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cially in choosing elders to represent them in General Assemblies, and attesting the commissions of such as are chosen either by themselves, by universities, or by royal burghs.-Act 7.

1737. Enjoined on presbyteries to be careful that all to be chosen elders of this church be qualified according to the Acts of Assembly; and particularly that they attest none as members of Assembly but such as are qualified, not only by subscribing the formula prescribed, but likewise according to all the other qualifications required by former Acts of Assembly.-Act 8.

1779. Enacted, 1. That no person be ordained an elder of this church before he is twenty-one years of age complete. 2. That all presbytery elders be elected within two months after the sitting of the synod of that bounds; and in case of death or demission, that a new election be made within one month of the same. 3. That every elder so chosen produce an extract of his election under the hand of the session-clerk, before he be received on the roll of either the presbytery or synod.—Act 12.

1816. Enacted and ordained, That no person be set apart to the office of an elder, unless he hath attained the age of twenty-one years complete, and produce a certificate to that effect, to remain in retentis, and unless he is a communicant: That no person be ordained an elder who is not an inhabitant of the parish, liable to pay stipend and other parochial burdens, or who is not the apparent heir of an heritor of that description in the parish: That when any person who does not generally reside, but only occasionally, be proposed to the kirk-session to be ordained an elder, there shall be produced a certificate, under the hands of the minister and kirk-session of the parish where he generally resides, that he is of unblemished character, and regular in giving attendance on the public ordinances of religion. Enacted further, That if any elder be ordained in future, without being thus qualified, he shall not be held as entitled to any of the privileges of that office: But in any city or town where there are more congregations than one, that they shall be held as one parish, in as far as this act is concerned.-Act 11.

ORDERING OF THE ASSEMBLY-HOUSE.

1640. For order in the Assembly-house in all time thereafter, it is appointed, 1. That the commissioners sit together unmixed, and that the places where they sit be railed about, or some other way divided from the seats of others, and that places be provided without the bounds of the commissioners' seats to persons of respect, who are not commissioners, and others according to their qualities, as the magistrates of the town shall think most convenient. 2. Also, that the commissioners having received tickets from the magistrates of the burgh, at the delivery of their commissions, whereby they may have ready access to the Assembly-house, and place appointed for them, do keep the hour of meeting precisely; and whosoever comes after the time, or shall be found absent at the calling of the rolls, is to be censured, as the Assembly sees fitting; and that whatsoever presbytery, burgh, or university, shall not send commissioners, or commissioners sent from them do not come at all to the Assembly, be summoned to the next Assembly, and censured, as the Assembly shall find reasonable. 3. That four persons of respect have warrant from the Assembly to enjoin, that there be no standing, nor din, nor disorderly behaviour; and if any shall disobey them, or direct his speech to any except to the moderator, and that one at once, with leave first asked and given, that he be rebuked publicly by the moderator; and if he desist not, be removed out of the Assembly for that session. 4. That no motion come into the Assembly but by the committee appointed for matters of that nature; and if the committee refuse to answer the same, that it be proponed to the Assembly, with the reasons thereof. 5. That the minutes of each session be read before the rising; and if the matter concern the whole kirk, that it be drawn up in form, and read in the beginning of the next ensuing session, that the Assembly may judge whether or not it be according to their mind.-Act Sess. 2, July 29.

1642. The foresaid Act of Assembly at Aberdeen 1640, for ordering the Assembly-house, is ordained to be kept

thereafter punctually, and for that effect, the same is to be read the first session of every Assembly.-Act Sess. 13, Aug. 6.

1718. All references, appeals, and complaints, that shall be made in time coming to the Assemblies of this church, are appointed to be lodged in the clerk's hands, on or be fore the second or third days of the Assembly's meetings, with certification, that all appeals and complaints not so lodged shall be held as deserted and fallen from, and shall not thereafter be received, unless, upon the first opportunity, the parties concerned make it appear to the Assembly that insuperable difficulties did withhold them from lodging the same in manner above set down; and the clerks of the several judicatories are enjoined to transmit to the clerk of the Assembly, within the time foresaid, all references made by the respective judicatories to the General Assembly.—Act 7.

