The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-16
PRICE TWO CENTS.
The Jnaugurnfi ON. OF the Rev. Henry g.
smith as ProresSor or EcelesisstIcsl ais-

tory.
Ca Wednesday evening the Rev. Mr.. Smith
was inaugurated to the professor shipof Ecclesas-
teal History in the Union Theological Seminary,
at the Mercer street church, in the presence OF
the board of directors and large concourse Of
citizens The proceedings were commenced with
prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Mcclellan, Of Williams
burgh, and Doctor Adams. After prayers Doctor
Adams came forward, and said that for a period
OF eight years Doctor Cox has Iectured the stu
dents in the historical department of the sc mi
nary, which entitled him not only to the gratitude
OF the students and their friends, but to all who
were anxous for the prosperity and success of tho
mshtuhon. Some time since, a meeting OF tho
board of directors was held, and, at that meeting.
the Rev Henry B. Smith was elected Professor OF
Ecclesiastical History in the seminary; but owing
to the engagements of Mr. Smith in another place.
his Inauguration was postponed until this night.
The reverend speaker then said the statutes Of tine
seminary make II necessary that every member
should make declaration, in presence 0fthe board
o his professOrship The declaration was repeated
by Doctor Adams, and was in substance as fol.
lows:-That he the professor elect, believed in the
presbyterian form OF government, and would not
teach anything subversiye of that system as long
as he n manned in the senliaafy-to which Mr.
Smith answered in the affirmative.
Doctor Cox then rose, and said it devolved on
MN 10 deliver the customary charge; but, before
ne entered into the subject OF few bref.emarks ho
intended 10 make, he would tender 10 Mr. Smith.
on behalf OF himself and all present, cordial well
come. He then said the purport Of the charge
would be 10 point out the duties imposed and to
see that they were faithfully performed No man.
said he, is III for the trust but the man who i
ready TO make an outcry to God in favor Of truth.
! need not remind you, my friends, that those re-
lations which devolve upon him by this inaugura-
tion, are, in their nature, far above all secular
inauguratons and here let me observe that the
anyIa
have to say on this subject will be by way Of
suggestion, for if | were 10 follow the impulse Of
my own feelings, | would detain you for three
hours at least /; but you need not be alarmed, my
dear fnends-l will be very brief. DR.. G. thea
pointed out the absolute necessity for professor
to be master of topics, Of general rules, and the
sources OF h,s'ory-ihat the works Of modern his
tofisns and annalis,s, and last, though not least
the holy scriptures should be studied Every
scholar, said he, knows the difference betweea
abstIachons and specuations on the one hand, and
the Baconian philosophy on the other. We de-
sne, said he, history to be studied in come ctiou
with chronology The latter science, when con-
nected with the bible and theology, gives a won-
derfu advantage 10 the professor and the student.
II any learned man is to understand chronology, il
Is the professor of history. Again, the different
ciassihca'ions OF history, and the teaching Of
the history Of the church, IN connection with
the history OF the world is Of the greatest inpor
lance. II the teacher do not understand each, and
not only understand them, but be master OF them.
he never can impait knowledge to others. But.
said he, II is not TO be hoped or expected that Z
prote. however able, however interchangeable he
may be, can DO rything himself; much would
depend on the application and industry Of the stu
dents themselves. He knew, himself, by his ex-
periehce in other places that there were, uaforu-
naely, great numbers Of idle and indoen students.
and he also knew how difficult It was 10 reclaim,
them from those vicious habits. The first care of
teacher, therefore, should be to impress upon
those committed To his care the necessity OF appl-
cation and study.
The Rev. Mr.. SMITH came forward, and, after
some remarks, in which he mode silly alluded to tho
ecularlty OF his own situation, said there were
eftan requisites necessary Tor professor to Dos
ess, who undertook TO te ach theological history
This arose from the numberless corruptions thar,
from Time 10 time, crept INTO the church There
were other disadvantages, also, under which the
teacher abored. The various theories, both poll
teal and religious, that were introduced into our
own institutions added much TO the complication
OF church history. Alter making some remarks
on The nature Of church history, he said
that II was science divided isto d iierent
departments. The hrst department contained
all that related TO the history Of the doctnaes
and policy OF the church. Teachers ought to pre-
sent the fscs, in the first instance of both the ex-
ternal and internal history Of ali that relates to
The church, with their effects, AS well on the
church itself, as on society AT large. II s scarcely
cesssry to say here that the history ofthe church
has all The dignity. and falls under the same de-
nomination, with all other histories, because, like
them, u 4, made up OF a series Of eyexts connected
with The humsn race, and IL is their connection
rheir importance and dignity; and here let m. add
that history is above theory specu aion, because
II is body of facts, and however noble philo 40 ,hy
may be, history is the test OF IT, The historian in
10 reproduce events so that we can see them again
reacted. lie that thus n ads and teaches history
viii see the theory Of divine kingdom aad thus.
SAID he, leads US 10 the next department OF church
history, winch shows the revelation that God has
made 10 man Tor the redemption OF man, and
through this department Of church history we know
and see the kingdom God unfolded TO us Here the
speaker quoted al some length from the writings Of
.he hsv Doctor Edwards Mr.. Smith then con-
uasted the system Of pure Christianity with ali
other - stems that have been devised for the re-
heious and moral government OF the world, and
POINTED out IFS superiority over alt. He then said
that this department should also be treated scieu-
neatly, and when so treated, il would consist OF all
The iacts concerning the church Of God in their
proper order; and Tor the sake of distinctness IL
m1eht be wei TO cay thai church history ssts Of
series ot hcs which should b. pre- sented in their
order of succession BY this means we have all
The great events according as they happened
rom the commencement Of the history Of tho
~ ~ intn race. The speaker then went on TO show
That one Of the ends OF church history was 10 libe
rate mankind, and 10 secure 10 them political and
religious freedom; fo. by IL only could human
rights be adjusted b. Il we have real view Of
inhdel speculation, and fhis same view should lead
us 10 see that Christianity Is more In accordanco
WIN me welfare OF the human race thln all the
schemes thai ntdels are capable of for ming He
then went on To describe the great advantages to
be derived nom the study Of church history In
the hrst place, said he, IL ia luahle for is own
sake. IL IL OF an elevated character, because IL
reveals 10 us what our race Ia 10 come to He
then briefly sketcbed ihr history OF the church
irt IN the reign 81 Cons,srne TO the Reformation.
IN doing which he pointed out the numberess in
rovations AID corrupione introduced into the
Christian sy stem by the successive Roman Pontfs.
church history, said he, is peculiarly intere sting
10 ourselves, from the variety Of sects and
of epnions amongst us. I; has tendency 10
shsrpen the inielccts, and to cradle us To detect
me misierfeientaiionsa and sophsirits Of pslemicg
who're constant theme is appeal to popular preju-
aices 10 sustain doctrines that cannot BE- supported
by arguments or 10 sson Mr. smith very point, div
come mnt d the controversies that were OCCASION
ally carried on between the Reformed or Protest.
ant churches, especially at a time when iheyywero
menactd by the thunders and encro,c ,chments OF
the church Cf Rome That church has invited US
~ coniest-in short, she has thrown down the
gauntiet-she has asserted that our end was at
hand, The policy. said he, cf that spostatc church