i^- d 
 
 * 
 
 ALUMNI LIBRARY, I 
 
 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, | 
 
 (Uisc, division. 
 
 f0~i 
 
 r 
 
 ^' 
 
w- 
 
THE 
 
 rMPORTANCE OF MATURE PREPARATORY STUDY FOR 
 THE MimSTRY: 
 
 AN 
 
 INTRODUCTORY LECTURE, 
 
 DCLIVERED 
 
 AT THE OPENING OP THE SUMMER SESSION 
 
 THEOLOGICAL. SEMIXARY 
 
 PBIXrOETOXf, XTE'W-JEBSEir, 
 
 JULY 3, 1829. 
 
 BY SAMUEL MILLER, D. D. 
 
 Professor of Eccltgiasiical History and Church Government in the said 
 Seminary. 
 
 PRINCETON PRESS: 
 
 PRINTED BY BERNARD CONNOLLY, FOR THE STUDENTS OP THE 
 XHfiOLOGICAL SEMINARY- 
 
 1839, 
 
v 
 
 Theological Seminary, Princeton^ Jtiljf 10, 1829. 
 REV. AND DEAR SIR, 
 
 *^t a meeting of the Students of this Insti- 
 itttion, held on the 1th inst.j it was unanimously 
 
 ''RESOLVED, 
 
 " That a Committee be appointed to request 
 of Dr. Miller, for publication, a copy of his introduc- 
 tory LECTURE, delivered at the opening of the present 
 Session^ 
 
 Influenced by the conviction that the subject 
 of your Lecture, does not receive from, those generally 
 who are looking forward to the ministry, that degree of 
 attentive consideration which it deserves ; and that the 
 age in which we live, and the present state of the 
 church, with a peculiar earnestness, call for those who 
 can contend ably as well as earnestly, for the faith once 
 delivered to the saints, and who can quickly detect and 
 clearly expose the various errors that now appear 
 arrayed in the most imposing garbs that extensive 
 knowledge and cultivated intellect can furnish : — deep- 
 ly impressed with this belief, the Students are anxious 
 to have the sentiments inculcated in your Lecture widely 
 disseminated among the youth of our church and 7ia- 
 tioji. 
 
 With feelings of unfeigned respect, 
 
 TVe remain dear Sir, 
 
 ^Affectionately yours, 
 
 WILLIAM C. WHITE, } 
 
 J.H.GILLESPIE, \ COMMITTEE. 
 
 SAMUEL G. WINCHESTER. S 
 
 Rev. Dr, Miller. 
 
AN 
 
 INTRODUCTORY liECTURE, 
 
 Beloved Pupils, 
 
 The subject to which I have resolved to dh-ect your 
 attention on the present occasion, is the great impor- 
 tance of candidates for the holy ministry, going through 
 a mature and adequate course of professional study, 
 before entering on their public work. The friends of 
 this Institution have often remarked, with surprize and 
 regret, how very small a portion of those who study 
 here, can be prevailed upon to remain for three years, 
 and to complete the regular course. Seldom, if ever, I 
 think, have we been able to persuade as many as one 
 halfoS. any class to continue their studies to the close 
 of the prescribed period. Many stay but half the usual 
 time ; others not more than a third part ; and some, 
 after spending with us a single short summer session, 
 have gone forth, and announced themselves to the 
 churches as pupils of our Seminary. Against this great, 
 and, I fear, undiminishing evil, the Professors have, 
 from time to time, raised the voice of solemn remon- 
 strance : the Board of Directors have, once and again, 
 recorded their pointed testimony: and the General 
 Jlssemhly have expressed their utter disapprobation, in 
 terms which might have been expected to be decisive 
 in their influence on all considerate minds. Still the 
 deplorable evil in question continues to prevail. Pres- 
 
6 
 
 byteries either give it their direct countenance, or, 
 cannot be prevailed upon to set their faces, with suffi- 
 cient firmness, against it; and short sighted ©r infatuated 
 young men, setting at naught the counsels of experi- 
 ence, and urged on, either by inconsiderate friends, or 
 their own impatience, ascend the pulpit, and undertake 
 to teach others, while they need to be taught them- 
 selves " the first principles of the oracles of God." 
 
 1 shall not at present, detain you with any comments 
 on the tendency of this practice to injure the Seminary 
 itself; to render it both less useful, and less respecta- 
 ble, in the eyes of an enlightened religious public. I 
 forbear to urge this consideration, not because it is a 
 matter of small moment ; for the character of an Insti- 
 tution like this, is always of real importance, not only 
 to the particular branch of the Christian Family with 
 which it is more immediately connected, but also to the 
 whole Church of God: — but because this is a topic, 
 concerning which we might be suspected of partiality ; 
 and, more especially, because there are other conside- 
 rations, still more momentous, on which I consider it as 
 my duty now to enlarge. 
 
 I shall employ the present Lecture, then, in endea- 
 vouring to impress upon the minds of those whom I 
 address, that the preliminary studies of a candidate for 
 the holy ministry ought to be as mature and complete as 
 he can make them ; and, of consequence, that nothing 
 less than what is commonly styled a " regular course," 
 either here or elsewhere, under the direction of some 
 approved teacher or teachers, ought to be considered 
 as sufficient, by any theological student, who wishes to 
 be, permanently, either acceptable or useful in the 
 sacred office. And in support of this position, — 
 
 I. My first argument shall be drawn from a conside- 
 ration Avhich I take for granted none will controvert, 
 
viz. That ive are bound to serve Christ with the very 
 best faculties and attainments that we possess, or can 
 possibly acquire. 
 
 That we are really bound to serve God with the best 
 that we have or can gain, I hold to be, upon Christian 
 principles, a self-evident proposition. If so, then the 
 young man who does not honestly endeavour to make 
 the most of those faculties which God has given him ; 
 who does not cultivate, and enlarge, and enrich them 
 to the highest degree which his circumstances render 
 practicable : and who, having done this, does not devote 
 them all in the best manner that he is able, to the ser- 
 vice of his Master, und(!)ubtedly commits sin ; and a sin 
 proportioned to the degree in which he fails of doing in 
 this respect, what he might and ought to have done. 
 Has God given us talents, accompanied with the com- 
 mand, Occupy till I come ? Are we commanded to 
 make the most that we can of these talents by " tra- 
 ding," that is by laborious culture and exertion 1 And 
 are we informed that our reward will be in proportion 
 to our fidelity in trading, and our guilt in proportion to 
 our negligence and unfaithfulness ? Then there can be 
 Jio hesitation in pronouncing, that he to whom God 
 has given good talents, who sits down contented with a 
 small amount of mental culture ; who, when he might 
 gain one hundred degrees of knowledge, with which to 
 serve the Church, contents himself with fifty, or twenty. 
 or, alas ! as many do, with ten, or, peradventure, even 
 with five, commits a grievous sin against God, against 
 the Church, and against his own soul. 
 
 That intellect is power, and that knowledge is power, 
 will not be denied by any of those whom I now address. 
 Power to enlighten; power to exert influence; and, 
 consequently, power to do good. Of course, the more 
 a minister of the Gospel has of both, provided they be 
 
8 
 
 under the bauctified guidance of genuine piety, the bet- 
 ter is he qualified to serve the Church of God ; and the 
 more Ukely will he be, other things being equal, to pro- 
 mote its best interests. There is no doubt, indeed, that 
 the real success of all Christian ministrations depends 
 on the mighty power of the Spirit of God, accompany- 
 ing them, and making them effectual. But still, as long 
 as God's kingdom is a kingdom of means , and as long 
 as the good done, is ordinarily proportioned to the 
 character of the agency employed in accomplishing it, 
 we must suppose that of two ministers equally pious, he 
 who is best instructed in the things of the kingdom of 
 God, most at home in the great system of his truth, and 
 most " mighty in the Scriptures," will be most likely to 
 be a successful servant of the Church. 
 
