closet. We discover in it no traces of art. We hear no note of preparation for effect. We seem at ease, in the company of men nowise extraordinary, in most respects, and acting their parts in common scenes-men subject to like passions with us-scenes very like our own homes. And the truths with which we are conversant, here, when we gather them up from this and that portion of the record, and place them side by side in systematic order, seem just like other bodies of divinity. Still, as we give ourselves up to the guidance of the inspired writers, and follow, somewhat minutely and carefully, the train of events, the development of character, the interviews of men with one another and with God, which make up these wonderful books, how changed all things appear. What strange impressions are made; what mysterious objects pass before us and stand around us. What a life we are living, what an end we are approaching, what a world we dwell in, what scenes await us. We feel as if we were penetrated by the eye of God and surrounded by his presence. We are filled with a mingled feeling of abasement and exaltation; compelled to look on ourselves as at once the worst and the most privileged of beings-too mean and too guilty to deserve any thing, and yet solicited to accept of all things-captives, redeemed; enemies, reconciled. We seem to ourselves to be living in vain, with every thing to do; to be striving for nothing with every thing to gain. And, if the heart is yet sensitive, in spite of our pride, we weep tears of regret at the ignoble life we lead, and give ourselves, with earnestness, to the work of our own salvation and the promotion of the glory of God. Such impressions and such resolutions we cannot avoid, but by shutting up the Book of life, and laying it away out of our sight. A wicked man dreads to be alone with it. We cannot too much study a book of this spirit, nor fail to catch something of its style of eloquence, by habituating ourselves to feel its influence on our own hearts. The diligent reader of the sacred Scriptures and the careful student of his own heart, will soon find, that to these sources he owes more of whatever true wisdom he may attain, than to all the schools. The nearest approach to this style of teaching, which the history of heathen eloquence, and, perhaps, of uninspired eloquence, in any state of society, affords, is exhibited in the public instructions of Socrates. In Plato's Banquet, Alcibiades is made to say, "When I heard Pericles, or any other great orator, I was entertained and delighted; and I felt that they had spoken well. But no mortal speech has ever excited in my mind such emotions as are kindled by this magician. Whenever I hear him, I am, as it were, charmed and fettered. My heart leaps like an inspired Corybant. My inmost soul is stung by his words, as by the bite of a serpent; it is indignant at its own rude and ignoble character. I often weep tears of regret, and think how vain and inglorious is the life I lead. Nor am I the only one that weeps like a child and despairs of himself; many others are affected in the same way." Among Christian writers few possess this peculiar power like Paschal. Who ever sat an hour over the "Thoughts," without feeling the consciousness of a new being coming over his soul-without wondering that he had lived so long, and known so little what it is to live. Socrates acquired his power by abandoning the schools of the Sophists, and following the advice inscribed over the gate of the temple at Delphi, “Tvbe σεavτov "—know thyself. Paschal, also, and every truly eloquent minister of Christ, has studied moral wisdom in his own heart, and in the school of the inspired Teachers. ALUMNI OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, ANDOVER. THEOLOGICAL SEMINARIES are not a new kind of institution. They have existed in some form almost from the Christian era; though established upon a less permanent basis than at the present time. Theological education in this country was conducted by the enterprise of individual clergymen, till the commencement of the present century. In 1808 was established the Seminary at Andover-the first that was erected upon a permanent basis in this country; and since that time, the superiority of instruction in public seminaries over that given by private individuals, has become generally acknowledged. Consequently theological seminaries have been established by the principal Christian denominations in the land. More than thirty have been founded within the last thirty years. We are glad to see this interest in providing an able ministry for this country and the world. And we are not displeased to see Andover still holding, and promising to retain the rank which, by its greater age, belongs to it. Its continued prosperity will be seen from the following schedules : SCHEDULE I. Showing the number that have annually finished their course in the Andover Theological Seminary: designating the Colleges at which they were graduated, and the number that have deceased. *Several that were once missionaries have returned, which, if added, would raise the number to ninety. 302 SCHEDULE II. Showing the States in which the Alumni of the Theological Seminary, Andover, had their original residence, and the Colleges at which they were graduated: also, the number of the deceased, and of Foreign Missionaries. From the preceding it appears the number annually leaving Andover is gradually increasing; for the four largest classes have left within the last ten years. Previous to the establishment of Amherst College, a plurality of those belonging to Massachusetts were graduated at Williams; many were graduated at colleges out of the State; more came to Andover from Yale than from any other college. Since Amherst College was established, its graduates have been most numerous at Andover. But, for the whole existence of the Seminary, the graduates of Dartmouth are much the most numerous. Heath, September 27, 1839. ANNIVERSARIES OF SOCIETIES CONNECTED WITH THE AMERICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY. CENTRAL AMERICAN EDUCATION SOCIETY. An account of the public services at