The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-02
congregational
MINISTER'S MEET.
Paper by Rev. Mr.. KrOm the Most
Pointed and Powerful OF the
Autumnal Session.

however. I'm Theological training has not
as yet been remed!ed. That error con-
sists in the narroVness and scctarian
bias which are Characteristic OF the pure
ly denominational schools.
I'VE shall never have sound, sensible
theological training until the curriculum
OF the theological school is put upon the
same basis as mat Of the schools OF law
and medicine The object OF the pro-
fessionsl school established upon a ra-
tionsl and sound basis * to teach men the
truth. to Al least aid Them In their search
for truth and 90 rejoice with them IN
1 their victory when they are led into paths
before untrayeled and some discovery Is
| made that throws light upon the way OF
all who are 10 come after.
YThis certainly is not the object Of the
| average theological seminary. To discoV-
| er T. TO be condemned Men are less cor
| cerned about the truth then they are
| about some ones Interpretation OF that
| truth The process Is not one that leads
! men to think for themselves, but To MI
| the mind Of the student with what other
| men have thought \ thing Is 10 be be-
/ Ueved not fundamentally because il is
true but because the fathers believed 1t
! to he true.
TRUTH VS.. HEREsY.
| 1--WE are 20 be thankful that from this
! slavery and bondage OF the past a few IN
| stitutions have made their escape
| That. at least, In two or thre institutions
| i'm the land men arc taught TO think for
I themselves They are led 10 believe that
| the only hope is I'm truth, and the more
| that that truth conflicts with their con-
! cention OF truth the more imperative il is
| that they grasp IL.
But how are these few Institutions sup
| ported by the church, The Harvard Di-
| vinity school, the best cdtsipped school OF
tat.,s tt, he tod
with one possible exception. had enrolled
last year less than 70 students. There
| were two men in the senior class and three
i'm the middle. Why?
Because Harvard Aas the reputat ion
| OF being heretIcal. Ii Is tainted with Uni
| tarianism and the student who persues
its curriculum from an orthodox church
knows that his chances of securing po-
/ sition are reduced 10 a mipimum.
"A father with three SONS will send one
| 10 Harvard 10 study law, the second ia
Johns Hopkins to study medicine. because
! | the institutions rank as the best In the
| land.
"He will send HIS third son to Prince
ton to study theology, not because II IL
| the best institution of learning. but be
! cause IL best preserves the tradition oi
! the Presbyterian church and the Grass
| materialistic sentiments of the Westmin
| ster Confession. 0
l 'Tne WOrld looks WITH respect upon lnt
professions of law and medicine anc
sneers at theology. / wonder why? Yet
| these men so trained are the men who
| Sabbath after Sabbath. are 10 stand be-
fore intelligent audiences, and interpret
the facts OF daily life In the light OF life's
highest ideal
what is the result OF this condition
| Simply this. The best men In our colleges
| and universities do not enter the minis
/ | try. They turn with disgust from th'
| spirit of the theological seminary. To en-
| ter one more liberal is only to postponi
| the evil day when presbytery or counci
on consistory will sit In judgment upol
the thoughts and sacred beliefs OF min,
and heart and condemn these as heretical
e | because they fail TO correspond 10 the mar
: row conceptions OF what We call by cour
I | tesy Orthodoxy.
i AT the last meeting of the general as
( | semby OF the Presbyterion church 4
: Philadelphia, the question was PROFOUND
y | ed az 10 why more men were not entern
: the Presbyterian ministry. And this, toe
after assembly had spent DAYS In dis
y cussing n few minor changes in the con
L fession OF faith. that. not only commo
/. sense. but the Gospel OF Jesus Christ dc
IS manded should be changed. IL tho fact
{. were not so sad the absurd question of th
o general assembly would at least provolS
! smile.
But ther is a second question 10 b
s urged against the course OF training |
10 our Neurological semiuaries. The cul
l. riculum has not kept pace with the need
n OF the time. There are prominent clergy
d ment who assert that the student of th'
10 ology should devote half his time 10 tt
{, study OF social conditions.
~ 81 once heard one OF the most prom
lie nent men IN the Baptist church asse
"a that he knew no theology and was gls
OF IL; but he went on TO say that he n
10 know something about men and the nee1
l. OF society. These statements are doub
We less extreme, vet they show the feelir
D. of need for more knowledge I'm val
l. field or study.