Horsley's Sermon on the same subject; and West on the Resurrection, with several of Bishop Horsley's Sermons on that subject. Occasional references have likewise been made to passages in other, authors.

"With the Professor of the Nature, Ministry, and Polity of the Christian Church and Ecclesiastical History*, the students have attended, during the present session, in two classes. The first class, having prosecuted in the Seminary, while at New-Haven, the study of the History of the Church before the coming of Christ, and for the three following centuries, have attended to the Ecclesiastical History of the fourth century, with Mosheim for the text book. It was then thought adviseable to direct their notice to the writing of the earlier Fathers, with the view of passing from them to the study of the nature and ministry of the Church, under the advantage of the important light thrown on these subjects by that sound and best rule for the interpretation of Scripture, the generally prevailing principles and practice of the first Christians.

"The various other claims upon the time of the students, rendered impossible a critical study of the Fathers in the original languages. All, therefore, that could be done on this head, was to recommend that exercise to them when opportunity shall be afforded. The generally accurate translation of Archbishop Wake, and of the Rev. William Reeves, were made subjects of particular, examination, and those parts of them which had the most important bearing on the principles and practice of the primitive Church, having been compared with the originals, such inaccuracies as occasionally appeared were pointed out. The notes and other observations of these translators, particularly applying the study of the Fathers to the important topics connected with the first department of this professorship, were made the subject of particular notice and examination.

"The second class have been engaged in the History of the Church before the coming of Christ, and have recited that portion of the third part of Stackhouse's Body of Divinity which relates to this subject, and the first six books of Prideaux's Connexions..

"Each of the above classes has attended the Professor once in every week, and, for a short time, the second class has attended twice.

"The Professor has devoted as much of his time as his other avocations would admit, to the recitations of the students from the above text books.-Where additional facts or illustrations have presented themselves to his mind, in the course of this exercise, he has endeavoured to improve the circumstance, by a familiar and informal notice of them.

Upon the union of the General Seminary with that of NewYork, those students who had made some progress in the Hebrew language, formed themselves into two classes, who have attended the Professor of Hebrew and Greek Literature t, since the com+ Mr. Clement C. Moore.

* Rev. Benjamin T. Onderdonk. VOL. XX. NOV. 1823.

I

mencement of the session until the present time. During the above period, the classes have severally read the first seventeen Psalms, and the first seventeen chapters of Isaiah; and beside continual repetitions of distinct parts of the same in the course of the recitations, they have nearly completed a general revision of the whole. The class that read Isaiah have attended the Professor once a week from the commencement of the session. The other class, for some time, attended two recitations in each week; but in consequence of the numerous studies to be pursued, the faculty thought it expedient to diminish the number of recitations one half. Several students, who were not able to join either of the above classes, have separately attended the Professor during the latter part of the session. In addition to the above course of study, a part of each week has been devoted to such of the students as were desirous of having assistance in reading the notes to Bishop Pearson's Exposition of the Creed.

"The Professor of the Evidences of Revealed Religion and of the Application of Moral Science to Theology*, reports, that since the last week of April, nearly all the students, except those of them who had already gone over the same course during the last year, in the New-York Seminary, have attended his instructions.

"The text book used in this part of the course, was Paley's Evidences, in which the class was regularly examined. In going over this work, it was endeavoured to give such an enlargement of Paley's argument, by extemporary instruction, reference to other authors, and where the subject appeared to demand it, by written lectures or dissertations, as to present a general view of the historical and internal evidences of Christianity, of the popular objections of infidelity, and their refutation, and of the history of controversies on that subject, especially so far as they seemed to have an influence upon the opinions of our own country; excepting only those objec tions and controversies of a purely abstract and metaphysical character, the consideration of which has been reserved for another part of the course." Report, p. 85.

The following are extracts from the recent Report of May, 1823

"At the first meeting of the Faculty, after the annual vacation, they framed an order for the attendance of the several classes; by which it is provided that, besides the weekly attendance of all the students on the Professor of Pastoral Theology and Pulpit Eloquence required by the statutes, and with the exception of the day thus appropriated, and Sunday, each class shall attend one, and but one, recitation daily. Each recitation usually occupies from an hour and a half to two hours and a half.

"The Faculty have adopted a standing rule, that at the opening of the Seminary, every year, an Introductory Address shall be publicly delivered by one of the Professors. As early a day after the passing of this rule as could conveniently be selected, was appointed

* Mr. Gulian C. Verplanek.

for the delivery of the address this year; and Professor Turner was requested to perform the duty; which he accordingly did, in Trinity Church, in this city, in the presence of several of the Trustees, the Faculty, a number of the Clergy, and a large congregation, on the evening of the festival of St. John the Evangelist, December the 27th.

The following standing rule on the subject of qualifications for admission into the Seminary, has been adopted by the Faculty:→→→

Whereas, by the statutes of the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, (chap. vii. 1.) satisfactory evidence of classical and scientific attainments," is to be presented to the Faculty by every applicant for admission into the Seminary; therefore resolved, that with the exception of candidates for holy orders with full qualifications," and of those persons who shall present a diploma from some college, every applicant for admission into the Seminary shall be required to stand an examination on the general principles of Natural and Moral Philosophy and Rhetoric; and in the Latin and Greek Languages, on the following works, or such others as shall be considered as an equivalent substitute, viz. Sallust, Virgil's Æneid, Cicero's Orations, or De Officiis; and the four Gospels, Xenophon's Cyropedia, and the first three books of Homer.'"

