CHAPTER X. OF THE ADMISSION OF PERSONS TO SEALING ORDINANCES. I. Children Baptized are under the Government of the Church, to be Taught the Catechism, Apostles' Creed and Lord's Prayer, to Pray, to Abhor Sin, Fear and Obey God; When they should be Admitted to the Lord's Supper. 1. Pastoral Care to be Exercised over Baptized Children, a, b. 2. As to the Discipline of Baptized Children, a, b; the Subject largely Discussed, c, d, e, and Dismissed, f, g; Neglect Deprecated, h. 3. Children should be Trained in the Faith of their Fathers. 4. Catechetical Instruction urged. The Shorter Catechism Commended. 5. Family Training for the Increase of the Ministry and the Church. 6. Placing Children in Catholic Schools a Violation of Covenant Engagements......... 800 7. The Duty of Home Training urged on the Attention of the Church.................. 847 II. The Years of Discretion to be Decided by the Session; the Officers of the Church Judges of the Qualifications of Candidates, and of the Time of Admitting them........ 803 III. Candidates to be Examined as to their Knowledge and as to their Piety. 1. Universalists not to be Received to Sealing Ordinances, a, b. 2. Scruples on Infant Baptism may not Exclude. 3. Duelists to be Received only on Evidence of Repentance. 4. Postmasters Officiating on the Sabbath Excluded from Communion, a, b. 5. Proprietor of Stages Running on the Sabbath. 6. Session to Judge in the Case of one Engaged in the Sale of Intoxicating Drinks. 7. Session to Judge of the Faith and Knowledge of Candidates. 8. Should be Admitted only by a Session Regularly Organized; Ordinarily Improper to Receive Immediately on the Profession of Conversion the Young, and those of Previously Immoral Lives. 9. The Session is to Judge of the Piety of Candidates, and is Referred to the Deliverances of the Assembly on Moral Questions. 10. One Professing his Faith in Christ and Obedience to him may be Baptized. 11. Intercommunion Discouraged in a Case Stated........ 803 12. Polygamists cannot be Received into the Church while maintaining that Relation. 13. Examination of Candidates ought Ordinarily to be in the Presence of the Session 847 IV. Unbaptized Persons Applying for Admission to the Church Ordinarily to make a Public Profession and be Baptized. 1. Baptism not Ordinarily to be Administered without the Purpose of Uniting with the Church. Baptism is Necessary to Entitle one to Church Privileges. 2. Admission to Sealing Ordinances the Exclusive Prerogative of the Session......... ...... * 806 848 3. An Excommunicated Person, if Readmitted, is not to be Rebaptized............ CHAPTER XI. OF THE MODE OF INFLICTING CHURCH CENSURES. I. Church Power is for Edification, and not Destruction. Censure should be with all Tenderness, and Inflicted with great Solemnity, Aiming to Lead to Repentance................................. . 808 II. Suspension from Church Privileges. The Sentence............ ...... 808 III. Treatment of the Suspended-to be Labored with and Prayed for......................... 808 IV. Restoration on Evidence of Repentance. Declaration to be in the Presence of the Session or Congregation........... 809 V. Should a Suspended Person Fail to Manifest Repentance for his Offence, not less than a Year, he may be Excommunicated without further Trial. The Design of Excommunication........ VI. The Order of Excommunication, and Form of the Sentence..... 809 809 VII. The Order of Restoration on Repentance, and Form of the Sentence.................... 809 VIII. Censures other than Suspension and Excommunication to be Inflicted in such Mode as the Judicatory may Direct.... 810 CHAPTER XII. OF THE SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGE. I. Marriage not a Sacrament; the State should make Laws to Regulate Marriage, which all Citizens are Bound to Obey......... 810 Testimony against the Immorality of Loose Practice in the Matter of Divorce...... 849 II. Christians ought to Marry in the Lord; Marriage should be Solemnized by a Lawful Minister, with Instruction and Prayer. 1. Licentiates may Solemnize Marriage where the Civil Law Authorizes them. 2. Marrying in the Lord Defined. 3. In Case of Marriage of Heathen Converts, Presbyteries to Judge........ • 810 III. Marriage to be between One Man and One Woman only, and not within the Degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity. 1. Questions of Marriage of Divorced Persons. 2. A Minister, having Married again, Required to Cease Officiating until he Proves the Death of his Wife. 3. Adultery and Remediless Desertion the only Sufficient Cause of Divorce. 4. On Divorce for Adultery, the Innocent Party may Marry again. 5. A Bigamist to be Excluded from the Church; Willful Desertion a just Cause for Divorce; if Divorce be Refused where just Cause Exists, the Church may Receive him. 6. Á Minister, having Married a Woman Divorced for Cause other than Adultery, or Willful Desertion, is Deposed, a, b, c. 7. Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity. 8. Marriage with a Brother's Widow Declared Incestuous; left to the Discretion of the Session, a. 9. With Deceased Wife's Sister, Declared Unlawful, and Parties Suspended, a; Parties Restored on Petition; such Marriages Discountenanced, b. 10. With Relicts of Brother and Sister Disapproved, but not Declared Incestuous. 11. With Deceased Wife's Sister; Referred to Session; Party Suspended, and Suspension Confirmed, a; Case of McQueen, b, of John Cathey, c. 12. With a Wife's Brother's Daughter. 13. With a Wife's Half-brother's Daughter. 