The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Chapter 19 : The Licensure of Candidates for the Gospel Ministry and Internship

Paragraph 12 : Of Reports

19-12. Presbyteries should require interns to devote themselves diligently to the trial of their gifts; and no one should be ordained to the work of the ministry of the Word until he has demonstrated the ability both to edify and to rule in the Church. Reports on every intern in the Presbytery should be presented at each stated meeting of the Presbytery by the committee of Presbytery charged with the oversight of interns, and these reports shall become a part of the minutes of Presbytery. The Presbytery shall also require every intern himself to make a report to it at least once a year describing his ministerial experiences. If the intern is still in school, the Presbytery shall secure from his instructors an annual report upon his deportment, diligence, and progress in study.

DIGEST:

BACKGROUND & COMPARISON:
PCA 1973, Adopted text

Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, Proposed text

PCUS 1933

PCUS 1879, Chapter VI, Section VI, Paragraph 11. [§139.]
XI. Presbyteries should require Probationers to devote themselves diligently to the trial of their gifts; and no one should be ordained to the work of the gospel ministry until he has given evidence of his ability to edify the Church.

PCUS 1869 draft

PCUS 1867 draft


COMMENTARY:
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order (1898)
XI. Presbyteries should require Probationers to devote themselves diligently to the trial of their gifts; and no one should be ordained to the work of the gospel ministry until he has given evidence of his ability to edify the Church.
It is extremely important that the probationary character of the licentiate's status should not be forgotten, either by himself or the Presbytery.