New Britain herald., 1927-05-17
Rev. Dr. O.. s. Davis Reviews B Years
 Since He Left Seminary In Hartford

Every minister must look back
 upon his seminary course with a certain feeling derived from his evaluation of its worth in the light of his practical experience. I have often reviewed my three years in Hartford seminary in the growing perspective of my ministry. find that I was furnished with a defi- mite attitude toward my work or a passion for service, and also with material and technique for the do- ing of my work. In respect to the former I do not hesitate to say that the inspiration of the semi nary was real and deep and last ing. IL sent me to East London be- fore I graduated: it furnished me with incentives for service in town parish at Springfield, Vermont. in a suburban parish at Newtonville. Mass. and in city parish at New Britain, Connecticut. On the sec ond count l am under profound obligation to the seminary for its content and technical courses. He brew and Greek have gone out of fashion now; but I am happy that they were prescribed in Hartford in the early nineties. The thorough ness of the Biblical courses would not have missed; perhaps l never used the dozen shades of meaning which Professor Jacobus could dis cover in a single word in Romans, but 1t was a durable satisfaction to be sure that they were there. The seminary gave me excellent tounda- ton stuff and then sent me out to do my work with common-sense and wholesome joy. I never have been able to join with those who expressed disappointment that they were not better prepared for the ministry by the seminary curricu- lum. My only regret is that I did not make better use of what was so freely and wisely given to me in Hosmer hall.
 Quality of Leadership Still High
 The 33 years out have given me the exerence of witnessing a great change of leadership in our Con- gregational forces. For example, George Leon Walker, Edwin r. Parker and Joseph H. Twitchell were in conspicuous pulpits at the beginning of my seminary course. nty v,1o toE hyp ot now The Brooklyn. New York. New Haven and Boston pulpits. as we'll as the official positions in the ma tional organizations, were filled, with few exceptions, by men no longer with us now.
 Does this mean that the quality of our leadership has deteriorated I think not. On returning to the place Of his childhood an adult i$ to find how small the trees and how low the mountaina really are. The scale of values has changed. These were indeed noun tain men; but as 1 take their ac-i Iual measure and then recall the leaders who are now com ing into their own, I am sure that we have no reason for fearing loss in the quality of our leadership.
 These 33 years have registered the greatest advance in material civilization. in the achievements of science, in the discovery of the of the universe. that ever have been recorded in any other third of a century. The universe has been expanded to super-galax- ies; time has been thrust back to billions of years: the electronic structure of the material universe has been announced: such speed and power and efficiency as were of in 1894 are even now in our hands and the end of all this no man can tell. To have lived during the past GO years has been the highest privilege. But the cen tral problem of our civilization has not changed. It is simply this: To find the adequate moral and spir- itual control for these mighty en- zines of achievement. Unless we do this our civilization may be de- stroyed by the very energies which it has evoked and cannot control. Therefore we need more than ever today the mastery of our splendid civilization by ethical ideals and religious passion. Men and women who are under the sway of Chris Lian principle must save the world. The automobile waiting at the curb perform an operation that life will be saved, or it may carry thug so swiftly on his errand of crime that a robbery will be com mitted and a safe getaway staged. depends upon the man 1t the wheel of the car. I find that the Christian religion is the one best means of securing the right control which will guarantee safe. happy and permanent civili- zation
 "So I have come to believe more han ever before in the m message of he gospel and the mission of the Christian church, No higher privi- ege could come to anyone than has oeen given to me during these rich md wonderful years to try in every way to enthrone in my own fife and to help others to accept the uaster motives of Jesus as the prac- ical principles for individual and so- 'ial living. l am utterly certain hat the future happiness and peace )f the race rest in the control of fife by the spirk of Christ.
 Theological Adjustment
 This third of century has been | time of theological readjustment There is a new astronomy: but the itars in the sky , the same as hose which called forth the wonder # the first men who looked up to hem and heard their song through