14. With a Wife's Sister's Daughter, a, b, c, d. 15. With a Sister's Daughter. 16. Loose Opinion on Marriage Condemned....... 811 IV. Parties should be of Years of Discretion, and if Minors the Consent of Parents should be had. Clandestine Marriages to be Discouraged........ 820 V. Parents should not Compel their Children to Marry, nor Unreasonably Hinder......... 820 VI. Marriage of a Public Nature; Due Notice should be given; Caution Enjoined on Ministers. Question as to Sufficient Publication of Marriage. 820 2. Caution Enjoined in Solemnizing Marriages.......... 849 VII. Must always be in the Presence of Witnesses; may be on any except a Fast Day; Discouraged on Sabbath.......... 821 VIII. Directory for the Marriage Ceremony; a Register to be kept for the Perusal of all Interested. 821 CHAPTER XIII. OF THE VISITATION OF THE SICK. I. Duty of the Sick to make Known their Spiritual State; Duty of the Minister to Visit the Sick.. II. Instruction to be given as to the Dealings of God and his End in them............ 823 823 III. The Ignorant to be Instructed in the Nature of Repentance and Faith and the Way of Life through Christ......... 823 IV. Exhort to Self-examination by the Word of God, and Aid him by Noting Evidences of Piety........ 823 V. Resolve Doubts, and Administer Instruction, as the Case may Require.......................... 823 VI. Seek to Awaken the Thoughtless, to Arouse Conscience, to Convince of Sin and Lead to Repentance. 823 VII. When Encouragement should be given, and Consolation in the Gospel. Under what Circumstances the Communion may be Administered in the Chamber of the Sick. Chap. IX., Sec. I. 4......... 823 VIII. Guard against Delusion, Fear, Discouragement and Presumption, also against Despair......... 824 IX. Summing up of the Duties of the Minister; at the Proper Time he shall Pray with the Sick.... 824 X. Exhort those who may be Present to Consider, to Repent, and in Health to Prepare for Sickness and Death... 824 CHAPTER XIV. OF THE BURIAL OF THE DEAD. I. Proper Care to be taken of the Body; not to be Hastily Buried...... 824 II. Conduct Proper to the Occasion; the Living Exhorted. Carousing, Ostentation and Parades to be Discountenanced.. 824 CHAPTER XV. OF FASTING AND THE OBSERVATION OF DAYS OF THANKSGIVING. I. The Lord's Day the only Holy Day under the Gospel............ ...825 II. But to Observe Days of Fasting and Thanksgiving both Scriptural and Rational. The Duty not to be Neglected; a Means of Grace...... 825 III. Such Days may be Observed by Individuals, Families, Congregations, etc., or by the Whole Church 825 IV. Discretion left to Families, Sessions, Presbyteries, etc., as to Determining the Times for Themselves; Respect to be Paid to Public Appointments. Churches should Observe the Days Appointed by the Local Authorities. 1. Days of Fasting Appointed by the Supreme Judicatory, on the Occasion of the French War, a; on the same, b. 2. On the War with Spain. 3. On Account of Troubles with England, a, b. 4. Before the Second War with England. 5. During that War. 6. On the Outbreak of the Civil War, a, b. 7. On Account of the Profanation of the Sabbath. 8. For the Conversion of the World. 9. The Week of Prayer.......... 825 10. Monthly Concert of Prayer for Missions. 11. Children's Day. Special Services to be held, a, b. 12. Week of Prayer. Day of Prayer for Literary Institutions... 852 CHAPTER XVI. THE DIRECTORY FOR SECRET AND FAMILY WORSHIP. I. Duty of Secret and of Family Worship.............. II. Secret Worship Enjoined by our Lord; Mode; Advantages...... 831 831 832 832 V. Duties of Heads of Families to Instruct; the Evenings of the Lord's Day to be Specially Devoted to this Duty. 1. Duty of Ministers to urge Family Religion upon their People, a, b, c; Heads of Families Enjoined, d, e. 2. Special Relations of the Sabbath to Family Instruction. 3. Catechetical Instruction enjoined on Parents........... 832 6 DIGEST OF THE ACTS AND DELIVERANCES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES BOOK I. OF GOVERNMENT. CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY PRINCIPLES.* THE Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, in present. ing to the Christian public the system of union and the form of govern ment and discipline which they have adopted, have thought proper to state, by way of introduction, a few of the general principles by which they have been governed in the formation of the plan. This, it is hoped, will, in some measure, prevent those rash misconstructions and uncandid reflections which usually proceed from an imperfect view of any subject, as well as make the several parts of the system plain and the whole perspicuous and fully understood. They are unanimously of opinion: I. That "God alone is Lord of the conscience; and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in any thing contrary to his word, or beside it in matters of faith or worship:" therefore they consider the right of private judgment, in all matters that respect religion, as universal and unalienable; they do not even wish. to see any religious constitution aided by the civil power, further than *This introductory chapter, with the exception of the first sentence, was first drawn up by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, and prefixed to the Form of Government, etc., as published by that body in 1788. In that year, after arranging the plan on which the Presbyterian Church is now governed, the synod was divided into four Synods, and gave place to the General Assembly, which met for the first time in 1789. |