The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Chapter 21 : The Ordination and Installation of Ministers

Paragraph 11 : On Ordaining Evangelists

21-11. In the ordination of interns as evangelists the same questions are to be propounded as in the ordination of pastors, with the exception of the eighth, for which the following shall be substituted:
Do you now undertake the work of an evangelist, and do you promise, in reliance on God for strength, to be faithful in the discharge of all the duties incumbent on you as a minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?

[Historical Summary : The current PCA text substitutes the more inclusive "interns" in place of the earlier "candidates or licentiates". Otherwise the wording of this paragraph remains unchanged from that of PCUS 1925. Moreover, the wording of the question proposed to the intern is still that same as that found in PCUS 1879. The PCUS did modify this paragraph in 1940 (cf. PCUS Minutes, 1940, p. 74), but the PCA text was based originally on PCUS 1933, so that change is not relevant to this study.]

Background and Comparison :
PCA 1973, 22-10, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 141
Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, 22-10, Proposed text, p. 31
PCUS 1933, XXIV-§141
PCUS 1925, XXIV-§141
In the ordination of candidates or licentiates as Evangelists the same questions are to be propounded as in the ordination of Pastors, with the exception of the eighth, for which the following shall be substituted:
"Do you now undertake the work of an Evangelist, and do you promise, in reliance on God for strength, to be faithful in the discharge of all the duties incumbent on you as a Minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?"

PCUS 1879, VI-5-8

In the ordination of probationers as Evangelists, the eighth of the preceding questions shall be omitted, and the following substituted for it, viz.:
Do you now undertake the work of an Evangelist, and do you promise, in reliance on God for strength, to be faithful in the discharge of all the duties incumbent on you as a Minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?


PCUS 1869 draft, VI-5-8
When it becomes necessary to ordain probationers to the work of the Gospel ministry, as Evangelists or Doctors, the last of the preceding questions shall be omitted, and the following substituted for it, viz: Do you now accept the office and undertake the work of
an Evangelist, (or of a Doctor of the Holy Scriptures), and do you promise, in reliance on God for strength, to be faithful in the discharge of all the duties which may be incumbent on you, as a Minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?

PCUS 1867 draft, VI-5-8
When it becomes necessary to ordain probationers to the work of the gospel ministry, as evangelists or doctors, the last of the
preceding questions shall be omitted, and the following substituted for it, viz: Do you now accept the office and undertake the work of an evangelist, (or of a doctor of the Holy Scriptures), and do you promise, in reliance on God for strength, to be faithful in the discharge of all the duties which may be incumbent on you as a minister of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?

COMMENTARY :
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order
(1898, p. 151) on VI-5-8:
123.--VIII. In the ordination of probationers as Evangelists, the eighth of the preceding questions shall be omitted, and the following substituted for it, viz.:
Do you now undertake the work of an Evangelist, and do you promise, in reliance on God for strength, to be faithful in the discharge of all the duties incumbent on you as a Minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ?
While it would be according to the principles of the Form of Government to substitute a similar question in ordination to the office of Teacher or other sort of labor as Minister, no express provision is made for such cases. (Cf. remarks at beginning of Sec. III.)