 I would, then, appeal to the conscience of every can- 
 didate for the holy ministry, whether he can voluntarily 
 and deliberately permit himself to form a plan for his 
 theological education, which will, if I may be allowed the 
 expression, stint and abridge all his preparation for pub- 
 lic work, and deprive him, it may be, of three-fourths 
 of that amount of qualification with which he might and 
 ought to come forth to the service of the Church ? Can 
 he, as a conscientious man, allow himself, when it is 
 possible to order it otherwise, to enter the sacred office 
 with slender acquirements, when, by doing so, he will, 
 in all probability, render himself less acceptable to the 
 Church ; less useful in his day ; less capable of defen- 
 ding the Gospel against gainsayers ; less able to in- 
 truct, and mould, and influence the rising generation ; 
 less able to take the lead in diffusing sanctified science 
 around him ; less able to benefit, in any respect, the 
 kingdom of his divine Master, and the world in which 
 he lives 'I It is no valid plea to say, in answer to this 
 reasoning, that an individual, in a given case, cannot 
 
pursue a more adequate course of study, without much 
 difficulty^ and at the expense of many sacrifices. Be 
 it so. The service of God daily calls for labour and 
 sacrifice. And he who refuses to sustain them, when 
 it is in his power, and when there is an evident call of 
 duty, is unfaithful to the highest obligations. 
 
 II. The next argument which I would urge in favour 
 of a mature and thorough course of preliminary study, 
 shall be drawn from the consideration of the extent, 
 difficulty, and importance of the various departments 
 of knowledge which are necessarily included in such a 
 course. 
 
 Multitudes of secular men, and too many who are 
 turning their eyes to the sacred office, seem, indeed, to 
 think that the preparatory studies of a minister may be 
 brought within a very narrow compass. In fact, they 
 seem to imagine that a careful perusal of the Bible ; of 
 some one systematic work on theology, such as that of 
 Turretine, or Ridgely ; and of Mosheim and Milner on 
 Ecclesiastical History, together with a few more single 
 volumes on detached theological subjects, is quite 
 enough to prepare any man for the pulpit. All that can 
 be said of such persons is, that they betray an ignorance 
 as wonderful as it is disreputable. As well might a man 
 dream that he was qualified to be a physician, by the 
 perusal of Cullen's "First Lines," or of Thomas's 
 *' Practice of Physic ;" or a lawyer, by reading Black- 
 stone's "Commentaries." Surely such calculators ne- 
 ver penetrated beyond the surface of any single ques- 
 tion in Biblical or Theological inquiry. Let me request 
 you to glance over the catalogue of studies prescribed . 
 in this Seminary, as detailed in the chapter entitled, "Of 
 study and attainments," and then to say, whether any 
 one of them can be wisely or safely left out of the list ; 
 and further, how much time is necessary to go over 
 
 B 
 
10 
 
 them, I will not say deeply, but even in the most cur- 
 sory manner that admits of real intelligence. When 
 we recollect that every candidate for the ministry is 
 called upon by our plan to make lumself familiar with 
 the Original Languages of Scripture ; with Biblical 
 History; with Biblical Antiquities; with the principles 
 and details of Biblical Criticism and Interpretation; 
 with Didactic and Polemic Theology, in all their diversi- 
 fied and interesting branches, including the Deistical 
 controversy, the Unitarian controversy, the Pelagian 
 and Semi-pelagian controversies, to say nothing of 
 many other departments of this boundless subject- 
 When we recollect that to these must be added Eccle- 
 siastical History, Church Government, the Composition 
 and Delivery of Sermons, the Pastoral Care, and a 
 variety of other subjects which cannot be minutely spe- 
 cified ; — I say, when we recollect that all these branches 
 of study are indispensable ; that they ought all to be 
 made objects of attention by every candidate for the 
 holy ministry ; that he is really not prepared even to 
 begin his work, as an interpreter of Scripture, and a 
 professional counsellor and guide of immortal souls, 
 without some good acquaintance with every one of 
 them ; — is it possible for any one, who knows what 
 study and knowledge mean, to think of gaining any 
 Valuable acquaintance with these various and extensive 
 departments of knowledge, in less than three or four 
 years of diligent application % It is impossible. They 
 are subjects in respect to which no talents can super- 
 sede the necessity of patient and protracted labour. 
 Nay, it is evident that a tolerably comprehensive ac- 
 quaintance with any one of them, cannot be acquired, 
 by the finest mind, without months of devoted study. 
 He, then, who thinks so far to master them all, as to 
 be prepared to be " a teacher in the house of God," at 
 
11 
 
 little expense of time and toil, labours under a delusion 
 which would be a proper subject of ridicule only, were 
 it not so destructive in its consequences to the most 
 precious interests of men. 
 
 If there be, then, in the bosom of the Church a, mel- 
 ancholy spectacle, it is that of a rash, self-confident 
 young man, who presses forward to the awful station 
 of a spiritual teacher, when he has not been taught 
 himself; who is not qualified, perhaps, to illustrate and 
 guard a single point in theology ; who, of course, 
 must be a superficial preacher ; and who cannot fail of 
 being liable to all the crude thinking, and the doctrinal 
 inconsistencies and aberrations, which so frequently 
 mark the character of those who thus prematurely in- 
 trude into the sacred office. How it is, that young men 
 apparently conscientious, can deUberately consent to 
 go forth as public instructors in the Church of Christ ; 
 to open and apply the Scriptures ; to meet and confute 
 the learned sceptic ; to silence the ingenious caviller ; 
 to solve delicate and momentous questions of casuistry ; 
 to counsel the anxious, the perplexed, the tempted, 
 and the doubting ; and adapt themselves to all the vari- 
 ety of characters and duties which a large congregation 
 presents, while they are, comparatively children, both 
 as to knowledge and experience, — is indeed wonderful, 
 and as humiliating as it is wonderful ! 
 
 What an impressive comment on the presumptuous 
 readiness with which too many young men, in modern 
 times, venture on the arduous and awful labours of the 
 Gospel ministry, with the slenderest furniture, were the 
 fears and the hesitations of the illustrious Calvin, as. 
 recorded by his biographers ! After that celebrated 
 Reformer had published the first edition of his " Institu- 
 tions of the Christian Religion," when Joseph Scaliger 
 supposes him to have been the most learned man in 
 
12 
 
 EurojK^ and when he was importuned, and finally con- 
 strained to settle, as a pastor in Geneva, he was actually 
 on his way to Strnshurgh, for the purpose of further 
 pursuing his theological studies, under the impression 
 that he had not yet obtained mature scriptural know- 
 ledge enough to warrant his undertaking the stated ex- 
 ercise of the pastoral office ! 
 
 III. A third consideration which shows the impor- 
 tance of having the preparatory studies in theology 
 as thorough and complete as possible, is, that he tvho 
 does not lay a good foundation in the beginning, will 
 never be likely to supply the deficiency afterwards. 
 
 Many candidates for the ministry, no doubt, content 
 themselves with what they acknowledge to be a short 
 and very superficial course of study at the outset, be- 
 cause they imagine they will have an ample opportu- 
 nity of supplying all deficiencies after entering on their 
 official work. They flatter themselves that, after they 
 have actually entered the field of public labour, they 
 will have at once, better facilities, and stronger excite- 
 ments to study, than they now enjoy ; and that, then, 
 they will make up, and more than make up, w hatever 
 may now be wanting. But it is easy to show that this 
 expectation generally proves, in fact, and in most cases 
 must prove, altogether delusive. Rely on it, my young 
 friends, if you leave this Seminary with a mere smat- 
 tering of theological knowledge ; with what you know- 
 to be a scanty and inadequate foundation, there is every 
 probability that you will go through life, and to your 
 graves, with very little more. The superstructure con- 
 cerning which you anticipate so much, w ill, pretty cer- 
 tainly, be of the same miserable, scanty, and insufficient 
 character. 
 
