men are nearly secluded from other society, and inhabit one edifice, where a few steps will bring them into the presence of each other. In my judgment, the students continue in our seminaries for too great a portion of the year. It would be better to adopt the European arrangement, of extending vacations through the summer months. During this period the students instead of posting from city to city, and from one anni If a faithful representation were given of many, during this part of their preparatory course, those on whom they depend for aid, would not be likely to patronize them any longer. As a remedy, some propose, that pious youth should be educated in seminaries by themselves: but, unless you intend to seclude them from intercourse with the world altogether—which would require them to go out of it—you must accustom them to withstand the temptation arising from the spirit and com-versary meeting to another, ought to pany of men of the world. And if your candidate cannot resist the current, when in the small society of a literary institution, what reason is there to hope that he will faithfully withstand the torrent, which bears almost every thing before it, in the society of the world? The way for men to attain to eminence, is not to remain ignorant of all temptation; but it is to meet, and overcome it. If there were due vigilance and fidelity on the part of those who superintend their concerns, many who are in a course of education for the ministry, would never be permitted to proceed further than their college commence ment. bury themselves in the recesses of the country, where they might enjoy health, be surrounded with agreeable scenery, and be much in solitude and reflection. Many of our young candidates have never had a proper season for deep and long continued religious meditation, since they made a profession of religion: and what is rather an unfavourable symptom, there are among them, those, who cannot bear such a state of seclusion. They have been accustomed to live in society, so long, that they enjoy themselves no where else. Now, I venture to assert, that although these young men may be zealous, noisy, and active professors; and may take the lead in revivals, and in all benevolent enterpri amination, to be shallow christians. 5. I have already noticed the fact, that too much social intercourse is un-ses, they will be found, on careful exfavourable to piety; and one of the greatest hindrances to the cultivation 6. But as far as my observation of an elevated piety, in Theological goes, no one thing more hinders the Seminaries, is, that the young men attainment of elevated piety, in Theolare too much in each others compa- ogical Seminaries, than a fondness for ny; that they are too little alone, and bold speculation on divine subjects, have too little provision made for re- connected, as it always is, with an artirement, and the performance of the dent spirit of disputation. And this duties of the closet. Persons fond of is an obstacle difficult to be removed. conversation, and those who are of an All attempts to repress it, are viewed affectionate temper, can with difficul- by the parties, to be efforts to prevent ty resist the temptation to visit too of free discussion, and the unbiassed inten, those with whom they are famil-vestigation of truth. In Seminaries, iar, and to spend too much time, in where the students are homogeneous, their company. This habit steals a- and where the same theories, nearly, way the time which should be devot- are adopted by all, this evil is less felt ; ed to study, and consequently inter- but where students are brought_toferes with the seasons appropriated to gether from the North, South, East reflection and devotion. For this evil, and West, and bring with them all no effectual remedy can be devised, sorts of varieties, which exist, in what as long as a large number of young is called orthodoxy, there will be col lision, and it is useful, if well regulated; but when contention becomes hot and fierce; when, with the zeal for a set of opinions, personal pride is enlisted, the evils produced are great, and may affect the peace of the whole Seminary. But there can be no doubt that both a spirit of bold speculation in theology, and a spirit of disputation, are unfriendly to progress in piety: so effectually is this the case, that I presume, no student will pretend, that while warmly engaged in either of these, his soul has flourished in grace. Composure of mind and freedom from the passions excited by contention, are necessary to the exercise of pious affections. But the causes just mentioned, are apt, after a while, to generate a secret skepticism, which is a worm at the root of piety. Its approaches are secret and insidious; and as the man does not yield to the doubts which are continually rising in his mind, he feels no guilt, and but little alarm; but if this process goes on long, faith will be more and more debilitated, and the soul will be like a garden without water, or a tree whose leaf is withered. And here, is the real disease of many ministers of the gospel the life of piety has been eaten out by skeptical thoughts, which, by degrees, bring the soul into such a diseased state, that it is capable of performing no religious duty with energy and profit. When the man prays, these thoughts meet him, and he has to scatter them, before he can offer a single petition; and while he is preaching, or preparing to preach, his soul may be paralysed with a succession of skeptical thoughts. It is a real injury to young men to form their system of theology prematurely, as is done by many. Before they have had time to read the Bible once through, many of our speculative youth have their whole theory adjusted and firmly fixed; not that they have examined each opinion for themselves, from a careful study of the scriptures, but they have picked up the notions of others, whom they ad mire or respect; and what is once received; and especially, what is once contended for by a young man, he will hardly relinquish, however strong the evidence against him. But when the opinions adopted, are erroneous, the effect is necessarily unfavourable to piety. The intimacy of the connexion between truth and virtue, and between error and moral obliquity is not sufficiently understood; or at any rate is not sufficiently attended to, by most men. I believe, that no error is innocent; and that if we could trace the effects of erroneous opinions on the secret traits of human character, we should find, that every shade of error had a counterpart, in the moral feelings. 