The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Chapter 57 : The Admission of Persons to Sealing Ordinances

Paragraph 6 :

57-6. Persons received from other churches by letters of dismissal as well as those being received by reaffirmation of faith should give a testimony of their Christian experience to the Session. Their names are to be announced to the congregation with a recommendation of them to its Christian confidence and affection.

DIGEST : Historical Summary : The 1925 text was unchanged from that of the first approved edition, PCUS 1894. PCUS 1933 has the addition of "...or by reaffirmation of faith," which addition has survived into PCA usage and the current text of the PCA's BCO. An editorial change made in _____ changed the order but not the meaning of the first sentence.

BACKGROUND AND COMPARISONS :
PCA 1973, DfW, 11-6, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 159
and
Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, DfW 11-6, Proposed text, p. [72]
Persons received from other churches by letters of dismission should give a testimony of their experience to the Session, as well as those being received by reaffirmation of faith. Their names are to be announced to the congregation, with a recommendation of them to its Christian confidence and affection.

PCUS 1933, DfW, XI, § 355
When persons are received from other churches by letters of dismission or by reaffirmation of faith, their names are to be announced to the congregation, with a recommendation of them to its Christian confidence and affection.

PCUS 1925, DfW, X-6, § 346
and
PCUS 1894, DfW, X-6
When persons are received from other churches by letters of dismission, their names are to be announced to the congregation, with a recommendation of them to its Christian confidence and affection.

COMMENTARY :