preme
Name! that is the purpose that sends fire through the veins and sweeps
the soul with holy flames. Give this its true place, and the best work
of life will be done. Then did the Church arise and shine in the glory
of the Lord. Then did she develop in size, strength, and courage, as in
the days of the apostles. Seven years later when the General Assembly
met, the members numbered 773, with a prosperous Church of proportionate
size. The Reformers entered into the work of the Lord with heartiness
and reaped a plentiful harvest.

THE FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE--1561.

The high principles governing the First General Assembly are seen in the
effort to preserve the purity of the young Church, springing up under
the care of these "valiant men of Israel." One of the first steps taken
was the appointment of a committee to prepare a Book of Discipline.
These devout men copied from no existing form of Church government. They
did not draw even upon Holland or Geneva for resources. They went
directly to the Word of God, as the fountain of all knowledge for the
task on hand. They took counsel and instruction from God in prayer,
placed mind and heart under the guiding power of the Holy Spirit. The
book that came forth was such as we would expect at the hands of such
men, working with such spirit and purpose. Its statements were truth;
its rules were wisdom; its censures were a sword; its authority was
Christ. The General Assembly adopted it. However, it was not in favor
with all. Its standard of doctrine and discipline was too high to please
some. Knox gives the reason: "Everything that impugned their corrupt
affections was mockingly termed 'devout imaginations.' The cause was,
some were licentious, some had greedily gripped the possessions of the
Church, and others thought they would not lack their part of Christ's
coat." Discipline was applied to the Church according to the book. The
unworthy were suspended, and those who failed to measure up to the
standard of knowledge, character, and spiritual life, were refused.
Could there be a clearer demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit
and the presence of Jesus Christ, than the discipline that removed the
unworthy and refused the unfit, when the Church was so weak in number
and assailed by hordes of enemies? Yet during the first seven years of
this Book of Discipline, the General Assembly grew from 6 to 252
ministers, and the Church in the same marvelous proportion. Behold
God