The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Chapter 20 : The Election of Pastors

Paragraph 9 : Of Transfer to Another Presbytery

20-9. When a pastor desires to accept a call to another Presbytery, he must be examined and approved by the Presbytery for the pastorate to which he is being called, and must be released for transfer by his present Presbytery from his pastorate.

DIGEST: The current PCA text has been amended from that of the 1973 text and dates to _____.

BACKGROUND & COMPARISON:
1. PCA 1973, 21-9, Adopted text, as printed in the Minutes of General Assembly, p. 140
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, 21-9, Proposed text, p. 27
3. PCUS 1933, XXIII, §129
4. PCUS 1925, XXIII, §129
If the call be to a Minister, licentiate, or candidate of another Presbytery, the commissioners appointed to prosecute the call shall produce an attested certificate from their own Presbytery that it has been laid before that body and found in order, and that permission has been granted them to prosecute it before the Presbytery to which he belongs.

PCUS 1879, VI-3-9
If the call be to a Minister or probationer of another Presbytery, the commissioners appointed to prosecute the call shall produce an attested certificate from their own Presbytery that it has been laid before that body and found in order, and that permission has been granted them to prosecute it before the Presbytery to which he belongs.

PCUS 1869 draft, VI-3-9
If the call be to a Minister or probationer of another Presbytery, the commissioners of the Congregation appointed to prosecute the call must be prepared to produce an attested certificate from their own Presbytery that it had been laid before that body and found in order; and that permission had been granted them to prosecute it before the proper Presbytery.

PCUS 1867 draft, VI-3-9
If the call be to a minister or probationer of another presbytery, the commissioners of the congregation appointed to prosecute the call must be prepared to produce an attested certificate from their own presbytery that it had been laid before that body and found in order, and that permission had been granted them to prosecute it before the proper presbytery.

COMMENTARY:
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order (1898, p. 132-133) on VI-3-9 :
110.--IX. If the call be to a Minister or probationer of another Presbytery, the commissioners appointed to prosecute the call shall produce an attested certificate from their own Presbytery that it has been laid before that body and found in order, and that permission has been granted them to prosecute it before the Presbytery to which he belongs.
It is an irregular procedure for the Pastor elect to change Presbyteries before the call has been placed in his hands. Indeed, he need have no opinion, or at least give no assurance of what his answer will be, until after the call is placed in his hands ; for only so can the church and the Presbyteries speak their mind to him before he speaks his mind to them, as the Book contemplates.