very interesting, valuable, and widely spread books, we know nothing which would much more astonish him, than a republication of Halyburton's Life, with notes to indicate and rectify the instances discoverable there. Every student should, as a matter of course, on leaving the academy, be familiar with the peculiarities of religious and experimental statement which pervades our popular divinity; such as that of Hervey and his admirers, on the one side, and those of the various shades of Sandemanianism on the other; not even overlooking the influence of the latter, as dis cernible in the little notice taken of the Holy Spirit, and the almost exclusive view given of the moral influence-or, as we should call such representations, the moral mechanism of the Gospel, in the otherwise admirable and widely circulated letters of the excellent Dr. Russell, of Dundee.

Omitting those of our Author's complaints which refer to pas toral oversight, and the government of the church, as matters which, though not attended to as they should be, are yet by no means so neglected in our churches as in Germany, we pass on to notice the remedial suggestions he has offered. These consist in the appointment of a university pastor to superintend the religious interests of the whole body of students, but with certain special duties in relation to the theological students. This functionary would sustain a totally different office from that of the now existing academical preacher, who, as such, has merely to deliver a few discourses at set times during the semester, and is in addition one of the theological professors, with a full share of professional duty. His duty might very properly embrace what now falls to the academical preacher, but Mr. Fliedner suggests, that he should by no means be charged with the duties of a professor, but that it would be preferable that he should always be a pastor of some neighbouring parish, where the charge was at the same time collegiate, and not too burdensome. Thus he would have leisure to devote that attention to the students which his office as universitypastor would demand, and at the same time, as colleague in a parish charge, would possess the opportunity of initiating students in the practical exercises of the university. As special duties pertaining to his office, Mr. Fliedner proposes the following:

1. The special oversight of all the students in the university. 2. The practical exposition of the Scriptures [in the manner already illustrated]. To be attended at least once in every week by students in the last year of their triennium, and by the members of the homiletical and catechetical seminaries.

3, 4, 5. The practical initiation of the students in catechising, visiting the sick and poor, and giving instruction in Sunday schools.

6. Parænetic lectures, (after the model of those of Francke,) to be delivered once a week during at least one whole semester in every year.'-Vol. II., pp. 251, 252.

Under the 3d particular, Mr. Fliedner explains himself to mean, that the catechetic lectures and exercises now in use should continue the same as they are at present, but that, in addition to these, the university-pastor should avail himself of such further means of initiating the students in them, as might be afforded by the establishment of Sunday schools, and holding catechisings in poor-houses, prisons, &c. The character of the parænetic lectures may be inferred from the distinction drawn between them and the course already referred to as given half-yearly by Professor Tholuck, under the title of Theological Encyclopædia. In this, the scientific element predominates, in the other the practical; so that the two differ just as the scientific or literary exposition differs from that which is practical.

In these parænetic lectures,' says Mr. Fliedner, Francke took pains to illustrate what obstacles stood in the way of commencing theologians to prevent their attaining the holy object of their studies, and how these obstacles were to be overcome. They were then introduced to the most advantageous arrangement of their whole theological course, and directed to the use of the most valuable methods in order to that end. The greater proportion of the suggestions respected the maintenance and cultivation of personal religion; not however a mere outward or legal, but an inward and evangelical religion, proceeding from a living faith in Christ. Francke discoursed on these occa

sions so impressively, so confidingly, so cordially-just like a father with his children, as he himself expressed it-sometimes indeed earnestly and severely-more severely perhaps than our altered age would bear, yet ever so that it was visible a father's love alone constrained him to do it.... Sometimes he discoursed on self-deception, sometimes on the fear of man; at other times on the religious conduct of study; how students might discern the present condition of the Church, and prepare themselves for the improvement of it; how to avoid youthful sins, &c.; and this he would sometimes do by selecting a passage of some esteemed author as a text, and commenting upon it; at other times by a familiar exposition of a Scripture section.... Many of his hearers regarded these lectures as the means of their conversion, and acknowledged that they were thereby instructed to make a profitable use of their university career; expressing at the same time, that it was not till they had been years engaged in the duties of their respective stations, that they were fully sensible of the value, or adequately understood the application, of his lessons. He himself declared also, that upon none of his academical labours was he conscious of such an abundant and abiding blessing as upon these.'

Vol. II., pp. 247–249, slightly abridged and transposed.

If, after reading with attention the preceding extracts, he should turn his thoughts to the existing state of theological education in this country, what consideration would be most likely to force itself upon the mind of any intelligent friend to the interests of biblical and theological learning, or of practical qualification for

