BOARD OF EDUCATION. PRESBYTERIAN EDUCATION ROOMS, Business Officers of the Board. C. VAN RENSSELAER, D. D., Corresponding Secretary. Letters and Communications for the BOARD OF EDU CATION on the subject of Ministerial Education, or of Schools, Academies and Colleges, may be addressed to the Rev. C. VAN RENSSELAER, D. D., Corresponding Secretary, No. 265 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Remittances of money may be made to JOSEPH B. MITCHELL, Esq., Treasurer, Mechanics Bank, Philadelphia. I. MINISTERIAL EDUCATION. direction, and we trust that the churches will not be remiss to their duty, but will come up and nobly sustain a work of such vast and growing importance." ADDRESS TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS. At the opening of the session of the New College, Edinburgh, Dr. JAMES BUCHANAN made an address to the students, of which we find a report in "The Witness." The report will be read with interest, we doubt not, by students in this country, "The lecturer stated that his address was designed to illustrate a few first principles in theology, selecting those which were of fundamental importance at all times, and especially such as admitted of being applied to counteract and check the existing tendencies to theological speculation, in a direction that appeared to him to be alike unwarrantable and dangerous. Many of the most insidious and seductive errors which appeared in their day might be ascribed either to the partial or total neglect of these principles. It was of the more importance that young men should be placed on their guard, seeing that "Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that He would send these errors had found entrance to not a few of the forth labourers into His harvest." CANDIDATES INCREASING ELSEWHERE. Whilst the number of candidates in our own branch of the Church is not increasing in number, it is gratifying to learn that there is a perceptible increase in some other denominations. Quite a remarkable addition has occurred to the number usually received in one quarter by the American Education Society-as we learn from the Puritan Recorder: theological balls of England, Europe, and America. The first proposition he would lay down was, that the supreme and infallible authority of Scripture as the rule of faith, was one of the fundamental principles of theology. The learned Professor showed the entire sufficiency of this rule of faith in the matter of man's salvation, and stated that the principle which he affirmed rested on the doctrine of the plenary inspiration of the word of God. He pointed out the absolute obligation which this imposed upon all men to believe and obey; and contended that there was no rival or co-ordinate authority with the word of God. This was the stronghold of Protestantism, as opposed alike to Popery and Rationalism-a strong hold which should be resolutely defended, since any concession here would amount to a surrender of the very citadel of their strength, and which might be defended against all assailants, simply by making good two fundamental positions-first, that the Bible was in such a sense inspired, that it was really and truly the word and the oracles of the living God; and second, that, being so inspired, it was such a rule as neither required nor admitted of any co-ordinate authority or extraneous supplement in matters of faith. "At the Quarterly Meeting of the American Education Society, last week, forty-nine new candidates applied for aid, and forty-six were admitted upon the roll of the Society, three having been set aside in consequence of informality. This is a very unusual number of new applicants for a single quarter. Although applications of this kind come in more numerously at the fall quarter, than at any other season of the year, the number received at that time seldom amounts to half of the whole number for the year. For example, the number of applications at the corresponding meeting last fall, was twenty-six, He then referred to four systems of erroneous while the whole number for the year, was sixty-one. opinions at present prevalent; the first of which was, For the year previous, the number at the fall meeting he observed, the most general and comprehensive was nineteen, while the whole number for the year form of error, viz., that of those who rejected all was fifty-eight. For a long course of years, there has authority in matters of faith, and with perfect connot been so large a number of applicants at any one sistency denied that the belief of any definite doctritime, as at the meeting last week. This fact would nal truth was necessary to salvation. This might be seem to indicate that God has heard the prayers of said to be the distinctive principle of the extremest his people, and has put it into the hearts of young kind of liberalism; and as its representative, they men to come forward in larger numbers for the work might refer to the late Blanco White. The lecturer of the ministry. This increase of candidates is due lucidly and eloquently pointed out the legitimate to no special efforts on the part of the Society. So consequences which flowed from this system of far as efforts have been made of late, they have been error-how it was opposed alike to the plainest with especial reference to an increase of interest in statements of Scripture, and the dictates of a sound the churches, in relation to this whole subject, so philosophy, seeing that authority was recognised in that there might be a natural basis for an appeal to matters relating to things seen and temporal, as well young men to come forward. And there have been as relating to matters unseen and eternal. He many pleasing evidences, that this cause of ministe-showed the necessary subjection of the human mind rial education has taken a new hold upon the minds to authority in the volume of nature, as well as in and