 For, in the first place, when a young preacher, at the 
 present d ay, goes out to serve the Church, — if he ha\ic 
 
13 
 
 talentti, and be popular, — and especially if he have ar- 
 dent piety, and a heart to perform his work with zeal, 
 he will have so much to do; will be so incessantly 
 called upon in every direction ; will be constrained to 
 preach so much in season, and out of season^ that he 
 will hardly find time enough to prepare, even in the 
 most hasty and superficial manner, for the pulpit ; much 
 less to engage in other studies in which he might have 
 found himself deficient when he began to preach. And, 
 what is worthy of particular notice here, the more 
 ardent his piety, and the more animated, interesting, 
 and popular his preaching, the worse, as to the point in 
 question, it will be for liim :— that is, the more incessant 
 will be his interruptions, and the more difficult he will 
 find it to redeem any time for rea/ study. I say for 
 real study ; for those little snatches of reading and 
 writing, all of which, and more, are indispensably ne- 
 cessary for preparation for the pulpit, and which are 
 seldom enjoyed with a perfectly composed mind, are 
 really not worthy of the name of study. The conse- 
 quence is, that nine out of ten, perhaps nineteen out of 
 twenty, of those who engage in preaching with very 
 slender furniture, go through the whole of their minis- 
 terial life with lean, unfurnished minds. Their " profi- 
 ting does not appear to all." Not having the habit of 
 close study, it is not easy to begin. They, perhaps, 
 hope for much, and promise much in the way of future 
 improvement, but never find time for it. The result 
 is, they are not instructive or interesting preach- 
 ers. The small stock with which they begin is soon 
 exhausted. Their popular acceptance soon declines or 
 ceases. They are seldom long settled hi one congre- 
 gation, the people every where discovering, in a short 
 time, that they know but little, and cannot " feed them 
 with knowledge and with understanding." They re- 
 
14 
 
 move, igaomhiiously, from place to place. Instead of 
 being attracted and edified, the people to whom they 
 minister are scattered, and perhaps perish under their 
 feeble ministrations. Premature dotage creeps on : and 
 they die, in many cases, rather a burden than a blessing 
 to the Church. It is truly melancholy to think how 
 often this has been the real history of ministers who 
 entered the sacred office without proper furniture, and 
 who, for want of time or inclination afterwards, never 
 made up their early deficiency. 
 
 We know that if a common mechanic learn his trade 
 well in the beginning, and go forth from his ai)prentice- 
 ship a good workman, he is not only able to do his 
 work better^ but also to do more work in a given time, 
 and to do it with far more ease and comfort to himself, 
 than if he had gone out a bungler, and but half taught. 
 The same principle, in all its extent, applies to the 
 intellectual and moral workman. When the candidate 
 for the sacred office allows himself to engage in the 
 duties of that office but half prepared, all his subsequent 
 work will be performed with more difficulty, more 
 tardily, and probably with less usefulness. His prepa- 
 rations for the pulpit will cost him more time and toil, 
 and will be less satisfactory to himself, as well as to 
 others. Whereas, if he delay going forth to his work 
 until he be really ready, his comfort, his reputation, and 
 his benefit to the Church and the world, will be likely 
 to be proportionably increased. 
 
 But, even supposing that he who enters on the duties 
 of the holy ministry with slender furniture, should after- 
 wards be determined, whatever it may cost him, to 
 make up his deficiency by unwearied and extra efforts. 
 Still his task will be difficult, and his prospect gloomy. 
 He can only take one of two courses, either of which 
 will probably be fatal. He may attempt, amidst all his 
 
15 
 
 multiplied active labours, and distracting cares, by 
 night studies, and by urging nature in every way, and 
 beyond her strength, to gain that which he ought to 
 have acquired before he entered the pulpit. In this 
 case he will, pretty certainly, destroy his healthy and 
 either sink into a premature grave, or reduce himself, 
 for the remainder of his days, to a state of languor and 
 protracted disease, which will render existence a bur- 
 den, and all comfortable and efficient discharge of duty 
 impossible. O how many miserable and hopeless in- 
 valids for life, might have avoided the calamity of 
 which they are victims, by gaining, in the preliminary 
 part of their course, that which they unwisely left to 
 be accomplished by subsequent efforts ! Or, the delin- 
 quent in question may choose another alternative. He 
 may, after entering the ministry, confine himself to his 
 study, neglecting family visitation, neglecting family 
 instruction, neglecting the anxious inquirer, neglecting 
 the sick and the dying, in short, neglecting all pastoral 
 duties, excepting those of the pulpit. The consequences 
 of adopting this alternative, may be even still more 
 deplorable than in the former case. While the other 
 course would, probably, be fatal to his health, this 
 would be fatal to his usefulness, fatal to his character, 
 fatal to the best interests of the souls committed to his 
 charge. 
 
 But it will be asked, — Have not individuals been 
 frequently known, who entered the office of the holy 
 ministry with very small theological furniture ; but who 
 afterwards, by extraordinary efforts, became not only 
 respectably, but some of them even richly furnished for 
 their work ? I answer, such instances have now and 
 then occured. But they have been generally, men of 
 peculiar intellectual vigour and perseverance ; of great 
 decision of character ; and placed in cii'cumstances 
 
16 
 
 wliiclu in a great measure exempted them from the 
 daily and homly calls of pastoral duty. Of such a man 
 in the American Church, witliin the last twenty years, 
 since the additional claims on the time and efforts of 
 ministers have become so numerous and importunate, 
 I know of no example. And I have no doubt that, if 
 the whole history of those men, who, in other times and 
 countries, have presented such examples, were impar- 
 tially examined, they would be found powerful witnesses 
 not against, but for the doctrine which I am labouring 
 to establish. 
 
 IV, Further ; a mature and leisurely training for the 
 Gospel ministry is highly important, not merely for the 
 purpose of storing the 7nind ivith knowledge, but also 
 for the purpose of that intellectual atid moral discipline^ 
 which is of no less value to a minister of Christ than 
 theological learning. 
 
 Many seem to imagine that the only use of a regular 
 and complete course of preparatory study, is the mere 
 attainme7it of knowledge. And, therefore, when a 
 candidate for the ministry, after completing his Colle- 
 giate course, is exhorted to spend at least three years 
 in a Theological Seminary, or in some similar situation, 
 it is thought, by many serious people, to be almost a 
 criminal sacrifice to mere learning. But such persons 
 forget that the discipline of the mind, and especially of 
 the heart, the temper, and the general character, is 
 among the most important parts of professional prepa- 
 ration. They forget that even if the requisite amount 
 of facts and principles could be crowded into the mind 
 of a young man in six months, or even in six weeks, 
 still one essential object of theological education would 
 be unattained ; wliich is casting the luhole man, if I may 
 be ailowed the expression, into the proper mould for 
 a minister of religion. This includes the correction of 
 
y 
 
 17 
 
 bad habits ; the ibrmation of new and better ones ; the 
 gradual discipline and ripening of tlie intellectual 
 powers ; mellowing, softening, and at the same time 
 invigorating, the graces of the heart ; bringing down 
 high thoughts of himself; ascertaining his own defects 
 and foibles; learning the value of gravity, self-com- 
 mand, prudence, and Christian dignity ; studying human 
 nature and the world ; studying clerical character 
 as it too commonly has been, and as it ought to be ; in 
 short, unlearning many things which have been learned 
 amiss, and correcting many erroneous views, and juve- 
 nile propensities, which nothing but time, and suitable 
 associations, accompanied with much observation, 
 watchfulness, prayer and conflict can possibly, under 
 God, enable him to accomplish. Suppose a young 
 man to enter a Seminary like this, to be trained up for 
 the Gospel ministry. Suppose him to have lively, 
 vigorous talents, and unfeigned piety ; but at the same 
 time to be rash, impetuous, indiscreet, ignorant of the 
 world, elated with ideas of his own powers and impor- 
 tance, and ready on all occasions, to dash forward for 
 tlie attainment of his object. Now, if such a young 
 man had read all the books in the world, and heard and 
 treasured up all the learned lectures that ever were 
 delivered, within these or any other walls, he would 
 still be unfit to go forth as a Minister of the Gospel ; — 
 to be a Teacher, an Example, and a Guide in the Church 
 of God. Such an one needs the friendly hints, the fra- 
 ternal counsel, the gentle Christian attention of a band 
 of fellow-students. He needs to be taught by experi- 
 ence, and sometimes by very painful experience ; to. 
 be admonished, and mortified, and humbled again and 
 again, before he can be brought to " think soberly," to 
 feel what his own defects and foibles are, and to 
 acknowledge that others are greater and better than 
 
18 
 
 himself; before he can learn habitually to respect the 
 feelings of others, to treat all around him with delicacy, 
 to be '< swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to Avrath." 
 And all this is not, ordinarily, to be acquired in a year, 
 or in two years. It is, usually, a slow process ; and the 
 longer it can be continued, within reasonable limits, the 
 better. It will indeed be well if the close of the most 
 protracted course in the Seminary, should find those 
 who pass through it in any good measure, mature, or 
 even advanced, in these attainments. For it is certain 
 that all who enjoy the opportunity are by no means so 
 happy. In fact, with many, this intellectual and moral 
 discipline is far more jieeded, and far more important, 
 than mere knowledge. The want of it is their most 
 prominent and radical defect ; and will be likely, per- 
 haps, more than any other, (next to a defect in piety,) 
 to interfere with their acceptance, their comfort, and 
 their usefulness to the end of life. 
 
