Magnæ Britanniæ notitia: or, the present state of Great Britain. With diverse reflections upon the ancient state thereof / By John Chamberlayne.

  • Edward Chamberlayne
Date:
1741
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Magnæ Britanniæ notitia: or, the present state of Great Britain. With diverse reflections upon the ancient state thereof / By John Chamberlayne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ferved by more than one Minifter. Every ‘Parith is divided according to their Extent, into particular Diftricts, each of which has its own Elders and Deacons to oyerfee it. A»Con- fiftory of Minifters, Elders and Deacons, is called'a Kitk- Seflion. This Confiftory meets once a Week atleaft, tocen- fider the Affairs of the Parifh as a Religious Society. This is the loweft -Ecclefiaftical Judicatory in Scorland, and ,its JurifdiGion goes not beyond its own Parifh, The Minifter is always Moderator, but without a Negatives can call a:Kirk- Seffion when he pleafes, and, if at Home, is always: bound to attend: If abfent, the Elders and Deacons may meet about the Affairs of the Poor without him, and can .giyve alfo Teftimonials to any Parifhioner that would removes; but Matters of Scandal they cannot meddle with ; in that, Cafe they muft fend to the Presbytery, to fend them a -Minifer to hold a Kirk-Seflion during fuch Abfence of their own ‘Minifter. . The Kirk-Seffion can judge in Matters of lefler Scandals greater, fuch as’Adultery, exc. are left to the Presbytery: Theg ean fufpend from the Lord’s-Supper for a ‘Time: Their, Con- ~ fent in the Call of a Minifter and Precentor (4. e. Parifh Clerk) ds neceffary: They provide all Neceflaries for the Commu- ~nion : They regulate all Particulars relating to publick Wor- fhip, and give Notice of all Catechifings and Parochial: Vifi- ‘tations. They have a Treafurer, who is chofen out of the ‘Deacons, to keep and diftribute the Poor’s Money, which Diftribution they dire&. They keep two Regifters, one of ‘Births-and Marriages, the other of their own Proceedings, which they mutt Tay before the Presbytery. Appeals lie from them in all Cafes to their own Presbytery, whom they ‘are to contradié in nothing, “Pzesbpteries.] Scotland is divided into 69 Presbyteries, ‘each of which confifts of a Number not lefs than from 12.10 “24 contiguous Parifhes. _ The Minifters of thefe Parifhes, with one Ruling Elder _thofen half Yearly out of every Kirk-Seffion, compofe a ‘Presbytery. , : : ___ They meet in the head Town, from whence the Presbytery is denominated, as often as they pleafe, and choofe their Mo- ‘derator, who mutt be a Minifter, half Yearly; he is only theie .Prolocutor, and if he is abfent, they choofe another Mode-. “Yator pro tempore. When immediate Bufinefs falls out within the ‘Time of the Adjourment, the Moderator can fummon ‘a Presbytery to meet in the intermediate Time, as they call “it, pro re natd. The adjacent Presbyteries ufually fend Cor- ‘refpondents to each other, who, upon producing their Com- ‘miffions, have a Vote in the Presbyteries to which they are fent. ‘By this Means they can ask Advice of each other in diffi- cult Cafes, and they-can give.an Account of their own Deter ‘minations‘in parallel ones. Aaaz dR - 4