
'" The Moderator said the Question turned
,,a =. ,na INTERPRETATION Of the book ana tne
oid matter Of the spirit and the letter OF tue
law. ,,,,ee tbouoht NJ
srst that q, a mluister could be d'Vestea Oh
he ofice an elder could in like manner De
divosted lint The question came up, Cah
law the letter OF which has to be observed
he ,nternrcted according to analogy!
THE LAW.
The Row. Henry Quigg thought chapter
O section 10. of the Rules OF Discipiine,
effectualy settled the whole, wnic" ieao'
rs follows: cno,ohou
Whenever minister OF the Cooper shalI
hohi,usIlv TAIL 10 be engaged In the regular
dischsroe 81 his official functions II shall DC
the duty Of the presbytery at stateu meet
inc 70 inouire into the cause OF sucn cere-
Jiction. and IL necessary institute lnolciai
proceedings against him for breach OF MS
covenant engagement. III 1t shail appear
thst his neglect proceeds only from bis want
~ accept.nce to the Church, the presDy-
tery may. upon the same principle upon
| which 10 withdraws license from prooa'
TONER for want OF evidence OF tne DNlhe
call, divest him Of his Office witnoutc ensure,
even against his will, a majority OF TWO tnlrus
being necessary for this purpose. III such
ease the clerk shall, under the oruer Oh tue
presbytery, forthwith deliver 10 tue inui-
yidual concerned a written notice that at
the next stated meeting the question OF MS
being so dealt with is TO be considered. Ids
notice shall distinctly state the grounds Tor
| hn
shall be heard in his own defence, and II the
decision pass against him he may appeal rs
IL he bad been tried by the usual forms.
This principle may apply, mutdttS mutdn-
dis. TO ruling elders and deacons"
MIR. Evans did not see why beresy should
he tolerated in an elder more than in min
lister.
ELDERS, DEACoNs, AND CLERGY.
DR.. Kirkpatrick thought the passage read
by Mr.. Quigg was decisive. Under the OLD
constitution minister could retire without
cens,Ire on the ground that he was not ac-
ceptabe 10 the congregation, and the same
principle should and does apply to elders
and deacons. The same principle applied
10 all the ordained officers OF the Church,
and he hoped that the book would be saved
from the absurdity OF making ordination
more binding on ministers than on the
ruling elders and deacOns OF the Cburch.
A literal Interpretation OF the authority OF
the Church upon this subject would divest
the elders and deacons Of their offices, Just
as in the case OF the clergy.
DR.. Moore laid there were TWO cases IN
the book in which a minister could be d.
vested OF his oflic,-when be habitually
fails to engage in the work OF the ministry
and when he fails to prove acceptable 10 his
people. The question Is, Can presbyiery
for the same reasons dyest elders and dca.
cons of their rights under ordination The
principle in the two cases is the same, and
all the Church has TO do is TO enforce it.
The Rev. Mr.. Martin said there was an
other case III point-Rules of Discipline,
chapter II, section 3. The only difference
between the ministers and the elders is that
the ministers are ordained by the classical
Prcsbytcry, and the elders and Gcacons by
the session or parochial Preshytery.
Mr. CLANCY moved that the report be re-
committed, and the committee instructed
to bring in an affirmative answer.
Mr.. Collins thought he.,ubject demanded
peeitic legislation, and that the question
should not be settled upon the principle Of
analogy.
The Rev. Mr.. stratton said it had been
the custom Of the Church fer fifty years to
diyest elders and deacons OF their office.
DR.. Wilson hoped the report would not
be Iecommltted, as il answered the case.
THAT SWEET WORD "FINALLY."
The Rev. Mr.. Walsh quoted from chapter |
6, section I, paragraph 3, 10 prove that an |
elder or deacon cannot be Invested OF his |
office but by deposition after regular trial, |
except in cases where they "may become |
unacceptable in his official character to a |
majority Of the church IN which he serves"
In such case it is competent for the session
On complaint and after investigation TO dis
solve the relation.
Mr.. j. NJ. kirkpatrick hoped the report
would not be recommitted, because it would
bring up an endless debate, and the " AS
sembly would never be able to reach that
sweet word finally"
DR.. Girardeau thought that the best way
to amend the matter would be to amend the
law. He disSented from the doctrine OF
analogy in this case, and thought the prin-
ciple would not obtain.
Mr.. Scott thought the analogy between
the Offices OF elder and deacon and preach
er in this case was clear
The Rev. Mr.. Penlck considered the law
already very clear upon the subject. and
hat sessions could proceed in the same way
rs the presbyteries.
The motion to recOmmit was put to the
General Assembly, and was lost by heavy
vote.
The Rev. j. NJ. CLANCY moved that the
word "not" in the report OF the committee
be stricken out, and thought the principle
Of divestiture should apply to all the or
iained officers OF the church.
Mr.. Dance made the point OF order that
this motion would raise the same question
rs that just decided.
The motion to amend by striking out
"a not" was lost.
The vote was then taken on the report Of
he committee, which was adopted by
arge majority.
REPLY TO THE WISCONSIN BRETHREN. II
Dr. Hooper, OF the Committee on Core
'pOndence, to which the telegram from the
Northern Assembly was referred, reported
he following reply:
CHARLESTON, S. c., May %, 1880.
80 the Moderator of the General Assem-. !
bly,, Madison, VS.:
"The General Assembly in session at
S. c., receive with pleasure the {
raiPrnal salutations Of their brethren as
embed at Madison, Wis, and cordially /
pray that the ricbest blessings OF Father, ,
son, and Holy Ghost may abide with you {
While in session, may accompany you 10 /
our homes, and rest upon your families q
md the whole Church you represent. il
"THoMAs A. HoYr, Moderator"
The report was adopted and the dispatch I
vas forwarded. /
The report Of the Committee on the Di- I
ectory OF Worship was read and adopted. I