Elder (church)

“ In short, the church now invests you with all the rights and authority belonging to the eldership, you being equal with all the elders; this phrase nevertheless, in the apostolic injunction, "Ye younger, submit yourselves to the elder," still applies to you; and should you manifest an arbitrary, self-willed and domineering spirit, the church will hold you subject to her councils, and suspend you, and take from you all the authority she now gives you, and again reduce you to the laity, or even expel you from membership, if necessary. ”

“ At an election of an elder for the first time he is required before installation to undergo an examination by a commission from the consistory of his own parish, assisted by a pastor from the nearest adjoining parish. The elder is chosen for life, unless he voluntarily resigns, or falls into a breach of church discipline, or becomes incapacitated by failing health; in the latter case, however, he retains the title of honorary elder.
The deacons must have much the same qualifications as the elders. They are elected for five years, and their special work is the care of the sick and needy. ”

“ Even at the present day a single preacher is generally sufficient to minister to a single congregation. When Paul requires that the elders who rule well, though they may not "labour in the word and doctrine," shall be counted worthy of double honour, [234:1] is language distinctly indicates that there were then persons designated elders who did not preach, and who, notwithstanding, were entitled to respect as exemplary and efficient functionaries. It is remarkable that when the apostle enumerates the qualifications of a bishop, or elder, [234:2] he scarcely refers to oratorical endowments. ”

“ Well, gentlemen, the duties of elders have never been very clearly defined in the church. But latterly they have settled down to this. The younger elder is to brush down and harness the pastor's horse when he wishes to ride out, and the elder is to accompany him, when he goes out of town, and pay his bills. ”

“ And again, it is the High Priests' duty to be better qualified to teach principles and doctrines, than the Elders: for the office of Elder is an appendage to the High Priesthood, and it concentrates and centers in one. ”

“ They become as much interested in his personal as in his public character—for it is very disagreeable for an elder of a congregation, unless he have some personal quarrel with his dear friend, the minister, to lay his hand upon his heart and say, “I have been grievously mistaken”—and many a small offense—nay, many a great one in the pastor is smoothed over and polished with the varnish-vanity of a loving congregation, who adore themselves in the minister they have selected, and even in the very church are worshiping themselves, in him, instead of the Deity. ”

“ Whereas there is generally but one teaching elder in a church, upon his death or removal, it is the work and duty of the ruling elders to preserve the church in peace and unity, to take care of the continuation of its public ordinances, to prevent irregularities in any persons or parties among them, and to give all necessary aid and advice in the choice and call of some other meet person to be their pastor, in the room of the deceased or removed. ”

“ Elder Jonathan Dunham, writes us from Hamilton, Madison county, N. Y. under date of May 9th: stating, that notwithstanding the great and powerful opposition to the truth, through the goodness and mercy of God, he had succeeded in raising up a small branch of a church of Latter Day Saints in that place, consisting of 18 members. The Elder adds, that there are many more believing, and urges the necessity of the Elders who travel eastward calling upon those brethren and strengthening them. ”

“ There was always at least one bishop in one congregation, but often more than one deacon. The qualifications for a deacon are very similar to those of a bishop. See 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1.
Elders Or Presbyters. Webster in defining presbyter, says, “An elder in the early Christian church.” Young in his analytical concordance says of presbytery, “An assembly of elders.” These two terms have the same Greek origin, “presbuteros.” An elder is one grounded in the faith with a sound matured judgment; one capable of giving good advice or counsel. ”

“ You have also no authority to preside in the council-meetings of the church in which official members of the church are to be dealt with. You have no authority to go into the acknowledged territory of any organized church to make appointments for preaching, unless called by the elder or council of said church. It is an assumption of authority for an ordained elder to do so. ”

“ They are called elders, say some, because for the most part they were chosen out of the elder sort of men: others better, from the maturity of knowledge, wisdom, gifts, gravity, piety, &c., which ought to be in them. This name elder seems to have rule and authority written upon it, when applied to any church officer; and it is by the Septuagint often ascribed to rulers political, elders in the gate, Judges viii. ”

“ On Saturday last we met the Elders of this branch of the church, and also those of the little branch at Laona, who were called upon by Elder Marsh, our presiding Elder, to represent to us the standing of these branches. The number of members in this branch was 75 in regular standing, in the branch at Laona, were 20. These two branches were rather low in spirits in consequence of some difficulties that were existing among them; which, however, we succeeded in settling. One travelling Elder had been guilty of teaching erroneous doctrine and perverting the word of God. ”

“ Some of the faithful old sisters doubted my sincerity, since I had not before attended their meetings; moreover, it was looked upon as a wonder that a young man, like myself, could face the persecution sure to follow the acceptance of a religion so despised as was "Mormonism." At that time there were few young men in the Church. It was soon proposed that I be ordained an elder. ”

“ The eldership in the apostolic local churches was always plural. There is no instance of one elder in a local church. The functions of the elders are: to rule ; 1 Timothy 3:4,5; 5:17 to guard the body of revealed truth from perversion and error Titus 1:9 to "oversee" the church as a shepherd his flock ; Acts 20:28; John 21:16; Hebrews 13:17. 1 Peter 5:2. Elders are made or "set" in the churches by the Holy Spirit Acts 20:28 but great stress is laid upon their due appointment ”

“ The teaching elder holds the most honourable position in the Church, simply because his office is the most laborious, the most responsible, and the most useful. And no minister of the Word is warranted to exercise lordship over his brethren, for all are equally the servants of the same Divine Master. ”