1789. Ordered, That before the roll begin to be called, the doors of the Assembly-house shall be shut, and shall not be opened until the judgment of the Assembly be declared.-Act 6.

1801. Enacted, 1. That the upper galleries of the Assembly-house be set apart for strangers. 2. That the under galleries be reserved for preachers and students in divinity, who shall be required to produce tickets, authorizing their admission, from the professors of divinity. 3. That one bench, contiguous to each of the under galleries, be separated from the middle part of the house by a proper rail, for the accommodation of those ministers who are not members of the Assembly. 4. That no person be admitted into the remaining part of the house except members of the Assembly, the magistrates of the city of Edinburgh for the time being, the Lord Commissioner's attendants, and parties with their counsel and agents. 5. That the members shall, when they deliver their commissions to the clerks of the Assembly, receive tickets, containing their respective names, from the clerks; and that the beadles be strictly enjoined to refuse them admittance into the house unless they produce their tickets, or, upon a motion for that purpose, be admitted by the

authority of the Assembly. 6. That a beadle be appointed to superintend the other beadles, and be made responsible for their conduct.-Act 3.

1819. Enacted, That the papers, with all private causes, be placed upon the Assembly's table at their meeting on the first Saturday of the Assembly; that the first meeting of the committee of bills be held on the evening of the Thursday preceding; a second meeting of the same committee on the evening of Friday; and a third on the morning of Saturday before the meeting of the Assembly; and that all appeals, complaints, or references, not presented to the committee of bills at or before their meeting on the morning of the first Saturday of the Assembly, be held as fallen from. This enactment is appointed to be read on the first day of the meeting of every Assembly, together with Act 7, Ass. 1718, and printed copies of it are directed to be sent to all the presbyteries of the church.— Act 5.

See STANDING ORDERS.

ORDINATION OF MINISTERS.

1638. The book of consecration and admission is rejected and condemned, as establishing offices in God's house which are not warranted by the word of God, and are repugnant to the constitutions of our kirk, as an impediment to the entry of fit and worthy men to the ministry, and to the discharge of their duty after their entry, conform to the discipline of our kirk; and the use and practice of the same is prohibited, and presbyteries are ordained to proceed with the censures of the kirk against all such as shall transgress.-Act Sess. 14, Dec. 6.

1645. The propositions concerning the officers, Assemblies, and government of the kirk, and concerning the ordination of ministers, being the results of the long and learned debates of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, and of the treaty of uniformity with the commissioners of this kirk residing at London, are agreed to and approven; and the commissioners of the Assembly are

authorized to agree to, and conclude in the name of the Assembly, an uniformity betwixt the kirks in both king doms, in the aforementioned particulars, so soon as the same shall be ratified, without any substantial alteration by an ordinance of the parliament of England; which rati fication is to be timeously intimated and made known by the commissioners of this kirk residing at London: But it is provided, that that act be nowise prejudicial to the further discussion and examination of that article which holds forth, that the doctor or teacher hath power of the administration of the sacraments, as well as the pastor; as also of the distinct rights and interest of presbyteries and people in the calling of ministers; but that it shall be free to debate and discuss these points, as God shall be pleased to give further light.-Act Sess. 16, Feb. 10.

1698. The Assembly unanimously declare, that as they allow no power in the people, but only in the pastors of the church, to appoint or ordain church officers; so they disclaim the error of the press in Acts vi. verse 3, if any such be found in Bibles printed in this nation, bearing "whom ye may appoint over this business," instead of "whom we may appoint;" and do declare they do not own any other reading of that text to be according to the original, but "whom we may appoint," &c. ; nor do they know, nor can learn, that ever any in this nation did publicly use or apply that text to prove the people's power in ordaining their ministers; which error the Presbyterians (particularly those of Scotland) are wrongously charged with by Thomas Gibbs, rector of Bury, in a sermon preached by him, and printed and published.—Act 5.

1701. Enacted and declared, That any person who shall hereafter receive either licence or ordination from any of the late prelates, or any others not allowed by the authority of the church, shall be incapable of ministerial communion for the space of three years simpliciter, and ever after that time, aye and while the presbytery to which he shall apply be satisfied concerning his repentance.—

Act 14.

1711. All young men educated in this church, or students of divinity, are discharged to go to foreign places,

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