Chapter 20 : The Election of Pastors

Paragraph 4 :

20-4. Method of voting: The voters being convened, and prayer for divine guidance having been offered, the moderator shall put the question:
Are you ready to proceed to the election of a pastor?
If they declare themselves ready, the moderator shall call for nominations, or the election may proceed by ballot without nominations. In every case a majority of all the voters present shall be required to elect.

[Historical Summary : Apart from differences in capitalization, the current PCA text dates to the revision accomplished in PCUS 1925. PCA 1973 and the earlier editions back to PCUS 1925 employ capitalization for the terms Minister and Pastor, as well as capitalizing the word "Divine".]

Background and Comparison :
1. PCA 1973, 21-4, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 139
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, 21-4, Proposed text, p. 26
3. PCUS 1933, XXIII, § 124
4. PCUS 1925, XXIII, § 124
Method of voting.
The voters being convened, and prayer for Divine guidance having been offered, the Moderator shall put the question: "Are you ready to proceed to the election of a Pastor?" If they declare themselves ready, the Moderator shall call for nominations, or the election may proceed by ballot without nominations. In every case a majority of all the voters present shall be required to elect.

PCUS 1879
[no comparable text]

PCUS 1869 draft
[no comparable text]

PCUS 1867 draft
[no comparable text]