The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Chapter 36 : The Infliction of Church Censures

Paragraph 3 : The Censure of Admonition

36-3. The Censure of Admonition should be administered in private by one or more members of the court if the offense is known only to a few and is not aggravated in character. If the offense is public the Admonition should be administered by the moderator in presence of the court and may also be announced in public should the court deem it expedient.

DIGEST : The current PCA text dates to the PCUS Revision of 1925, except for differences of capitalization.

BACKGROUND AND COMPARISON :
1. PCA 1973, RoD, 10-3, Adopted text, (M1GA, Part IV, Appendix B, p. 150)
2. Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, RoD, 10-3, Proposed text, p. 50
3. PCUS 1933, RoD, X-§243
4. PCUS 1925, RoD, X-§243
The censure of admonition should be administered in private by one or more members of the court if the offence is known only to a few and is not aggravated in character. If the offence is public the admonition should be administered by the Moderator in presence of the court and may also be announced in public should the court deem it expedient.

PCUS 1879, Rules of Discipline, X-3
The censure of admonition ought to be administered in private, by one or more members, in behalf of the court, when the offence is not aggravated, in character. If the offence is public the admonition should be administered by the Moderator in presence of the court and may also be announced in public should the court deem it expedient.

PCUS 1869 draft, Canons of Discipline, X-3
The censure of admonition ought to be administered in private by one or more members in behalf of the court when the offence is not aggravated, and is known only to a few. When the scandal is public, the admonition shall be administered by the Moderator in the presence of the court, and ordinarily shall also be intimated in public.

PCUS 1867 draft, Canons of Discipline, X-3
The censure of admonition ought to be administered in private by one or more members in behalf of the court when the offence is not aggravated, and is known only to a few. When the scandal is public, the admonition must be administered by the moderator in the presence of the court, and ordinarily must also be intimated in public.

OTHER COMPARISONS :
RPCES 1973, VIII-3
Admonition consists in tenderly and solemnly addressing the offender, placing his sin before him, warning him of his danger, and exhorting him to repentance and greater fidelity to the Lord Jesus Christ.

COMMENTARY :
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order (1898, p. 222), on X-3:
222.--III. The censure of admonition ought to be administered in private, by one or more members, in behalf of the court, when the offence is not aggravated, in character. If the offence is public the admonition should be administered by the Moderator in presence of the court and may also be announced in public should the court deem it expedient.
If administered in public, that is announcement in public.