New-York tribune., 1901-09-29
INSTRUCTION FOR CHRISTIAN WORKERS.

Union Seminary deserves hearty commenda-
ton for its action In establishing courses of
study for Christian workers who may not con-
template entering the ministry. These courses
will cover the departments of Bible study the
best methods of conducting city mission work,
Sunday school teaching and work, and other
cognate fields of religious activity. The need
to-day for such practical instruction as will be
given by competent teachers in these courses Is
so evident that one wonders why some such
idea was not carried into effect long ago. 1t is
true that institutes somewhat along these lines
have been established, but some of them have
been remote from the great centres of popula-
ton, while others We're purely sectarian as
10 make ii impossible for Christians in general
to attend them. But Union Seminary, though
rominally Presbyterian, is not seetarian, and in
fact seems TO be reaching out toward an ideal
of broad catholcity which will enable il TO rep
resent In a measure the composite evangelical
Christianity OF America. It's equipment for Its
,work is admirable it's staff of teachers will
rank with the best III the country, and II pos
sesses in a high degree the confidence and good
will of the Christian public Its recognition
now of the fact that Christian men and women
of the laity need and desire instruction as much
as candidates for the ministry is a circumstance
of happy augury for the welfare and progress Of
American Christianity.
The ministry Of the laity has never been
wholly lost sight OF in the Church, but the ten
dency of the prlestly caste 10 gather TO Itself
all the functions Of Church life has at times
very much minimized the field of activity for
the laity. OF recent years however, the great
need of lay workers has been more generally
realized, and there have arisen n large number
of lay teachers and evangelists, both men and
women. While not all of these have been fitted
by training or temperament for the difficult and
delicate work they have essayed TO do, they
have, on the whole, put new life and power into
the aggressive work of the churches. One needs
only TO recall the work done by the late Mr.
Moody and the devoted lay workers whom he
inspired, as well as the organization of such lay
movements the Christian Endeavor Society.
the Epworth League, the Kings Daughters and
the st. Andrews Brotherhood to realize how
much modern Christianity owes to its great
army of lay workers.
Yet every pastor knows how much of this
lay work is ineffective because OF the i'll directed
zeal or ignorance of the men and women who
take ii in hand. In no place is this more evi-
dent than in the Sunday schools of all the
churches, a large proportion Of whose teachers
have qualifications whatever for the work
This has been especially the case during The last
few years, because Biblical criticism and inves-
tigation have entirely dIscredited many ct the
old traditional interpretations Of the Bible,
which the teachers, through lack of knowledge
continue 10 teach. In establishing these courses
it will be the aim of Union Seminary to give To
all classes of Christian workers such practical
instruction as will better fit them to dc good
and effective work. And If the experiment
succeeds it is likely that many other similar
schools of instruction will in time be organized