mode of reading them is believed to be at stated hours of the day, in regular course and with prayer. Hoping that this communication may tend in some humble measure by God's grace, to strengthen your sense of the value of the Bible, and to increase your determination to become more and more familiar with its contents, in your preparations for the ministry, We are your fellow-servants in Christ, In behalf of the Board of Education of the Presbyterian Church. ARTICLE XIX. RESOLUTIONS OF A MAN OF GOD. [Taken from the Memoir of the Rev. EBENEZER PORTER, D.D.] I. THE CARE OF MY HEART. 1. I will endeavour to keep the Sabbath holy. I will avoid conversation on worldly topics, and will not allow myself to think on any matter of common business, nor to read literary or professional books on this holy day. 2. Special hindrances excepted, I will endeavour to maintain secret devotion statedly, at least twice a day. 3. I will recollect every day that I am mortal. 4. When any doubtful thing is to be done, I will ask myself, "How will it bear the eye of God's omniscience?-how will it appear at the judgment?" 5. I will endeavour to repress all undue regard to the praise or censure of men, by recollecting that GOD is a witness of all that I do or think. 6. I will guard against selfishness as the "abominable thing which the Lord hates." When I detect myself in being especially pleased with a good action, because it is done by myself, or done by another through my advice, I will condemn the littleness of such feelings as below the dignity of Christian principles. In all such cases, I will not speak of myself without some obvious reason; first, because it may cherish pride; and secondly, because it may exhibit the appearance of pride to others. 7. I will consider myself as sacredly accountable to God for my improvement of the influence attached to my station; and will endeavour to distinguish betwixt the respect which is given to my office, and that which would in other circumstances be given to myself. II. CARE OF MY TONGUE. 1. When I am angry, I will never speak, till I have taken at least as much time for reflection as Athenodorus prescribed to Cæsar.* 2. I will never talk to an angry man. 3. I will not talk to a man intoxicated with strong drink. 4. I will receive admonition from my friends with candour and thankfulness; and will be careful not to make a peevish reply to any one who gives me advice, though it be officious or even imper tinent. 5. That I may be kept from speaking amiss of my Christian brethren, I will pray for them. 6. With the exception of cases in which Christian prudence requires secrecy, I will consider it sinful to say anything of others privately, which I would not say openly. In general, I will deal in secrets as little as possible. 7. I will not mention the fault of another, when I have not good reason to hope that some valuable end will be answered by my doing so. III. SELF-EXAMINATION. I will regard the Bible as the only infallible test of character. With this in my hands, if I am deceived as to my spiritual state, it is my own fault. I am satisfied that one great reason why so many real Christians live doubting, and die trembling, is the neglect of self-examination. 1. I will beware of relying upon official religion. I will never take it for granted that I am a Christian because others consider me so; nor because my profession or station require that I should be a Christian. 2. In judging of myself, I will make due allowance for the restraints I have been under from early education-from dear Christian friends, and from regard to public opinion; and will never ascribe to Christian principles the absence of faults which I am under no temptation to commit. 3. In any doubtful case, where good and bad motives are mingled as excitements to action, I will not conclude that the good motives influence me, without the most serious scrutiny. 4. I will watch my heart under affliction. As the severest strokes that I have felt hitherto, have been my greatest mercies, I will not, like the perverse child that attempts to resist or escape correction, try to break away from the rod of my heavenly Father; but will give him my hand and beg him to repeat his strokes, when he sees it necessary to purify my soul from sin. This prescription was,- -"Always repeat the twenty-four letters of the Greek alphabet before you give way to the impulse of anger.' A prescription still more worthy, than that of the heathen philosopher, to be remembered is-" When in anger, repeat the Lord's Prayer before you give utterance to your feelings." IV. STUDIES. 1. I will read no book without the expectation of real benefit ;and will consider that as lost time which is spent in reading without attention and reflection. 2. I will never covet the reputation of knowing everything. 3. I will never speak confidently when I am in doubt, nor scruple to say that I am ignorant, when I am so. 4. Having suffered severely by late studies at night, I will never pursue any serious study after 10 o'clock in the evening. 