Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-04-21
From Abbott's Magazine.
PLAN FOR MINISTERS LIBRARIES.
The Fact, the Cause, the Remedy.

]. The Fact. Ministers generally
make but little improvements their man.
ner of preaching, after they are settled
They preach nearl Y as able and etfectual
sermons the first six months of their MIN
istry, as they do after twenty years expe-
rience. From the time they enter The
Academy, until they leave the Theologic-
al seminary, they are making rapid intel
Iectual requirements; every month wit
nesses the enlargement Of their mental
powers, and the increasing vigor of their
faculties. But the moment they are set
tied, their mental growth nearly ceases
For few months they rely upon the in
telIectual resources they have already ac
quired, and then pass the remainder Of
/ their lives oppressed with the conscious
, ness that they are making comparatively
slow advances in knowledge AS the
novelty Of their first ministry wears off,
! and the ardor Of their youthful energy
abates, they have but little increasing men
tai power to suppl the loss, and the SER
vices of the puI pit often becomes dull,
prosac and repetitious. Now and then a
mind OF native originating power, or one
placed under peculiar influences, rises
above this Intellectual level. But it is a
fact unqucstioncd by the Observing, that
these form the exceptions, and that the
great mass of Christian ministers seldom
make great advances in mind or eloquence
after the age of thirty years.
2. The Cause. Most clergymen, when
they enter the ministry, are either in debt
for their education or without any remain
ing property. They commence with
. small salaries, which barely enable them
to meet their current expenses. Food
and clothing they must have. Thevmust,
, to the extent of their ability, contribute TO
the benevolent enterprises of the day.
f And they can hardly find a dollar which
can be spared for the purchase fbooks
Here is a youngman in the Theological
, Seminary. He has access to a large and
, valuable library, and the rapid advances
he makes in knowledge show how richly
, he improves this inestimable privilege
, He has barrel y money enough to meet his
f expenses, or, more probably is involving
himself in debt to obtain his education-
r OF course he can buy no books. He
leaves the seminary and is settled in some
t country parish, with a salary Of five OF
d six hundred dollars. With the most rigic
: economy, he struggles through serious
pccuniary cmbarrassments, vainlv hoping
G each year that the next year he will be
S able to lay by little sum to repIenish hi
d library There is no library in the vi
y cinity to which he can have access. H,
IS has few books in his study which to hin
d are old and valueless.
IS He does what he can with these, AM
o tolls to increase his knowledge anc
n Strengthen his mental powers, by occasion
J. ally borrowing a book ola brother minis
Q ter, and discussing with his brethren in tn
" association important theological qucs
IS tions He has perhaps access to one o
two periodical publications These con
" stitute his only means of mental improve
re- ment. And were it not that with these h
C. is unusually di]igcnt, he would not b
w able to meet, as he docs, the weekly ca
Ie upon his intellectual resources. Still h
OF feels that lie is Iaboring at an immense di
it advantage. He knows that his progre<
tn must be painful and slow unless he ca
no enjoy better facilities He mourns ar
ut NtSIS even, W IlIu llldt llIS ulIIIu Is I'LL
in unavoidably retarded by these unpror
t il tious circumstances. Thus he lives, ar
thus he dies.
is. This is the history hundreds ofthe Gle
%, gy Of New England. Many minds
ow most brilliant native powers thus wilt al
he decay. Some one says, Il wish o.
minister studied little more" Studl
est more! How can he? What has he
in study? AS well may the carpenter wo
ere without tools, as the student make p1
see gress without books. AS we'll may t
it'll mere ant do business without capital
un- credit as the student, make rapid intelIe
no. ual acquisitions without access to the c
viii erations Of other minds.
Will When a clergyman enters his stu
and sees but a score OF common-pla
,ro- books, upon his shelves, and thinks II
en- throughout Europe and America, mil
ons of the highest cultivation and vigor ;
lust pouring out their treasures, and all thu
the treasures inaccessible to him, is it strar
1err that he feels discouraged, that with
oro- and sickened heart he leaves his stu
aze- dreading to enter it again. Though
nro- England has undoubtedly as learned {
asst efficient a body of clergymcn, as {
v of equal portion of the world, it is a mel
title. choly fact that great multitudes of
,ked clergymen Oh our country are cut on IT
pro- nearly all eflclent means OF intellect
hon. Improvement. They feebly live u
hib- their past acquisitions, and expend
orth energies of their minds of strong ma
power in unavailing regrets that
talk means of high mental culture are notw
riop in their reach.
| not Clergymen settled in The city or il
and immediate vicinity, generally havin
mer- more lloeral support, and having acCes
IL. Elno.:nn &c :...4:A..A.-..,r. md