PRESBYTERIAN POLITY rests on representative government and an ascending series of appellate courts. There are three classes of officers in every well-organized church—the minister or pastor, who is also called a teaching elder: the body of ruling elders, who, with the pastor. have the spiritual oversight of the church; and the dea cons, who have care of the relief of the poor and in some churches manage also the financial affairs. The primary governing body is the church ses sion. which consists of a pastor and the ruling elders, chosen by the congregation. Elders were formerly chosen only for life, hut now in some branches of the Church hold office for a term of The church session is under the control of the presbytery to which it belongs. The presbytery consists of the pastors and churches of a giveu district. The presbyteries are united in a larger governing body called the synod. The larger synods of the United States are representative bodies consisting of ministers and elders chosen from the presbyteries according to some definite ratio. The smaller synods are undelegated bodies,
all the ministers and one elder from each church constituting the body. In some of the smaller branches of the Church the synod is the ultimate court. The completed system, however, includes a General Assembly, which is the court. It meets annually and consists of ministers and elders chosen by the respective presbyteries in some definite ratio. Appeals and complaints are carried from the lower to the higher judicatory, beginning with the session and terminating with the General Assembly. In the Presbyterian Church in the United States appeals from the synods to the General Assembly are limited to cases involving doctrine or government. In the other Presbyterian churches appeals from the synods to the Assembly are allowed in all cases. The Assembly also has general jurisdiction over the various agencies of the Church. such as the theological seminaries and the boards doing the benevolent and missionary work.