Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-01-26
Theology and Progress.

Dartmouth, aud the "talk" Of a successor
raises the question Of securing new pres.
dent from among men who are not clergymeu
though We see that the men who have btel
mentioned as possible presidents are minis
tiers Of the gospel, There are some it may
be who think ministers are not capable Of
such a service, though that number is small,
while many others feel that laymen should
be chosen; that the clergy minister alone in
holy things Now on this matter We have a
few words to offer. The fact is, that most
Of our college presidents have been clergy.
mon, whether because the people instructive
ly felt that study Of theology was neces.
sary to that rounded completeness Of char
acter necessary for such position or not we
cannot ssy; we only speak Of it as fact.
Our views are somewhat positive and explic.
it on this subject as on most others, for we
believe the day has fully come for men to
get of the fence. towards, idlers and no ).
bodys can sit there ss long as they chose, but
men must take their places somewhere.
Oar position is that God gives a personal
and special call to every true minister Of
Jesus Christ to enter upon that holy work.
Obviously then God can, If he will, call the
man in few years to some other depart.
ment Of Christian endeavor; aud we believe
he docs quite frequently. Besides it may
be that God calls man TO the ministry for
the sake Of securing in him that thorough
intellectual, moral and theological training
and Christian experience without which be
cannot perform in the most successful man.
uer, the great work Of his life. And let us
not forget that God contemplatcs the highest
success in the man whom he calls to special
service. We would emphasize tho idea Of
theological training" because il gives com.
pleteness aud tone to all other culture and
without it no man is fully prepared to con
duct the public press, or lead the great social
reforms Of the age, or direct the education
Of tho young. accurately and safely. All
this because there are fundamental principles
Of ethics which cannot be ignored with safe.
ty; and &ey are principles which are most
clearly sAprehended aud most thoroughly
applied Ig persons, other things being equal,
who have been theologically trained. Not
that every question or policy is to be looked
at from the theological standpoint any more
than the s.atcmans, with liberal education,
is to look at every question from the stand
point Of Cicero or Aristotle but bis generous
classical culture better qualities him to look
at the great problem Of government from
the true position. So theological culture
enables the persons to study all questions Of
education, society and morals, from the true
standpoint, which is no. variable one.
We think there is profoand significance
in that course of divine providence which
has placed at the heads, ami in the faculties
Of our colleges, generally. so large proper
tion Of men who have enjoyed more or less
theological culture. And we think it is also
true, that as colleges have ignored or disre-
garded this fact, they have suffered loss as
great moral forces in the land. God insists,
it would seem, on our recognition Of the fact
that education is not all scientific and intel
lectual combined but that the truest most
enduring and most potent education has a
theological or religious element. Thus il
has been said Of the late Frederick Denison
Maurice, at is always evident to the reader
that he has felt as a thcologian, thought a'
a theologian, written as a theologian that
all other subjects, IN his mind, are connected
with theology and subordinate to. it." Yet
Mr.. Maurice was one of the most sensbl,
and practical men Of England. Like Rob
crtson, who was really one Of his disciples
he was intensely earnest aud practical, il
labors "more abundant" for the good Of hi;
fellow men and especially the working men
In the death of these two persons the work
ing men lost their most earnest, self-sacri6c
ing, and practical friends. And none ever
sought the solution of what We may call the
social problems Of life, from the theological
standpoint, more than they Ruskin with
his Utopian vagarics Thackeray with hi.
whitening sarcasm; and Dickens with hi.
heartless caricatures, failed, where Maurice
aud Robertson succeeded. As defective and
erroneous even, as We regard some of their
most cherished teachings, the theological ton,
of their minds gave clearness, penetration
and accuracy to their plans for the elevation
ofthe masses of England.
Now Me press, tract, missionary, temper
ancc and reform societies generally, insttu.
tons of learning and political parties, are
the agOnsies which the Supreme Ruer is US
ing to execute his purposes on the earth I; it
bringing to its predetermined issues tn
course of human progress, For, to quote
Mr. Maurice, "Mau may either work with Oh
against Gods will. Whether ho does thu
one or the other, that will shall prevail. w
must choose whether we will seek to forwarC
or to Illustrate the divine purpose; but, il
doing the other, we shall be fulfilling tn
purpose Of Him who makes the wrath o
man to praise Him."
No one claims that the press and other o
these agencies are doing what they might
if their leaders were wiser, truor and safe
men as guides. God makes haste slowly
aud gives to the wills, aud passions and fol
lies Of men "long tether," but now an,
then he puts men after his own heart int
prominent places in these several fields o
public effort.