The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-30

The second is training school, in
which any one can be fitted for any
calling. Now, whether the second be
the correct method or not, it is only
those institutions which can command
unlimited resources that can work out
this idea.
The colleges of this country vary in the
number of their students from fifteen to
fifteen hundred. Supposing a college to
have fifty students, among the fifty
there would be at least ten different
callings represented more likely twen-
ty. Now, if every college in the land
attempted to furnish specific instruc-
ton for ten different callings, what
vast resources would be necessary, and
therefore, ninety per cent of the col
leges must cOnfne themselves to the
work of disciplining the human intel
lect. This is fortunate necessity, for
no greater injury could be done the in
tellect OF the land, than that which
would follow the abandonment of this
system of mental discipline. And, COM
PEELED to follow this system, it is likely
to come to pass, that the smaller col
leges will become the real seats Of
learning. Prohibited by their poverty
from turning out professional men
they will send out men and women with
ideas enlarged and lifted by contact
with master spirits; men, who, at the
moment, may not be prepared to make
horseshoe, or plead case, but men
who are provided with resources which
can be turned in any direction desired.
If this be true, necessity will exist
for technical, art, normal and profess
sional schools, and of the latter class
the theological schools is one. The the
illogical school exists for the purpose of
training men for the ministry of the
gospel. The true ''theological' school
is misnOmer, and more cOmprehen-
sive name is to be desired, for while
theology is taught, that is not all.
Whatever is taught is with reference
to the one point; to make the student
successful minister of the gospel; to
make him good preacher, a good pas
tor, and more; to train him to admin
lister religion.
With these definitions in view we see
the relation between the college and
the theological school. The college
should give men the preparatory disci-
l,pane that will develop the full capacity.
of the brain which God has given them.
Then we should expect the theologi-
cal school to get its share of the gradu-
ates. The college is the natural source
Of supply for the theological school
but it is fact, that while the majority
of the graduates of the college enter
the professions, not five per cent find
their way through the theological
school into the ministry.
This is the fact, and gives rise to
other facts: 1st. AS the college is the
natural source of supply, if it fails to
furnish the supply, all other sources
must fail, and consequent lack of num-
bers in the ministry follow. I'd. It be-
comes necessary for the theological
schools, not getting a supply from the
college, to seek it elsewhere, and it
transpires that large per cent-more
than fifty per cent-of those entering
our ministry, are not college trained;
and while we do not hold that it is Also
lutely necessary to have college, or
even theological school training, it is
true, that having established our col
leges for the purpose of supplying a
ministry, if We do not get our ministers
from them we must fail to get them
elsewhere.
Another more serious results that
colleges are gradually becoming di-
vOrced from, or at least more and more
independent of, our ministry and
churches. In our Conventions we dem
onstrate that colleges are necessary to
the life and success of our denomina-
tiOn. | propose to turn that PROPOSE
tion around, and say that a denomina-
tiOn is necessary to the life of at least
ninety per cent of the colleges. The fu-
ture of any church is in the hands of
its ministers there is no exception.
Now, then, if the ministers are not
vitally connected with the colleges,
what are the consequences? The college
dependent on the church, the church
dependent on the ministry, in spite of
loyalty and endOwments, the college
must fail unless the ministry has its
interest at heart; and no minister can
have such a profound appreciation of
the value of college as the graduate.
And, therefore, put it to the officers
and faculty of our colleges: If they
wish to maintain their position with
power, there is nothing more impOr-
tant than to turn regularly a consider
ably portion of graduates into the Uni
versalist ministry. l do not see how
they are to live otherwise. | am glad
to see that college presidents are rec
OgDizing this truth, and when officers
and students both recognize this, then
will desirable results follow.
A change is demanded in the rela-