eldership

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

eldership
    n 1: the office of elder

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Eldership \Eld"er*ship\, n.
   1. The state of being older; seniority. "Paternity an
      eldership." --Sir W. Raleigh.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Office of an elder; collectively, a body of elders.
      [1913 Webster]