The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-09
For the Central Presbyterian.
What is Presbyterianism
No. IA.

Functions of Each Grade of Government.
l. To the Session belongs the duty of
ruling particular church. All persons
who seek admission to the communion
must sustain "a satisfactory examination
on knowledge and piety, before the
Session. The pastor, who is the perma-
nent moderator, as the teaching elder
generally conducts this examination,
though each elder has the right to par
tcipate. The value of this arrangement
is obvious, in view of the fact that while
the candidate may give satisfactory evil
dences of knowledge" by correct an
swers to the questions propounded, the
pastor may not have the opportunity of
knowing the evidences of piety fur
nished in the conduct. The elders, who
mix more in general society, supply this
defective capacity of the pastor. While
the pastor, officially, is the overseer of
the whole flock committed to his charge
he is assisted In most important respects
by the elders, who can exercise a special
watch over the families residing near to
them. To them, also, pertain the duties
of visiting the sick, the afflicted and
those in spiritual trouble, and calling the
attention of the pastor to cases which
might otherwise escape his notice They
are also the most proper persons to con
duct prayer meetings and Sabbath
Schools, under the pastors supervision
If achurch is vacant, whether by the
pastors occasional absence or because of
vacancy.in that office, it devolves on
the elders to provide for the regular reli-
gious services, either by procuring min
lister to preach, or by uniting with the
devotional services of the prayer meeting
the reading of a sermon to the people on
the Sabbath, or if any one is competent,
the exposition of palmer portions ofScrip-
ture and appropriate exhortation The
Session calls meetings of the congregation
to elect elders, pastors, or deacons; but
have no official prescriptive right to make
nominations to Office, though the custom
of some churches sanctions this course.
Any member or officer of a church, other
than an ordained minister, is subject to
the Session, and answerable for any
charges properly brought against him for
conduct inconsistent with a Christian pro-
fession
In accordance with the principle of the
subordination of lower grade Of govern
ment to higher, the Session is obliged
to send up to the Presbytery, regularly,
once a year, its Book of Records" which
the Presbytery examines, approving or
criticising, according 20 the merits of the
record. Any person having submitted
to trial for any offence by the Session,
if dissatisfied with the verdict, has right
of appeal to the Presbytery.
By some authorities the Session, as a
T0arOphIo1 Pros hutaru &c r1o1 oo oOy,s
petent, intrinsically considered, to all
the duties necessary to the rearing of
ministers and their settlement. Accord
ing, however, to the Book of Order" of
our Church, these duties are prescribed
to the
2. Pres6ytery This body consists of
all ministers, with or without charge, re-
siding in a particular district, and one
ruling elder from each church in the same
limits. tits required to hold at least two
meetings; and as the Session is subject to
the review and control Of the Presbytery,
so this body is sub ect to the review and
control of the Synod, to which it submits
its " Records" annually, and ALSO Mar
rative of the state of religion within its
bounds, materials for forming which are
provided by similar narratives sent to
Presbytery by the Sessions of churches
under its care. The Presbytery trains
ministers. For this purpose any young
man, convinced that it is his duty and
privilege to prepare to preach the gospel,
must submit to an examination son, his
experimental acquaintance with religion
and his motives in seeking the gospel
ministry. If satisfied, the Presbytery
formally takes him under it's "care" and
requires evidence, by proper examina-
tions of his adequate academical qualif-
cations for prosecuting the professional
study of the Scriptures, Theology, and
the Government Of the Church On these
departments of study, prosecuted at a
theological seminary or under some " APP
proved divine, for the space of at least
two years, the candidate must sustain a
satisfactory examination by the Presby-
terry, and also furnish, by various written
exercises, evidence of proficiency in the
application of his knowledge to the pur-
poses of instructing others He is then
licensed to "preach the gospel wherever
God in His providence may call him, - OF
the proper character of which call the
Presbytery is to be the Judge. He is
however, still on probation, and can only
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