The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-06-07

President Elliot, Of Harvard, has an arti-
Gle in the Princeton Review on the "Edu-
cation of Minister'S in which he says:
1.-The education OF the clerical profession
has fallen so far behind the age as to be out
OF relation with it, and to have consequent
ly lost its ancient commanding influence,
and even resulted in the degeneration Of
the clerical character"
He then gives as the most potent cause OF
this change in the relative positirn OF the
ministry within the present century, the
rise and development of physical and
natural science" in regard to which we
quote him as follows: =,
The immense acquisitions of actual
knowledge which have been amassed in
this new field, the great increase OF mans
power over nature, the consequent
changes in each mans relations to
his iellow-men and to the physical
pansion of his interests ana sympathies,
his emancipation from superstitions, and
the exaltation of his prospects and hopes,
are all facts of the utmost moment to the
race; put it is not these facts, tremendous
though they are, which most concern us in
the present discussion. The important
point for us now to observe is that, during
the growth of natural science, a new method
or spirit of inquiry has been gradually de-
solute freedom on the part OF
the inquirer from the influence
of prepossessions or desires
as to results. This spirit seeks only the
fact without the slightest regard to conse-
quences; any twisting or obscuring of the
fact to accommodate 1t to preconceived
theory, hope or wish, any tampering with
the actual result of Investigation, is the I'M
pardonable sin. 1t is a spirit at once
humble and dauntless, patient of details,
drawing, indeed, no distinction between
great and small, but only between true and
false; passionless, but energetic, venturiDg
into painless wastes to bring back fact,
caring only for truth, candid as still lake,
expectant, untettered and tireless.
THE achievement of scientific enquirers,
animated by this spirit of sincerity and
truth, have been so eIt t;o within lii
is in itself so admirable that the educated
world has accepted it as the only true in
spiration of research in all departments of
learning. No other method of enquiry
now commands respect. Even the ignorant
have learned to despise the process Of
searching for proofs OF a forcSone conciu.
sion. Apologetics ."'haye ceased to
convince r anybody ,i IL they ever
has set up a new standard of
intellectual sincerity, and protestant theo-
logians and ministers must rise to that
standard if they would continue to COM
mand the respect of mankind. How diff
ferent was the situation of the profession
when diplomacy was the only other learn
ed calling! Even the illegal profession, as it
was gradually differentiated from the cleri-
cal made no such sharp requsition OF men,
electric light OF science which has maze
white and transparent the whole temple Of
learning. These remarks imply that
ministers, as class, and as
necessary consequence of the ordinary
manner of their education and induction
into office, are peculiarly liable to be def
cient in intellectual candor; and that il
what 1, in common with millions O
thoughtful men. really think; and think
titudes of educated men, most of whom art
silent on the subject, is potent cause o.
the decline of the ministry during the past
forty wears. The fault is quite as much
| that of the churches or sects as the
individual ministers; for almost every
church or sect endeavors to tie
its members. and particularly
its ministers, to a creed, set of articles or
body OF formulas. These bonds are put
must be worn all their lives, on peril of
seyering beloved associations, or, perhaps,
losing a livelihood. The study, reading,
and experience of fifty years are supposed
TO work no essential change in the opinions
of the youth. The creed or the articles
NAV be somewhat vague and elastic, but
cannot honestly be stretched much. Now,
the lay world believes in the progress Of
knowledge, because II has witnessed pro-
gress; and 4 Is persuaded that there must
be incessant progress in theological
science as well as in all other branches of
learning. /. does not see metaphysical irs
physicians, historians, chemists, biologists,
or biologists, committing themselves in
youth TO set of opinions which Is TO last
them lifetime, or even a day; on the con-
avowedly holding their present opinions
subject 10 change upon the discovery Of
new facts, or better light upon all facts,
aRd, as a rule, actually modifying their
opinions in important respects between
youth and age. Indeed, fxity Of opinion 10
hardly respectable among scholars. II
il be said that there can be no pro-
gress in theology, because revelation was a
fixed historical quantity, the answer is, that
revelation, like creation must be fluent; or,
in other words, that the Interpretation Of
revelation 10 the mind Of man must be
like the Interpretation Of creation, ever
flowing, shifting, and, II the mind Of q man
improves, improving. No other profession
IL under such terrible stress OF temptation
TO intellectual dishonesty as the clerical
profession IL, and at the same time the pub
lie standard Of intellectual candor has been
set higher than ever before. This is the
state Of things which deters many young
men Of ability and Independence from en-
tering the profession, and causes the &C
kuOgledg ed dearth Of able ministers"