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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PRESBYTERY, n. Also presbytry, -ie, presbetery, presbitree, praisba(i)try, -betrie, -y; ¶preztry (Sc. 1761 Magopico (1836) 26). Sc. forms and usages:

1. An ecclesiastical court, the authority next above that of the Kirk Session and subordinate to that of the Synod, made up of the minister and one ruling elder from each parish or congregation within a designated area, as Presbytery of Ayr, Caithness, Deer, Edinburgh, Meigle, Penpont, etc., see 2. (Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 67). Also court of presbytery, id. See 1888 quot. Adj. presbyterial, of or belonging to a presbytery or its functions. Comb. presbyterial visitation, a periodical inspection of the life and work of the various churches in the bounds by a deputation of the presbytery. Adv. presbyterially, †-ie, as, in the manner or with the authority of, a presbytery. Churches composed of a small number of congregations seceding from the Church of Scotland orig. formed themselves into Presbyteries until their membership increased and it became possible to form additional Presbyteries and hence Synods and in some cases a General Assembly. Hence Associate, Reformed, Relief, United Presbytery, for which see first element.Sc. 1700 Acts General Assembly 19:
For assisting the Brethren of the said Presbytry in their Presbyterial Work.Sc. 1706 Acts General Assembly 10, 12, 14:
Overtures to be transmitted by the General Assembly to the several Presbyteries . . . that Presbyteries do visit all the publick Grammar Schools within their bounds . . . frequent presbyterial Visitation of Parishes would be of great Advantage to the Church.Wgt. 1746 Session Bk. Glasserton MS. (6 April, 30 March):
Thomas Hanna waited on the last Praisbatry. The Session is to refer her to the Praisbetry.Ayr. 1785 Burns Holy Willie's Prayer xiii.:
Lord, hear my earnest cry an' pray'r, Against that Presbyt'ry of Ayr!Ayr. 1785 Burns To Rev. J. M'Math xiv.:
Within thy presbyterial bound A candid lib'ral band is found Of public teachers.Sc. 1808 W. Singer Statement Clergy Scot. 6:
A parish clergyman, in Scotland, is the moderator of the session, which is the lowest ecclesiastical court; and he appears in the respective meetings of the presbytery, and of the synod, which are the successive courts of review.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxxiv.:
I'll hae her before Presbytery and Synod.Ayr. 1821 Galt Annals i.:
I was put in by the patron, and . . . there was obliged to be a guard of soldiers to protect the presbytery.Sc. 1828 E. Irving Last Days viii.:
Having received ordination from the Presbytery . . . I set out on this very morning six years ago on my way to London.Sc. 1852 J. S. Blackie Stud. Lang. 25:
Passing the entrance trials . . . and Presbyterial examinations.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xviii.:
The Presbytery met on the twenty-aucht o' October to moderat the call . . . The Presbytery was seated at the fit o' the poopit . . . the noble brethren who formed the majority of the Presbytery of Strathbogie.Sc. 1888 J. Rankin Handbook Ch. Scot. 342:
The business of Presbyteries is to examine students of divinity, and license them to preach the Gospel; to take trial of presentees to parishes, and, if they find them qualified, to ordain them to the ministry and grant them induction; to see that the Word is preached, divine ordinances regularly dispensed, and the various duties of the ministry discharged within bounds; to take cognisance of the conduct of such minister, and in the event of any charge being made involving censure, suspension, or deposition from his office, to libel the person accused, to take evidence, to judge of the same, and pronounce sentence accordingly. It is their duty to judge of all complaints, appeals, and references which may come from an inferior court. And as a civil court, it belongs to them to judge and determine in the first instance all matters connected with glebes, and the erection or repair of churches and manses.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 21:
Ye wudda raally thocht it was a meetin o' the Presbitree — they were a' speaking that throwither.Kcb. 1904 Crockett Strong Mac xxiv.:
Donald Gracie was suspended presbyterially — this time from all his offices, parish school-mastership, registrarship, session clerkship, eldership.Sc. 1914 J. Mackay Church in Highl. 109:
Presbyteries evolved . . . from what was called the “exercise”, at which ministers within reach of each other met for mutual benefit in the study of the Scriptures and points of doctrine . . . but I can find no evidence of their having been formed before 1583.Sc. 1935 St Andrews Cit. (21 Sept.) 2:
She held the position of President of the Guild Presbyterial Council.Sc. 1947 Scotland (Meikle) 123:
Any elder may also be elected by the kirk session to represent it at meetings of the presbytery, which has authority over a district of parishes, or by the presbytery to represent it in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the supreme body which meets annually. Membership of a presbytery carries with it membership of the Synod, which exercises supervision in certain matters over a group of presbyteries . . . The other members of a presbytery or of the General Assembly are the ministers.Sc. 1965 Life and Work (Jan.) 10:
The whole of Scotland is divided into areas each of which becomes the particular care of a Presbytery. The Minister and one Elder from each charge within that area compose the Presbytery . . . The Presbytery is the fundamental Court of the Church.

2. The area represented by and under the jurisdiction of a group of elders, or presbytery, see 1., one of the units of organization in the Church of Scotland.Sc. 1706 J. Hunter Diocese Dunkeld (1918) I. 424:
That they have the probationers within the bounds of Perth Presbitery haveing the Irish language.Sc. 1725 R. Wodrow Corresp. (1843) III. 196:
This day the Assembly met at ten, and sat till after three, on a settlement of one Mr Strachan, in the Presbytery of Garioch.Sc. 1887 Stevenson Works (1907) VI. 97:
He had a feck o' books wi' him — mair than had ever been seen before in a' that presbytery.Sc. 1947 Scotland (Meikle) 125:
The Church of Scotland itself comprises 66 presbyteries, containing 2,426 charges. In addition it has 10 charges and 13 chaplains in England, 21 charges and 2 other ministers in Continental presbyteries, and 175 in overseas presbyteries, making a total of 3,158. In the General Assembly of 1946 there were 816 representative ministers and an equal number of elders.