reference to the wants of the poor. The election of elders for life was entirely unknown in the Dutch and German churches. Such is Goebel's account. I have few documents of an earlier date than 1740; but between that date and 1760 there are many in which both offices are mentioned. I have a document of 1730 signed by the '_AEltesten_' of the Reformed Church at Philadelphia. A petition in English, addressed in 1732 to Governor Gordon, is signed by seven 'Ancients' of the same congregation. Here four of the names are new, showing an intervening election. The deacons are not mentioned, but would naturally not appear in a document of that kind. Most of the early letters are addressed to the '_AElteste und Diaconen_' of the several churches. The rules for the Government of the Reformed Church at Amwell, N. J., 1749, are signed by the '_AElteste und Diaconen oder Vorsteher._' It seems, therefore, that the two terms were used interchangeably. With regard to the points of doubt you suggest, I can only say: "1. The two distinct orders, elders and deacons, have certainly existed from the beginning in the American churches. "2. The name of the second order in German is either Diacon or Vorsteher; the former name probably more ecclesiastical, the latter more popular. "3. The term of office was always fixed, but the period varied in different congregations. There was no life term, except in the ministry. "4. The mode of selection probably varied in different churches as it does now. I imagine that in most churches the most prominent members met on an appointed day to hold the annual 'Kirchenrechnung,' and then quietly 'made out,' without a formal election, who were to fill the vacancies in the consistory. Very frequently, no doubt, retiring members nominated their own successors, to be approved or rejected by the congregational meeting." This clear description of German Reformed usage shows how great similarity there was in this respect between the American Reformed descendants of Hollanders and Germans. These Swedish and Reformed modes of congregational organization were here fully in operation in the territory on which our earliest German congregations were established.