(pp. 112, 113), and also in the Supplement of said Digest, pp. 476-478, all which deliverances are hereby reaffirmed by this Assembly. Adopted 1886, p. 56. CHAPTER X., SECTION XII. (Anté, p. 180.) 3. An Elder cannot Sit as a Corresponding Member. No. 6, being an overture from the Presbytery of Milwaukee, for an answer to the following question: "In a meeting of Presbytery, is there constitutional objection to inviting a Ruling Elder present, as the retiring moderator, but not a delegate, to sit as a corresponding member?" It is recommended that this answer be returned: " He cannot be invited to sit as a corresponding member in the Presbytery, because he is from no body in correspondence with it, and because he is eligible to the Presbytery as one of its constituency, and has not been delegated by his Session.' Adopted 1886, p. 48. 4. A Unitarian Minister may not be Invited to Sit. Exception to Records of the Synod of the Columbia. We find on page 17 this record: That "The Rev. T. L. Elliott, of the Unitarian church of Portland, being present, was invited to the privileges of the floor." To this action of the Synod the Assembly excepts.-1886, p. 110. CHAPTER XII., SECTION VI. (Anté, pp. 325-330.) 6. Committee to Revise the Phraseology of Overtures. Resolved, That one of the Standing Orders of the General Assembly shall be that the stated clerk and the permanent clerk shall be a committee to revise the phraseologies of all papers sent down to the Presbyteries to be voted upon; provided, that in no case shall this committee so change the phraseology as to alter the meaning.-1886, p. 94. CHAPTER XIII., SECTION II. (Anté, pp. 337-345, and pp. 544, 545.) 20. The Pastor is Moderator ex-officio of a Meeting to Elect Elders and Deacons. Overture.-Being a request from the Synod of New York for an answer to the following question: "Is the pastor of a church by virtue of his office the moderator of a meeting of the communicants of his church called to elect ruling elders and deacons? and will the answer to this question also apply to regularly appointed moderators of Sessions who are not pastors? It is recommended that these questions be answered in the affirmative. Adopted 1886, p. 26. CHAPTER XIII., SECTION VIII. (Anté, pp. 546-548.) 9. Term of Service of Deacons Authorized. Overtures 4, 5, 6, are requests from the Presbyteries of Washington City, Cleveland and Denver asking for term service for deacons. We recommend that this be granted, and, as instructed by the Assembly, in such form as to authorize each church to make either, neither or both these offices rotary. We therefore submit this form of overture to be sent down to the Presbyteries: "Shall Chapter XIII., Section viii., be amended by inserting after the words 'ruling elders,' where it first occurs, the words or deacons,' and inserting in the first 'Proviso' after the word 'Session' the words 'or the Board of Deacons,' so that the first two sections shall read: If any particular church, by a vote of members in full communion, shall prefer to elect ruling elders or deacons for a limited time in the exercise of their functions, this may be done, provided the full time be not less than three years, and the Session or the board of deacons be made to consist of three classes, one of which only shall be elected each year?" Adopted 1885, p. 689. 10. Constitutional Amendment Adopted. [The Committee to canvass the votes of the Presbyteries on the proposed amendment to Chapter XIII., Section viii., Form of Government, reported that it has been adopted by the majority of the Presbyteries. The moderator formally declared Chapter XIII., Section viii., as amended, to be a part of the Form of Government—viz. :] "SECTION VIII. If any particular church, by a vote of members in full communion, shall prefer to elect ruling elders or deacons for a limited time in the exercise of their functions, this may be done; provided the full time be not less than three years and the Session or the board of deacons be made to consist of three classes, one of which only shall be elected each year; and provided that elders, once ordained, shall not be divested of the office when they are not reelected, but shall be entitled to represent that particular church in the higher judicatories when appointed by the Session or the Presbytery." -1886, p. 108. CHAPTER XV., SECTION IV. (Anté, pp. 404, 405, and 551, 552.) d. Members of the Congregation who Contribute to the Support of the Church entitled to Vote in the Election of a Pastor. A request from the Presbytery of New Castle for an answer to the following question: "Have members of a congregation, not communicants, who regularly contribute their due proportion of the necessary expenses of the church and congregation, a right to vote in the election of a pastor?" The Committee recommend that the question be answered in the affirmative, in accordance with previous deliverances-with this special appended statement, that the usage of some congregations which confines the right of voting for pastor to communicants is wholly legitimate, and might profitably become more prevalent. Adopted 1886, p. 48. CHAPTER XVIII., ARTICLE XI. THE PERMANENT COMMITTEE ON TEMPERANCE. c. The Committee Reorganized. Resolved, That the Permanent Committee be reorganized as follows: That its headquarters shall be in Pittsburg, Pa.; that it be composed of the following ministers and elders: Rev. Elliott Swift, D. D., chairman; Rev. William O. Campbell, D. D., Rev. William J. Holland, Rev. I. N. Hays, D. D., Rev. J. P. E. Kumler, D. D., Rev. N. B. C. Comingo. C. L. Rose, O. L. Miller, M. D., J. H. Baldwin, Thomas H. Rabe, Robert S. Totten, William B. Negley; and the committee shall determine by lot the several terms of their service, and report the result to the stated clerk for insertion in the minutes of the Assembly. Adopted 1886, p. 96, and Appendix, pp. 233–236. CHAPTER XXII. (Anté, pp. 131 and 463-468.) 