ernment of the Church, and are to be taught to read and repeat the Catechism, etc."* This has been frequently insisted upon by both branches of the Church, and by the reunited Church.† All the children and youth in the Sabbath-schools should be thus taught. In 1878 the Assembly recommended the Board of Publication to incorporate in its system of Sabbath-school lesson-papers a brief exposition of the answers of the "Shorter Catechism," and through the Sessions urged on teachers and parents the duty of teaching to the children the doctrinal and governmental truths of our Church.‡ Candidates for licensure were required by the O. S. Assembly in 1868 to be well versed in the "Shorter Catechism," and .in 1877 the Assembly resolved that all Candidates under the care of the Board commit to memory the whole Catechism. § By whom should the Catechism be taught? By parents, Sabbath-school teachers, and by the Pastors and Elders. § The N. S. Assembly in 1849 declared "that the institution of Sabbath-schools does not exonerate ministers and parents from the duty of teaching the 'Shorter Catechism' to the children of the Church." All Ministers and Elders were urged to teach diligently the youth in the "Shorter Catechism," which was recommended as a text-book in the Sabbath-school. || Similar deliverances were made by the O. S. Assembly in 1840, 1846, 1854. And in 1870 the Assembly re* Directory for Worship, ch. ix., sect. i. † Presbyterian Digest, pp. 642, 643, 673, 705. Minutes G. A. 1878, p. 31. & Presbyterian Digest, p. 398; Minutes G. A. 1877, p. 535. ¶ Assembly's Digest, pp. 183, 185, 186. minded parents that no instruction in the Sabbath-school or elsewhere can supersede or supply their duty of catechising their children.* The custom in Scotland, and to some extent in this country, was for the Pastor, with one or more Elders, to visit in turn the different districts of the congregation and catechise the families in their several houses or in some place of meeting. This usage has given place in this country to that of an annual or quarterly catechising of the children by the Pastor, or of giving regular instruction to the Sabbath-school each Sabbath in one or more answers in the "Shorter Catechism." When should this instruction be given? "Let the heads of families be careful to instruct their children and servants in the principles of religion. We are of opinion that the Sabbath evenings after public worship should be sacredly preserved for this purpose."† What is a Catechist ? Catechists are pious men, laymen, not generally Candidates for the ministry, but formally authorized to instruct the ignorant in the principles of religion as set forth in the Catechism. In 1800 it was proposed that an order of men called Catechists be employed among the Indians, the blacks and other ignorant persons. These Catechists were to be examined by Presbytery, and receive a certificate and recommendation, without which they should not be recognized. The Assembly refused to take immediate action, but considered it expedient that no Catechist should be sent out without further orders from the Assembly. In 1806 the plan of licensing uneducated men as * Presbyterian Digest, p. 705. Directory for Worship, ch. xv., sect. v.; Presbyterian Digest, pp. 703-705. Catechists proposed by Rev. David Rice was not sanctioned by the Assembly, as it was considered "dangerous to the Church to employ illiterate men as exhorters or catechetical instructors."* What is a Catechumen? A Catechumen is one under catechetical instruction. In the early Church the applicants for baptism were, by the imposition of hands and the sign of the cross, recognized as such, and were placed under systematic instruction in the doctrines of Christianity. They were called Catechumens. What collections should be taken in the church? "Making collections for the poor and other pious purposes." Provision was made for the poor in the Old-Testament dispensation (Ex. 23:9–11; Lev. 19:10). The first impulse of the Christian Church was to part their possessions and goods to all men as every man had need (Acts 2:45). The Apostles, in giving the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas as they departed to their mission to the heathen, charged them to remember the poor, which Paul was forward to do (Gal. 2: 10). The first general collection of which we read was for the poor saints in Jerusalem (Rom. 15: 24-27). The duty of contributing to the support of Ministers and for the extension of the Church in its various operations is enforced frequently, as in Matt. 10: 10; Rom. 10:15; 15: 27; 1 Cor. 9: 7-14. In the Presbyterian Church the Deacons are ordained to receive and distribute the poor fund.† As early as 1707 the General Presbytery called the attention of the Church to missions. At the first meeting of the Synod (1717) a fund was raised for pious uses-missionary * Assembly's Digest, pp. 349, 350. † See p. 63. operations. All churches were recommended to take yearly collections for its increase.* The General Assembly has divided the general work of the Church, and appointed various Boards or Standing Committees to take the supervision of the several parts. These have been recommended to the confidence of the churches, which are enjoined to make yearly contributions to them. In 1755 the Synod declared that it is inconsistent with our church government for the Session to prohibit the synodical appointments concerning collections. This was repeated in 1790.† In 1872 the Assembly enjoined "upon all the churches the practice of periodical giving to all the causes recommended by the General Assembly, according to the principles commended by the word of God." The Presbyteries were required to question its Pastors if the directions of the Assembly had been complied with. And no church neglecting to contribute to the several Boards should receive aid from the funds of the Church. In 1879 the Assembly declared that "the members of all our congregations have a right to an opportunity to contribute at least once a year to each of the Boards, as required by the highest authority of the Church, and the Sessions of the churches have no right to withhold that opportunity"—" that it is the duty of each Minister in charge to give information, set forth the privilege of giving, and urge the claims of each Board in connection with the annual collection." § Besides these permanent objects of benevolence the Assembly, Synod and Presbytery may recommend from * Assembly's Digest, pp. 321, 323. + Presbyterian Digest, p. 131. & Minutes G. A. 1879, p. 623. ‡ Ibid. p. 455. time to time others which are not directly under the supervision of the Church, as Bible, tract and colonization societies, colleges and seminaries, etc.* Church Sessions also may order whatever collections they may deem proper to be taken in churches under their care. This is implied in the powers granted to Sessions in "Form of Government" (ch. ix., sect. vi.) and in all the recommendations of the Assembly to the Sessions in regard to collections.† What is discipline? 66 Discipline is the exercise of that authority and the application of that system of laws which the Lord Jesus Christ has appointed in his Church, embracing the care and control maintained by the Church over its members, officers and judicatories." The Southern Presbyterian Church says that the term has two senses, the one referring to the whole government, instruction, training, guardianship and control which the Church maintains over its members, its officers and its courts, and the other a restricted and technical sense, signifying judicial prosecution." § Who are subjects of church discipline? All communicants are subjects of discipline. "All children born within the pale of the visible Church are members of the Church, are to be baptized, are under the care of the Church, and subject to its government and discipline; and when they arrive at the years of discretion they are bound to perform all the duties of church members." || In 1878 "the Assembly solemnly reminded the churches in our connectiou that church discipline, in the scriptural * Assembly's Digest, pp. 413, 826; Records of the Presbyterian Church, p. 248; Presbyterian Digest, p. 373. † See p. 64. Book of Discipline, sect. 1. See p. 159. |