We beg to state then, in limine, that we much doubt the propriety of attempting to carry all the young men who may enter any particular college, whatever their age, whatever their previous advantages or disadvantages, whatever the diversity of their talents, through precisely the same course of training; to set young men, for instance, who are nearly thirty years of age, and who have had little previous instruction, to learn things which they never can learn thoroughly; in which they cannot even make such progress as to secure that mental discipline which is still more valuable than knowledge itself. We cannot help thinking that it would be better, either, if possible, to make such arrangements in each particular college as to secure a longer course of instruction and more extensive knowledge to those who are likely to derive the fullest benefit from them; or, if that be thought impracticable, to induce some of our colleges to restrict themselves to the education of one class of students, and others to the education of another. This, we are aware, could only be done effectually by mutual consent on the part of the colleges themselves; but any particular college has it virtually in its power to act upon this plan by refusing to admit students of all classes, whatever their diversities in point of age or talent; in other words, by restricting itself to the reception of such as are best fitted to derive benefit from the advantages it holds out.

Before we proceed further we beg to premise two observations, lest our meaning should be misunderstood. The first is, that while urging the propriety of adapting the quality and degree of education to the circumstances of the student, we would by no means have it supposed that we do not think a very thorough and prolonged training is in every case the best where it can be had; where, for example, the student is quite young, and has, therefore, ample time before him, or where his talents are unusually promising, and insure the probability of his deriving the full advantages of prolonged instruction, without wasting his own time or the public money. We never can think that a deficient education is abstractedly better than a complete one, or a little knowledge better than much. We advocate the plan above mentioned only because we think it is the best under all the circumstances; that it will secure the greatest possible efficiency on the part of those who can be profitably subjected to a protracted education, and a more useful preparation for the ministry, even on the part of those who cannot; since, upon the present system, by attempting to teach this latter class too much, they often learn nothing thoroughly; they gain neither accurate knowledge, nor, what is still better, the mental invigoration which the acquisition of accurate knowledge never fails to impart. Moreover the attempt to drag them on, though haud passibus aquis, with those who have enjoyed superior advantages or

possess greater talents, is injurious to both parties; to the one, by necessitating them to acquire much that they professedly study, in a slovenly or unprofitable manner; and to the other, by impeding their progress and checking their ardour,-the necessary effect of linking them with less strenuous and active associIn fact, the tendency of such a system is inevitably to prevent the fullest development of the higher forms of talent, not only without advantage, but with detriment to the lower; in a word, to reduce all to the level of a dead mediocrity.

The second observation with which we wish to preface any further remarks on this subject is, that so far from desiring to lower the standard of ministerial education, it is our earnest wish, in this very way, to raise it. In our opinion we want a larger number of men thoroughly furnished;' of men who are fitted to occupy commanding stations and extensive spheres of usefulness; to take not only the oversight of large congregations, but to exercise a powerful influence in relation to society and the church at large, and by combining great intellectual vigour and extensive attainments with an elevated piety, to give weight, dignity, and importance to the ministerial character. Of the necessity of a larger number of such men, there cannot be a stronger proof than is supplied in the fact, that while there is always a sufficient, often more than a sufficient number of men, fully competent to take the inferior stations in our churches, it is often matter of extreme difficulty competently to supply important vacancies; and this fact alone, we apprehend, proves that there is somewhere or other a defect in our system of ministerial education.

It is not, then, because we think that a more restricted ministerial education is abstractedly better, or because we dream of lowering its general standard, that we plead for a change of system. Quite the contrary; it is because we believe that the one class of students might by this arrangement be subjected to a more efficient and protracted training,-thus always insuring an adequate supply of first-rate men,-and that even the other class, by being set to learn less, would learn that little well; thus at once securing the mental discipline which a smattering of many things will never give, and the power of applying the knowledge they possess with greater effect, simply because that knowledge, however limited, would at all events be accurate.

And let any one soberly consider, whether, with regard to a considerable class of students, this representation be not obviously correct. A young man of five-and-twenty or six-and-twenty years of age, of ardent piety, great sobriety of character, fair talents, but who has had few previous advantages-say, nothing but a plain English education, or little more-who has been engaged, we will suppose, in active business, and who has lost at the desk or behind the counter, a good deal of the small portion

of elementary knowledge he once possessed, earnestly covets the work of the ministry. Is the church in every such case to refuse the proffered service? We loudly say, no; and that it would be at her peril and to her own injury if she ever acted upon such a principle. There is no lack of stations in which such a man may be extensively useful. Nay, within a limited sphere he may, after passing through a certain course of preparation, be even more useful than a better trained man. Such are the diversities of congregations in point of magnitude, numbers, education, and intelligence, that there is no man possessed of that measure of talent and that amount of knowledge, without which the assumption of the ministry is in our opinion both folly and guilt, who may not be rendered useful. Moreover, the Christian church is in no condition to refuse such laborers, or to be unduly squeamish as to the agents she employs. Who, indeed, can look at the magnificence of the enterprise she contemplates, the overwhelming wants of a world of sin and misery, the teeming millions of our own population, far outstripping every effort that is made to meet its demands, without feeling that of the two evils it is better to fix the standard of qualification for the ministry too low than too high; to admit some few laborers into the vineyard not perfectly qualified for the task, than (for this is the real alternative) to be without them altogether? It is with food for the soul as with food for the body, it is better, in the language of the old proverb, 'to have half a loaf than no bread.'

