Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MIN'IS-TER, n. [L; probably from Ar. مَهَنَ mahana, to serve, wait, attend, Class Mn, No. 2, and Sax. steore, helm, direction; steoran, to steer.]

1. Properly, a chief servant; hence, an agent appointed to transact or manage business under the authority of another; in which sense, it is a word of very extensive application. Moses rose up and his minister Joshua. Exo. xxiv.
2. One to whom a king or prince intrusts the direction of affairs of state; as, minister of state; the prime minister. In modern governments, the secretaries or heads of the several departments or branches of government are the ministers of the chief magistrate.
3. A magistrate; an executive officer. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. Rom. xiii.
4. A deli; an embassador; the representative of a sovereign at a foreign court; usually such as is resident at a foreign court, but not restricted to such.
5. One who serves at the altar; one who performs sacerdotal duties; the pastor of a church duly authorized or licensed to preach the Gospel and administer the sacraments. Eph. iii.
6. Christ is called a minister of the sanctuary. Heb. viii.
7. An angel; a messenger of God. Who maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire. Ps. civ.