Chapter 57 : The Admission of Persons to Sealing Ordinances

Paragraph 2 : Of Years of Discretion

57-1. The time when young persons come to understand the Gospel cannot be precisely fixed. This must be left to the prudence of the Session, whose office it is to judge, after careful examination, the qualifications of those who apply for admission to sealing ordinances.

[DIGEST :The third sentence found in PCA 1973, 11-2 was deleted in 1981. PCUS § 351 (DfW ch. 11) does not have the third sentence found in PCA 1973, 11-2.]

ANTECEDENT TEXTS :
PCA 1973, DfW, 11-2, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly,
and
Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, DfW, 11-2, Proposed text, p. 71
The time when young persons come to years of discretion cannot be precisely fixed. This must be left to the prudence of the Session, whose office it is to judge, after careful examination, the qualifications of those who apply for admission to sealing ordinances. In addition, answering the Constitutional questions for admission, all persons making their profession of faith should testify to the Session in their own words as to their Christian experience.

PCUS 1925, DfW, X-2, §342
and
PCUS 1894, DfW, X-2
The time when young persons come to years of discretion cannot be precisely fixed. This must be left to the prudence of the Session of the church, whose office it is to judge, after careful examination, the qualifications of those who apply for admission to sealing ordinances.

PCUSA 1823, DfW, IX-2
and
PCUSA 1797, DfW, IX-2
The years of discretion, in young Christians, cannot be precisely fixed. This must be left to the prudence of the eldership. The officers of the church are the judges of the qualifications of those to be admitted to sealing ordinances; and of the time when it is proper to admit young Christians to them.