COMMENTARY :
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order (1898, p. 181), on III-4:
155.--IV. Private offences are those which are known only to a few persons. Public offences are those which are notorious.
The offender cannot plead that his offence should be overlooked because it is of either sort.
The Historical Development of the PCA Book of Church Order
Chapter 29 : Offenses
Paragraph 4 : Private and Public Offenses
29-4. Private offenses are those which are known only to a few persons. Public offenses are those which are notorious.
[Historical Summary : The current PCA text remains unchanged from that of the PCUS 1867 draft. The 1858 PCUSA draft revision of the Book of Discipline was similar, but had "to one or a few persons" instead of the more succinct "to a few persons".]
Background and Comparison :
1. PCA 1973, RoD, 3-4, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 146
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, RoD, 3-4, Proposed text, p. 40
3. PCUS 1933, RoD, III-§176
4. PCUS 1925, RoD, III-§176
5. PCUS 1879, Rules of Discipline, III-4
6. PCUS 1869 draft, Canons of Discipline, III-3
7. PCUS 1867 draft, Canons of Discipline, III-3
Private offences are those which are known only to a few persons. Public offences are those which are notorious.
PCUSA 1858, Revised Book of Discipline, II-3
Private offences are those which are known only to one or a few persons. Public offences are those which are notorious.
Chapter Index [links to Par. 1 of each chapter]: |
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FoG
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I. King & Head of Church
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.§1. |
RoD
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II. Preliminary Principles
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DfW |
47 |
48 |
49 |
51 |
52 |
53 |
54 |
55 |
56 |
59 |
60 |
61 |
62 |
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[FoG = Form of Government ; RoD = Rules of Discipline ; DfW = Directory for Worship] |
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