6. None of the Church Judicatories have Power to Assess a Tax upon the Churches.

The Committee on Reduced Representation, to whom were referred certain resolutions in reference to the mileage and contingent funds of the General Assembly, reported as follows:

In the judgment of the Committee, the position taken in the resolutions is the constitutional one. None of our church courts are clothed with the power to assess a tax upon the churches. Apportionments to meet the expenses of the several bodies may be made; but the payment depends upon that voluntary liberality which flows from the enlightened consciences of the people, who may be confidently relied upon to return whatever is necessary for the conduct of our ecclesiastical business. The Committee regret while they appreciate the state of affairs which has led so many Presbyteries to announce their conditional purpose hereafter to withhold their proportion from the mileage fund of this body. That fund has done so much to secure the representation of all parts of the denomination in its supreme court, that it would be a calamity to have it destroyed. The Committee express the hope that the current year will end the embarrassment which now surrounds the fund, and has led to the purposed withdrawal of Presbyterial aid; and that, this removed, the Presbyteries will continue to receive from their churches, and forward to the treasurer of the General Assembly, the full amount of the per capita communicant apportionment.

Under the influence of this view of the subject, the Committee report back the resolutions referred to them, and recommend the Assembly to adopt them as follows:

Whereas, Our Form of Government, chap. xxii., sec. ii., makes it proper for each Presbytery to pay the expenses of their own commissioners in their attendance upon the General Assembly: if any Presbytery shall choose to do so, the Assembly cannot require them to contribute tc the general fund. Nevertheless, it is hereby

Resolved, 1. That each Presbytery is hereby earnestly requested to contribute annually its full proportion for the commissioners and contingent funds of the General Assembly.

Resolved, 2. That any law or resolution or action of previous Assemblies, contrary to or inconsistent with the above declaration and resolutions, be, and the same hereby is repealed.

The report was adopted.-1878, pp. 67, 68.

7. Contingent Fund Provided for.

Resolved, That the apportionment for the ensuing year of the present per capita rate of apportionment shall be four cents for mileage, one and one-half cents for contingent, and one and one-half cents for entertainment expenses.-1884, p. 84.

BOOK II.

THE BOOK OF DISCIPLINE

OF

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA,

AS ADOPTED BY THE PRESBYTERIES, AND REPORTED TO AND RATIFIED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN SESSION

AT SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y., MAY 19, 1884,

WITH AMENDMENTS RATIFIED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN SESSION AT CINCINNATI, OHIO, MAY 21, 1885.

1. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE REVISION OF THE BOOK OF DISCIPLINE.

To the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America:

The Committee on the Revision of the Book of Discipline respectfully report:

In presenting this, their final report, they deem it proper to give an account of the circumstances of their appointment, and of the work performed by them. As the reports to the Assemblies of 1880 and 1881 contain a complete history of the Committee up to the periods indicated, the first part of this report will be mainly extracted therefrom.

They were appointed by the Assembly of 1878, under the recommendation of the Committee on the Polity of the Church. The minute is as follows (Minutes of 1878, p. 70):

"They reported, further, Overtures 19, 20 and 21: The first, from the Synod of New Jersey, in regard to the Revision of the Book of Discipline. The second, from the Presbytery of Dayton, asking that the Form of Government be so amended as to make provision for judicial commissions. The third, from Rev. Joseph S. Van Dyke, a member of the Assembly, praying that the Book of Discipline be so changed that certain judicial cases terminate in the judicatory immediately above the court of original jurisdiction.

"The Committee recommend the following:

"That, without expressing any opinion on the particular changes proposed in the overtures, a committee, consisting of six ministers and five elders, be appointed by this Assembly to consider whether any changes, amendments or additions should be made in our present Form of Govern

ment and Book of Discipline, and, if so, what; and that said Committee report to the next Assembly."

A fourth overture was subsequently referred to this Committee on the subject of providing "in our Form of Government for the election of an adsessor (or Vice-Moderator)." (Minutes of 1878, pp. 101, 102.)