 The truth is, many of the ministers of our Church, 
 enter on their public work by a good deal too early in 
 life. Not only before they have taken time to become 
 sutficiently furnished with Biblical and Theological 
 knowledge ; but before their character is properly 
 formed and matured. Like the unfledged young of the 
 feathered tribes, they have ventured forth, and attempt- 
 ed to fly, before their wings were ready to sustain 
 them. The consequence is, that like them also, many 
 an ignoble fall, and many a sad bruise and wound, are 
 found to be the result. It is really very seldom that any 
 man has such maturity and solidity of judgment, such 
 habitual gravity and prudence, such a knowledge of 
 himself and of the world, and such a store of the various 
 and important information w^hich he needs, as to qualify 
 him for entering the pulpit before twenty five or twenty- 
 six years of age, and especially for undertaking a pas- 
 
19 
 
 toral charge before twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Nor 
 even then is he ready for such delicate, difficult and 
 momentous work, unless he have spent years in steadily 
 contemplating its nature, and in preparing and disci- 
 plining his whole mind and habits for its performance. 
 
 V. A further argument in favour of a regular and . / 
 complete course of theological study, may be drawn * 
 from the opinion and practice of our Fathers in all 
 past ages. 
 
 In the ancient Jewish Church, no priest could enter 
 on the full and active duties of his office, until he was 
 thirty yeai's old ; and of the preceding years, the last 
 fifteen, and especially the last ten, were devoted to dili- 
 gent study and preparation for his official work. Of 
 course, I hardly need add, that the course of study in 
 the Divinity Schools under the Old Testament dispen- 
 sation, was long, leisurely, and mature. 
 
 In like manner, after the advent of the Saviour, when 
 the Church became organized and settled, careful study 
 as a preparation for the sacred office was continued, 
 and that by Divine direction. For although the first 
 preachers were illiterate fishermen, yet they were 
 supernaturally instructed by their Master, and endowed 
 with the power of working miracles, and speaking with 
 tongues, in aid of their ministry ; and long before this 
 period of miracle and inspiration was ended, we find 
 careful study and mature knowledge enjoined by an 
 Apostle, who knew their value by experience, and incul- 
 cated them upon principles which apply to all ages. 
 lie had himself been " brought up at the feet of Gama- 
 liel -"^ and seems to have been well skilled in every 
 branch of literature and science then taught. And, 
 what is particularly worthy of our notice, this only man, 
 among all the Apostles, who was favoured with ample 
 
20 
 
 and ripe learning, was by far the most eminently useiiil 
 of the whole number. Accordingly he gives directions 
 which plainly establish, not only the truth but also the 
 importance of the doctrine for which I am contending. 
 The candidate for the ministry, according to the direc- 
 tion of this Apostle — is not to be " a novice," — but to 
 be "apt to teach" — and "able to teach;" — he is to 
 *'give himself to reading," and "to let his profiting 
 appear to all." In the second, third, and fourth centu- 
 ries, study for the holy ministry seems to have been 
 considered as a serious thing, by no means to be hur- 
 ried over, or regarded as a small affair. Several years 
 of laborious study were not thought too much to be 
 submitted to for this important object. By some of the 
 early councils it was solemnly decided, that no man 
 ought to be ordained to the work of the ministry under 
 thirty years of age ; because they thought that none could 
 be qualified for the office at an earlier period ; because 
 the Lord Jesus Christ himself began his ministry at that 
 age ; and because they considered it as the most per- 
 fect age of man. 
 
 When the modern Theological Seminaries, or rather 
 theological courses of instruction, in the Universities of 
 Europe were established, the same general plan was 
 adopted. In none of them, I believe, is a less time than 
 three years considered as sufficient for a regular course 
 — and in some much more is required. And, what is 
 remarkable, even in those Universities in which the 
 Professors in the theological department, complete their 
 whole course of I^ectures in a single year, as I believe, 
 is the case in Holland^ and some other countries, still 
 at least three years are considered as requisite for a 
 complete professional course. It being supposed of 
 essential importance that every student should travel 
 
21 
 
 repeatedly over tlie same ground, that his knowledge 
 might be more thoroughly digested, and more deeply 
 impressed on his mind. 
 
 When the Seminary of the Associate Reformed 
 Church in the United States was first established, a 
 period of tht-ee years was assigned for the regular 
 course. Yet, in a little time afterwards, the venerable 
 Synod of that Church, extended the course to /our 
 years ; finding, by experience, that three were alto- 
 gether inadequate to the purpose intended. 
 
 . Now, the use which I wish to make of these facts, 
 and others of a similar kind, which might be detailed, is 
 the following : — If our Fathers in all ages ; if the wisest 
 and best of men, both under the Old and New Testa- 
 ment dispensations, have judged that a number of years 
 of close application to study were necessary to a suita- 
 ble course of preparation for the ministry, shall we be 
 arrogant enough to suppose that they were all wrong, 
 and that we understand the subject better than they 
 did 1 Is the field of knowledge now less extended than 
 it was t/ie7i 1 Or shall we be vain enough to imagine 
 that we have better talents, and better capacities for 
 acquiring knowledge than they had ; and that we can 
 accomplish as much as they did in less time 1 It is pro- 
 bable that we shall none of us think of adopting either 
 of these suppositions. No ; they had as vigorous and 
 active minds as we possess ; they were at least as dili- 
 gent in study as we are ; they were quite as much 
 averse, as we are, to the waste of time ; they felt as 
 much as we probably feel, for the salvation of souls 
 perishing around them: — and yet, after much experi- 
 ence, they found the time which has been mentioned 
 necessary to them. Rely on it, my beloved pupils, if 
 you had the same experience, you would be of the same 
 mind with them : and if you have not the same convicr. 
 
22 
 
 tions tiow, you will, I doubt not, adopt them by and by ; 
 perhaps some of you when it shall be too late to profit 
 by the conviction. 
 
 VI. Another consideration in support of the doctrine 
 for which I contend is, that the present state of the 
 world., and especially of our otvn country, calls for 
 more various and profound knowledge in ministers of 
 the Gospel, than was demanded informer times. 
 
 It is not, I think, speaking extravagantly lo say, that 
 where one person in the United States half a century 
 ago, received a liberal education, at least ten, perhaps 
 fifteen, .in one form or another, receive it now. la 
 every part of our country, even in the newest and most 
 remote settlements, there are numbers of professional 
 and other individuals of shrewd and active minds, well 
 informed, and qualified to judge with intelligence and 
 correctness of the talents and learning of those who 
 appear before them as ministers of the Gospel. Some 
 of these men are friendly to the Religion of Christ and 
 its preachers ; but a much larger number are, at heart, 
 hostile to both. A minister, then, can hardly go into 
 the most remote and unenlightened districts without 
 meeting with some, and often with many who are able 
 and very much disposed to scrutinize all that he delivers, 
 and to detect all his ignorance and mistakes. A smat- 
 tering, and more than a smattering in the languages, 
 in the sciences, and in all those departments of know- 
 ledge, from which infidels are w^ont to draw some 
 of their most perplexing objections, is almost every 
 where diffused from Canada to Mexico, and from the 
 Ocean to our remotest Western settlement?. Now, 
 ought ministers of religion to consider themselves as 
 qualified to engage in the public discharge of the duties 
 of their office, until they have gone through such a 
 course of mature study as will qualify them to appear 
 
\J 
 
 2S 
 
 with tolerable advantage before such men ; to instruct 
 them in divine things ; to refute them ; and to defend 
 the cause of Christ against their attacks? Are they 
 really prepared to be heralds of the cross ; to be 
 "watchmen on the walls of Zionf to be "Shepherds 
 of the flock;" to be "leaders and guides of the people" 
 without such furniture as I have described 1 They cer- 
 tainly are not. 
 
