son.

10. How may the young people arise in strength for church service?

XLVI.

THE ELDERSHIP--A WALL OF DEFENCE.--A.D. 1685.

The eldership has ever been a tower of strength in the Covenanted
Church. The elders have been pilots at the helm, when the ship was
driven by fiercest storms, and the ministers had altogether disappeared.
They have been the homeguards, when the most desperate assaults were
made upon their beloved Zion. They have been leaders, moving forward
with wise, fearless, and persistent step, when Christ's cause demanded
aggressive testimony for down-trodden truth, and against uprising error.

The Presbyterian Church has derived her distinctive name from the office
of the elder. Elder, Presbytery, Presbyterianism, Scriptural Church
Government, Christ's supremacy unlimited and unrivaled--these thoughts
are links in a chain, all made of the same gold. Presbyterianism is the
doctrine of Christ's sovereignty, crystalized into form, and reduced to
practice; the Headship of Jesus over His Church finds therein its
grandest expression.

The Covenanted Presbyterians recognized only one form of Church
government as Scriptural--that invested in the elders. They rejected all
other forms, as human inventions, without Divine warrant, an injury to
the Church, an infringement upon Christian liberty, a seizure of
Christ's crown rights and a blot upon His royal glory.

The elders are Christ's delegates, appointed to administer His
government in the Church. They are empowered by His will, accredited by
His Spirit, directed by His Word, entrusted with His authority, and
accountable at His throne. To the elders are committed, directly or
indirectly, all the interests of Christ's Church. What awful
responsibility! Surely the elder may pause at the threshold of the
sacred office, and, with trembling lips exclaim, "How dreadful is this
place!"

The Presbyterian Church of Scotland, in her palmy days, numbered about
1,000 congregations, each under the care of a session. The elders may
therefore be estimated at 6,000 effective men, when the twenty-eight
years' persecution struck the Covenanters. The value of this force can
never be known, in advising, comforting, defending, and leading the
broken congregations of God's people, amidst the storms that desolated
their beloved Zion.

The minister, being assisted and encouraged by a faithful band of
elders, was able to do great work in his parish, and the Church
flo