analogy of the Jewish sj'nagogue leads here to no en- tirel}' sure result, since it is questionable whether a particular presidency belonged to its eldership as early as the time of Christ. Some sort of presidency, in- deed, would seem to be almost indispensable for any well-ordered government and the regular transaction of business, and is thus beforehand probable in the case of these primitive Christian presVn-teries, only the particular form of it we have no means to deter- mine'' (Schaft", /. c).
III. In the early Church (jjost-ajjostolic^. — Very soon after the apostolic age the episcopacj' arose, first in the congregational form, afterwards in the diocesan epis- copac}^ See Episcopacv. Until the full develop- ment-of the latter, elders or presbyters were the high- est order of ministers. No trace of ruling elders, in the modern sense, is to be found in the early Cliurch. There was a class of seniores ecclesix in the African Church, whom some writers have supposed to corre- spond to the ruling elder ; but Bingham clearly shows the contrary. The name occurs in the writings of Augustine and Optatus. In the Diocletian persecu- tion, when Mensurius was compelled to leave his church, he committed the ornaments and utensils to such of the elders as ho could trust, Jidelib us senioribus commendabii (Optatus, lib. 1, p. 41). In the works of Optatus there is a tract called " the Purgation of Felix and Cajcilian," where is mention of these seniores. Augustine inscrilies one of his epistles, Clero, seniori- bus, et universce 2>l<^hi : " To the clergy, the elders, and all the people" {Ejjist. 137). According to Bingliam, some of these seniores were the civil optiniatcs (magis- trates, aldermen) ; the Council of Carthage (A.D. 403) speaks of mngistratus vel seniores locorum. Others were called seniores ecclesiaslici, and had care of the utensils, treasures, etc., of the church, and correspond to modern churchwardens or trustees (Bingham, Orifj. Eccles. bk. ii, ch. xix, § 19 ; Hitchcock, in Ainer. Presb. Review, April, 18G8).
IV. In the modern Church. — 1. In the Roman Cath- olic Church, tlie Church of England, and the Protes- tant Episcopal Church, the word "priest" is generally used instead of "presbyter" or "elder" to designate the second order of ministers (the three orders being bisliops, priests, and deacons). See Presbyter; Priest.
2. In the Methodist Episcopal Church but two orders of ministers are recognised, viz. elders and deacons, the bishop being chosen as ^mmus inter pares, or su- perintendent. See Episcopacy. For the election, ordination, duties, etc., of elders, see the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, pt. ii, ch. ii, § 15, and pt. iv, ch. vi, § 2. Tha presiding elder is ajipointed by the bishop, once in four j'ears, to superintend a dis- trict. For the nature and functions of this office, see Presiding Elder.
3. Among Congregationalists, the only Church offi- cers now known are elders (or ministers) and deacons. Ruling elders were recognised in the Cambridge plat- form (q. v.), and their duties particularly pointed out ; but neither the office itself nor the reasons by which it was supported were long approved. Ruling elders never were universal in Congregationalism, and the of- fice was soon everywhere rejected (Upham, Ratio Dis- ciplina, 1844, § 38, .59 ; Dexter, On Cone/ref/ationalism).
4. Among Presbyterian cliurches (i. c. all which adopt the Presliyterian form of government, whetlier designated by tliat name or not) there arc generally two classes of elders, teaching and ruling elders. The teaching elders constitute the body of pastors ; the rul- ing elders are laj'men, who are set apart as assistants to the minister in the oversight and ruling of the flock. Together with the minister, they constitute "the Ses- sion," the lowest judicatory in the Church. See Pres- BY'TERIAN CuiRCH. Thcy cannot administer the sac- raments, but aid at tlie Lord's Supper by distributing the elements to the communicants.
ELDER
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ELDER
1. In Scotland, ruling elders constitute, with the ministers, the "Kirk Session." The Form of Govern- ment annexed to the Confession of Faith asserts that " as there were in the Jewish Church elders of the peo- ple, joined with the priests and Levites in the govern- ment of the Church, so Christ, who hath instituted government and governors ecclesiastical in the Church, besides the ministers of the Word, with gifts for gov- ernment, and with commission to execute the same when called thereunto, who are to join with the minis- ter in the government of the Church, which officers reformed churches commonh' call ehlers." "These elders are chosen from among the members, and are usually persons of tried character. After their accept- ance of oflice, the minister, in the presence of the con- gregation, sets them apart to their office by prayer, and sometimes by imposition of hands, and concludes the ceremony of ordination with exhorting both elders and people to discharge their respective duties. They have no right to teach or to dispense the sacraments. ' Thej' generally discharge the office, which originally belonged to the deacons, of attending to the interests of the poor ; but their peculiar function is expressed by the name "ruling elders;" for in every question of jurisdiction they are the spiritual court of which the minister is officiall}' moderator, and in the presbytery — of which the pastors within the bounds are officially members — the elders sit as the representatives of the several sessions or consistories' (Hill's Theolor/. Instit. pt. ii, sec. ii, p. 171). In the Established Church of Scotland elders are nominated by the Session, but in iinestablished bodies they are freely chosen by the people" (Eadie, Eccl. Cyclop, s. v.). The United Pres- byterian Church has the following rules on the subject : " 1. The right of electing elders is vested solely in the members of the congregation who are in full commu- nion. 2. No fixed number of elders is required, but two, along with the minister, are required to constitute a Session. 3. When the Session judge it expedient that an addition should be made to their number, the first step is to call a meeting of the congregation for the purpose of electing the required number. ... 6. At the meeting for election a discourse is generally delivered suitable to the occasion. Full opportunity is first of all given to the members to propose candidates. The names are then read over, and, after prayer, the votes are taken, and the individuals having the greatest number of votes are declared to be dul}' elected. 7. After the election the call of the congregation is inti- mated to the elders elect, and on their acceptance the Session examines into their qualifications, and, if sat- isfied, orders an edict to be read in the church. 8. At the time mentioned in the edict, which must be read on two Sabliath days, the Session meets, the elders elect being present. After the Session is constituted, if no objections are brought forward, the day of ordina- tion is fixed. If objections are made, the Session pro- ceeds to inquire into and decide on them. 9. On the day of ordination, the moderator calls on the elders elect to stand forward, and puts to them the questions of the formula. Satisfactory answers lieing given, the minister proceeds to ordain or set them apart by prayer to the office of ruling elder. Immediatelv af- terwards the right hand of fellowship is given to the persons thus ordained by the minister and by tlie other elders present, and the whole is followed by suitable exhortations" (Eadie, s. v.).