 I am aware that some candidates for the holy minis- 
 try, who deliberately content themselves with small 
 preparation for their work, are frequently heard to say, 
 that they do not aspire to any conspicuous station ; that 
 their utmost hope is, that they may, perhaps, be quali- 
 fied to serve the Church in an humble way, among 
 some poor and plain people, where preachers are few 
 and greatly needed. But how can such a candidate 
 know where the Lord of the harvest may assign to him 
 his field of labour ? He is not his own master, nor will 
 he « mete out the bounds of his own habitation." His 
 duty, therefore, is not to say, — " I will go to some 
 " obscure place, and will only aim to be qualified for 
 "5wcA a place ;" but rather, — " I will go wherever the 
 " great Head of the Church, in his infinite wisdom may 
 " send me, and will laboiu', to the extent of my oppor- 
 " tunity and ability, to be prepared for any placed 
 Besides, this whole plea is delusive in another view. 
 It is an utter mistake to suppose that persons of small 
 talents, and slender furniture, are adapted to new settle- 
 ments, and destitute regions. There the best talents, 
 the best acquirements, and the most prudent, judicious 
 men are most indispensably required. Men of feeble 
 minds and small attainments may, perhaps, do good by 
 sitting down in old settlements, where there is much 
 knowledge, prudence, and piety, and where other min- 
 isters are at hand to counsel and aid them. In circum- 
 
stances oi' this kind, I have known such men iiuly 
 useful in the ministry. But they are by no means 
 adapted to be sent as pioneers, into new and destitute 
 legions, where every thing is to be commenced and 
 organized ; and where all the skill, address, learning, 
 prudence, piety, and knowledge of the human heart, 
 and of the wiles of Satan, that a minister can possibly 
 bring to his aid, are greatly, nay, indispensably needed. 
 To this fact, the attention of the Professors of this 
 Seminary has been drawn with a frequency and a force, 
 which could not fail of making a deep impression on 
 their minds. In the course of eight or ten years past, 
 we have received many, very many applications to 
 recommend candidates for settlement in feeble congre- 
 gations and remote places, both in the New and the Old 
 States, accompanied, at the same time, with a detail 
 of circumstances, concerning the situation and character 
 of the people, which convinced us that no candidates 
 would answer the purpose excepting those who had 
 much knowledge, prudence and piety ; nay, which 
 convinced us, that sending candidates of any other 
 character, would rather hinder than promote the pro- 
 gress of the Redeemer's kingdom. Candidates we had, 
 and, in some instances, in considerable numbers ; but 
 few or none fit to be sent to such scenes of labour ; and 
 so we were obliged to inform our importunate appli- 
 cants. The truth is, many of the people in these remote 
 districts desire — and it is a reasonable wish — that the 
 ministers sent them should be qualified to take the lead 
 in all the ecclesiastical organizations and proceedings, 
 not merely of a single Church, but of several neigh- 
 bouring Churches, starting into life and activity ; to be 
 the counsellors and guides of Tovrnships, and some- 
 times, perhaps, of Counties ; to mould a heterogeneous 
 population into a harmonious and comfortable mass ; to 
 
ZO 
 
 give advice, go forward, and command respect in diffi- 
 cult and delicate cases ; and to take an active part in 
 promoting sound" literature as well as religion^ in the 
 respective neighbourhoods in which they may be placed. 
 Indeed to much of this work every itinerant missionary 
 is called ; and it is of the utmost importance that he be 
 able to perform it with acceptance and usefulness. And 
 that candidate for the ministry who is either too lazy, 
 or too narrow-minded to take the requisite pains to 
 qualify himself for these various and momentous duties, 
 may think himself very conscientious, and may give 
 himself great credit for being moderate and humble in 
 his views; but he is an infatuated man. He is not 
 merely under a mistake ; he is unfaithful to himself, to 
 the Church, and to the Master whom he professes to 
 love. 
 
 VII. The position which I wish to establish, is still 
 further confirmed, and its great importance illustrated 
 by the humiliating fact, that learning is, at present, at a 
 lov) ebb among tlie Clergy of the Presbyterian Church. 
 
 This assertion will, probably, be considered as a 
 paradox by some who now hear me, especially when 
 taken in connexion with what was before advanced 
 respecting the growing literature and intelligence of our 
 country. Have not Lawyers and Physicians become 
 more learned and able, as well as more numerous, than 
 they were forty or fifty years ago ] In general I believe 
 tliey have. And have not our Clergy you will ask, 
 made a corresponding improvement] In general, I am 
 persuaded they have not. Whatever may be the rea- 
 sons of it, the humiliating fact, I apprehend, is really so.^ 
 They have not made a corresponding improvement. 
 Other causes may be assigned for this fact — if it be a 
 fact — but I really believe one great cause is the pre- 
 vailing excessive and criminal haste to be licensed, and 
 
 D 
 
26 
 
 to gel into the licld of active labour. The means of 
 more mature study, and the excitements to more ma- 
 ture study, have been constantly increasing ; but both 
 tlie means and excitements have been lost upon a large 
 number of our candidates. And when a rapid improve- 
 ment might have been expected, a real decline, if I 
 mistake not, has been silently and insensibly going on. 
 
 A little more than three quarters of a century ago, 
 there was a considerable number of ministers in the 
 Presbyterian Church in this country, who deserved to 
 be called illustrious. As to the reality of this fact, you 
 Avill not hesitate, when I mention, as a specimen, the 
 names of President Bickinsony the elder President 
 Edwards, President Burr, the Tennents, Mr. Blairy 
 President Daviess President Finhy, and a number more 
 scarcely inferiour ; men, most of them, at once eminent 
 for the fervour of their piety, the activity of their zeal, 
 tiie vigour of their talents, the extent of their erudition, 
 and their commanding influence. The distinguished 
 usefulness of these holy, apostolical men, in giving a 
 tone to the preaching, the discipline, and the character 
 of the Church to which they belonged, it would not be 
 easy to estimate. They were felt to be " workmen 
 that needed not to be ashamed," qualified " rightly to 
 divide the word of truth ;" and the Churches, and their 
 younger brethren confided in them, and looked up to 
 them, and, under the divine blessing, were guided 
 aright. They were men fitted to have influence, and 
 they hud it, and employed it for the glory of God, and 
 the best interests of mankind. 
 
 The generation of ministers next to tliem, were, as a 
 body, little, if any less distinguished. Then we had 
 Strain, and Duffield, and Witherspoon, and At Whorter, 
 and fVuddell, and IVilson^ and liodgers, and HogCy not 
 to mention others of equal claims ; men of wisdom. 
 
/ 
 
 27 
 
 piety, prudence, dignity, and peace ;— men who com- 
 manded the veneration and confidence of the Churches ; 
 men, who, whenever they appeared in ecclesiastical 
 Judicatories, especially in the higher ones, seemed as it" 
 they were sent to enlighten, and guide, and bless the 
 family of Christ. ® 
 
 Of the present state of our Church in reference to 
 this point, it is both difficult and delicate to speak. But 
 I ask — Have we an equally illustrious list to show at 
 this hour, in proportion to our greatly augmented num- 
 bers and advantages 1 Tiie ministers of our Church are 
 nearly ten times as numerous as they were sixty years 
 ago ; and the facilities for obtaining ])ooks, and pursu- 
 ing study, are also greatly multiplied. Upon every 
 principle of proportion, we ought to be able noiv to bring 
 forward a catalogue of Presbyterian Apostles at least 
 ten times as large as could have been produced in the 
 days of Edwards, Bavies,. and Finhy. But can we 
 produce such a catalogue % It would rejoice my heart if 
 I could think it possible. We cannot, however, I think, 
 so far impose upon ourselves as to deem it possible. 
 The most mortifying facts of a contradictory character 
 stare us in the face. How diflicult is it, even in this 
 day of Theological ?3minaries, some of which have 
 been nearly twenty years in operation, to supply an 
 important vacant congregation with a pastor, in whom 
 the union of eminent learning, talents and piety is con- 
 sidered as indispensable % How much more ditTicult 
 still to find a proper head for a College, to take a goodly 
 portion of the rising generation under his care, and 
 train them up to sound learning, and enlightened virtue 
 and piety 1 And if a Professor in a Theological Semi-^ 
 nary be needed, it seems he can only be had by robbing 
 some other Institution, or some important post in the 
 Church; and thus, perhaps, inflicting a certain and 
 
28 
 
 immediate injury more than sufficient to countervail 
 even the anticipated advantage. I should really tremble 
 for the interests of Christian Literature, and of sound 
 theological know^ledge in our Church, and in our country, 
 if 1 did not cherish the hope that " He who sits as King 
 upon the holy hill of Zeow" will give an effectual impulse 
 to the hearts of at least a few of the present generation 
 of candidates for the sacred office, and by their means 
 to the hearts of many others, and thus effect a happy 
 revolution in the current of our affairs. 
 