5. I will not read any book which I should be unwilling to have it known that I have read; or the reading of which I shall probably recollect with regret on my dying bed. 6. Since my time for study is so much restricted by frail health and various engagements, I will consider it as a sacred duty to spend no time in the attitude of study, without direct and vigorous application of my mind to some important subject. 7. I will not hold myself at liberty to neglect duties that are plainly devolved upon me by the providence of God, even though these duties debar me from studies which I earnestly wish to pursue. V. PREPARATION FOR DEATH. 1. When I awake to the light of a new day, I will endeavour to ask myself, each morning, "Could I know this to be my last day on earth, what duty that I have neglected ought to be performed?" 2. That I may not be surprised by death, I will endeavour to carry with me the habitual recollection, that it may come at any moment. 3. I will often reflect that this life is only preparatory to eternity; and that He who stationed me here, knows how and when to call me away. 4. As my comfort in death must depend on my hope of heaven, I will often examine this hope; because if I have good reason to believe that I shall live with Christ in glory, I shall have no reason for reluctance in leaving this world, any more than the sentinel in being called from his post after a stormy night, or the child who has been long from home, in returning to his father's house. 5. I am satisfied, from much observation, that the bodily pangs of dying are much less terrible than is commonly supposed, excepting in a few extreme cases. I will not therefore be greatly disquieted with the anticipation of these pangs. VI. PUBLIC DEPORTMENT. 1. I will endeavour to remember that as a minister of the gospel, my office is more important than that of any earthly potentate. 2. In my intercourse with men, I will endeavour not to degrade this office by exhibiting a love of money,-one of the vilest and most dangerous passions that can infest the heart of a minister. 3. I will watch against levity in conversation, a fault to which I am in danger of resorting as an antidote against the influence of feeble health. Yet, 4. I will not identify in feeling, or in my conduct tempt others to identify religion and melancholy: because if I were to paint a Pharisee, I should give him a sad countenance; but if an angel or my Saviour, a cheerful one. The fact that painters who are strangers to vital godliness, so generally, in representing Christ, give him the aspect of sadness, I will endeavour to make instructive to myself. VII. CARE OF MY HEALTH. The difference between that state of health which amounts to bare existence, and that which admits of vigorous mental action, is so great, that there is no earthly blessing I so earnestly desire as health. But as I am clearly destined to be an invalid while I live, whatever I am to do for God and the Church, is to be accomplished by systematic care of my frail body. 1. I will not eat or drink any kind or quantity of food, that I have good reason to believe will impair my health. 2. I will, when not sick, take exercise daily, equivalent to the labour of sawing and splitting wood two hours. 3. When in perspiration, I will not stand or sit in cold air, without increase of clothing. I will not stand or walk on wet ground, in a cold season, without guarding my feet; and I will shun exposure to the evening, in cold or damp weather. ARTICLE XX. THE PRESENT BASIS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. BY THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY OF THE BOARD. Ir is important that our ministers, elders, and congregations should distinctly understand the PRESENT BASIS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Attention is, therefore, requested to the following explanations: Until the year 1847, the Board of Education was exclusively confined to the education of candidates for the ministry. The General Assemblies of 1847 and 1848 enlarged the basis of the operations of the Board, so as to include the subject of Christian Education in Schools, Academies, and Colleges. These two departments were, and still are, kept distinct; namely, first, Ministerial Education, or the training of Candidates; and, second, General Christian Education, or the establishment of institutions of learning. The General Assembly of 1851 made a few modifications, which may be best understood by reading the appended Resolutions of the Assembly, with the explanations of the Corresponding Secretary. It will be seen that the modifications are these: In the department of Ministerial Education, the Board is authorized, 1st, to give the appropriations the form of Scholarships. 2d, To dispense with written pledges; the candidate, however, being required, as heretofore, to be examined by his Presbytery on his purpose to enter the ministry, and to declare that purpose as a condition of his receiving aid from the funds of the Church. He is also required to refund whatever he may have received, if he abandons his studies for the ministry. 