of bezog But the question returns-what is the most efficient training to which such a man can be subjected? for we are supposing that, in the given case, it is decided that the youth is to dedicate himself wholly to the work of the ministry, and not merely attempt to be useful in any of the many valuable forms of lay-agency. He has never, it may be, seen the Latin grammar; as to Greek, he is not perfectly sure that there is such a tongue; of Hebrew, Syriac, and Chaldee, he knows just as little; mathematics are a profound mystery; the symbols of Algebra about as unintelligible as Egyptian hieroglyphics, and metaphysics as dark as Egyptian darkness itself. Is it desirable at this youth's age, to set him upon the hopeless attempt of learning all these things? Or is there the smallest rational prospect of his obtaining such an accurate knowledge of any portion of them as shall render them practically available, or (which we will always contend is the greater benefit) confer that discipline of mind, that invigoration of intellect, which is the direct effect of their profound study? No such thing. Even with that year, or two years of preliminary private study which our colleges (so long as they adhere to the present system) wisely enjoin upon such young men, previous to their entering upon their college course, such a result cannot be hoped for. What ensues upon his entering college? Necessarily

formed into classes with other young men, of younger years indeed but of far more pliable faculties, and in possession of considerable early advantages, it is found that he cannot go on as fast as they can, and that they must check their pace to enable him to keep up with them. The difference is split-a mean is struck, by which, as has already been said, both parties are losers. He is never able thoroughly to digest any thing, they never have enough to digest; he is gorged to repletion-they are half starved; he acquires a little knowledge of many things in a loose and unsatisfactory manner, while they, finding that they can do what is required of them with comparative ease, are likely to lose their time, and to fall into habits of indolence and mental dissipation. So long as it is necessary to form students into classes at all (and we have no hope that this necessity will ever cease to exist), we are aware that it will not be possible always to prevent those disadvantages which great diversities in point of talent, and some diversities in point of previous attainment, must now and then occasion. But they never ought to exist to the extent in which they now do. Indeed, if they were never greater than inevitable necessity occasioned, they would cease to be of any consequence, for they would be more than counterbalanced by the advantages which companionship in the same pursuits, and the honest emulation it cherishes, must always have over solitary study.

But not only is the young man, in the circumstances we have supposed, totally incapable of successfully prosecuting his multifarious and novel studies, not only does he stand a chance of impeding the progress of those who might do so, but such a plan is calculated to produce, or at least to cherish some of the worst faults which can belong to a public speaker, and which otherwise might never have appeared. We all know well enough what a dangerous thing a mere smattering of any science is, and the evil is only multiplied when instead of a smattering of one we have a smattering of many. Extensive attainment in at least one branch of knowledge is necessary to guard us from that affectation of learning, that ostentatious pedantry, and those vices of diction and of style which are ridiculous every where, but in the pulpit worse than ridiculous. Extensive attainments, except in a very few peculiarly and hopelessly constructed minds, will always tend to form a beautiful simplicity, and the greater part of the offences against it are the result, not of having acquired too much knowledge, but of not having acquired enough.

The course, then, to which we would restrict students of this lower class, should extend through three or at most not more than four years, and should comprise a thorough knowledge of the principles of English grammar and of English composition, an attentive study of the best portions of our literature, history, the elements of mental and moral science, and sound English theology,

doctrinal, controversial, and practical: such works being selected in each department, as cæteris paribus, shall be best calculated to exercise and stimulate the student's faculties, to extend his knowledge of his native language and his command over it-points to him of such vital importance-to improve his taste and to form his style. To this we would add a knowledge of the first four books of Euclid. This, though a very moderate portion of mathematics, would be enough to form an invaluable discipline, since even a very little attention to this science so eminently tends to sharpen the reasoning powers, to form the faculty of close attention and continuous thought, and (which is so essential to the public speaker) to facilitate the habit of retaining and giving expression to a connected train of argument.

We have already suggested two methods by which this project might be carried into effect; the first is that of inducing those who have the management of some of our smaller colleges (which have not yet set up an expensive apparatus of tutors, buildings, library, &c., with a view to a more enlarged education) to come to a magnanimous resolution to devote themselves to its accomplishment. As for the Congregationalists, it might surely be auspiciously attempted in connexion with the recent resolutions of the Congregational Union to attempt a comprehensive scheme of Home Missions, for the realization of which a large number of agents of the class now referred to, will be imperatively demanded, and would be pre-eminently useful. It can, perhaps, be hardly expected that any of our larger colleges, which have established a costly machinery with a view to a more thorough training, should dedicate themselves exclusively to this object.-The second method, if the former should be thought impracticable, is that of endeavoring to combine the two objects in the same institutions, by admitting the class of students to which we now refer only to certain classes and for a more limited term of years. Our colleges would thus be enabled to extend the education of those who are likely to derive full benefit from such an arrangement, as well as to increase the appliances of study. This in our opinion would be very preferable to the plan of attempting to carry all the students through the same course, and retaining them for the same term of years; a plan attended with all the manifest disadvantages to both parties to which we have already adverted.

If it should be objected that the lack of previous advantages is a good reason for extending the term of study, but not for curtailing it, and for teaching more, but not for teaching less, we reply that we are speaking of those who have arrived at an age which renders time of considerable importance, and who from their early disadvantages, and the want of flexibility of mind, can only derive a certain measure of benefit from any course of train