 VIII. Let me, once more, intreat you to consider, as 
 a further argument on this subject, that our country, 
 and especially some part of it, stand in need oj nothing 
 at this moment (next to the sanctifying grace of God) 
 so much as a larger supply of truly ahle^ pious^ and 
 ivell-trained ministers of the Gospel. 
 
 There is, in my opinion, a great and grievous mistake 
 prevailing in regard to this matter. Many youthful 
 and unfurnished candidates for the ministry profess to 
 be anxious to get into the field of labour, because, say 
 they, " the harvest is so great and the labourers so few." 
 They feel for the spiritual desolation which they witness, 
 and of which they hear. They figure to themselves thou- 
 sands " perishing for lack of vision ;" and they some- 
 times imagine that, in circumstances so urgent, it 
 would be almost criminal in them to remain poring over 
 their books, while so many souls are passing daily into 
 eternity, without any to tell them of Him " whose 
 blood cleanseth from all sin." But this reasoning is 
 founded on a total misapprehension. " The harvest is 
 indeed great," and it is distressing to think that the 
 " labourers are so few." The harvest, however, is not 
 greater than it was in the days of our Lord's personal 
 ministry. Tlie whole world was then in a state of even 
 more complete moral desolation than at present. And 
 
29 
 
 yet He did not think proper to enter upon his pubhc 
 ministry until he was full " thirty years of age." The 
 harvest is not greater, or more distressingly in need of 
 labourers, than it was in the days of Paul; and yet 
 that holy man, immediately taught of God, would re- 
 ceive " no novice" to the work of the ministry, would 
 " lay hands suddenly on no man," even for the purpose 
 of sending forth a messenger of life to the perishing. 
 'J'he number of ministers, my beloved Pupils, is unspeak- 
 ably less important than their character. There is 
 indeed, the most pressing want of more labourers to go 
 forth and feed the destitute and perishing millions in 
 every part of our revolted world. But I will venture 
 to say, there is a still greater want of well qualified 
 labourers, in whom piety, wisdom, prudence, zeal and 
 learning are conspicuously united. One such man will 
 really be likely to do more good — far more good — than 
 fifty unqualified men, or men not furnished, in some 
 measure, as public teachers and guides ought to be. 
 One such man as Brainerd^ or Edwards^ or Buchanan^ 
 or Martyn, would be really more useful to the Church, 
 and to their generation, than many scores of weak and 
 ignorant men, and especially men of dubious piety, 
 under the name of ministers. So the word of God 
 teaches ; and so we judge concerning other professions. 
 Suppose a population of ten thousand families to be 
 labouring under a contagious and mortal disease. 
 Would it be better to send among them half a dozen 
 wise and skillful Physicians, or fifty or even a hundred 
 miserable quacks, who would be likely to kill more than 
 they would cure 1 Surely no thinking man can hesitate 
 a moment about the proper answer. The truth is; 
 there are unqualified men enough in the ministry. 
 Other denominations are furnishing them in abundantly 
 sufficient numbers. The task seems to be incumbent 
 
on us, under God, to train up for the service of the 
 Church, ministers of a more mature, scriptural and 
 elevated character ; and if the proper qualifications are 
 not insisted on, and provided for by our Church ; if the 
 great mass of those sent out by us, are not able as well 
 as pious and faithful " ministers of the New Testament," 
 I know of no denomination of Christians likely to sup- 
 ply the deficiency. 
 
 Look abroad, my young friends, upon this nation, in 
 all its settlements, in the length and breadth of them. 
 Contemplate the number, the character, and the wants 
 of our population. Behold the melancholy reign of 
 ignorance and vice. Contemplate the learning, the 
 boldness, and the industry of heresy on every side. 
 Mark well the prevalence, the unwearied diligence, and 
 the eloquence of infidehty. Think how much able 
 ivriting, as well as skilful and powerful preaching, is 
 called for by the shrewd and hostile millions within our 
 widely extended territory. Advert for a moment, to 
 the mighty influence which the press is destined to 
 exert over this people, and how deadly that influence 
 must be, if it be not guided and sanctified by the Reli- 
 gion of Jesus Christ. Think of the interests of litera- 
 ture as well as of piet?/. Count the number of the 
 youth who are to be trained up either for usefulness and 
 heaven, or profligacy and perdition. Ponder well the 
 necessities of our Seminaries of learning, if they are to 
 be made a blessing and not a curse. Look at these 
 things, beloved Candidates for the holy ministry, and 
 consider seriously what must be the consequence, with- 
 out a series of miracles, unless the young soldiers now 
 coming forward to the service of the Church take care 
 to be adequately girded for the mighty warfare before 
 them ; — and if your " spirits are not stirred within you" 
 by the sight, to take high aims in preparing for your 
 
31 
 
 Work , to aspire to elevated atlainnients in knowledge, 
 and in piety, you are but ill fitted for this age, or for the 
 office which you seek. 
 
 With these impressions, when I see young men, 
 under the notion of serving the Church, and of supply- 
 ing the urgent demand for ministers, prematurely, and 
 without proper furniture, pressing into the pulpit, instead 
 of rejoicing, I mourn. They may have pious intentions, 
 and may sincerely think they are promoting the welfare 
 of the Church : but they are preparing, in all probabi- 
 lity, to inflict upon it a real injury. They may think " the 
 Lord hath need of them." But they are deceived. 
 The Lord is a God of order, and not of confusion, in all 
 his Churches. He has never made mental imbecility, 
 ignorance, rashness, and incompetence, proper qualifi- 
 cations for doing his work. If « the Lord had need of 
 them," he would not only open the door for their en- 
 trance, but would also qualify them for their work. In 
 short, it cannot be too strongly impressed on the mind 
 of the youthful candidate for the sacred office, that it is 
 not mere additions to our numbers — a larger list of 
 ministers of any 6ort that we need ; but more ministers 
 of the right stamp ; men really fitted by the union of 
 holy zeal, sound wisdom, and solid knowledge, to 
 enlighten, counsel, guide, and bless the Church ; and 
 that if they be essentially wanting in the qualifications 
 necessary for this purpose, they had better be in any 
 other profession than that of the holy ministry. The 
 truth is, if we had but half our present number of min- 
 isters^ yet, if THAT HALF wcrc all men of the primitive, 
 APOSTOLIC SPIRIT, our beloved Church and country^ 
 would be far more richly blessed than they are at this 
 hour. We should soon witness scenes which have sel- 
 dom greeted the eyes of Christ's ambassadors, since the 
 days of apostolic zeal and triumph. 
 
S2 
 
 The inference from all this, is, that every candidate 
 for the holy ministry who desires to serve the Church 
 of Christ in the most acceptable and useful manner ; 
 who wishes to be a rich and extensive V)lessing in his 
 generation ; who would be suitably prepared to meet 
 the character and the demands of the age in which he 
 lives — ought by all means, if it be possible, to go through 
 a regular and mature course of preparatory study ; that 
 lie is bound to exert himself to the utmost to attain this 
 object ; that his duty to God, to the Church, to his 
 country, and to himself — all conspire to show the crivii- 
 nality^ as well as i\\e folly of resting contented with any 
 thing short of it, if it be within his reach. 
 
