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From: "Ben S. Barlow" <>
Subject: Re: Elders
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 07:07:08 -0800 (PST)


>Elder is the highest of the three steps in early Brethren ministry. [It
>has been eliminated in the Church of the Brethren, although my father (95,
>at the Brethren Home, Greenville OH) is one of the last surviving Elders.]
>

Thanks for the information Merle, I'll be sure to check out your paper.

Many churches still have elder's and presiding elders in
Pennsylvania, Atlantic Northeast District + Middle Pa. at least I know of
several; however, among the majority of the churches the office of Elder is
a thing of the past.

The office of Elder comes from 1st Timothy Chapter 3. The office
most translations call 'overseer' today was translated 'Bishop' by the
Mennonites and 'Elder' by Brethren. Since that was the way Paul instructed
that the Church needed to be set up, that is the way Brethren set up their
church, a pattern for organization sadly lacking among most groups today.

Ben

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