Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-24

the comparative Semitic grammar.
asked one of the professors how many
Of the students mastered Hebrew. ne
replied that during his entire experience
with the institution he had never known
/ but two who showed any proficiency IN
that language He expressed it as his In
dividual opinion that it was moe difficult
Cor the members of his race to acquire
foreign languages than for white men.
It could not be expected that young men
from the cotton fields, whose parents were
il.iterate and whose ancestors were en-
tirely without culture. would show pro-
ficiency in the dead languages. Fur her
more, their prepaI alton was defective ana
insufficient Most Of them CAM from
academies and other schools supported
by the missionary societies. in which the
instructors however jealous and fatthful,
were not so competent as they might be-
He did not wish to criticise the man.
agement of his own institution On the
contrary, he heartily approved OF what
ever the trustees proposed for the good OF
the. students. He realized that they were
wiser than he. At the same time he ad-
mitted that the demand for practical COM
mon sense and a knowledge of the Engllsh
Bible among the colored clergy OF the
south was much greater than knowledge
of the dead languages.
Prof George f. Davis. dean of the fac
ulty, explained that the reasons for teach
ing Hebrew and Greek were first, a de-
sire on the part of the students to be able
to read the holy Scriptures in the orig
inal, and, secondly. the need of educating
a few members Of his race to be leaders In
thought and action. He did not advocate
general instruction in the dead languages,
but it would do no harm and he believed
1t would do a great deal Of good to have a
few scholars and linguists among the COL
ored race.
DR.. Moorland's View.
Rev. ]. E. Moorland, DID,, q >colored
man, a graduate Of Howard University
and one OF the international secretaries OF
the general Y. M. c. A., recently delivered
an address on 1.-THE Practical Training OF
the Negro Minister" in which he gives
the results of the observations Of many
years travelling among the colored
churches of the south.
THE average course Of study in the the
illogical seminaries provided for both white
and colored men is not calculated to bring
young clergymen into touch with the
problems which are to confront them, as II
should" he says. There Is not very
much in their course of instruction that
inspires men with the gravity of the prob
lem of human society. Too many times
theories Of salvation and various other
doctrines which are of little or no value
1t Is unfortunate that many of our minis
tiers had no systematic training at all
and 1t is surprising that so much has been
accomplished with such poorly equipped
men as many of them have been. Usually
the theological seminaric1 have been very
slow in utilizing the most improved edu-
cational methods and have been very
strong IN maintaining the old order OF
istry Is training that WITH put them In
possession of the knowledge Of human So
ciety just as 1t is: training that will do
for the minister what our medical schools
are doing for the physicians; 1t will bring
him IN daily contact with the conditions
which he must meet in the world. Thor
ough instruction" in sociology will make ii
possible for the young men in our theolog-
ical seminarfes to get a practical knowl-
edge Of human relations and conditions
Greater care will be taken of the poor and
the orphans and more energy will be spent
in building up the moral characters of the
young men and young women Of the COM
munity.
parture in two leading theological semi
naries. The Yale Divinity School has
changed its course very much, 1t has
strengthened the old course. leading to the
degree of bachelor OF. divinity, known as
| historical; also adding a philosophical and
| a practical course. both of which lead to
the b. D. degree. The practical course will
emphasize the relation of the minister to
the problems of modern society, giving
| special attention to Christian sociology
ethics and methods of Christian activity.
"The Chicago Theological Seminary has
made a similar change and says in It's lat.
est catalogue: The subjects for instruc-
| ton are those directly relating to the
| work of the ministry, and courses in the
| English Bible. the psychology Of Chris
tan living. religious pedagogy. evangel
ism. missions. Christian sociology and cit
izenship are In both the prescribed ant
elective work. Hebrew and Greek have
been made almost entirely elective ant
and much that Is traditional in systematic
| theology. church history and other depart
| ments has had to make room for new sub
| jects.' This is most encouraging and, M
| doubt, before a great while other semi
naries will follow the same course"