"The subject of the Theological Society, directed to be formed by chapter x. of the statutes, received the early attention of the Faculty. It has been duly organized, and gone into full, and, we trust, beneficial operation.

'

Every second meeting is devoted, exclusively, to devotional and practical purposes, and is occupied by the evening service of the Church, with an appropriate prayer for the Seminary, conducted by the presiding officer; and a sermon or essay on some practical subject by a student; the subject being afterwards made the theme of familiar remark by the members and the presiding officer; and the whole concluding with a selection of collects from the Liturgy. The Faculty are satisfied, that as this is a very interesting, so it will, through the Divine blessing, prove a profitable addition to the means pointed out in the fifth section of the seventh chapter of the statutes, for the cultivation, on the part of the students, of "evangelical faith, and a sound practical piety."

"The other meetings of the society are appropriated to dissertations on, and the discussion of, theological topics, and declamation.

"For a more particular view of the Society, the Faculty beg leave to refer to its Constitution, a copy of which accompanies this Report.

"Professors Turner, Wilson, and Onderdonk, preside, in rotation, at the meetings of the Society: provision being made that, in their absence, one of the members is chairman pro tem.

"For the greater part of the year, the students have assembled in

the recitation room every other Sunday evening, when Divine Service has been conducted, and a sermon or lecture delivered by Professor Turner, or Professor Wilson.

"As farther illustrative of the progress and present situation of the Seminary, the Faculty subjoin copies of the particular reports of the Professors respectively.

"All the students of the Seminary have attended the Professor of Pastoral Theology and Pulpit Eloquence, one day in every week, from the commencement of the first session, in November last. They have been engaged several hours, each day of their attendance, in recitation, and in the delivery of sermons; and on certain days, in the reading of the service of the Church, as a devotional exercise. Two, and frequently three, sermons have been delivered by the students, in rotation, each day; which were the subjects of the remarks of the Professor; and some of them also furnished, as an additional exereise, outlines of sermons.

"The higher classes have recited Burnet's Pastoral Care, and the other, the Appendix to the Clergyman's Companion, on the qualifications and duties of the Clerical office. And they are all now considerably advanced in the study of Claude's Essay on the Composition of a Sermon.

"JOHN H. Hobart,

"Professor of Pastoral Theology and Pulpit Eloquence.'"

"The Professor of Biblical Learning and the Interpretation of Scripture reports, that agreeably to the arrangement made by the Faculty, he attended, during the last session, to the third class, twice a week, and still continues the same duty.. They have studied the book of Genesis, and about half of Exodus, with some chapters of Numbers, in the Septuagint, and are at present attending to the Historical Books. A short course of the Criticism of the Old Testament, and of Jewish Antiquities, has been studied; in which the Professor has been obliged to direct his pupils to several authors for correct and necessary information. Mr. Horne's late work on the Critical Study of the Sacred Scriptures can not be considered as a text book, but has been one among other books to which the students have been occasionally referred.

1.

"This class are also engaged in the study of the Harmony of the Gospels, using as a text book, the work of Archbishop Newcome.

"The second class have attended three times a week. They have pursued the study of the Epistles, and have read with care all of St. Paul's, except those to the Corinthians, and to Philemon. The Catholic Epistles, also, have been examined but hastily, from the want of time. As much of Ernesti's work on Interpretation as has been translated by Professor Stewart, has been used as a text book on that subject; to which were added such remarks and illustrations as appeared to be suitable.

"The Professor begs leave to state farther, that as the Trustees thought proper, at their last meeting, to devolve on the Faculty the

duty of providing for the instruction of the students in Ecclesiastical History, he consented to undertake, for a time, so much of that branch as comprises the Old Testament history, and the connexion between it and the New, and the first three centuries of the Christian Church. With the third class, he has hitherto pursued this subject along with the study of the books of Scripture. The second class have read the second part of Prideaux, with the omission of such portions as have no immediate connexion with Jewish affairs, and are now attending to Mosheim.

"The extent and variety of the subjects which require attention in his own professorship, lead him to express the hope, that the Trustees will very soon be able to provide for more efficient instruction in the other important department of theological learning, than the necessary duties of his own will allow him to give.

"SAMUEL H. TURNER, Professor of Biblical

Learning and the Interpretation of Scripture.' !!

"With the Professor of Systematic Theology, the first class have proceeded through Bishop Pearson's Exposition of the Creed, from that part of it which treats of the divinity and personality of the Holy Ghost, to which they had advanced at the date of the last report to the Trustees. They have since studied Bishop Burnet, and Bishop Tomline on the thirty-nine Articles, the first three parts of Bishop White's Comparative Views of the Controversy between the Calvinists and Arminians, and Dr. Laurence's Bampton Lectures. To these works have been added the most important Homilies, and many occasional references to other authors on particular subjects.

"In consequence of the temporary arrangement, made at the request of the Trustees, between the Professors of Biblical Learning and the Interpretation of Scripture, and of Systematic Theology, the first class have also studied, with the last named Professor, Dr. Mosheim's history of the fifth, sixth, seventh, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries, Bishop Burnet's Abridgment of his History of the Reformation in England, and Collier's History of the Reign of Elizabeth, from the period at which the preceding work concludes; and they have made considerable progress in the history of the seventeenth century.

"The second class commenced the study of Systematic Theology at the beginning of the second session. In the short time since elapsed, much progress could not be made. They are pursuing the same course detailed in the last report to the Trustees, with some enlargement and improvement.

"The first class have attended the Professor four days in each week, during the first session, and three days in each week, during the second. The second class have attended two days in each week.

"BIRD WILSON, "Professor of Systematic Divinity.'"