Assembly also judges that churches organized in foreign missionary-fields, where no Presbytery exists, may, with the consent of the Synod, be enrolled by the Presbytery to which the Missionary on the field belongs." May a church be formed without the presence of a Minister? Full organization is impossible without the presence of a Minister. But a congregation may be formed by those desiring to be associated for worship. They should apply to the nearest Presbytery for recognition and full organization, and make provision for regular services.‡ What should be done when suitable persons cannot be found to be chosen as Ruling Elders? "The people may, and ought to, obtain a preacher of the gospel to labor among them, and occasionally to administer ordinances, under the direction of some Presbytery," until they can "make a proper choice of Ruling Elders."‡ What is an imperfectly-organized church? An organized church, therefore, has recognized communicants and ordained officers. Under the Plan of Union many churches were formed without ordained Elders. They had standing committees, which to some extent performed the duties of a Session. The "committee-men" were permitted to represent their churches in the higher courts until 1837, when the Plan of Union was abrogated. They continued, however, to be recognized by the N. S. Assembly. One of the terms of reunion was, "that imperfectly-organized churches were to become thoroughly Presbyterian within five years." || In 1880 the Assembly received an overture asking that *Minutes General Assembly 1882, p. 96. † See p. 310. || See p. 280. the Presbyteries be enjoined "to institute immediate and efficient measures whereby the churches, which at the reunion of the O. S. and N. S. were imperfectly organized by being governed by committee-men or unordained men, may fully and speedily complete their organization.' The Assembly, however, expressed confidence in the loyalty, diligence and discretion of the Presbyteries, and referred the matter to their attention.* In 1881, referring to this action, the Assembly declared that it had "no official information as to the non-compliance, by any of the churches here referred to, with the Concurrent Declarations. As, however, the term for such imperfectly-organized churches to become thoroughly Presbyterian has long since passed, the Assembly feels compelled to remind, in this particular, any and all delinquent churches of their duty, and to express its conviction that, in the adoption of this Concurrent Declaration by the Assemblies of 1869, both bodies are solemnly bound to obey it."† May the Presbytery recognize an unorganized congregation ? Yes. Even when refusing to erect the petitioners into a congregation, it may recognize them as such, and grant them supplies for their pulpit.‡ What is a congregation? In our "Form of Government" the word "congregation is sometimes used for an organized church,§ but often a distinction is made between the church and the congregation. The former is composed of believers and their children under regularly-ordained officers. The congre * Minutes General Assembly 1880, p. 46. † Ibid., 1881, p. 591. Assembly's Digest, p. 55. Form of Government, ch. ix. * gation is sometimes used, as in the "Directory for Worship,' ch. i., to designate those who assemble in one place for public worship; and sometimes, as in "Form of Government,' ch. xv., the church, together with those who contribute to the support of the work of the church, and, according to the custom, or the charter of the particular church, or the laws of the State, form a recognized body, with certain powers, chiefly in relation to the holding of property. By our "Form of Government" every communicant of the church is a member of the congregation, and has a voice in everything that comes before it; but the usage or charter of the particular church may determine who else may be members of the congregation-sometimes the heads of families, or all male contributors, or all persons who do anything for the support of the church, and in some cases only those males who are admitted by vote and who sign articles of association. The congregation, thus composed, can of course have no spiritual jurisdiction, but can consider questions of property and such matters as the "Form of Government" may refer to it, as the choice of a Pastor. † Can a particular church organized by Presbytery hold property? Not without being incorporated according to the laws of the State. "The utmost care" should be taken, in applying for charters, "to ask for nothing which, if granted, will in any respect contravene the principles or order of our Church." "In any case in which civil enactments, heretofore obtained, do militate with any of the principles or order of our Church," the congregations should "endeavor, as soon as possible, to obtain *Presbyterian Digest, p. 128. Form of Government, ch. xv., and Presbyterian Digest, p. 405. the repeal or modification of such enactments, so as to make them consistent with the ecclesiastical order and principles of the Presbyterian Church."* As the Presbytery has oversight of everything which concerns the prosperity of the church and jurisdiction over the congregation,† the charter of a new congregation ought to be submitted to the Presbytery for its approval. In some States there is a general law of incorporation under which a congregation may become a body corporate. In such cases the law should be carefully examined and its terms minutely carried out. When, however, the general law is found to be inconsistent with the Presbyterian "Form of Government," application should be made for a special charter. ‡ What is a society ? In some of the New England States the general law of incorporation recognizes a body called the "society," which is thus made a legal body empowered to hold property for the church. It generally consists of certain persons (whether communicants or not) who associate themselves together to manage the finances of the congregation. The law determines the condition of membership and their exercise of power. In the Congregational Church this is an important body, and holds its meetings independently of the church. In many things the vote of the church can have no effect until the society meets and concurs, as in the election of a Pastor.§ In some Presbyterian churches the society is a distinct body (under the State law) from the congre * Presbyterian Digest, p. 109. † See pp. 231, 232. For a form of an act of incorporation and by-laws see Manual of Presbyterian Law and Usage, pp. 307–314. & Handbook of Congregationalism (H. M. Dexter), pp. 93–96. gation and from the church. In others the word is used to designate the congregation. As a separate body, however, it is foreign to our "Form of Government." Is it consistent with our polity that a board of Trustees should hold the property of the church? of Trustees may hold and manage the property of the church when elected according to the principles of our "Form of Government" and duly incorporated. They cannot have control of the funds collected for the poor the church or for the Lord's table: this duty belongs to the Deacons. The board should be elected according to the charter, and should at least once a year present a full report to the congregation. The officers, powers and continuance of the board are determined by the charter. The Pastor of the church, by virtue of his office, has no right to sit with or preside over the board.* By whom are Trustees to be elected ? By the members of the church, male and female, in full communion, who are entitled to participate and vote in all meetings for business, temporal or spiritual. This seems to be the plain teaching of the "Form of Government." The O. S. Assembly in 1866 declared that a communing member of the church cannot be deprived of his right to vote in such a case (which involved church property) without a decision of the church Session, in which all such power is vested.† Frequently the privilege is extended, by usage or the charter, to certain non-communicants who contribute to the support of the church. The N. S. General Assembly of 1864 said that the question is a legal one, "to be determined by * Presbyterian Digest, p. 109. † Minutes 1866, p. 54. |