DORT, SYNOD OF, and WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY). These symbols are regarded as subordinate standards. Presbyterians receive the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the supreme standard, "the only infallible rule of faith and practice.° In America, the most widely accepted symbol of faith is the Westminster Confession, slightly modified from its original form. In the year 1900 a movement was inaugurated in the largest denomination of the Presbyterian Church for a revision of the Confession of Faith. This movement resulted in the adoption in the year 1903 of an explanatory statement with reference to the third chapter of the Con fession of Faith, and in sundry minor amend ments. The Assembly also adopted a Brief Statement of Doctrine to be used in the churches under its care. The Confession of Faith as revised still remains the authoritative standard of the Church. Ministers and office bearers are required to subscribe to it in the following terms: "Do you sincerely receive and adopt the Confession of Faith of this Church as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures?° But the only, require ment for admission to the communion of the Presbyterian Church is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the divine Saviour of men.
While claiming that theirpolity is lawful and agreeable to the Word of God, and that their system of doctrine is that taught in Holy Scripture, Presbyterians recognize all other churches holding to the essential doctrines of Christianity as parts of the one Catholic Church.
History of the Presbyterian history of Presbyterianism begins with the re organization of the Church in the Reformation period, at a council held in Zurich, 26 Oct. 1523, at which the principles of primitive Presbyteri anism were formally adopted, and thereafter be came the distinctive features of the Reformed churches in Switzerland, France, Belgium, Hol land and Prussia. They were adopted by the Church of Scotland which, under the leader ship of John Knox, separated herself from the papacy. They were also introduced into Eng
land about 1572 by Cartwright. In Scotland, and in the north of Ireland, Presbyterianism has continued to be the dominant faith; and from these great centres it has exerted an in fluence extending throughout the world.
The Church of Presbyterian ism in Scotland is divided into different branches, chief of which is the Church of Scot land, commonly known as the Established Church. It is the state church, supported by the government. It was organized in 1560 and legally established in 1592 by the Scottish Par liament. It is, numerically, the largest Church in Scotland, and its various enterprises, which are many and important, are carried on with great energy and liberality. According to the statistics of 1916 the Church of Scotland has 718,719 communicants.
The Free Church of This branch of Presbyterianism originated in a sepa ration from the Established Church in the year 1843. The immediate cause of the disruption was diversity of views on the subject of pat ronage. One of the principles of Presbyterian government is, that ((no minister should be in truded upon a congregation contrary to its will.° By act of Parliament, the right to ap point ministers to vacant churches had been conferred on certain landed proprietors con nected with the parishes. The General Assem bly for many years protested against this enact ment, but to no avail. The exercise of this legal right in a particular case led ultimately to the withdrawal of a large number of ministers and churches from the establishment, and to the organization of the Free Church of Scot land. But the great underlying reason for this movement was, the determination to maintain the spiritual independence of the Church from the civil power, and her liberty to obey the Lord Jesus Christ as the Supreme Head of the Church. The new organization grew rapidly and took a foremost place in missionary and educational work.