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.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introductory
2. Testimony from the Order of the Old Testament Church.
3. Evidence in Favor of the Office from the New Testament Scriptures
4. Testimony of the Church Fathers
5. Testimony of the Witnesses for the Truth during the Dark Ages
6. Testimony of the Reformers, and Other Learned and Disinterested witnesses, Nearly Contemporary with Them
7. Testimony of Eminent Divines since the Time of the Reformers
8. Ruling Elders Absolutely Necessary in the Church
9. The Nature and Duties of the Office
10. Distinction between the Offices of the Ruling Elder and Deacon
11. The Qualifications Proper for this Office
12. On the Election of Ruling Elders
13. Of the Ordination of Ruling Elders
14. Of the Resignation of Ruling Elders;–Their Removal from One Church to Another;–And the Method of Conducting Discipline against Them
15. Advantages of Conducting this Discipline on the Presbyterian Plan