ts cannot be "rightlie ministred by him in whose mouth
God hath put no sermon of exhortation."[189] Instead of entrusting
parishes, as was so often done in England, to men able only to read
homilies prepared by others, they affirmed that it was alike to have no
minister at all and to have an idol in place of a true minister, yea, in
some cases it was worse.[190] Men of best knowledge of God's Word and
cleanest life were to be nominated annually for election as elders and
deacons.[191] The former were to assist the minister in all affairs of
the kirk, to hold meetings with him for judging of causes, admonishing
evil livers, yea, to take heed to the life, manners, diligence, and
study of the ministers, as well as of the flock.[192] The deacons were
to assist in judgment, but chiefly to collect and distribute what was
provided for the poor. They might also, as in the French Church, be
admitted to read the Scriptures and common prayers in the congregation
if required and qualified to do so.[193] Besides ministers, elders, and
deacons, generally recognised in the reformed churches as holding
offices of divine institution, and being of "the ministry" or consistory
of the church, certain other functionaries are mentioned in this Book of
Discipline, to whom special duties are assigned, at least for a time.
These are the readers, or exhorters, and the superintendents, and both
classes appear to be spoken of in such a way as to make it clear that
they were not to be permanently retained as orders of office-bearers in
the church distinct from those above named.

[Sidenote: Readers.]

Readers, or exhorters, were to be provided for those churches which
could not presently be supplied with ministers. These readers were to be
men judged most apt distinctly to read the common prayers and the
Scriptures, but they were to be encouraged and urged so to exercise
their gifts that they might grow in knowledge and utterance, and in time
might come to be entrusted with the power of preaching the Word,
administering the sacraments, and discharging all the functions of the
ordinary pastor.[194] Special provision was made for the spiritual
improvement of these readers or exhorters in those weekly meetings for
the interpretation of Scripture which, originally introduced among the
exiles at Frankfort and Geneva, were after their return set up by them
in England under the name of prophesying, and in Scotland under the name
of the exercise.[195]