the time of the last anniversary of this Society was given in the August number of this work. An extract from the Report follows: Emerging from the clouds of adversity that have been lowering around their path for two years past, and commencing a new era in this work of benevolence, the Directors have thought proper to re-survey the ground and examine anew the principles upon which they act. The system of parental loans, judiciously administered, they continue to regard with undiminished favor. The voices of those who have had the most ample opportunities to witness the results of its operation, bear of the plan. The wisdom of this prominent uniform and decided testimony to the utility principle, in our mode of furnishing assistance, must now be considered as completely demonstrated. Experience has shown it to be safest and most prudent for the benefactor, and at the same time, most agreeable to the feelings of the beneficiary. Another important feature is, the certificate of character and accurate account of expenses, required once a quarter, of every one under patronage. By this means the Directors become acquainted with the moral and religious character, the scholarship and habits of all the beneficiaries. Is any one inattentive to his studies, or extravagant in his expenses? his quarterly returns give evidence of the fact, and lay the foundation for admonition, rebuke, or suspension of aid, according to the circumstances of the case. The Directors are more than ever convinced of the necessity of taking every precautionary measure, to guard the avenues to the sacred office, and to prevent the approach of those, who seek it for worldly aggrandisement, personal ease, or as a theatre for display. It is their purpose to aid those, and those only, who desire to preach the gospel for the love they bear to the cause of their divine Master, and who give evidence that they will in due time, become workmen that need not to be ashamed, valiant champions of the faith, who shall wield the appropriate weapons, and be imbued with the spirit of their vocation. They therefore urge upon those committees, whose duty it is to examine and recommend candidates for patronage, great caution in the reception of new applicants. They are requested and instructed to encourage none to enter upon a course of study, of whose piety, prudence, or mental capacities, they have any wellgrounded doubts. A thorough course of education has ever been required by the Society's rules, and it is believed that the welfare of the Christian church imperiously demands a firm adherence to this principle. Young men who have too little patience or industry to submit to a rigid course of mental discipline, or to acquaint themselves with those branches of knowledge which have ever been deemed of the first importance, if not indispensable to the profession, have slight claims upon the patronage of the churches. The loud call for ministers from heathen lands, and the large, increasing demand at home, have made it difficult to convince many ardent and worthy Christians, that a course of nine or ten years preparatory study is at all compatible with a due regard for the salvation of souls. Have not young men sufficient knowledge, it is said, to instruct the heathen and the less intelligent in civilized communities, though they may not have pursued all the branches of study, usually embraced in a course of liberal education? ing and of intellectual vigor? The idea is preposterous. But he will do, say some, for our new settlements at the West; send him to the great valley, he can be useful there. Such seems to be the opinion of many, and the practice of some; but it is a practice at war with sound policy and good sense. If the people at the West were really as ignorant as some would have us suppose, they would need men of finished education, to mould and to elevate their character, and to lay the foundations for literary and religious institutions. But they are not, generally, so destitute of knowledge. Large stores of book knowledge they may not possess, but men and things have been the objects of their study. They can appreciate, if they cannot measure, men of learning. Besides, the West is already teeming with preachers, whose claims to the respect and confidence of the people are based upon their own acknowledged and vaunted ignorance. "I have no learning; I never saw a college," is language that has actually been employed, by professed religious teachers, as a passport to popular favor. And what is the influence of such men ? It is no more certain that a stream cannot rise above its fountain-head, than that a people will not be ambitious to surpass, in intelligence, their spiritual guides. They will hug the chains of ignorance, so long as their religious teachers choose to remain in the same ignoble servitude. But men of reflection, of quick perceptions, and of strong minds, will not be likely to hold, in high veneration, that system of religion, whose ministers and authorized expounders, hate knowledge and glory in their ignorance. They must regard with contempt, the superficial, weak-headed preacher, who quails before the rough but sturdy logic of the untaught skeptic. If that interesting part of our country is ever fully brought under the controlling power of Christian truth, it will not be effected by intellectual dwarfs. The sons of Anak dwell there. What employment then can be found for uneducated ministers ? Will they do to enlighten the heathen? So think some who appear not well to understand the nature of missionary labor. If the powers and acquisitions of Paul, were all called There is a zeal that is not according to into exercise, in explaining, enforcing, and knowledge, and such we must regard that defending the truths of revelation among well-meant but short-sighted policy, which heathen and unbelievers, if miraculous would hurry men into the ministry, whose powers were superadded to his own, to give minds have a very limited supply of well- effect to his preaching, can any valuable digested knowledge. Many of this class of results be expected from inefficient, unfurministers, have seen and deeply