 And by going through a " regular and full course of 
 study," I do not mean a mere nominal course ; but a 
 real, and faithful devotion to the prescribed studies, 
 during the whole time assigned for them. Students 
 may be three full years in a Seminary, and yet, by that 
 unsteadiness of application, which is either the original 
 ■weakness, or the unhappily contracted habit of so many 
 serious young men ; — by yielding to every solicitation, 
 which wears the remotest aspec^ of a call of Providence, 
 to break in upon their daily task ; by accepting agencies, 
 which commence a little before, and extend a little 
 beyond the limits of their vacations ; by allowing almost 
 any plausible object, either of curiosity or of business to 
 prevent their punctual return at the opening of each 
 session ; by forming engagements of different kinds, in 
 the neighbourhood of the Seminary, which frequently, 
 and perhaps statedly, interfere with some of its appoin- 
 ted duties; by attending anniversaries, and other reli- 
 gious meetings ; and in ways almost too numerous to be 
 specified, scarcely suffering a month or even a week to 
 pass, without permitting some unnecessary inroads to 
 be made on the time professedly devoted to study ; — I 
 
33 
 
 say, ill tliese ways, they may reduce the real value 
 of their vnminal three years, to what a student of 
 diligent habits would easily have found in two-thirds^ or 
 even in one-half of that tinrie. Remember that a pre- 
 scribed time and course of study, are merely deceptive, 
 if they be not as diligently and constantly occupied as 
 health will permit. God forbid, my young friends, that 
 I should discourage your attention, even now, to any 
 proper object connected with the eternal well-being of 
 your fellow men. But recollect that " for every thing 
 there is a season, and a time for every purpose under 
 heaven." Remember that you have come hither to 
 prepare for the ministry, not to commence its duties' 
 Remember that engagements out of the Seminary, even 
 of a religious nature^ may be improper for you at pre- 
 sent ; and that they certainly are so, if they are either 
 unseasonable or excessive in their encroachments on 
 your time ; or if they are calculated, in any way, mate- 
 rially to interfere with the regular course of study, which 
 you have voluntarily brought yourselves under solemn 
 obligations to pursue. 
 
 Prize every moment, then, of your three years course 
 as a precious treasure. Avoid wasting one of those 
 moments with as much care as a miser would avoid 
 throwing away a piece of gold. Rely upon it, you have 
 not a moment to lose. Your whole time will be found 
 too little for the great objects which you profess to have 
 in \iew. Constantly bear in mind the purpose for 
 which our venerable Church has incurred the expense 
 of founding and supporting this Institution, and also the 
 professed purpose for which you have entered it ; and 
 recollect that every engagement, either in or out of this 
 house, which is not really subservient to the great ob- 
 ject for which you have come hither, is something like 
 a, fraud uprm your own conscienceB, and upon the 
 
 E 
 
6-L 
 
 Church who claims your time, your talents, and your 
 best services, as all her own. 
 
 Whatever may be the grade of your talents my young 
 friends, or the peculiar character of your minds, respec- 
 tively, the course which I recommend may be said to 
 be equally necessary to you all. On the one hand, 
 those whose powers are of the moderate and solid kind, 
 rather than the brilliant, — and this has been the charac- 
 ter of some of the most eminently useful men that ever 
 lived — ought to be aware that they need all the excite- 
 ment, the invigoration, and the culture which the most 
 mature and diligent study can give them. And, on the 
 other hand, those who are endowed with remarkably 
 lively, vigorous, and even brilliant talents, should recol- 
 lect that they need all that I have been recommending, 
 on some accounts, even more than others. For I hold 
 that no class of men are more likely to do harm in the 
 sacred office, than your striking, splendid, popular 
 preachers, who have power to excite strong feelings, 
 but not wisdom, prudence, and knowledge enough to 
 regulate and direct them. A ship that carries much 
 sail, and but little lading, is always in more danger in 
 traversing the Ocean, than the vessel which spreads 
 less canvass to the winds, and at the same time bears 
 an equal, or even a less cargo. An ample lading is, of 
 course, more necessary to the safety of the former than 
 of the latter. Let no candidate for the ministry, then, 
 imagine that the sprightliness and force of his talents can 
 supercede the necessity of mature study. Nay, so far 
 from this, careful study and training are, to him, on 
 that very account, the more indispensable. The more 
 vigorous, powerful and active his mind, the more he 
 needs the directing, restraining, and sanctifying influ- 
 ence of much study, prayer, retired communion with 
 God, and^ counsel with age and experience. Withoui 
 
35 
 
 these, iie is in far more danger than the man of dull 
 and feeble powers, of falling into the varied evils which 
 are apt to flow from eccentricity, impetuosity, or the 
 pride of talent. 
 
 I hope no one will so far misunderstand my main 
 purpose in this Lecture, as to suppose that I would bind 
 every theological student to pursue the course which 
 has been recommended ; or that I would refuse admis- 
 sion to the sacred office to all, without exception, who 
 have not enjoyed this privilege. The contrary may be 
 inferred from several things which I have said, but I 
 choose to be explicit on this point. The old law maxim, 
 Summum jus, summa injuria, may be applied here. 
 To press a general principle too far, is to pervert . and 
 abuse it. Some have not health enough to sustain 
 them in such a course as has been urged. Others are 
 unavoidably shut out, by the Providence of God, from 
 that measure of temporal support which is indispensa- 
 ble to their prosecuting such a plan of preliminary study 
 as they themselves earnestly desire. In such cases, 
 if there be uncommon ardour of piety, joined with un- 
 common judiciousness, prudence and zeal, they ought 
 to be admitted, after a shorter and more imperfect 
 course of study than is commonly and properly deemed 
 regular. Still, in every such case, the privation of the 
 opportunity of mature study ought to be regarded by 
 the individual himself, and by all his friends — and will 
 be regarded by both, if they have good sense — as a 
 serious disadvantage ; a disad,vantage to which nothing 
 short of necessity should induce him to submit; and 
 which can scarcely fail to abridge, and, in all probability, 
 very materially, the usefulness as well as the comfort 
 of all his ministrations. 
 
 Besides ; let it be considered, that, after doing all 
 we can to raise the standard of Ministerial Education 
 
and Character, there will still be some, and, ijideed, a 
 considerable number, of those whom we attempt to 
 conform to it, who will fall far short of this standard. 
 Just as in a College — with the best system of instruction, 
 and the best teachers in the world, there will always be 
 some indifferent and even poor scholars. But, surely, 
 it is desirable to have as few of these as possible, and 
 the system of instruction should be so framed and ap- 
 plied, as to lift up as many as possible to the highest 
 grade of excellence. In like manner, too, in a field of 
 corrii with the best plan of culture that ever was or can 
 be adopted, there will be some feeble and small ears of 
 grain. But what then? Because there always luill be 
 such, in spite of every thing that the best liusbandman 
 can do, would it be wise in him to lay his plan in such a 
 manner as should be calculated to make his whole crop 
 to consist of stunted and miserable ears ] Common 
 sense says, no. The Governors of the College will not 
 utterly reject even the poor scholars ; but try to make 
 the best of them. Neither will the wise cultivator of 
 the soil throw away the small and inferiour ears ; but 
 both will endeavour so to conduct the culture of their 
 respective objects, as to have as few as may be of infe- 
 riour character. Let the standard be as high as possi- 
 sible, and let the aim be to bring as many up to it as 
 possible, without despising or rejecting those who can- 
 not be raised to the desired elevation. 
 
 I have no fear that any of those whom I now address, 
 will suspect me of a design to recommend a cold and 
 heartless erudition in the Gospel ministry. On this 
 subject, my own opinion, and that of my Colleagues, has 
 been so^often and so decisively expressed, as to preclude 
 the possibility of misapprehension. Unfeigned piety — 
 deep, ardent, active piety is, no doubt, the most essen- 
 tial qualification, — the most precious and glorious orna.- 
 
37 
 
 ment of the ministerial character. Though a minister 
 had all the learning in the world, yet if he were a stran- 
 ger to the converting and sanctifying grace of God, 
 there would be no reason to expect him to prove a 
 blessing to the Church. The men whom we wish to 
 see trained up for the service of the Church, are men 
 of devoted and fervent piety; enlightened and warm 
 friends to revivals of religion ; men qualified and dis- 
 posed to take an active part in forwarding all the lauda- 
 ble Christian Institutions of the present day ; and, at the 
 same time, so solidly judicious ; so intimately acquainted 
 with the Bible, with the system of grace, with the history 
 of the Church, and with the human heart, as will prepare 
 them at once, with enlightened discrimination and zeal, 
 to promote all that is good ; and to discern and resist 
 every thing of a contrary tendency, whether it appear 
 in the form of " an angel of light," or of darkness. Such 
 is the ecclesiastical training for which 1 plead. Such is 
 the model which, next to that of the Chief Shepherd, I 
 would hold up to your view, and commend to your sacred 
 emulation. Let your aims be high. Not high, indeed, 
 on the scale of secular ambition ; not high to be merely, 
 or chiefly, great scholars, to be admired as profound 
 Divines, to shine as consummate orators, to "have 
 the uppermost rooms at feasts," or to be " called of 
 men. Rabbi, Rabbi.'' But let your sanctified emulation 
 be awake and active to be able and faithful work- 
 men ; to be skilful as well as courageous " soldiers of 
 Christ ;" to be " mighty in the Scriptures ;" mighty in 
 the knowledge of " the faith once delivered to the 
 saints ;" mighty in the history of the Church ; mighty 
 in wisdom, prudence, holy love, and active zeal ; in a 
 word, mighty in that noble, comprehensive character 
 given by the pen of inspiration to a minister of old — 
 
38 
 
 " He was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and 
 *' of faith, and much people was added to the Lord." 
 
