Before the Reformation, the clergy of Scotland were divided into regular and secular. The regular clergy had no charge of any congregation, but were bound to close residence in their monasteries: they were called regular, because they were bound to obey certain rules: These were the monks, under the direction of the abbots or priors; which order of clergy was abolished at the Reformation. The secular clergy were those who discharged the pastoral office over a certain district, as the bishops, presbyters, and deacons. But the introduction of presbyterian church government has reduced this order to presbyters alone.
Definition source
Bell, William, A Dictionary and Digest of the Law of Scotland, 7th ed. rev. George Ross (Edinburgh: Bell & Bradfute, 1861), s.v. “Clergy.” Public domain.
Legal Subject: Clergy |
| Case | Date | Legal Subject | Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heritors of Glass v. Cruickshank | 1802 | Stipend, Clergy | The heritors of the Parish of Glass, James Earl of Fife and Sir William Grant, brought this petition because they believed that the minister of the parish, Reverend Cruickshank, had requested and been granted too high of an augmentation on his stipend from the parish. They believed that the amount of money granted to the reverend was extravagant compared to the rates given to ministers in surrounding parishes, and that the parish of Glass was not uniquely difficult to service. They wanted to prevent further augmentation to the reverend's stipend. Reverend Cruickshank responded that certain features of the parish, e.g. its size and the presence of a large river, caused him to incur more expenses in undertaking his work, thus meriting a higher stipend. |
