ELDERS, or SENIORS, in Jewish history, were persons the most considerable for age, experience, and wisdom. Of this sort were the 70 men whom Moses associated to himself in the government of his people: such, likewise, afterwards were those who held the first rank in the synagogue, as presidents.
In the first assemblies of the primitive Christians, those who held the first place were called elders. The word presbyter, often used in the New Testament, is of the same signification: hence the first councils of Christians were called presbyteria, or councils of elders.
ELDERS is also a denomination still retained in the Presbyterian discipline. The elders are officers, who, in conjunction with the pastors, or ministers, and deacons, compose the consistories or kirk-sessions, meeting to consider, inspect, and regulate, matters of religion and discipline. They are chosen from among the people, and are received publicly with some degree of ceremony. In Scotland, there is an indefinite number of elders in each parish; generally about 12. See KIRK-Sessions and PRESBYTERY.