Chapter 19 : The Licensure of Candidates for the Gospel Ministry and Internship

Paragraph 6 :

19-6. The license to preach the Gospel shall expire at the end of four years. The Presbytery may, if it thinks proper, renew it without further examination. The licentiate must apply for renewal prior to expiration. If the license expires, the stated clerk shall report the expiration to the Presbytery and to the individual’s Session, and such action shall be recorded in the minutes. The procedures of BCO 19-2 must be followed for re-licensure and such fact shall be recorded in the minutes. The license may be terminated at any time by a simple majority vote of the issuing Presbytery. The Presbytery shall always record its reasons for this action in its minutes.

[Historical Summary : .]

Background and Comparison :
PCA 1973, 20-14, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 139
Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, 20-13, Proposed text, p. 25
The license to preach the Gospel shall expire at the end of four years, but the Presbytery may, if it thinks proper, renew it. If the licentiate, without necessity, shall devote himself to such pursuits as interfere with a full trial of his gifts, it shall be the duty of the Presbytery to revoke his license.

PCUS 1933, XXII, 120
PCUS 1925, XXII, 120
The license to preach the Gospel shall expire at the end of four years, but the Presbytery may, if it thinks proper, renew it for the period of one year. If the licentiate, without necessity, shall devote himself to such pursuits as interfere with a full trial of his gifts, it shall be the duty of the Presbytery to revoke his license.

PCUS 1879,
The

PCUS 1869 draft,
The

PCUS 1867 draft,
It