On the Work of the Deacon

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Transcribed from the scanned Minutes, pages 188–191.

1. On the Work of the Deacon

The Presbytery of Central Texas sent up to the General Assembly in 1919 an overture “asking for the appointment of an Ad Interim Committee to consider enlarging the work of the Deacon, co-ordinating it with the work of the ministers and elders in the higher courts of the Church, to the end that the Deacon may discharge his full duties in the management of the material affairs of the Church; and our courts, freed from these cares, have the opportunity to become educational and inspirational.” In response to this overture the Assembly appointed an Ad Interim Committee consisting of Rev. C. R. Hemphill, Rev. R. C. Reed, and Rev. T. W. Currie. This committee made report to the Assembly in 1920 stating that it was not prepared to present a matured judgment on the matters embodied in the overture, and suggesting further consideration of the subject by a larger committee. The Assembly continued the committee with the addition of Rev. W. L. Lingle, Rev. Alexander Martin, Mr. H. M. McAllister, and Mr. J. P. McCallie.

The committee held two meetings at Montreat, N. C., during the month of August, 1920, with five members present at the first meeting and three at the second. The results of the committee’s deliberations are submitted in the form of a substitute for Section IV of Chapter IV of the Form of Government, so that the section shall read as follows:

Section IV—Of the Deacon

46.—I. The office of Deacon is set forth in the Scriptures as ordinary and perpetual in the Church. The office is one of sympathy and service, after the example of the Lord Jesus; it expresses also the communion of saints, especially in their helping one another in time of need.

47.—II. It is the duty of the Deacons to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress. It is their duty also to develop the grace of liberality in the members of the church, to devise effective methods of collecting the gifts of the people, and to distribute these gifts among the objects to which they are contributed. They shall have the care of the property of the congregation, both real and personal, and shall keep in proper repair the church edifice and other buildings belonging to the congregation. In matters of special importance affecting the property of the church, they cannot take final action without the consent of the congregation. In the discharge of their duties the Deacons are under the supervision and authority of the session. In a church in which it is impossible for any reason to secure Deacons, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the Ruling Elders.

48.—III. To the office of Deacon, which is spiritual in nature, should be chosen men of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly spirit, warm sympathies, and sound judgment.

49.—IV. The Deacons of a particular church shall be organized as a Board, of which the pastor shall be an advisory member. The Board shall elect a Chairman, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, to whom shall be entrusted the funds for the current expenses of the Church. It shall meet at least once a quarter, and whenever requested by the Session. The Board of each church shall determine the number necessary for a quorum.

The Board shall keep a record of its proceedings, and of all funds and their distribution, and shall submit its minutes to the Session once every six months, and at other times upon request of the Session.

It is desirable that the Session and the Board of Deacons meet in joint session once a quarter to confer on matters of common interest.

50.—V. Deacons may properly be appointed by the Higher Courts to serve on committees, especially as Treasurers. It is suitable also that they be appointed Trustees of any funds held by any of the Church Courts. It may also be helpful for the Church Courts, when devising plans of church finance, to invite wise and consecrated Deacons to their counsels.

51.—VI. The Deacons may, with much advantage, hold conferences from time to time for the discussion of the interests committed to them. Such conferences may include representatives of churches covering areas of smaller or larger extent. Any actions taken by these conferences shall have only an advisory character.

51.—VIa. It is often expedient that the Session of a Church should select and appoint godly women of the congregation to assist the Deacons in ministering to the sick, to widows, to orphans, to prisoners, and to others who may be in any distress or need. They may also aid the Deacons in collecting and distributing the offerings of the people.

The committee begs leave to append a brief statement which may serve to explain its conception of the office of Deacon and to direct attention to the practical suggestions recommended.

Our Church, in common with all the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches, discovers the origin of the office of Deacon in the election of the Seven, of which Luke tells us in the sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Upon this narrative we are almost wholly dependent for an understanding of the nature and duties of the Diaconate. A study of the setting and the details of this narrative seems to yield the conception of the office presented in this report. The early Christian community, as Luke describes it, exhibited a conscious unity, a warm sympathy among its members, a fellowship of love and a generous relief of each other’s needs. They “were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.” The word that expresses all this is “koinonia,” translated in our version fellowship or communion, and representing one of the great ideas of the New Testament.

This “koinonia,” or “communion,” was effected by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and constituted the Christians a new and distinct community. As is set forth in Chapter XXVI of our Confession on the Communion of Saints, one way in which this communion of saints manifests itself is “in relieving each other in outward things.” This was true of these primitive Christians in Jerusalem, and to the same effect is the teaching of Paul when writing to the Romans and Corinthians about the great collection for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem in which he busied himself on his third missionary journey (Rom. 15:25-28; 1 Cor. 16; 1-4; 2 Cor. Chapters 8 and 9). Paul calls this collection “koinonia” (Rom. 15:26). It was to him a mark and proof of the Christian fellowship which united Jew and Gentile and transcended all differences of race and culture. This was the reason for Paul’s intense interest in the collection and his earnest desire that it should be acceptable to the saints in Jerusalem. The Deacon makes his appearance when the Christian community is translating its fellowship into practical form and becomes the organ of this fellowship. It seems a fair inference that the fundamental idea of the Diaconate is that it represents the communion of saints. This does not mean that it is the exclusive representative, nor need it mean that the range of its representation activities is limited to meeting the special need which led to the creation of the office. The specific activity recorded in the Acts is but an illustration of a principle capable of development and application in many ways.

Luke’s picture of the Church of the early days paints a community instinct with the mind of Christ. He had an intense sympathy with men in their manifold sorrows and distresses, and He carried on a vast work of relief. He was the great servant of humanity. “I am among you,” says He, “as he that serveth.” The individual Christian and the Christian community are to perpetuate and imitate His sympathy and service. This was characteristic of the primitive Christians, and the Deacon was appointed to be their heart and hand in sympathetic service. The very name of Deacon summons him to this: it means “servant”; and links him with the Son of Man who “came not to be served, but to serve.” The Deacon’s office, then, represents the compassionate spirit, and the beneficent work of the Church.

This brief and inadequate exposition may be a sufficient warrant for the paragraphs that define the office and duties of deacons, and indicate the qualifications for the office.

1. The provision for organizing the Deacons of a particular church as a Board is in keeping with the practice in many of our churches, and the desirability of having a joint meeting of the Session and the Board of Deacons is suggested, but it was not thought wise to make it imperative.

2. The overture of the Presbytery appears to suggest a considerable extension of the work of the Deacon beyond the particular church. The committee has made provision for this, but has refrained from recommending any mandatory enactments. Conferences of Deacons are also recommended.

3. The present article authorizing the appointment of women by the Session for certain duties has been expanded, and has been related more distinctly to work in aid of the Deacons.

It may be proper to add that the report expresses the unanimous judgment of the committee.

Respectfully submitted, C. R. Hemphill, R. C. Reed, T. W. Currie, W. L. Lingle, Alex. Martin, H. M. McAllister, and J. P. McCallie.