The Historical Development of the Book of Church Order

Chapter 43 : Complaints

Paragraph 9 :

43-9. At the hearing, after all the papers bearing on the complaint have been read, the complainant and respondent will be given the opportunity to present argument, the complainant having the right of opening and closing the argument. After the hearing has been concluded, the court or the commission should go into closed session, and discuss and consider the merits of the complaint.
The vote should then be taken as to what disposition should be made of the complaint, and the complainant and respondent notified of the court’s decision.

DIGEST : In 1984, paragraph 9 was the last of the new paragraphs added to chapter 43 [M14GA, 12-14, Item 5, p. 90]. No changes have been made to BCO 43-9 since that time.

BACKGROUND AND COMPARISON :
No comparable paragraph is found in the following editions:
PCA 1973, RoD, Chapter 17, Adopted text
Continuing Presbyterian Church 1973, RoD, Chapter 17, Proposed text
PCUS 1933
PCUS 1925
PCUS 1879
PCUS 1869 draft
PCUS 1867 draft

COMMENTARY :
F.P. Ramsay, Exposition of the Book of Church Order (1898) :
[no comparable text for discussion in Ramsay]