Superintendent

1. The officer of the early Church who was also called overseer, or bishop (ἐπίσκοπος).

2. The officer in the English Wesleyan Church who has charge of a circuit; he is responsible to the Conference for the maintenance of discipline and order in all the societies of the circuit, and presides as chief pastor in all circuit courts. The superintendent or one of his colleagues must make the circuit plan, arrange for the quarterly visitation of the classes, change or re- elect the stewards the nomination being with himself, the vote with the leaders or quarterly meetings. All the minor details connected with the management of the circuit are in his hands.

3. An-ecclesiastical superior in several Reformed churches where episcopacy is not admitted, particularly among the Lutherans in Germany and the Calvinists in some other places. The superintendent is similar to a bishop. only his power is some what more restrained than that of our diocesan bishops. He is the chief pastor, and has the direction pf all the inferior pastors within his district or diocese.

Superior, an official exercising jurisdiction; the chief of a confraternity, brotherhood, sisterhood, monastery, or convent. In most orders the "superior" or other head of a convent is elected by the members of the convent, and the superiors in a province elect the provincial.