The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Chapter 18 : Candidates for the Gospel Ministry

Paragraph 5 : Forms of Service for the Candidate

18-5. For the development of his Christian character, for the service he can render, and for his more effective training, the candidate, when entering on his theological studies, should be authorized and encouraged by the Presbytery to conduct public worship, to expound the Scriptures to the people, and to engage in other forms of Christian work. These forms of service should be rendered under the direction of Presbytery, and also with the sanction and under the guidance of the candidate's instructors during the time of his being under their instruction. A candidate should not undertake to serve a church which is without a pastor as regular supply unless he has been licensed and approved for that supply by the Presbytery having jurisdiction of the church (see BCO 19-1).

DIGEST: The current PCA text benefited from minor editorial changes in ________, with an updating of the language in the final sentence. In place of the earlier reading : "to serve statedly a church which is without a pastor...", the third sentence now has : "to serve a church which is without a pastor as regular supply...". The paragraph otherwise remains that of PCUS 1925.

BACKGROUND & COMPARISON:
1. PCA 1973, 19-5, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 137
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, Proposed text,
3. PCUS 1933, XXI, § 106
4. PCUS 1925, XXI, § 106
For the development of his Christian character, for the service he can render, and for his more effective training, the candidate, when entering on his theological studies, should be authorized and encouraged by the Presbytery to conduct public worship, to expound the Scriptures to the people, and to engage in other forms of Christian work. These forms of service should be rendered under the direction of Presbytery, and also with the sanction and under the guidance of the candidate's instructors during the time of his being under their instruction. A candidate should not undertake to serve statedly a church which is without a pastor unless he has the approval of the Presbytery having jurisdiction of the church.

PCUS 1879,
The

PCUS 1869 draft,
The

PCUS 1867 draft,
It

COMMENTARY:
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order, on Chapter V, Section
"The