hearts of men. But God by his providence the volume of Scripture. makes now a still more urgent appeal in the other The second system of error was that which ascribed authority to the decrees and traditions of men, making them rival and co-ordinate with the written word of God. This was Romanism; and in illustration of this system of error, he commented upon Dr. Wiseman's lectures "on the Principles, Doctrines, and Practice of the Catholic Church," clearly pointing out the sophisms which ran through them, and the manner in which the Cardinal evaded the general question. Rabbinism, he observed, stood in the same relation to Judaism that Popery did to Christianity, and said that if the oral traditions of the Talmud and the traditions of the Fathers were displaced, one of the greatest barriers to the spread of the gospel would be removed. In this part of his lecture the learned Professor clearly pointed out, that while the Saviour in general reprehended the use of traditions, and told the Jews that when these were at variance with the old Testament Scriptures, they ought invariably to be rejected, Dr. Wiseman adopted a course of precedure the very opposite. The third system of error, he remarked, was that which made reason the ultimate arbiter and judge in matters of faith, or Rationalism, as represented by James Martineau; but observed that, from the length of the lecture, he was unable to enter upon it -a remark which was also applicable to the fourth system of error, the doctrine of a Subjective Creed, or that which placed the principle of authority in the inward consciousness of men of spiritual insight or spiritual discernment. As regarded the last-branch of his subject, however, he referred the audience to two very able articles which appeared in the twentyfirst and twenty-second numbers of the North British Review, on Morell's Philosphy. The lecture, which occupied an hour in the delivery, was of a most masterly and learned character, and contained a number of passages of surpassing beauty. It was frequently applauded throughout. vent it? Again, they were directing their attention to the subject of raising the standard of acquirement in theological students, their future ministers; and no doubt that was highly desirable; but how was it possible it could be accomplished if the scale of living was reduced to a point which rendered it not possible to admit of its being done? The most disastrous consequences to the Church would result if this evil were not met." From the Puritan Recorder. LINES ON THE DEATH OF A STUDENT. Lines suggested by the sudden death of a student of Ando- I hear the call of millions; I hear the cry of millions, I hear the wail of millions, I hear the shout of millions, F. H. B. For the Home and Foreign Record. ON PREACHING AND THE END OF PREACH- Such a manifestation of the truth as tends to affect But the conscience, is the proper and immediate end of The truth really exhibited will naturally commend itself to the conscience so far as to gain its assent to duty and its dissent from sin; to make it approve of what is right, and condemn what is wrong. We are not, however, to expect that the truth alone, without a divine influence, will convert the soul; yet it will awaken the conscience, and these awakenings and convictions ordinarily precede conversion, and render it more probable that the subject of them will attain to the true grace of God; in this sense, the faithful exhibition of the truth happily tends to the great end of preaching, which is the salvation of souls in the way before mentioned. On the subject of the decreasing salaries, Dr. LEE made these remarks: "He would now ask the House to contemplate what must be the consequences of such a state of things. In the first place, it appeared to him, that ministers must lose their influence. They all know the passage in Proverbs where it was said the counsel of the poor wise man was despised. In the second place, they must become a body of comparatively illiterate men. This would very naturally and inevitably result, where no means existed of procuring literature. And thirdly, while every dissenting body in the country was making the most strenuous efforts to increase the incomes, and consequently the status and influence, of its clergymen, what result could be expected, without such efforts on the part of the Church of Scotland, but that Dissenting ministers must ascend It is by a faithful exhibition of the truth, that sinin the scale, and established ministers descend?ners are to be awakened and led to repentance, and Were they prepared to allow a process to go on that saints are to be edified and quickened; and so the would destroy them, without an effort at least to pre-salvation of men is to be effected. A. II. CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES. Our scholars, if not pious, appear to be serious minded. They are punctual in their attendance upon the public means of grace, and manifest no disposition to shrink from religious instruction. In "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he contemplating what has already been done, I cannot is old he will not depart from it." A GREAT ACADEMICAL WORK. The Presbyterial Academy of Palmyra Presbytery, though only a year old, has already accomplished an incalculably great work, as will be seen from the following report of the Principal, the Rev. JOHN P. FINLEY. but fondly hope that God will, in his mercy, grant to them his renewing and saving grace, and that our school may be the blessed instrument in sending forth some at least, who shall in due time be engaged as heralds of salvation. Our more advanced class, I think all of them, design entering college. The amount of religious instruction is as follows: the Scriptures by all who are capable of reading well. At the opening of the school, a chapter is read from This is followed by prayer from