The Committee, as finally constituted, consists of the following-named persons:

Ministers-Elijah R. Craven, D. D., Edwin F. Hatfield, D. D., Alexander T. McGill, Ď. D., LL.D., William E. Moore, D. D., Nathaniel West, D. D., Robert W. Patterson, D. D., Francis L. Patton, D. D., LL.D. Elders-Hon. William Strong, LL.D., Hon. Joseph Allison, LL.D., Hon. Samuel M. Breckenridge, LL.D., Hon. Samuel M. Moore, LL.D., Hon. John T. Nixon, LL.D.

Your Committee reported progress to the Assembly of 1879, stating that they had held three meetings of the General Committee-two in the city of New York, and one in the city of Pittsburgh. (Minutes of 1879, p. 550.) In that report they asked instructions, should they be continued, in the following words (Minutes of 1879, p. 551):

"Although the language of the resolution under which they were appointed seemed to refer the entire subject of a revision of the Form of Government, they were in doubt as to the extent of their powers, as intended by the Assembly. Should they be continued, they ask instructions on this point."

The minute immediately following the report is as follows (Minutes of 1879, p. 551):

"The report was accepted, and the Committee were continued, to perform their work as instructed by the last Assembly."

At the Assembly of 1879, five additional overtures were referred to this Committee, viz.: One inquiring, "What is the proper course to be pursued with church members who abstain from the Lord's table, etc.?" (Minutes, p. 575); two on the demission of the ministry, "commended to their favorable attention" (Minutes, p. 612); and two on the subject of Presbyteries sitting with closed doors during the trial of ministers or ruling elders (Minutes, p. 615).

At the Assembly of 1880, your Committee again reported progress, and a brief minority report was also presented by the Rev. Dr. West. After the acceptance of these reports, the following resolutions were adopted (Minutes of 1880, p. 36):

"Resolved, That the report on the revision of the Form of Government and Book of Discipline be recommitted, and that the Committee be directed to complete their work, and report to the next Assembly.

"Resolved, That a printed copy of the Revised Book of Discipline, submitted by the Committee, be sent to every minister and church Session." Four additional papers were referred to your Committee by this Assembly, viz. 1. A petition from the Session of the church of New Providence, Tenn., asking that provision be made for an amendment of the Book of Discipline, chap. ii., sec. xiii., in reference to taking the testimony of witnesses in judicial cases (Minutes of 1880, p. 43). 2. An overture from the Presbytery of Troy, asking the Assembly to approve the action of the Old School Assembly of 1843, defining the rule (Form of Government, chap. x., sec. vii.) as to what constitutes a quorum of Presbytery (p. 46). 3. An overture relative to the neglect of duty by church members (p. 84). 4. An overture on the demission of the ministry (p. 84).

At the Assembly of 1881, your Committee again reported progress, and another minority report was presented by the Rev. Dr. West. The follow

ing is extracted from the report of the Committee (Minutes of 1881, pp. 527, 528):

"The members of your Committee, because of their wide separation and their pressing engagements, have been unable to hold more frequent and more protracted meetings. The most patient and faithful attention within their ability has been given to the work assigned them.

"The Committee regret that they are not prepared to report a Revised Form of Government at this time. That important subject engaged their attention throughout the whole of the first and second meetings of the past year. More time is needed to digest and perfect their work. The Revised Book of Discipline, reported last year, has been reconsidered and amended in the light of criticisms published in the public prints and addressed to the members personally and by letter. As amended, it is now placed upon your table, subject to your consideration and order.

"In view of the fact that a Revised Form of Government, adjusted to this revision of the Book of Discipline, is not reported; and the further fact that, as the amendments of the Form of Government submitted by the last Assembly have been adopted, a recasting of some portions of the Book of Discipline may be necessary, it would be inexpedient for the Assembly to overture this second revision to the Presbyteries at this time, even should they approve of its provisions.

"But, beyond this, as your Committee have progressed in their work, they have had an ever-increasing sense of its vast importance, its difficulty, and the need, in order to its perfecting, of patient, protracted consideration, in the light of courteous criticism and discussion. They therefore renew the recommendation of last year, that the entire work be recommitted."

In accordance with the recommendation of the Committee, the work was again recommitted, but with the following instructions (Minutes of 1881, p. 573):

"1. The Revision Committee is instructed to incorporate into the existing Form of Government the two amendments in regard to the Synods just now adopted by the Presbyteries. The Committee is also desired to propose to the next Assembly such verbal changes in the text of the Form of Government as may be needed for purposes of adaptation, and to report a form of words in which these changes may be proposed by way of overture to the Presbyteries, for their adoption.

