the subject, which is described in the title page just quoted; ard that they have recommended the formation of a society to aid in. the accomplishment of the desired object. They have done more. In the first annunciation of the scheme to the public, they accompanied it by a long list of committees, comprising many gentlemen of great wealth and respectability, whom they had appointed to take part in the work of obtaining subscriptions and donations. The terms of membership of the proposed society are the same as those of the Education Society, which had been previously formed, the constitution of which was published in the Panoplist for October last, p. 481. Besides the original scheme, the Corporation have laid before the public, in the Observations before us, a number of reasons, calculated to shew the propriety and necessity of increasing the means of theological education. These Observations are attributed to the Rev. Mr. Channing; but, by whomsoever they were written, they are adopted by the Corporation, and published by their order. The writer aims to establish these points; viz. that we ought to be solicitous for the education of ministers; that our present means are not sufficient; that peculiar aids and encouragements are necessary for this profession; that a great proportion of the young men, who look forward to the ministry, are in indigent circumstances; that many of our ministers, at the present time, labor under the disadvantages of an imperfect education; and that Harvard College does not possess the ability to furnish the increasing means of theological education, which the times demand. These positions are sufficiently established. The pamphlet proposes, also, that two professorships should be added to the College, for the benefit of theological students; that a separate building should be erected for their accommodation; and that a foundation should be laid for the support of indigent students, while preparing for the ministry. The observations are pretty well written, as to style and manner; and the topics are selected with sufficient judg

ment.

On this pamphlet, and the scheme which it recommends, we make the following remarks:

1. It appears to us that the Corporation have acted a proper and dignified part, in coming forward unhesitatingly and boldly, and compelling the public to take some interest in what is deemed so important to the institution, of which they have the care.* The Corporation of a College may be supposed, as a general rule, to know the wants, the means, and the practicable improvements of their seminary, better than any other class of men. They may also be supposed to have as disinterested a regard for the prosperity of their College, and for the welfare of the community, as any portion of their fellow citizens. Why should they not, therefore, so far presume upon the liberality of the public, and of the alumni of their College particularly, as to solicit patronage for any good object, connected with their institution? Whatever may be our

The plan of a new Society was approved by the Board of Overseers.

opinion of the religious instruction, which is now given in Harvard College, and which will probably be given for some years to come, it will not prevent our approving of a step, which appears obviously proper. Taking it for granted, that the means of theological education are necessary, and that they need to be increased at any College, the governors of that College are the most proper persons in the world to lay the case before the public.

The Corporations of our Colleges, generally, have been too diffident and backward, we apprehend, in making their representations to the several communities, in which they are placed, and too distrustfal of the result. We believe, that if they were to state distinctly what their several institutions need; - if they were to make the appeal directly to some of their most distinguished sons, and to other wealthy individuals;-if they were to set their mark high, and persevere in their endeavors, they would be gratified with very ample success. If they should not gain all they desired, they would probably gain much.

As to the object of charity recommended in the pamphlet before us, it is sufficient to say, that the education of a learned ministry is unquestionably a most worthy object; and that each man, who has money to give, will decide for himself, as to the claims and advantages of Harvard College, compared with the other literary institutions of our country. We utterly disapprove of every attempt to exalt one scheme of charity, by depressing another; especially when this depression is effected by unjust and invidious comparisons. If any right is sacred, it is the right of bestowing property for charitable objects, according to the judgment of the donor. This opinion we have always entertained, and frequently express⚫ed. In conformity to this opinion, it has appeared to us, that a perversion of funds from the purposes to which they were clearly devoted, and a prostitution of them to other and opposite purposes, prove a great degree of moral baseness, in all who are guilty of such a perversion and prostitution. In reference to the subject of exalting one scheme of charity by depressing another, we take the liberty to mention one of the most flagrant outrages of this kind, which we ever saw. It was an article (written by some member of the liberal party unquestionably,) which appeared immediately before the organization of the American Society for educating Pious Youth for the Gospel Ministry. It was intended to dissuade persong from joining that society, by suggesting a suspicion, that the society would not be conducted upon fair principles; although the officers, who have the direction of its concerns, were not then elected, and the names of the members could not possibly have been known to the writer. But this is by no means the worst feature in the article. The body of it was an invidious comparison of Harvard College with all the other literary institutions in our country; a comparison, the whole force of which consisted in assuming it as a fact, that in Harvard College alone are the students permitted to think and inquire for themselves.

To return from this digression, we would observe, that if Harvard College, the oldest and the wealthiest literary institution in the United States, finds it necessary to solicit donations from individuals, in order to accomplish a purpose of great moment, the other Colleges may surely feel justified in stating their wants and their claims, without hazarding the charge of being importunate and obtrusive. It is probable, that the productive property of Harvard College exceeds that, which is possessed by the seven other colleges in New England. We say this, merely to awaken the friends of these colleges to exertion, and by no means to invalidate any statements contained in the pamphlet before us. There ought, in our opinion, to be a vigorous, active, and generous society, formed in the community which surrounds each of these colleges, for the purpose of furnishing the means of educating pious young men for the Gospel ministry. These means are needed to support many such young men while at college, and afterwards while they are residing at some theological institution. Several such societies exist already; but their means are not at all proportionate to the demand for assistance.

