The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1866-10-17

A MEMOIR FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 1866, II MEMPHIS.
This ill-iudged facility, in both Pres
byteries and Seminaries operates only to
repel the minds which we should most
desire to win. A Presbytery sits under
solemn oath to execute faithfully the
Constitution OF the Church. 1t may re-
peat to itself, with no little propriety,
the words of the SD Psalm: Good
standeth in the congregation of the nigh
ty; He judgeth among the rulers" The
body proceeds under these sacred sane
tiOns, to perform one of its most solemn
acts, the trying of those who are to be
examples and guides of Christ's flock
But the tests actually applied are often
so different from those prescribed in the
constitution, that the whole proceeding is
mere mOckery of fidelity. The candi-
date is professedly tried to see whether
he can write Latin, whether he knows
well Greek and Hebrew, Science and
History, Theology and Interpretation !;
and when the trials are carried far
enough to make it pretty manifest that
he does nOtknoW these things in proper
sense, it is voted that he does know them,
and he is licensed How can it be made
more certain that this candidate thus ad-
mitted, shall be himself an inefficient,
unfaithful Presbyter, all his ministerial
life, than by thus signalizing his clerical
birthday with q general example of pres
bvterial unfaithfuhess ? And what can
be the impression concerning the moral
grade and dignity of the ministry, among
those who propose to pursue their secular
professions with an honorable energy and
fidelity? Much has been said concern
ing the unWilingness of our young men
of promise to seek the ministry, and
many explanations have been suggested.
We verify believe that one of the most
important is this: that admission has
been too easily obtained. The spirited
and ingenious young man feels no dispo-
sition to enter the lists for prize which
he sees bestowed with ndiscriminate
loOseness on the unworthy and worthy
alike. He was proposing to win the
honor by industry and strenuous exer-
tion; he is disgusted to see it bestowed
on laziness and ignorance. Only the
ignoble value q prize which may be won
without exertiOn or merit. The spectacle
exhibited in the Seminaries thus cOncurs
with the mismanagement of the Presby-
teries, to repress the zeal and aspirations
of every young man of mettle. In proof,
we point to the well known fact that in
those Colleges and Universities where a
high grade of scholarship is faithfully
applied, this strictness, and consequent
difficulty of attaining the hOnors, is
prime element of their popularity, with
all spirited young men, such as are worth
having in aSeminary. And this element
of popularity is ever strongest among the
young men themselves. The writer
speaks that which he kHOWs of his own
observation: that when himself astudent,
the thing which above all others fired the
hearts Of young students with admira-
tion for the University of Virginia, and
longing to study there, was the cOnvie-
ton that its examinations actually meant
all that it prOfessed, and that its hOnOrs
we're hard to win. This, above all other
influences, filed its halls with the first
young men of the land.
On this subject, we would commend to
all the wise remarks of Archbishop
Whateley, on the University of Oxford,
that its history has always shown, liter
ary hOnOrs cease to be sought whenever
they become so attainable that nobody
fails of them. In like manner, our un-
faithfulness in applying a professed test,
repels young men of high and ingenu-
Gus impulses. 1t only attracts the youth
of low aims and grovelling spirit.
The faculties of our Seminaries should
therefore assume a posture accurately
eonformed to the principles of our con
stitutiOn. The Presbytery is the master,
the Judge, the guardian of all the candi-
dates for the ministry, whether licensed
or unlicensed The Theological faculty
is but the teaching agent of the Presby-
terry, to train its candidates. 1t is not
Presbytery. Let not the agent, then,
assume the functions of the guardian and
Judge. But at the same time, letnot the
guardian and judge be ignorant of the
result of his agents labOrs. In word,
the agent should report all these results
TO has employer; there his power ends.
The appropriate policy for our Theolog-
ical faculties would be, then, to discard
forever, the notion of giving a general
certificate of having finished the c1uri-
eUl'm, sort of paper diploma, which is