ecumenical methodism." The institution was opened in 1840 at Newbury, Vt., was removed to Concord, N. H. in 1847, to Boston in 1867 and became in 1871 the theological department of Boston university.

Of the 165 existing theological schools 3 were established before 1800, 18 between 1801 and 1825, 25 between 1826 and 1850, 72 between 1851 and 1875, 47 between 1876 and 1900. When the necessity of systematic training for the ministry was recognized theological schools were established. The multiplication of these schools, however, is due to some extent to differences of opinion touching matters pertaining to the Christian faith. When men can not think alike even in details that seem trivial they split frequently into sects which sometimes found theological seminaries to teach their own peculiar views. In an interesting paper on the causes and remedy of the disunion of Christendom the rector of St Andrew's, Rochester, expresses the opinion that the purpose of the church to discipline life, to make men pure and just and kind is often lost sight of in an effort to secure intellectual agreement concerning the most abstruse and difficult subjects that the human mind can entertain. Bishop Whipple of Minnesota emphasizes the other side of this picture as follows: "Never in the world's history has there been such enthusiasm in all humanitarian work as now. Not even in the primitive church have greater victories been won in leading heathen folk to Christian civilization."

Religious bodies vary greatly with regard to the training deemed essential for the ministry. The training of the Roman catholic priest for example begins normally at about the age of 12 when the candidate is secluded in many ways. from contact with secular life, living and working constantly under ecclesiastical supervision. On the other hand the protestant candidate for the ministry is usually free to choose his teachers, studies and associates, and he does not begin his special training till he has finished his general education and entered the theological school. Again episcopalians,

presbyterians and congregationalists for example have exacted as a rule a comparatively good general and professional education. The methodists on the other hand have not laid so much stress on intellectual training. They did not open a theological school till 1840 and even in 1899 the methodist seminaries did not report so many students as the presbyterian though in the United States there were probably about four times as many methodists as presbyterians. Almost from the date of their organization, however, the methodists have maintained a scheme of systematic theological examinations, and recently progress has been made toward a more thorough training. They now supervise with special care the scholastic work of their higher institutions of learning.

It is commonly asserted that many theological seminaries notwithstanding their comparatively high admission requirements do not maintain the educational standards required by other professional schools, and that students in these seminaries are seldom dropped through failure to reach a satisfactory intellectual standing. As the Rev. W. F. Whitaker of Albany says, however, we should not overlook the fundamental difference between theology and other professions. Physical disease demands everywhere the same skill but intellectual training necessary for the cure and care of souls varies with varying needs.

University relations-Some theologians magnify the advantages that arise from the pursuit of a common purpose in independent seminaries. In their judgment these seminaries accomplish much more thorough work in theology than that done for example at Oxford and Cambridge. Other writers emphasize the fact that "the theologian needs the contact of other minds just as do other specialists," and that it is a mistake to divorce the study of theology from that of the other sciences. In the United States the seminaries long restricted the study of theology to candidates for the ministry; laymen neglected this field almost entirely and theologians on the other hand were narrowed by the seclusion of the seminary.

The work of independent theological schools is of course much more thorough than that which the secular colleges attempted with the aid of individual clergymen, but the isolation of these schools is a disadvantage when we compare them with some of the great universities abroad in which theology is the leading faculty.

The recognition of this fact marked the third step in the development of theological education in this country. In 1819 Harvard' and in 1822 Yale' organized separate theological faculties. In 1899, 46 colleges and universities had theological faculties, and 13 independent schools had entered into such relations with neighboring universities that their students were able to enjoy many university privileges. These friendly relations now exist, even between different denominations. The Episcopal theological school at Cambridge, Mass. has for example many of the advantages offered by Harvard university, the Episcopal divinity school at Philadelphia shares advantages offered by the University of Pennsylvania, the Union theological seminary in New York those afforded to the students of Columbia and New York universities.

Present tendencies- Dr C. A. Briggs wrote as follows on theological education in 1892:

"The course in theology is still very defective in the great majority of the theological schools but no one can deny real and great progress The backbone of theological training is still Hebrew exegesis, Greek exegesis, church history, systematic theology, pastoral theology and homiletics The scientific method is beginning to revolutionize theological education; but this movement is only in its beginnings."

In recent years there has been a tendency to extend the elective system in seminary courses. Some theologians contend that these courses should be entirely elective; others,

'The first professorship established in the university was the Hollis professorship of divinity, established in 1721. The differentiation of the divinity school from the college was very gradual.

The chair of divinity was established in 1755.

that they should require a symmetric training in all fundamental branches, and that the choice of studies should be limited to those that are demanded by special tastes or by special lines of work.

In an essay on the education of protestant ministers, published in the Princeton review in 1883, and republished in 1898 in Educational reform, President Eliot gives the following suggestions touching this matter:

"The subjects which in our day should be set before a candidate for the ministry are divisible into two classes: those which every candidate should master, and those from which every candidate should make a limited selection. The preliminary subjects which every student of theology should in my judgment be required to master are as follows:

I Languages: Greek (including New testament Greek), Latin, Hebrew and German

2 English literature, with practice in writing, and study of style

3 The elements of psychology

4 The elements of political economy

5 Constitutional history, or the history of some interesting period of moderate length

6 Science: botany, zoology, or geology, studied in the laboratory and the field.

The requisitions in the languages other than English are the only ones in this list which are now habitually enforced in theological seminaries."

"Having finished the preliminary required studies, the candidate for the ministry is ready to enter upon the advanced studies which may properly be called professional. Since preaching is to be his most important function, he will naturally give a good share of his time to homiletics and the practice of writing and speaking. The other subjects which are now included under the comprehensive term 'theology' or 'divinity' may be grouped as follows:

I Semitic studies: linguistic, archeologic and historical 2 New testament criticism and exegesis

3 Ecclesiastical history

4 Comparative religion or historic religions compared 5 Psychology, ethics, and the philosophy of religion 6 Systematic theology, and the history of Christian doctrine

7 Charitable and reformatory methods, and the contest of Christian society with licentiousness, intemperance, pauperism and crime."

"Any three of these seven groups thoroughly studied, in addition to homiletics and the preliminary required studies, would in my judgment give a far better training for the protestant ministers of our day than is now offered in any theological seminary in my knowledge."

In this essay Pres. Eliot deals only "with the surroundings and mental furnishing of the minister, not with his inspiration." He does not maintain that there is no need of uneducated ministers or that men of genius are dependent on systematic training or that "sensibility, earnestness and piety" are not the most essential qualities. He does say, however, that men of genius are rare and that it is not the business of universities and theological seminaries to provide "uninstructed exhorters."