8. The Right of Alternates to Sit is at the Discretion of the Judicatory. The Committee upon the Records of the Synod of Colorado would report their approval, with one exception, to wit: On page 254 the Synod excepted to the action of the Presbytery of Boulder in admitting to a seat in an adjourned meeting an alternate in place of a principal who had sat in a previous regular meeting. The Committee had also referred to it the Report of the Judiciary Committee upon the matters involved in the complaint of Rev. J. L. Reid against the action of the Synod of Colorado in excepting to the action of the Presbytery of Boulder in admitting to a seat at an adjourned meeting an alternate in place of a principal who had sat in a previous regular meeting. The Committee would report: 1. That, in their opinion, the very object of electing an alternate is to ensure, if possible, the actual representation of each constituency in its proper judicatory. 2. That, as the General Assembly has in several instances admitted to seats in its own body, during the progress of its annual meeting (see Digest, p. 468), an alternate in place of a principal who wished to be absent during the residue of the meeting, it is expedient that this subject, so far as there is no positive law, be left to the judgment of the several Presbyteries, as circumstances may require. Adopted 1886, p. 110. BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. CHAPTER IX., SECTION III., SUB-SECTION LXXXIII. Judicial Decisions by certain Synods were reported to the Assembly by the Judicial Committee, and by the Assembly confirmed-viz., 1, 2, 3, 4. 24. Complaint Dismissed.-Reasons Assigned. a. Not in Order; no Evidence of Notice; nor of Injustice done. Case No. 1. An appeal and complaint of H. D. Brown against a decision of the Synod of Pennsylvania affirming a decision of the Presbytery of Western Africa deposing him from the office of ruling elder. The Committee recommend that the case be dismissed, for the reason that it is not in order as presented, there being no complaint nor evidence of notice of complaint, nor reason to suppose from the records of the Synod that any injustice has been done to the appellant either in the Presbytery or Synod. Adopted 1886, p. 73. b. Because final Jurisdiction is in the Synod. No. 2. The appeal and complaint of Rev. George N. Smith against a decision of the Synod of New York refusing to sustain his appeal and complaint against the Presbytery of Geneva for certain irregularities in the proceedings in regard to which the Synod has final jurisdiction. The Committee recommend that the case be dismissed. No. 3. The complaint of J. W. Cummings and S. C. Faris against the Presbytery of Wooster for changing the terms of a call without the consent of parties. The Committee recommend that the case be dismissed, for the reason that final jurisdiction in the case belongs to the Synod, which has already acted in the case. No. 4. The complaint of certain members of the former Central church of Jacksonville, Ill., against the action of the Synod of Illinois in refusing to sustain their complaint against the action of the Presbytery of Springfield in uniting the First and Central churches of Jacksonville. The Committee recommend that the case be dismissed for the reason that the Synod is the court of last resort in such cases.-1886, p. 73. The Judicial Committee reported cases 6, 7 and 8, and its recommendations were adopted-viz: c. The Case Remanded with Instructions. No. 6. The appeal and complaint of Rev. Leo Baier against the Synod of Minnesota for not sustaining his complaint against the Presbytery of St. Paul for dissolving the pastoral relation between the First Presbyterian church and Rev. C. C. Herriott; for allowing an elder to sit in Presbytery after he had received a dismission from the church; and, for accepting control of the records of Session. The minutes of the Synod are defective in not specifying the points upon which it based its action in hearing Mr. Baier's complaint, and for not giving its reasons for the same. They recommend that the case be remanded to the Synod for a new trial, or for a more specific statement of the case and of the reasons for its decision.1886, p. 93. d. The Pastoral Relation not Subject to the Jurisdiction of the Assembly. No. 7. The complaint of Rev. William W. Campbell against the Synod of Baltimore; for not sustaining his complaint against the Presbytery of Baltimore for dissolving the pastoral relations between him and the Grove church; and, for its action upon the report of the Home Missionary Committee of the Presbytery having reference to himself. The Judicial Committee recommended that the complaint be dismissed, as such cases are not subject to the jurisdiction of the General Assembly.-1886, pp. 93, 94. e. Because the Complainant had no Right of Complaint, and because the Case had been Adjudicated by the proper Judicatory. No. 8. The complaint and appeal of Saharanpur Presbytery of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, India, against the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, and against the Furrukhabad Presbytery, because of the reception of Rev. J. S. Woodside by the Presbytery and the approval of its action by the Board. The Committee recommended the rejection of the complaint and appeal for the reason that the Saharanpur Presbytery has no right of complaint or appeal to the General Assembly, and because the Synod of Northern India, in accordance with the action of the Assembly of 1884, has adjudicated all questions belonging to the case.— 1886, p. 94. CHAPTER XII., SECTION CXIV. (Anté, pp. 753–755.) 11. A Member may not be Received on a Letter from Swedenborgians. An overture from the Presbytery of Dayton asking, "Is it admissible for a Session or minister by any official act to recognize the Swedenborgian Church as a Christian Church; as, for instance, to recognize its certificate of church-membership as valid?" The Committee recommends the following answer: "In view of the great doctrinal differences between the Swedenborgians and ourselves, the Assembly regards the reception of church-members upon certificate from them as inadmissible. It is not intended by this deliverance, however, to deny the Christian character of many who are known as Swedenborgians." Adopted 1886, p. 37. |