 What do the pages of eccleciastical history say on 
 this subject 7 What description of ministers, in all ages, 
 have been found most eminently useful to the Church of 
 Christ 1 Unquestionably those in whom eminent piety, 
 zeal, talents and learning were remarkably united ? Let 
 the history of the Apostle Paul; — let the character and 
 services of ,dugusiine, of ^Bmhrose of Milan^ of venera- 
 ble Bede^ of Wickliffe, of Huss, of Luther^ of Calvin, of 
 Knox^ oi Rivet, of Owen, of Baxter, of Doddridge, and 
 to mention no more, of our own Dickinson and Edward.'i, 
 be pondered well ; and they will convince the most scep- 
 tical, that, though men of mere piety may, and probably 
 will be, the means of saving good to some souls ; and 
 though mere talents and learning may answer another 
 very limited purpose ; it is only the union of both, in an 
 eminent degree, that can give a reasonable pledge of 
 that deep, extensive, and permanent usefulness to the 
 Church of God, to which every man of the right spirit 
 Avill not fail to aspire. 
 
 f wish it were in my power, my young friends, to 
 impart to your minds the full impression which my otvn 
 has received of the importance of this subject. Perhaps 
 I ought rather to say, I feel humbled that it is necessary 
 to plead such a cause before such an audience. And 
 nothing could ever have convinced me that such a ne- 
 nessity exists, but the direful and daily experience 
 which proclaims it ; — but the disheartening fact, that so 
 many of your number manifest that you are not yet 
 satisfied of the truth which I have been labouring to 
 establish. How long, my beloved Pupils, shall this 
 humiliating fact continue to stare us in the face ? How 
 long shall the concurring voice of youth and of age, of 
 
39 
 
 remonstrance and of authority, continue to plead in 
 vain on this subject] How long shall young men of 
 talents worth cultivating, and of piety which ought to 
 secure a conscientious regard to their cultivation, con- 
 tinue to cheat themselves, and cheat the Church of 
 God, by neglecting to prepare for her service ; nay by 
 thrusting themselves into that service, while "novices," 
 and even "babes in Christ," when they ought to be 
 " strong men ?" Whatever you may think of it now, 
 be assured, you will, one day, find that it is no light 
 matter. You will find that it is a subject which regards, 
 not merely the promotion of sound theological learning, 
 but the advancement of the vital interests of the Church 
 of Christ : not merely the honour of our own denomi- 
 nation, which I hope will never be a matter of small 
 moment in your eyes ; but the spiritual prosperity of 
 the whole family of the Redeemer on earth. 
 
 For my part, so long as I see so many candidates for 
 the holy ministry contenting themselves with superfi- 
 cial and totally inadequate preparation for their exalted 
 and arduous work ; and so many actually venturing 
 forth to that work with qualifications which fit them to 
 be only transient meteors, and very humble ones too, 
 rather than bright and steady luminaries in the Church 
 of God ; — I cannot suppose that the Millennium is very 
 near. I believe that that time will be as much distin- 
 guished for mature ministerial preparation, as for minis- 
 terial holiness, zeal, fidelity, and activity. If you desire, 
 then, to hasten on that glorious period ; if you desire, 
 each one of you, to contribute as much as possible 
 towards preparing the world for its arrival ; then give 
 all diligence to imbibe the spirit, and rise to something 
 of the elevation, which that period will assuredly put in 
 requisition. Be not contented with any thing short of 
 sucii furniture, both intellectual and moral, as will 
 
40 
 
 quulify you to acL a part in harmony with the high com- 
 mission which you hope to receive, and to be " workers 
 together with God" in enhghtening and blessing the 
 world. 
 
 Finally ; although I cannot anticipate, beloved Pupils, 
 what effect this earnest appeal may produce on your 
 minds ; — especially when it was productive of so little 
 sensible eflfect on your predecessors, eight years ago;* — 
 yet allow me to say, I shall not have gained my purpose, 
 to-day, unless you let your Professors enjoy the pleasure 
 of witnessing, from this time, a new and sacred im- 
 pulse pervading your ranks. Unless we shall witness, 
 henceforth, a unanimous determination, to think of no 
 term of study short of three years ; — to fill up every 
 hour of this term with diligent application ; — to attend 
 with punctuality at the opening, and to hold out, with 
 undeviating perseverance, to the closing hour, of every 
 session ; — to guard with solicitous care against the loss 
 of a single recitation or lecture; — to cherish a hallowed 
 greedniess for every kind of theological knowledge, 
 especially that which is practical and experimental -, — 
 to be in no haste to solicit license to preach ; — in short, 
 to guard with conscientious care, against the miserable 
 delusion that " the Lord hath need" of but half qualified 
 servants. Nay, I sliall not consider myself as having 
 addressed you with the desired effect, unless we shall 
 have the satisfaction of finding some of your number 
 disposed to spend not merely three years, but a fourth, 
 and a few even a fifth year, within these walls, for the 
 purpose of more profound Biblical and Theological study 
 than seems now to be seriously thought of by any. 
 And, let me add, that as soon as a disposition of this 
 kind shall be manifested by any of the sons of the 
 
 * The substance of (his Lecture was delivered at the opening of (be 
 vinter Session io the Seminary, >'ov. 9lb, \^21. 
 
4r 
 
 Church, I have no doubt provision will be made for its 
 encouragement and support. We have a number of 
 Scholarships, founded by the pious liberality of distin- 
 guished friends of the Seminary, and destined for the 
 aid of those who are pursuing the regular course pre- 
 scribed in the Institution. But we have, as yet, no 
 Fellowships, or Funds specifically devoted to the support 
 of students w ho may be desirous of pursuing a course of 
 study considerably more extensive than that which is 
 laid do\vn equally for all, and recommended to alL 
 Only, however, let a few individuals manifest such a 
 thirst for sacred knowledge, and such a devoted and 
 successful diligence in seeking it, as shall evidently 
 render Felloivships desirable and necessary, and we 
 shall very soon, I am confident, see one or more of 
 them established. Be it the laudable distinction of some 
 of YOU, then, my young friends, to set the first example 
 of this high resolution. It is needed. We must have 
 IT. How else shall we hope to see honourably and 
 usefully filled the numerous Professoral Chairs, in the 
 several Theological Seminaries which are rising in 
 every part of our land 1 How else can we reasonably 
 expect that our highly favoured and indebted Church 
 will perform her part of the duty which she owes to 
 Christendom, in promoting the culture of profound Bib- 
 lical and Theological knowledge 1 Surely these are con- 
 siderations which cannot fail of lying with weight on the 
 minds of some whom I address. That they will rouse 
 none of you to corresponding aims and efforts, is a sup- 
 position which I cannot possibly admit. 
 
 And may He who " has the hearts of all flesh in liis 
 hands" so enlighten and govern your minds ; so preside 
 over your studies ; and so endow you with gifts and 
 graces adapted to the day of wonders in which you 
 live; — that yo\i may fulfil the high expectations of the 
 
42 
 
 Presbyterian Church while you are here ; — and thai, 
 wherever you go, you may each be found a centre of 
 Jioly illumination, of wise counsel, and of sanctified im- 
 pulse in extending the Redeemer's kingdom ; so that 
 the blessing of the Church, and of distant generations 
 may abundantly come upon you ! " The grace of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ be with vou all !" Amen.