3d, A renewed examination before the Presbytery is required, after receiving his College Diploma, and previously to entering upon his theological studies, officially under the care of the Presbytery. In the department of General Christian Education, the last Assembly authorized the Board to aid in the education of teachers, or young men of suitable character, who are not candidates for the ministry, provided, funds are specifically given to this purpose. Upon the basis, as thus defined, the Board expect to conduct their operations WITHOUT ANY OTHER CHANGE,-excepting, of course, what may be ordered by the Assembly. The funds of the Board, therefore, are to be appropriated, 1st, to the education of young men, who have the ministry in view, as heretofore; 2d, to the establishing of Christian Schools, Academies, and Colleges; and, 3d, to the education of teachers, and others, not candidates, provided funds are specially designated to this object. No other changes are contemplated by the Board. ACTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, OF 1851. 1. Resolved, That in the judgment of this Assembly, the wants of the Church, and the general improvement of the age demand increasing attention to the qualifications of candidates for the ministry, and that with the view, partly, of keeping more prominent the idea of the necessity of literary attainments in our candidates, and partly with the view of other advantages, the Board of Education are hereby allowed to give their appropriations the title of scholarships; and the Presbyteries are enjoined to use their best endeavours to raise the standard of qualification for the ministry. 2. Resolved, That the practice of requiring from young men a pledge to enter the ministry, especially in the early stages of their preparatory studies, is not deemed conducive to the best interests, either of the candidates, or of the Church: and the Board of Education are hereby authorized to modify their rules accordingly. [The object of the Assembly in this resolution was to leave the examination of candidates with the Presbyteries without requiring any written pledges. The resolution does not dispense with a declaration to the Presbytery of a present purpose to enter the ministry; nor does it absolve a young man from any of the obligations naturally binding under the circumstances. The Board of Education believed, indeed, that it would greatly benefit the whole plan of our Educational operations, if indigent young men of the proper talents and character were educated in academies and colleges, without any examination before the Presbytery as to their intentions to enter the ministry, until they were prepared to commence their theological studies. But these views were not urged upon the Assembly, nor does the resolution, as passed, have reference to them. It simply declares that anything of the nature of a vow or pledge is inexpedient. The fact that the written declaration of the intentions of the candidate has always gone by the name of pledge, shows that its effect was practically more than the mere declaration of a present purpose. The practice of requiring these written pledges grew up with the forms of the voluntary societies. For several years, the candidates under the care of the Board were recommended by examining committees appointed by the Board. In such circumstances, a written pledge was more necessary. But since the whole matter was placed under the supervision of the Presbyteries, the recommendation of young men may be wisely left with the sound ecclesiastical discretion of these bodies. The rules of the Board still require a young man to refund all moneys he may have received, if he abandons his intention to enter the ministry. He is also still required to go through a three years' course of theological study; and the fact of his receiving the appropriations of the Board will be equivalent to his declared acquiescence in all its rules. In short, the pledge has been done away with, so far as it was most liable to be a snare to the conscience.] 3. Resolved, That this Assembly prefer that young men within their bounds who are looking forward to the work of the ministry, should be officially recognised as candidates under the care of Presbyteries only when they are prepared to enter upon their Theological studies, and that until that time they be regarded simply as students on probation, under the general watch and patronage of the Presbyteries. [The object of this resolution is to require a full examination of those who have been studying in reference to the ministry at the academy or college, when they are prepared to enter the theological seminary. Our plan of government seems to consider young men as ecclesiastically candidates for the ministry, only when they have received a diploma from some college, or have prosecuted studies which may be considered equivalent to a collegiate education. This resolution of the Assembly, therefore, not only makes our plan more conformable to our ecclesiastical order, |