7. The strained and continued exertion of the intellectual faculties is unfavourable to a state of pious feeling. This is the fact from a law of our nature, which every man may, if he will attend to it, observe in himself. While a man's thoughts are on the stretch, to invent reasons to support his opinions; or when his memory is intent on the recollection of what has been committed to it, the emotions corresponding with the subjects of our meditations, are always low. And the case is the same, when we follow the reasonings of another, through an intricate subject; and it does not materially alter the case, that we are studying theology; for the mind may be intensely exercised about the systematic relations of a subject, and yet those qualities, by which it is adapted to produce emotion may be entirely out of view. Moreover, close study of any science occupies so much of our time, that no more than small portions are left for devotional exercises; and whenever we are engaged in any pursuit which takes a stronger hold on our thoughts, than devotion, there is very little gained by the time actually employed in this way; for the thoughts are forever wandering off to those objects in which, at the present, the strongest interest is felt. A person who is visited by friends, who ety, we had better dissolve them and yours, &c. A. ALEXANDER. Princeton, N. J. June 22, 1829. REMARKS. have been long absent, and who are very dear to him, will be apt to have but few of his thoughts in his devotions, on the first day after their arrival. Hence, we find, that it is a common complaint among pious students of theology, that their feelings are destroyed by their daily studies; and we may lecture to them, as much as we will, about the impropriety of suffering it to be so, the effect will continue to be felt, unless one thing is done, which ought always to have been done; that is, that we make all other things small in our estimation compared with a devotional frame of spirit. If the chief object aimed at in our seminaries, was, not the acquisition of learning, but the cultivation of piety, then the student would not hurry over his devotional exercises, to get to his lesson; nor, would his thoughts perpetually wander from the objects of devotion, to some speculative subject. And nothing of valuable knowledge would be lost by such a change. The manifest, that the multiplication of ministers to evintellect never performs its part so well and so pleasantly, as when sustained and directed by a tide of pious emotion. Thoughts rising out of the love of God, will be more pure and elevated, than those which enter the mind through any other channel. The plan of study then, ought to be, first, to get the mind into a proper state of pious feeling; and until this is done, not to think that the mere dry exercise of intellect is of any real val ue. If a student is destitute of the right frame of mind he is disqualified for the contemplation of truth to any advantage. He is like a sick man in relation to labour; while this unhappy state continues, he is incapable of doing any thing effectually. And what is now proposed will be found the only remedy to counteract all the hindrances to piety to which young men are liable in preparing for the work of the ministry. Piety must be made every thing; the beginning, the middle, and the end of their course. And if our Theological schools cannot be made effectual nurseries of pi The subject which is discussed in the preceding communication is one of so much interest, that we attention. The success of ministers of the Gospel, venture to ask for it, a more than common share of where other qualifications are the same, will be ordin arily, in proportion to their piety. By an increase of this, the moral power of the ministry may be augmented almost indefinitely, even though there should be but a small increase in numbers; while it is er so great an amount, will not, without this, meet cations will be perused with deeper interest, or, with greater profit, by this class of readers, as well as by others. We presume not to occupy the time of the reader by making any farther remarks. We will only suggest for the consideration of our enlightened correspondents, who are best able to judge, whether more pastoral labour, such as a pious and devoted minister performs among the members of his flock, might not be introduced with great benefit, into all our systems of educating men for the ministry? [Ed's. It may be said, that "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual ;" and that in this cause, therefore, the aid of human learning is of no avail. Why then all this effort to educate ministers? Why not send them forth immediately from the plough and the workshop? For what purpose, Sir, are we assembled here this day? If preparation for the ministry is unnecessary, let us abandon our enterprise at once. But if it is of high importance, let us be faithful to the cause in which we are engaged. Let us not "do the work of the Lord deceitfully." Why was Paul so deeply learned? Why was such a man chosen of God to convert the heathen world; and to do more in explaining and establishing the doctrines of Christianity, than all the other apostles to I would ask permission, on this occasion, to express my full approbation of one of the fundamental principles of the Society; that those to whom its patronage is extended, shall receive a thorough education, both Literary and Theological. The Directors of the Parent Society well deserve our thanks, for the firmness with which they have taken their stand on this point; especially at a time when the pressing demand for laborers, furnishes a plausible pretext for sending them into the field with imperfect preparation. I would by no means speak lightly of the pious efforts of even the least informed Christian, in his appropriate sphere of action. Every man has his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that." The ignorant may give instruction to those who are still more ignorant. Souls may be saved by the instrumen-gether? tality of those whose intellectual attainments are of any order, from the highest to the lowest. Nor would I wish to exclude even from the sacred office all who have received only a partial education. There are stations which they may occupy, with fair prospects of usefulness. But there are other stations, and those very numerous, which call for high and liberal attainments; for a thorough course of intellectual culture. What office can more fully employ the most exalted powers? Does it require years of intense application, to qualify a man to interpret the laws of a state or a nation? And is less preparation requisite for expounding the ordinances established by the Legislator of heaven and earth? Is deeper skill required to minister to the diseases of the body, than to heal the maladies of the soul? Shall we look for higher qualifications in one who negotiates between earthly princes, than in him who is an ambassador from the King "But," you will ask, "is not piety of more importance, in a preacher, than learning?" Undoubtedly it is. "Would it not be better, then, to have more piety, and a little less learning?" There can be no question of this, if high attainments in the one, are inconsistent with progress in the other. But why may we not have more piety, and more learning too? Cannot the grace of God sanctify the noblest intellectual treasures for his service? Cannot he who filled the heavens with worlds of light, and formed the mind of the astronomer to measure their distances and dimensions, fill that mind with the glory of his presence? Are we unfitted for the knowledge and service of God, by studying the laws which he has imposed upon his works? But the pride of intellect, we are told, is opposed to the humility of the gospel. And who are the most vain of their attainments? Those who have laid deep the foundations of their knowledge? or those who have raised the clergy as a body, sink below the their light and airy structures upon level of the other professions, in learnthe very surface of science? Were ing and respectability? An impulse Newton and Locke the proudest men is given to the cause of education in of their age? It is not sound and this country, which will carry it forthorough learning, but "philosophy ward though the ministry should negfalsely so called," which is the most lect it. There is a spirit of bold and ready to exalt itself against the "wis- free inquiry abroad. There is an endom that is from above." Should you ergy, and enterprise, and practical wish to give any one a high opinion bearing, in the literature of our counof his own powers and merits, let him try. Could you extinguish the learnhave a rapid and superficial educa- ing so generally diffused, you might tion. It is true, a man may be proud perhaps find occupation for a half edof profound and substantial learning. ucated ministry. Could you stop the And so may a Christian be proud of thousands of presses, and close the ten his gifts, of his religious experience, thousand channels of information, you nay, even of his humility. But is this might find a place for the instructions a reason why he should rest satisfied of men of very moderate attainments. with moderate advances in piety? But literature is advancing in the The grace of God, which is able to country; and it will advance. Its "bring every thought into captivity influence upon public opinion and to the obedience of Christ," may im- character will be too powerful, to be part an heavenly influence to the rich-left wholly to the enemies of religion. est stores of knowledge. The pray- If not secured on the side of truth and ers of the church may call down a righteousness, it will be an engine of blessing upon the most elevated liter-tremendous force, in the cause of ature. If learning is not among the impiety and error. The separation means by which the interests of the of learning and piety, would threaten Redeemer's kingdom may be promot- ruin to our moral and religious intered, then away with it altogether. ests. Down with your colleges. Yes Sir, and down with your theological seminaries too. But if literature may be made subservient to the cause of evangelical truth, there is no reason to fearer than deep and various learning? that it will be too highly cultivated. Will it be said that, in this young, and active, and enterprising country, we need ministers who have energy, and zeal, and practical habits; rath And why may we not have energy, and activity united with learning? Was there ever a minister more zealous, more active, or more practical, than the learned apostle of the gentiles? Was the energy of Luther, of Knox, and of Henry Martyn, impaired by their learning? In this country especially, there is an urgent necessity for a ministry of superior education. We are, almost without a parallel, an educated people; a thinking and reading population. The preacher addresses not an ignorant congregation, of whom a small portion only can read even their But it may be thought, perhaps, bibles; but an assembly among whom that an imperfect education may be is diffused a good degree of intelli- sufficient for the beneficiaries of the gence, a familiarity with theological Education Society; for those who doctrines, and some knowledge at are aided by the efforts and sacrifices least of the sciences. Can we ex- of charity; while a thorough educapect him to have influence among tion for the ministry, is left to those them, if his mind has received no who have ample means of defraying more than ordinary cultivation? Can the expense. Let us look a moment he be qualified to teach, who scarcely at the consequences of this suggesknows more than his hearers? Shall tion. It would send out two classes |