congregations. The name of the Stated Clerk of the Classis to be underscored, or the letters S. C. appended to his name. Address. Post-office No. X. Form of the Citation of a Person accused. By order of the -,* you, Mr. A. B.. are hereby summoned‡ to appear before said and answer to the charge herewith presented at on the day of o'clock, No. XI. Form of the Citation of Witnesses. By order of the § you, Mr. A. B. are hereby summoned** to appear before the said at on the o'clock in the day of ―, and at to give your testimony in the case of C. D. presently under process for censure by said Signed, * Consistory of the Reformed Dutch Church at the Classis of or † Member of, or Elder, or Deacon in said Congregation; or Minister at under the inspection of said Classis. If the process be raised at the instance of a party com. plaining, add, after "summoned," at the instance of C. D. § Consistory of the Reformed Dutch Church at -, or the Classis of Member of, or Elder, or Deacon in said congregation; or Minister at under the inspection of said Classis, and if the witness belongs to a different judicatory, the blank is to be filled up accordingly. **If the process be raised at the instance of a party complaining, add, after the word "summoned," at the instance of C. D. RULES For the Government of General Synod in their Proceedings. 1st. At every stated meeting of the Synod, a sermon shall be preached by the last President, either before his opening the session with prayer, or at some time afterward, which the Synod shall deem most convenient. If the last President and the Adsessor be absent, the oldest minister present shall take his place, and perform the above duties. 2. The President and an Adsessor shall be elected by ballot. Two Clerks shall be elected by the same ballot, and in the same manner. 3. The duties of the President shall be to take the chair at the hour to which the Syncd stands adjourned; to open and conclude with prayer; to direct the Clerk, immediately after a quorum has appeared, and prayer been performed, to call the roll; to censure absentees, when their absence shall be judged not to have been necessary; to propound the subjects for deliberation; to confine speakers to the point, and to save them from unnecessary interruption; to state and put the question, when the members are prepared to vote; to prevent members from leaving the Synod without permission; to decide questions of order, subject, however, to an appeal to the House by any two members; to give the casting vote in all equal divisions; and in general to maintain that order and dignity becoming the Judicatory of the Church of Christ. 4th. After calling the roll, the minutes of the last sitting shall be read, and considered as open The business on the minutes of the to correction. last meeting or sitting, shall, without powerful reasons, be taken up and concluded first in the order in which it stands, before any new business be introduced. 5th. A motion made must be seconded, and afterward repeated or read aloud from the chair, before it is debated; and every motion, except a motion for adjournment, shall be reduced to writing, if any member require it. 6th. An amendment may be made on any motion, and shall be decided before the original motion; but when a question is under debate, no motion shall be received, unless to amend it, to postpone it, to commit it, for the previous question, or to adjourn. If a question contains several parts, any member may have it divided, and a question taken on each part. When the previous question is called for, and which shall be in this form-"Shall the main question be now put?"until this be decided, all amendments and further debate on the main question shall be inadmissible. 7th. A question shall not be called up or reconsidered at the same session of the Synod at which it has been decided, unless by consent of two thirds of the members present. 8th. No member shall be allowed to protest against any of the acts of the Synod: any nember who dissents from any such acts, shall have a right to require the names of all the members present, who vote for or against the same, to be entered in the minutes, and published therewith for the information of all concerned. 9th. Every speaker shall rise, and address himself to the President only, closely attending to the subject in debate, avoiding all personal reflections, and no member, without the special permission of the Synod, shall speak more than twice on the same subject. When two or more members rise to speak at the same time, the President shall determine who of them shall be heard first. 10th. No member shall leave the Synod to turn home, or for other business, without their consent; nor shall members, without express permission, engage in private conversation, go from or change their seats, during the transaction of business; interrupt another when he is speaking, except he be out of order, or to correct mistakes and misrepresentations; and if any member act indecently or disorderly, contrary to these rules, the President shall reprove or otherwise censure him, as the Synod shall judge proper; the member still having the privilege, if he think himself denied of any right, or unjustly blamed by the President, of respectfully and modestly requiring the decision of the House in the case. 11th. All the sittings of the General Synod shall be concluded by regular adjournment and prayer. 12th. At the close of every session of General Synod, the roll shall be called, and the names of those who are absent without permission shall be recorded. Resolved, That these articles be read at the opening of every General Synod. |