Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-19
CLERICAL EDUCATION.

CLERICAL EDUCATION.
And myself also am persuaded of you, nv
brethren, that We also are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge. able also to admon-
ish one another.-RoMANs xv:14.
The subject of the education of candidates
for the ministry has of late received consider
able attention from the various general
bodies, and that the Importance of a thorough
training is beginning to be appreciated is
attested by the establishment of numberless
theological seminaries in all parts of the
country. It appears, however, that the best
means Of assisting this desirable object is
but imperfectly understood by the churches
as yet, else there would be fewer and better
seminaries devoted especially to theological
instruction. Every State in the Union has
from three to a hundred theological schools,
each of which is heavy charge upon the
churches, and none of which are prosperous
financially or thorough in their course of in
struction. For the most part thew
maintain but s. sickly existence; their
buildings are heavily rortgaged {;
their teachers are poorly paid, if paid at all,
and as natural consequence none bat the
most Indifferent instructors are to be OBJ
tanned. Therefore it occurs that students
pass through the courses of these colleges
and graduate with little mcre KNOWLEDGE
than they possessed when they entered upon
their studies They at once become candi-
dates for holy orders, and if they succeed in
passing the examination and ordination,
look about for passionate. They generally
succeed, fsr there are always congregations
that are willing to open their pulpits to
young college graduate, provided he will
give his services cheap enough. He COM
mences his ministry with limited store of
knowledge, and the contracted views he has
acquired Sin college, intensity through as
ISOLATION with his elder and perhaps more
bigoted brethren. He follows in the old
rut, worn deep by long use for centuries, and
finally deyelops-if such crab-like
process can be called deyelopment-into
the regulation clergyman, with
but one set of ideas with
'@A o>"oo"'Aoil AAAAAleo " DuC one line OF
thought and one subject. is it any wonder,
that under such course of TRAINING our
ministers become narrow minded, iatolerant
bigots? It would indeed be O. marvel if
any other result should flow from such
causes.
There IS something radically wrong in tie
methods employed in the education of theo
logical students. In the first place, about
three fourths of the theological seminaries
In the country should be RACED to the
ground, and the money wasted in the en-
deavor to support them devoted to the
maintenance OF the remaining one-fourth.
thus placing them upon strong financial
basis. Then the course of study should be
enlarged SO as to give tho students O better
knowledge of literature, science and tie
arts. Then a department of common sense
in which instruction is given in all the
phases of human nature, ought TO be estab-
llshed in each of the colleges, aud every
means employed to give the embryo cler-
gyman the broadcast and most comprehen-
sive knowledge of everyday life in which
the hedgllngs of the present day are 80
wofully deficient. What is known a. nro.
fame history is as useful to theolonian 20
that which passes for sacred history. The
element OF fiction enters largely into both,
but without a thorargh knowledge of the
former, the latter is worse than useless.
Ii Is not generation since it was 2 COM
mon remark that when a man had son who
was NJ for nothing else, he fitted him for
inc ministry. This was true to great ex-
tent then, bat is not as near the truth at the
present time. Many young men of erco,-
lent natural ability, giving promise of q bril-
l1ant future, enter our theological schools
but their minds are too often dwarsoa 49,
the course of instruction they are forced to
pursue. They are trained in the dopmas of
2 sect instead of in the broad princin,es of
brotherhood. The Curriculum Of
the college is too limited, and as a consa-
4uence when the student energies he is no
match for those who have received g mora
thorough training.
A minister of the gospel ought to be anv
mans equal. But this he cannot be if he ia
denied the means of acquiring as complete
knowledge as others are afforded. Besides
9erusing his textbooks he should study every
Phase OF human nature, just as a physician
studies every part Of the human frame in
disease and in health, that he may the better
follow the art of healing. The clergyman
assumes to be the ply stefan of souls. How
then, it is that he inform him
'eif OF the ailments to which they are sub.
|ect. He should understand the causes and
cure OF moral diseases as the physician nm
aerstands the causes and cure of bodily dis
cases. and unless he has full knowledge
such as this he is not fit for the place he az. |
'umes to occupy.
one OF the greatest obstacles to the USE
'ulness OF the clergy, and the greatest defect
n their education, is their ignorance of what