“ In the matter of installation into a new office of an elder, previously ordained, churches are to exercise the right of individual judgment and of preference as to reordination. This same right of preference is to be exercised in deciding whether or not a church should support a ruling elder. ”

“ The officers appointed by Christ to be chosen, and set apart by the Church, are pastors, teachers, elders, and deacons. The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person unto the office of pastor, teacher, or elder, in a Church, is that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the Church itself, and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with the imposition of hands of the eldership of that Church, if there be any before constituted therein ”

“ The next to be noticed is an Elder and his duty; but, as we find him so nearly like our present mode, we judge it needless to say much on that point, only that he was the same in order, or ordination, but not in degree with a Bishop, because he is not so advanced to that office by the suffrage of the church. We will, therefore, only transcribe one verse from Lord King:
"The Presbyters ruled in those churches to which they belonged ”

“ Should any person elected as Elder or Vorsteher, decline, without sufficient reason, to accept the weighty office, he shall not go free without paying a considerable donation into the treasury; and then the person who received the next highest number of votes shall be presented. If the vote for several persons be a tie, the Church Council shall decide the case.
6. In the above described manner the Church Council is constituted of Trustees, Elders and Vorsteher. ”

“ Wherever people receive the words of truth that that Elder has preached unto them and obey them by baptism, and have hands laid on them for the reception of the Holy Ghost, they all feel alike, no matter what country they were born in, what their religion, politics, social ideas, or anything else ”

“ The Lesser Priesthood, then, you perceive, comes within the purview of the Apostleship, because a man that holds it has a right to act or officiate as a High Priest, as one of {218} the High Council, as a Patriarch, as a Bishop, Elder, Priest, Teacher, and Deacon, and in every other office and calling that is in the Church, from first to last, when duty demands it. ”

“ About the same period arrangements were made in some places for changing the mode of advancement to the presidential chair, so that, in no case, an elder suspected of error could have a chance of promotion. [532:1] An immense majority of the presbyters were yet orthodox; and by being permitted to depart, as often as they pleased, from the ancient order of succession, and to nominate any of themselves to the episcopate, they could always secure the appointment of an individual representing their own sentiments. ”

“ There has never been a day since this Church was organized until this day of our Lord, 54 years and upwards, that an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ever failed to maintain the divine authenticity of the doctrines which he had been sent out to preach when brought in contact with the most learned men of the day, the most skilled theologians. ”

“ The power of Discipline is given |Non uni, sed unitati.|by Christ, not to one Elder, but to the united company of Elders: and for one Minister alone to assume this power unto himself, it is to make himself the Church; it is to make himself a Congregational Pope ”

“ The members of “the church” number at present about 112; and the average congregation will be about 200. It includes Scotchmen, Irish Presbyterians, people who have turned over from Baptism, Independency, Catholicism, and several other creeds, and all of them seem to be theologically satisfied. There ought to be elders at the place; but the denomination seems too young for them; as it progresses and gets older it will get into the elder stage. There is no pulpit in the building, and the preacher gets on very well is the absence of one. ”

“ But the officers mentioned in 1 Tim. v. 17, are, according to the word of Christ, styled elders, invested with rule in the church: approved of God in their rule, and yet distinct from all them that labor in the word and doctrine. This assumption may be thus evidenced by parts.
1. The officers mentioned here in this word of Christ, are styled elders. This Greek word translated elder, is used in the New Testament chiefly in three several senses: 1. For men of ancient time, not now living; and so it is opposed to modern: Tradition of elders, Matt. ”

“ Where the churches are small, the number of elders must be so also. So many are necessary in each office as are able to discharge the work which is allotted unto them. But that church, be it small or great, is defective, which hath not more elders than one; so many as are sufficient for their work. The pattern of the first churches constituted by the apostles, which it is our duty to imitate and follow as our rule, plainly declares, that many elders were appointed by them in every church, Acts xi. ”

“ None but the God-man Mediator has a right to such language—He never transgressed the commandments of God at any time, but fulfilled all righteousness for the justification of his church, which is the best and first robe that clothed the repenting prodigal. ”

“ ELDERS, a name given to certain laymen in the Presbyterian discipline, who are ecclesiastical officers, and in conjunction with the ministers and deacons compose the kirk sessions in Scotland. The number of elders is proportioned to the extent and population of the parish, and is seldom less than two or three, but sometimes exceeds fifty. They are laymen in this respect, that they have no right to teach, or to dispense the sacraments; and on this account they form an office in the Presbyterian church inferior in rank and power to that of pastors. ”

“ It would, moreover, seem antecedently improbable that every church of Christ, however small, should be required to have a plural eldership, particularly since churches exist that have only a single male member. ”

“ These elders are chosen from among the heads of families, of known orthodoxy and steady adherence to the worship, discipline, and government of the Church. Being solemnly engaged to use their utmost endeavour for the suppression of vice, and the cherishing of piety and virtue, and to exercise discipline faithfully and diligently, the minister, in the presence of the congregation, sets them apart to their office by solemn prayer, and concludes with exhorting both elders and people to their respective duties. ”

“ Others have supposed, that the elder brother signifies a believer truly converted, but very legal in mind—one that has been kept from outward sin—very precise and moral—virtuous and consistent, yet envious at the conduct of God our heavenly Father towards a most desperate backslider. This I acknowledge was my opinion for some years; but in time I was led to see that this opinion was wrong, and that the prodigal son refers to the state of God’s elect as fallen in Adam the first, and called, convinced, and effectually converted in Adam the second, by the Holy Spirit ”