deplored nished preachers? Prejudices are to be their error, when the remedy has been overcome, inveterate habits changed, objecbeyond their reach. Where can an igno- tions removed, arguments refuted, systems rant minister find an appropriate sphere of of false science exploded, and language labor? Is he qualified to instruct those in-acquired and reduced to order. For such telligent churches and congregations among an arduous and difficult service, what are us, that have been gathered and trained the indispensable qualifications? Most cerunder the influence of men of sound learn-tainly ignorance is not one. If we must have men of meagre attain- | most approved English classics would therements in the sacred office, let them by all by be driven into exile. Paradise Lost must means be settled over our most intelligent be banished; Pope and Thomson must be congregations, where, if they do no good, they will at least do but little harm. But until an appropriate sphere of labor for an illiterate ministry can be found, the Directors feel warranted in insisting upon a thorough course of education, as a condition upon which assistance is afforded. But it is urged that some of the branches of study pursued in our colleges are of hurtful tendency, and ought to be abandoned; accordingly substitutes have in some cases been introduced which essentially modify the established and long tried systems of public education. An attempt has thus been made by some respectable scholars to decry, and, if possible, to banish from the halls of learning the study of the ancient classics. Other men of equal zeal, but of far humbler pretensions, have echoed the alarm, and rung all sorts of changes upon the dangers to which students are exposed by this familiarity with pagan writers. "The holy city is in the possession of infidels," was the animating text of Peter the Hermit. By his enthusiastic rhapsodies, the elements of social order were driven into fierce commotion, and the energies of Christendom were enlisted to dispossess the Infidel, and heal the wounded honor of Christianity. The text has indeed been changed, but the discourse is much the same in our day. We are gravely told that the word of God is dishonored by the study of the heathen classics; that young men whose characters are formed under their influence, if saved at all, must be "saved so as by fire." An impression has been made upon some, that candidates for the ministry are putting their morals, if not their souls, in jeopardy, by the study of Greek and Latin. As the Directors insist upon a thorough course of classical study, it may not be unsuitable to this occasion, briefly to assign their reasons for adhering to this original and fundamental principle of the Education Society. laid upon the same shelf with Horace and Virgil; and the noblest works of genius, that the English language can furnish, must be kept from the student's eye. And who will say that a portion of Inspiration's sacred page, would not, by such proscription, be placed under interdict? It is then neither candid nor wise to raise objections against the tendency of a study, when the evil, if any, results from the depraved habits of the student, or from defective modes of instruction. "Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,"-literature as likely to corrupt the heart as that of Greece and Rome; and yet we have no evidence that the morals of Moses were tainted by his studies. It was that enlargement of understanding; that vigor of intellect, acquired and disciplined by the patient and profound study of heathen writers, that made him "mighty in words and in deeds," gave him superiority over all his countrymen, and eminently fitted him for that perilous and responsible station, that he was called to fill. Paul was a student of heathen classics. He even quotes them in his public addresses, but nowhere intimates that his morals had passed a fiery ordeal in his course of study. The great Reformers, Luther, Melancthon, Zwinglius, Calvin, and Beza, were eminent for their classical attainments; and the brightest ornaments in the Protestant church, in every successive age since the Reformation, were profound classical scholars, alike distinguished for purity of heart and power of thought. The untaught Christian, then, has no cause to apprehend, that the moral principles of the candidates for the sacred office, will be poisoned by the branches of study they are called to pursue. Should an antidote ever be found necessary, it will be readily administered by the Christian teachers, to whose guardianship they are committed. often been demonstrated. No single department of learning is so well adapted to strengthen the memory, improve the judgment, refine the taste, form the habit of nice discrimination, and invigorate the reasoning powers, as the study of language; and by the almost unanimous consent of the literary world, no languages have higher claims upon the student, for purposes of mental discipline, than the Latin and Greek. The high value of classical study in formThe objection to the classics, based uponing and furnishing the youthful mind, has their immoral tendency, has its foundation, chiefly, in the lively fancy of the objector. Centuries have passed since the study of Greek and Roman models has been deemed essential to a finished education; and they have left on record few, if any, well attested facts that go to prove the immoral influence of the study. It cannot, however, be doubted that classical study wrongly directed, may produce, and probably has produced, injurious effects. But if the ban of proscription is to be pronounced upon every branch of knowledge and every author, that abuse has made prejudicial to the mind or heart, it would narrow down the course of liberal education to limits most meagre and contemptible. Some of our best and 26 VOL. XII. Perhaps there never was a time when sound learning and mental discipline, were more essential to the heralds of the cross, than the present. The general diffusion of knowledge in our country, has become a subject of State policy, as well as of individual and associated enterprise. Not only |