2. It appears quite singular, that the arguments contained in this pamphlet should be introduced as they are, without the slightest intimation, that the necessity of extraordinary exertions to raise up a numerous and learned ministry had been seen, acknowledged, enforced, and acted upon with energy, for several ye years, in different parts of the United States. From reading the "Observations," one would suppose, that the writer had just made the discovery, that we must have a learned ministry, and that extraordinary means must be used, according to the exigencies of the case; whereas every considerable argument, which he has used, has been repeated a hundred times, and often with vastly greater force and effect. Nor has the matter rested upon argument alone. Already there are five theological seminaries in existence, and others are contemplated. From all these five, we believe, well educated ministers have gone forth, and begun to preach the Gospel. The theological institution at Andover has been in successful operation for more than seven years. It now contains sixty students, and possesses great advantages for the study of theology. That we may not be thought hypercritical in these remarks, let the reader consider how odd it would appear, at this late day, for a man to come forward and argue in favor of Bible and Missionary Societies, precisely as though such institutions had never been heard of by the world. Yet, we are bold to say, that the necessity of theological seminaries is as fully established, and as widely acknowledged by the Christian public, as that of any other charitable object whatever.

At the close of his observations, the writer admits, indeed, that the object now recommended is not of recent suggestion.' In proof of this he asserts, that "the late Chief Justice Parsons communicated to a friend an address to the public on this very subject, prepared by the late Rev. Mr. Buckminster." So it appears,

that at least three persons had thought, or heard of this object, before the present day! Perhaps it will be said, that the writer had : in his mind the particular object of building up a theological seminary at Harvard College. Undoubtedly: but he had in his mind, also, the general object of increasing the means of theological education; and there is no intimation, that any person, before December 1815, had ever thought of this object, or of the particular one, except Judge Parsons, Mr. Buckminster, and the friend to whom Judge Parsons communicated the subject. Whence this appearance of novelty? Was it because the orthodox, who are so often stigmatized as ignorant bigots, had not only asserted the necessity of increased means of theological education; but had actually established and endowed several theological seminaries, and had proved by successful experiment the great utility of these institutions? Was it because the liberal party, though perpetually boasting of their liberality, and though possessing a vast proportion of the wealth of the community, had hitherto neglected this subject? How long the liberal party would have continued chargeable with this neglect, if they had not been stimulated by the exertions of the orthodox, can never be known. Let them not hesitate to acknowledge, however, that the orthodox have always been the friends of a learned ministry, and of free inquiry; and that they made the first efforts, in this country, to increase the means of education for the ministry, both by providing learned and able teachers, and by defraying the expenses of indigent students while preparing for the ministry.

After the boastful accounts, which appeared in the General Repository, respecting the great advantages of Harvard College, as a school of theology, we did not expect to see it stated by the Corporation, that "the assistance afforded to students in theology is very limited, and not one professorship has as yet been established expressly for aiding their preparation for the ministry." p. 18. The true state of the case seems to be, then, that while the orthodox have established several flourishing theological seminaries, the liberal party are just beginning to feel the necessity of exertion. The words marked in Italics above, are thus marked in the pamphlet.

3. The following paragraph is a curious one indeed.

"It ought to be particularly observed, that the consequence of enlarging the theological funds of the University will not be the communication of a sectarian character to that institution. The design is not to inculcate the peculiarities of any sect, but to place students of divinity under the most favorable circumstances for inquiring for themselves into the doctrines of revelation." pp. 20, 21.

We suspect this is the first time, that the proposal for the education of young men for the Gospel ministry, was accompanied with an assurance that the design was not to inculcate the peculiarities of any sect.' Who ever supposed that such was the design of men sedulously engaged in building up the church of their Lord Jesus Christ? Who ever supposed, especially, that men thus engaged were conscious of such a design, or even thought it necessary to disclaim such a consciousness? "The peculiarities of any sect" arc words of very extensive latitude. They may mean, that is, they are actually made to mean, almost any thing; and are, therefore, very convenient watchwords for a party. It is obvious, however, that in this connexion, they are intended to insinuate, that the proposed theological institution is to differ from the other theological seminaries in our country, in as much as it is to possess no "sectarian character." This difference cannot be proved, unless it can be shown, that these institutions have a truly sectarian character; that is, unless they are busied principally about modes and forms and unimportant articles, while they neglect the great doctrines and duties of the Gospel; and that the proposed institution is to possess a more enlarged and comprehensive view of things, and to be employed in more noble pursuits; or, secondly, unless the proposed institution shall utterly abstain from teaching any doctrines or duties whatever. In this latter way, only, can the peculiarities of scct' be avoided, according to the meaning which the liberal party very often affix to that sort of phraseology. The insinuation, that the theological seminaries already existing are really sectarian in their character, has nothing to justify it. We do not believe, that more freedom of inquiry exists in any place upon the globe, than in the seminary at Andover. We mention this seminary, because we are more acquainted with it, than with any other. But is it a fact, that the proposed institution is not designed to propagate any peculiar views of Christianity? The very question will excite a smile in any one, who knows the character and projects of the liberal party. With all their antipathy to creeds, the members of that party are not indifferent in respect to the doctrines, which their ministers and professors believe, and are expected to teach: and we speak not only our honest opinion, but an opinion which we think the Scriptures fully authorize us to form, when we say, that if there ever was a party of men, whom it was proper to dis. tinguish by the word sect, the liberal party in Massachusetts may be properly thus distinguished.

4. The manner in which the writer speaks of the ministry, of religion itself, and of a preparation for the ministry, is a remarkable proof of the chilling tendency of latitudinarianism. Take the following passages as a specimen.

"The ministry, on the other hand, demands not merely unexceptionable morals, but a sobriety and seriousness of mind, and a propensity to contemplative and devout habits, which are not the ordinary characteristics of that age, when a choice must be made of the business of life. On this account the number of the young, who are inclined by their own feelings and advised by others to enter the ministry, is comparatively small." p. 13.

"Even young men of pure morals and of devotional susceptibility shrink from an employment, which they think will separate them from the world, and impose a rigorous discipline and painful circumspection." p. 14: