An Essay on the Warrant, Nature and Duties of the Office of the Ruling Elder in the Presbyterian Church
by Samuel Miller, D.D.
Professor of Ecclesiastical History and church Government in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, N.J.
In this work (15 chapters) by Miller (Presbyterian-Reformed), he examines the ministry of ruling elder first looking at the testimony of the OT church, the evidence in the NT, the testimony of the church fathers, of the witnesses in the dark ages, of the reformers and those since their time. He then looks at their need in the church, the nature nd duties of such an office, their distinction with deacons, their qualification for office, their election, their ordination, their resignation, and the conducting of discipline on them on the presbyterian plan.