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The Church

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 12, 1908

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 85, No. 46.

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The Church

By R. A. Underwood

Instruction Pertaining to the Duties and Responsibilities of Officers and Members

Duties of Elders and Deacons

The elder, or elders, as there may be more than one in our larger churches, should be examples to the flock in every good work. They should take an interest in the education of the children and young people, not only in assisting, wherever consistent, to establish and maintain church-schools, but they should have the confidence of the young people, and do all they can to encourage every young man and woman to enter our academies and colleges to prepare for service in battling against the evil of this world. The organized work of the young people in its varied lines of Christian endeavor should be encouraged. An elder can do much more than he may think possible in encouraging or discouraging our young people in making decisions that will affect their life-work.
The elder should encourage the young to bear the yoke of responsibility in church work (Lam. 3:27), by placing them in positions to develop their talents in various ways. The elder makes a great mistake when he tries to lead all the meetings, and holds a number of offices in the church, which should be held by other members, perhaps much younger in years. By sharing his burdens he is developing burden-bearers and laborers.
The elder must keep abreast of every missionary enterprise in the local church, conference, and union conference, and in the world-wide work of the General Conference, and act as a leader for raising funds to carry forward the message to success. He stands in the position of a captain in the army, to lead with loyal faith and valor his company in every advance charge upon the enemy. To do this he must read the reports, and keep in touch with the plans of the battle, as sent out week by week in our periodicals. The elder should be a man of good judgment, wise in counsel, careful and impartial in all his decisions.
His family can be a great help by their godly life and consistent faith. Our local church elders, as a rule, make a mistake when they get a burden to preach. They should act as teachers and leaders rather than preachers. The elder should frequently meet with the other officers of the church in prayer and counsel for the needs of the work, and to consider plans to advance the spiritual welfare of the church.
“Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim. 3:8-13.
The deacons, as well as the elders, should be men full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom. Acts 6:3. The moral qualifications necessary for the office of a deacon are substantially the same as those of the elder.
The special duties of the deacon are to look after the finances of the church property, the poor, assist the elder in the administration of the ordinances, and take charge of meetings in the absence of the elder, unless other provision has been made. There may be more deacons than one, as there are elders, according to the size of the church. The deacon may or may not act as treasurer of the church. Circumstances and conditions should determine this. The deacon can do much in encouraging a missionary spirit in the church.
These church officers, as well as all others called to act as leaders, must give a strict account to God for the influence they exert. They should be persons of self-denial, of faith, of courage, and hope; and with cheerful trust, should do the best they can, leaving the results with God. R. A. UNDERWOOD.