New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-12-14
THE RIBIE AS A COLLEGE TEXTBOOK
VALUABLE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DoNE-Ih'

VALUABLE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DoNE-THE
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE MANUALS
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir The American Society OF Religious ro"oa'io'
has lately been organized In Washington WIZ"
co,eraI John Eaton. ex-United states 'omHis-
sioner NJ F,ducation as president. one OF its o"-
iects is TO increase the study OF the b'oie III gu
higher institutions OF learning. Dr RANKIN p,e,'
dent of Howard University, the CHAIRMAN Vi ~
committee on this subject. by an e*'enSN' 49,
resemblance has gathered the desired inforina''o'
from, largo number OF Northern colleges, wnich
,s of an encouraging character. as shown py '"e
following two examples; ,
President Gates. Of Amherst says me- 10 w
of the institutions which led the way IN the sss
tematic study in our colleges OF 'he pio'. "
regular textbook Besides four Bible classes taught
hv members OF the faculty for the STUDY VI ','e
R,he with reference TO direct spiritual results the
Department Of Biblical Literature Is fully equipped
and organized This elective ranks IN junior anu
senior years with the other electives IN the cou''e
and is chosen by from ten to forty men III ea."
class" President Gates is ready TO cooperate In
all efforts TO increase the attention given 10 the
study Of the Bible In all our colleges
President HYDE OF Bowdoin College. writes One
torn, ~ freshman year four hours a week are de-
voted TO the study OF the Gospels In Greek az a
basis for the study Of the life Of Christ There
are organized classes FOR the study OF the bio'e'
and he interest Is the increase
Al the request Of this society. Dr. Shearer' OF
xor,b Carolina made similar inquiries of the COL
l.ces in the South with equally gratifying testi-
rnonials as 70 the importance OF TINS movement
The great hindrance widely felt was the lack oi d
wise detailed plan for this work Hence '"iS so-
cietv proposes TO publish SYLLABUS OF ioui
yoars. course in eight small books. one for each
eemester For the preparation OF this SYLLABUS
the cooperation OF eight eminent scholars mostly
professors I'm the theological seminaries OF the
dineren; denominations. North ana south. Nm mas S
been secured. When completed thts pan uch mott
i,td h,foro prominen: educators. After sucn uo,i-
dcations as may be deemed necessary IL VIII De De
offered TO colleges as a basis for optioha' VI IT,
qGT'lbais scheine may involve long delay. The exi,
gency requires the early ADOPTION o, o Years
ago AT the admirable institution tor seconua't h 49,,
sructon At LaMrenceylIe, with Great interest
and success the oxford and Tamords Students Gents
2, for the Examinations Of oxford and
rambridse and the college Of PrecePtors issnea
by George GIN Sons; l ;hs General outlines Of
old Testament history: the SECOND t CO .nos,ies
the NE OF christ ana sns and
,b third class study the sacred places persons,
rites ana tunes m be R,be and the seniors study the
Epis,les OF the New Testament 'oEsther wIm
svsfcmatic and runs through course OF -FOUR
sU,y,ne been often called to Lawrenceville. l am
,ave Clad 10 learn that the Bible lesson holds us
,,ca with undated interest as the nist eAerCisc
rverv Monday morning The recitations sho" t rs
,hc assigned lessons are thoroughly studied Inc
.,,rdinr Of each student In these recitatlons Is
Carefully marked. and helps TO decide ms selvIaI
SANDING I'm scholarship. This large school hlhs
m. new and beautiful chapel gives an pr .s
audience 10 a lecturer or preacher. once: "h.n my
suhicc. was The Bible as an Educator; louiiu
,snecialy attentive listeners In the students VINO
had been thus faithfully trained In Bible stuoies'
II was no new idea to them that the germ OF MOD
@ is fG%na /" TIE and 9f ah the
SOURCE OF our national strength and prosperity ana
that no other volume has contrlpu'eu so "uo" "
the great organic forms Of thought.
In this connection the fact may De OF interest that
some efforts have recently been made In Japan 10
encourage the study OF the Bible as a classic The
the grateful surprise OF the missionaries. permission
was given circulate the Bible In the army at the
front and among the reserves at home. The agents
of the Japanese Bible societies and the missionaries
OF portions OF the Bible were soon circulated These
were usually the separate gospels and the Sermon
ON the Mount In small pocket editions. This per-
mi ssion was extended 40 as to include the bar
racks AT home the police stations prisons and vari
GUS charitable institutions. While public attention
was so widely called to this subject II seemed
favorable time TO present THE Bible Edu-
Gator I'm Christian schools. colleges and churches.
The discussion Of religion or politics being pro-
hiiited I'm state schools I omitted this subject In
lectures to them Speaking usually through an In
terprcter II my aim 10 adapt the discussion to
the perceived needs OF the japanese. At the re-
auest OF the Rev. Henry Loomis. long the efficient
agent of the American Bible Society In Japan. and
OF other missionaries. and also OF prominent native
In both English and Japanese. The japanese cdi-
ton with Introduction by the veteran mission
arv the Rev Or. Greene is issued by the Methodist
Publishing House Of Tokyo
Clinton. Conn. Dec. g. 1885