Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-04-04
Professor Ladd's Lecture.

Why Ministers Should Be students
and Why They Are Not More Gem
orally So.
Professor George T. Ladd's lecture to the
theological students of Yale college yesterday
afternoon was not SO well attended as It's
merits deserved The subject announced
was 1.-THE Minister as Student" The lee
turer spoke of the various obstacles in the
way of minister's being student. Lazl-
ness, he said, was one very considerable OBJ
stacle Another is the character of the CIR
cumstances in which the life of the minister
ia set. The American life is not favorable to
that calm examination of himself and his
theme with reflection and prayer. He should
not yield to the many distractions of the
time. The distracting and degrading charac-
ter of the literature of the day is an obstacle.
Magazine and newspaper literature make
man Aabby. Lay the morning paper aside
after five minutes perusal and spend your
time with the solid works of philosophy and
biblical history. A minister who occupies
much time with novels is taking seriously
wrong course. Everything that is not of the
kind that makes nerve and muscle in preach
ing and student work is to be avoided. Other
obstacles, such as i'll health, may be over
come.
It is sometimes said that the pastor who
studies much separates himself from the
people. This is not true. The men who
have accomplished great results IN the pulpit
have been those who at the same time were
students. Luther was striking example of
this. They say also that pastor can't hnd
time for much study if he does his pastoral
work well. The truth is that men do not 80
grasp and occupy their time as to do both
things. Time spent in the study is usefully
employed for the work of every day life. 1t
is sometimes objected that ministers must
spend every moment of their time
and all their energy in the direct
effort to save souls Such DIRECTORS
do not understand the scope of the minister 8
life. The life of Jesus Christ shows that he
did not spend the first thirty years of his
life in that kind of work and even during
the three or more years OF his ministerial
| life he did take much time for reelection and
rest from his actual labors. The same Is
| true of the Apostle Paul.
What are the motives for study, and what
are the rewards if one succeeds in becoming
a student? Among them are an increase of
respect and confidence on the part of the
people, One man in my class in the semi
nary got call soon after graduation because
| he looked wise. Another was called partly
1 HA0ocoo"
pie look upon the work of minister from
l the standpoint of their former experience in
| writing compositions. But laymen are be-
| coming intelligent, abreast and even ahead
of the ministers. If they see that clergy
man is we'll versed in various matters they
have more respect for him. The pastor
who is a student has more influence with his
co-workers. The more intelligent minister
| is the more influence he will have on his
| brother clergymen. Another motive to
study is the widening of influences through
the press. A second class of motives for
| study may be summed up in these words
Study enriches the preaching. If you want
to have sermons rich and deep you must dig
into your Bibles, philosophy, theology and
| church history as deep as you can.
| One motive is that the spirit of the schol-
ar is Just the same kind of spirit as pastors
ought to have. The spirit of true scholar
ship is the spirit of true candor. Scholar
| ship is open.eyed. 1t aims to know the
truth. 1t is also the spirit of patience, which
| the pastor needs. It is also the spirit OF
courage. The pastor ought to be a cour-
| ageous man. The spirit of true scholarship
/ is the spirit of thoroughness. Shamming is
| the curse of American student literature.
l The spirit of true scholarship is one of fra
| ternity. Scholars of whatever school are
| fraternal. 1t is also the spirit of charity.