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the Christian Ministry? Would it not be the impressive conviction, that these are very inadequately consulted in Great Britain? So far, indeed, as regards the episcopal Establishment, we may safely leave the consideration of her theological schools till we know where to look for them. The possession of a host of admirable classical and mathematical scholars, of whom one here and there distinguishes himself in private theological researches, is no compensation whatever for the almost universal neglect of theology at the two universities. Nor does the existence of Lampeter College in the diocese of St. David's, which owes its origin, as we believe, mainly to the concern felt by the learned and pious Bishop Burgess for the spiritual interests of his flock, nor the comparative attention paid to the subject in the new university of Durham, for whose endowment we may thank the ' schoolmaster,' redeem her from merited disgrace. On this account, therefore, we will be free to own, that we have occasionally felt a melancholy pleasure when we have read the charges so frequently reiterated by her clergy, that the Dissenting ministry is an illiterate ministry; since the charge, supposing in all conscience that the individuals who make it have perused the writings they condemn, has always conveyed to us the implication, that great numbers of the clergy have at least enjoyed the opportunity of acquiring more theological knowledge than we had previously imagined it right to give them credit for. Very different indeed is the aspect of things in the presbyterian Establishment, and among all the presbyterians of the North. There, in addition to four years of academical, other four are devoted to divinity studies; and it is impossible not to recognize the amazing difference, in point of outward ministerial qualification, which has all along distinguished the clergy of the two Establishments. We are certain, however, that we shall be excused by our northern brethren in general, when we respectfully repeat our belief, that, on a comparison of their whole system of theological education, on the one hand with the theoretic fulness of that of the German universities, and, on the other, with the practical suggestions of Mr. Fliedner, they will see many points susceptible of great improvement. Our chief concern, however, we acknowledge, relates to the improvements which may be effected in the arrangements of the Congregational and Baptist bodies, as coming more particularly within the sphere of our observation and our interest; and the subject, as regards both denominations, is certainly deserving of increased attention, from the greater prominence with which the ministers of both now stand before the public, and the greater influence which, since the recent political changes, has become attached to the denominations themselves.

We therefore take the liberty to conclude this article with an additional observation or two on some peculiar advantages pos

sessed by both bodies in common, in relation to the ends of theological study; and on some particulars in which, perhaps, their present system of education may be susceptible of improvement, when and as Providence may open the way for it.

The principal advantage we shall insist on is, the influence which our churches have over the whole theological course. Our students are not a promiscuous multitude, but a select class; and in order to be received into any of our theological seminaries, it is necessary not only that the candidate bring with him a certificate of church-membership, but also a recommendation from his pas tor, as being in his view qualified, by disposition and talents, for an entrance on theological study with a view to ministerial labour. Even then, he is not fully admitted, unless his qualifications approve themselves to the directing committee and existing tutors of the seminary, nor until a probation of three months has given hopeful evidence that it is a proper measure. The same anxiety as to the religious character of the students pervades the whole course. Family worship is one of the orders of the house; and while the tutors are understood to exercise a spiritual oversight over the academical family, each student is required to be in regular communion with some evangelical church. Nor is this beneficial influence withdrawn from him even when he leaves the college; for, however high the literary or other testimonials which he may have acquired there, no patronage or recommendation can force him as pastor upon any church, against their own approval or preference of him. There is thus a moral and religious influence in operation during the whole duration and progress of his theological studies, to which, as it seems to us, the arrangements of no other denomination, except the Secession Church, furnish any parallel whatever.

Our more learned readers will excuse us, if our interest in the subject should now betray us into any injudicious suggestions; for men say, that love is sometimes blind: Our Baptist brethren appear to us to enjoy some eminent advantages, in the possession of Dr. Ward's exhibitions, and in the fact that, at Broadmead, one of the tutors has the principal but not entire charge of a Baptist church; thus standing nearly in the relation of university pastor, as proposed by Mr. Fliedner. The conferences,' as they are termed, at Bristol, give a specimen of the exercises by which such a connection enables the tutor to initiate the students into public engagements. This method appears to us preferable both to the preaching exercises usual in our divinity halls, where there are none but academical hearers, and to the occasional engagements of the students as supplies, where there is no tutorial superintendence and advice. As regards Dr. Ward's exhibitions, some of the Baptist students are thus enabled to enjoy the advantage of distinct general and theological courses;

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though we have always regretted, that, from the precedence of the theological, much of the advantage is lost. Still, the instances of Mr. Hall and Mr. Hughes, who were both enabled by this means to dig deeper channels for their professional influence, must be admitted as eminent proofs that it is an advantageous provision.

The same is also the arrangement made in the education of the Congregational ministry in the United States, where the professional or divinity course is, we believe, invariably preceded by one in a university. Ought not the Congregational body then, in England, to afford equal advantages to their students? When we look back to the times in which our seminaries were founded, we cannot but discern in the state of things to which their provisions were adapted, something very different from what we should provide for now. When that Institution which is now at Homerton was originally established, there existed indeed some sense of the importance of ministerial learning; for the early fathers of nonconformity,-the ejected ministers who had been bred in halls and colleges, were not all dead, and their immediate successors had imbibed a measure of their learning. But a long age of ignorance and indifference,―an_age_ involving the defection of most of the Presbyterian churches from the faith,-intervened before the foundation of most of the other seminaries; and when they were founded, as the result of that thirst for evangelical preaching which resulted from the labours of Whitfield and the Wesleys, it was, in the first instance, on a lower literary scale than that last mentioned had been, inasmuch as their object was not so much to maintain a succession of stated ministers, as to provide a number of evangelical labourers for destitute districts. This original difference may be considered, indeed, as being for the most part swept away at the present time; the deficiency of evangelical labourers having been in a measure supplied, and the necessity of a learned as well as pious ministry having forced itself into notice; but still, all our seminaries partake more or less of a very imperfect scientific character; so that, if the influence and responsibility of both the Congregational and the Baptist denominations have already risen in the public estimation, and be still to rise, we are convinced, without being ungrateful either to God or to our forefathers for what we now possess, that a course of education more perfect in itself, and more answerable to the demands and expectations of the age, must be provided for our future ministers.

Might we hazard a suggestion, we should say, that, in our opinion, the greatest advantages would flow-first, from requiring of those admitted to our seminaries a rather higher scale of intellectual cultivation than is now thought necessary; this, if all seminaries alike adopted it, would only detain the candidates for