the Principal. This "Our Scripture and Catechism lessons are still is the case every day except Monday, when this exerconsidered the most important recitations in school. cise is followed by a recitation from the Bible, on a We have a free conversation on the portion of Scrip- lesson previously prepared. The school is closed by ture read each morning. Thus we have read together singing only. The catechism is recited by all the forty-two chapters of Genesis, and expect to continue scholars during the week, but to most of them now regularly through the Bible. God has greatly blessed it is familiar." us thus far in our enterprise. We hang out no dubious colours. We are known as Presbyterians attempting to establish a Presbyterial Academy, and no denomination, so far as I have heard, supposes we are a set of 'bigots.' During the recent visit of God's Spirit in our church here, sixteen who were then, or had been students of the Adademy, were received into our church. Two others who then united, have since become students. For these things we thank God and take courage." Who will not agree with us in saying, that the institution which, while advancing its students in secular knowledge, has been instrumental, under God, in nurturing sixteen in the ways of practical piety, has done a GREAT ACADEMICAL WORK? GOOD INFLUENCES OF A SCHOOL. A great principle, lying at the basis of all our measures for education, is, that religious truth exerts a salutary influence. Even when conversion does not ensue, within the educational period, the good results of the faithful inculcation of divine knowledge are manifest in a general improvement of character. The following Report from one of our institutions will be read with interest. OUTSIDE WORK OF A SCHOOL. A chapter, instead of a paragraph, might be written on the outside work of Presbyterian institutions. We design at present only to illustrate the fact that our schools are patronized, and well patronized, outside of our Church. They always have been, and they always will be, as long as they are good schools. The cry of bigotry, sometimes raised inside the Church, has very little response from sensible people who want their children well trained. As an illustration, read the following extract of a letter from one of our intelligent elders. "We think the school is accomplishing much good. We have before said, and may repeat, we regard it as permanently established, independently of all the State a statement of attendance for two terms, ending may do for public schools. We will give you October 15, 1852, by which you will see that the school is able to operate outside the Church as well withstanding. as in it, the Shorter Catechism to the contrary, not During these two terms there have been seventy different scholars in attendance. Aggregate atten"These young men, with but one exception, I have dance, four thousand three hundred and thirty-three. known before they came into our school, and the Average attendance, nearly sixty-two days. Both happy influence it has had upon those of them who parents of twenty-two scholars are members of our have been longest in, in a moral point of view, is so bers. The parents of fourteen others are Baptists, Church. Of six others the mothers only are mempalpable as to be subject of remark. They have Methodists, Congregationalists and Episcopalians. become staid, sober, and remarkably studious, which, The parents of the remaining twenty-eight are nonfrom their previous history, is quite remarkable. A pious and widowed mother observed to me that she professors, and none of them attend worship at our had noticed with pleasure the great change going to Church except the parents of five children. Thus school had made upon A. B. and C. of our scholars, you see we have an opportunity for usefulness." and she would not hesitate about any expense if her son (who was somewhat wayward) could be induced to go and do likewise. A few weeks after, he came, and already appears to be absorbed in his studies, and a different boy. I may say of all our scholars thus far, they are studious beyond what I have ever noticed in the same number. There are at least one dozen, who are now engaged in teaching, who were qualified for their work whilst with us. Some intend to return and prosecute their studies further, and are teaching to procure means. WASHINGTON COLLEGE, PA. The Trustees of Washington College, Pa., have agreed to the proposition of the Synod of Wheeling, by which the institution is to be brought more intimately in connexion with the Presbyterian Church. Dr. J. W. Scott has been appointed President, and the endowment of the institution will be undertaken on a liberal basis, mutually advantage- that the instructions of our College will be both comous to the College and its friends. prehensive and thorough. The following official announcement has been made to the public, of the objects of the friends of the College in seeking an ecclesiastical relation. After some preliminary statements, the document proceeds: into the institution, under the arrangement now 3d. The religious influence, which will be thrown adopted, is deserving of a prominent place, in these considerations. That influence will not be narrow and sectarian, but broad, evangelical and liberal; yet it will be decided. The Presbyterian Church has a history, in connection with the management of edu"From the foregoing statements, it will be per- cation, to which, with no shame, we may appeal, as ceived by all candid persons, that this whole trans- the index of her spirit and action. In mixed Colaction partakes of the nature of a mutual contract, in leges, denominational rivalries must necessarily hinwhich both the parties concerned are to give and der, to a great extent, efforts to exercise sufficient receive specific advantages. Whilst, however, the religious restraint, and to impart sufficiently distinct undersigned are of the opinion that the state of the religious instruction. Even in points of common case, as thus given, will commend itself to the appro-and practical agreement, and of confessed imporval of the community generally, they are not unwilling to offer, more fully, some of the reasons which induced the Board to consent to this union with the Synod, for the satisfaction of those who may deem such an explanation desirable. tance, there are tendencies, not apt to be altogether inoperative, to restraint and fear, when vigilance and fidelity are loudly demanded. And it is even a greater hinderance still, that young men so commonly come to a College constructed upon a general 1st. We refer to the present aspect of the whole and secular basis, with the impression deeply fixed subject of collegiate education in our country. in their minds, that science is the only legitimate That serious changes have of late occurred in the subject of collegiate attention, and that religion has circumstances surrounding Colleges generally, can- no proper place. Under those and kindred influnot be disputed by any persons, who are familiar ences, a course of study in college is acknowledged, with their history. Such institutions have been on all hands, to be a perilous experiment to the moral greatly multiplied, and consequently a ruinous com- views and habits of young men. Certainly no just petition prevails among them. Religious denomina-efforts should be spared in counteracting, as far as tions have, for the most part, reared or adopted Col- possible, by all proper means, the power of temptaleges of their own, upon which their patronage is tions so strong and so multiplied as those which surnow chiefly bestowed. And because of these, and round the ingenuous youth, who is separated from kindred influences, it is practically found impossible the guardianship of a pious home, at the most critito sustain and advance such institutions, upon the cal period of his whole life. What Christian parent old plan, in a manner worthy of the progress of the would refuse to send the son of his love and prayers present age. In this respect, all are more or less to a College, because special attention is to be given similarly affected. Few Colleges-if indeed any- there to the kind and faithful inculcation of religious have escaped the pressure of these circumstances, truth, a sedulous care is to be exercised over the and generally, they have been compelled to seek a morals of students, and it is made an avowed aim, formal connexion with some religious body, or to aim to win their hearts to Christ; whilst at the same at endowment, in some other way. And this very time, the conscience of each is left without trammel, fact is sufficient, at a glance, to show that the equi- in adhering to the church of his fathers? librium of a fair competition, in the case of unendowed institutions, is destroyed, and that they are therefore left to maintain the contest on vastly unequal terms. Dickinson, Allegheny, and Lafayette, of our own State, to say nothing of many in other States, have adopted, with success, the same course which we have now chosen. In view, therefore, of this state of things, we may safely ask whether the rights and advantages of the whole community have not been consulted, in placing Washington College under the care of a denomination of Christians which will sustain it the same denomination, too, by whose efforts, mainly, it has been established and conducted until the present time? 4th. We are now naturally brought to the last point demanding our present notice-the relation in which our College is hereafter to stand to other denominations. We would indignantly repel the insinuation, that its doors are to be any less open, than ever before, to all persons of whatever Church, who may desire to enter them, for the purpose of receiving a liberal education. The charter under which we act, no less than sound policy, would forbid such an exclusion. Neither will the conscientious preferences of students, on the subject of religion, be disregarded, nor their liberty taken away. That the Synod of Wheeling, in taking Washington College under her special patronage, designed primarily to 2d. The plan adopted, contemplates the erection furnish a suitable intellectual and moral training, of a still higher standard of education. Intelligent for the youth of Presbyterian families, is freely men have generally felt and deplored the want of admitted; but we have the best authority to say, advancement, in this respect, which has resulted that all other youth are invited to come and partake from the crippled pecuniary condition of most of of the advantages of such a training, upon precisely our literary establishments, west of the mountains. equal terms. The benefits of the institution are not The salaries of Professors have necessarily been too to be confined to one branch of the Church of Christ. low to command the services of the best qualified "Assuming the right to think and act for ourselves men. The libraries, philosophical apparatus, &c., in religious matters," says the President of the Board have generally been too limited and imperfect. And of Trustees of Lafayette College-which is also a a prevailing disposition, in the community, for cheap, | Synodical College-"we freely accord to others the rather than adequate education, has seriously retarded same right, and no one shall be refused admittance the spirit of progress itself. In enlisting more effect- into our College, or denied any of its privileges, imually the patronage of a church, which has always munities, or advantages, for or on account of his been distinguished by an enlightened and liberal pol- sentiments in matters of religion. The profligate, icy in this respect, we offer the best possible pledge, vicious, and profane, however, come not within this |