2. The Assembly, while recognizing the great fidelity of the Committee in its work, does hereby relieve it from the duty of revising or in any way amending the Form of Government except in the verbal changes described in the first paragraph, and they are instructed to conform their Revision of the Book of Discipline to the present Form of Government. "3. The Committee is further instructed to put into their Revision of the Book of Discipline a distinct chapter on protests and dissents, substantially like that in the present Book of Discipline.

"4. The Assembly would urge upon the Committee the importance of their submission of a final report to the next Assembly."

The following resolution was also adopted:

"Resolved, That, in withdrawing the Form of Government from the Committee on Revision, the Assembly aims to preserve the quietude of the Church, and not in any way to reflect upon the wisdom or reliability of the Committee, or the course of their proceedings in prosecuting the work committed to them by the Assembly. We therefore feel an entire confidence in recommitting the Book of Discipline to their consideration." -1881, pp. 573, 574.

The following action was taken with reference to the final report of the Special Committee on the Revision of the Form of Government and Book of Discipline:

Resolved, That the consideration of the report of the Committee on the Revision of the Form of Government and Book of Discipline be postponed until the next Assembly, and that the printed report be sent down to the Presbyteries for their consideration and examination, and that the stated clerk be instructed to send a copy to every minister and church Session.-1882, p. 52.

2. The Revision Overtured: Method of Voting.

The Special Committee to prepare a minute to be sent to the Presbyteries, in connection with the overtures adopted by the Assembly, presented their report, which was adopted, and is as follows:

Resolved, That the proposed Revision of the Book of Discipline, and of chap. x. of the Directory for Worship, be overtured to the Presbyteries for their adoption as a part of the Constitution of the Church, in place of the existing Book of Discipline and the existing chap. x. of the Directory for Worship; and that the Presbyteries be directed to vote Aye or No upon the proposed substitution as a whole; with the proviso, that any Presbytery voting in the affirmative may have the privilege of excepting from the revision any section or sections from which it may dissent, and may by overture recommend a further revision of the same; and that the stated clerks of Presbyteries be required to transmit the result of their action to the stated clerk of the General Assembly, on or before the first day of the meeting of the next Assembly.-1883, pp. 685–686.

3. Answers to the Overtures: the Revised Book Adopted. The Special Committee-viz.: Ministers-E. R. Craven, D. D., William R. Bingham, D. D., Thomas R. Crawford, D. D., James H. Shields, Edward L. Warren. Elders-Hooper C. Van Vorst, Hon. John T. Nixon, LL.D., Hon. Henry W. Williams, Hugh D. McCarty, LL.D., and Ebenezer M. McPherson-on the answers of the Presbyteries to the overtures on the Book of Discipline, presented its report, which was adopted, and is as follows:

The Committee to whom was referred the answers and overtures of the Presbyteries on the overture of the last Assembly proposing for adoption the Revised Book of Discipline, and the revision of chap. x. of the Directory for Worship, unanimously and respectfully report:

There are in connection with this Assembly 189 Presbyteries, of which number the least majority is 95.

Your Committee have had placed in their hands the attested answers of 167 Presbyteries, of which 131 are affirmative and 36 negative. The Presbyteries voting in the negative are as follows:

Albany, Alleghany, Baltimore, Buffalo, Butler, Carlisle, Cayuga, Cedar Rapids, Chester, Cincinnati, Clarion, Dubuque, Fort Wayne, Genesee, Genesee Valley, Hastings, Hudson, Huntingdon, Kittanning, Lehigh, Long Island, Los Angeles, Louisville, Nebraska City, Newton, New York, Philadelphia North, Pittsburgh, Redstone, St. Lawrence, Steubenville, Transylvania, Utica, Wellsboro', Westminster, West Virginia-total, 36.

Of the 131 affirmative answers, 100 are without exception, being a majority of the whole number of possible Presbyterial votes. The Presbyteries so voting are as follows:

Aberdeen, Alton, Austin, Benicia, Binghamton, Blairsville, Bloomington, Boston, Boulder, Brooklyn, Cairo, Champlain, Chemung, Chicago,