Theological Essays and Other Papers, vol 2 | Page 3

law
or usage, nor so absolutely within one uniform interpretation of their

value. In practice they had long sunk into forms. But ancient forms
easily lend themselves to a revivification by meanings and applications,
new or old, under the galvanism of democratic forces. The disturbers of
the church, passing by the act of 'presentation' as an obstacle too
formidable to be separately attacked on its own account, made their
stand upon one of the two acts which lie next in succession. It is the
regular routine, that the presbytery, having been warned of the patron's
appointment, and having 'received' (in technical language) the
presentee--that is, having formally recognised him in that
character--next appoint a day on which he is to preach before the
congregation. This sermon, together with the prayers by which it is
accompanied, constitute the probationary act according to some views;
but, according to the general theory, simply the inaugural act by which
the new pastor places himself officially before his future parishioners.
Decorum, and the sense of proportion, seem to require that to every
commencement of a very weighty relation, imposing new duties, there
should be a corresponding and ceremonial entrance. The new pastor,
until this public introduction, could not be legitimately assumed for
known to the parishioners. And accordingly at this point it was--viz.
subsequently to his authentic publication, as we may call it--that, in the
case of any grievous scandal known to the parish as outstanding against
him, arose the proper opportunity furnished by the church for lodging
the accusation, and for investigating it before the church court. In
default, however, of any grave objection to the presentee, he was next
summoned by the presbytery to what really was a probationary act at
their bar; viz. an examination of his theological sufficiency. But in this
it could not be expected that he should fail, because he must previously
have satisfied the requisitions of the church in his original examination
for a license to preach. Once dismissed with credit from this bar, he
was now beyond all further probation whatsoever; in technical phrase,
he was entitled to 'admission.' Such were the steps, according to their
orderly succession, by which a man consummated the pastoral tie with
any particular parish. And all of these steps, subsequent to the
'_reception_' and inaugural preaching, were now summarily
characterized by the revolutionists as 'spiritual;' for the sake of
sequestering them into their own hands. As to the initiatory act of
presentation, that might be secular, and to be dealt with by a secular

law. But the rest were acts which belonged not to a kingdom of this
world. 'These,' with a newborn scrupulosity never heard of until the
revolution of 1834, clamored for new casuistries; 'these,' said the
agitators, 'we cannot consent any longer to leave in their state of
collapse as mere inert or ceremonial forms. They must be revivified. By
all means, let the patron present as heretofore. But the acts of
"examination" and "admission," _together with the power of altogether
refusing to enter upon either,_ under a protest against the candidate
from a clear majority of the parishioners--these are acts falling within
the spiritual jurisdiction of the church. And these powers we must, for
the future, see exercised according to spiritual views.'
Here, then, suddenly emerged a perfect ratification for their own
previous revolutionary doctrine upon the creation of parish clergymen.
This new scruple was, in relation to former scruples, a perfect linch-pin
for locking their machinery into cohesion. For vainly would they have
sought to defeat the patron's right of presenting, unless through this
sudden pause and interdict imposed upon the latter acts in the process
of induction, under the pretext that these were acts competent only to a
spiritual jurisdiction. This plea, by its tendency, rounded and secured
all that they had yet advanced in the way of claim. But, at the same
time, though indispensable negatively, positively it stretched so much
further than any necessity or interest inherent in their present
innovations, that not improbably they faltered and shrank back at first
from the immeasurable field of consequences upon which it opened.
They would willingly have accepted less. But, unfortunately, it
sometimes happens, that, to gain as much as is needful in one direction,
you must take a great deal more than you wish for in another. Any
principle, which could carry them over the immediate difficulty, would,
by a mere necessity, carry them incalculably beyond it. For if every act
bearing in any one direction a spiritual aspect, showing at any angle a
relation to spiritual things, is therefore to be held spiritual in a sense
excluding the interference of the civil power, there falls to the ground at
once the whole fabric of civil authority in any independent form.
Accordingly, we are satisfied that