all his time, except what is required for relaxation, (and this it is always the best policy thus to appropriate,) may be spent in study and devotion.

2. The candidate, who pursues his studies in connection with the Seminary, possesses another advantage in having access to a good library. It is not often that an institution so young as our own, can show a catalogue of books, so many of which are exceedingly valuable, and some so scarce as seldom to be found even in public libraries.* For many of the rarest and most costly we are indebted to a citizen, whose heart never fails to warm when an object of Christian philanthropy is presented before it, and whose good sense and intelligence have taught him to appreciate theological literature, and to put within the student's reach, many of those volumes in which the learned industry and the profoundest thought of ages are embodied.† To examine subjects in their original sources ought to be aimed at as far as possible, because to see with our own eyes, and to know from personal inspection, that a fact is so, not only gives us the greater security, but makes our knowledge more accurate and impresses it more forcibly upon the mind. There is, therefore, no small benefit in being placed in circumstances which make this, in some measure, practicable. I say, in some measure, for the limited number of our books must of course restrict such examination, at least in an equally limited degree.

3. The various points which come under review, can only be touched on. I therefore proceed to mention another advantage of the Seminary; that which arises from mutual intercourse subsisting among the students. There is a benefit in pursuing a course of study in connection with others, because each may contribute his aid in removing difficulties, and from daily intercourse and discussion the operations of several minds are elicited, and brought to bear upon the point under consideration. This is too well known

* The Complutensian Polyglot may be mentioned as one.

I allude to JOHN PINTARD, Esq., to whom we are indebted for a very large propor tion of the most valuable works; among which are the Paris Polyglot, and that just

mentioned.

VOL. II.-27

to students of all ages and professions, to require any illustration; and the very difficulties which are started, and objections which are urged, as well as the various views presented, may be made, by an observant and intelligent student, highly conducive to his improvement, by suggesting reflections illustrative of the subject, or at least beneficial to the mind. To this may be added also, an advantage which might be made very considerable: let the more advanced student, in private conversation, communicate freely with his brother of a lower class on the topics which he had already studied, taking notice of the points more particularly difficult, and of the solutions which had appeared to him to be most satisfactory. While to the one this would impart useful information, it would be to the other a review of past studies, no less beneficial.

4. This part of my subject could not be concluded without referring to the benefit which must accrue in prosecuting a course of theology with the aid afforded by professors. When instruction is given by men who have devoted a considerable portion of their time to an examination of the subjects with which they are entrusted, and when each has his own particular department assigned him, to which his private studies can be directed without distracting his mind by many and various objects, it is evident that they may and ought to bring to the points to be studied, a respectable portion of information; and, where the nature of the cases does not make it particularly difficult, correct opinions formed by good and fair inference from such grounds. It is not too much to expect this. Neither is it too much to say, that this constitutes an advantage of no moderate kind. Students of other professions are eager to avail themselves of the assistance of learned and laborious men, who have applied the experience afforded by the day, and the mental vigor of the night, to ascertain truth in order to become practically useful. If the subject to be studied be comprehensive, if it embrace many and diversified branches of learning, if it require combination of thought in forming which a mind not above mediocrity may readily err, and, above all, if here more than in any other department of knowledge, error be prejudicial, then it is a matter of vast importance, that the student should

avail himself of the best assistance that can be procured. And it is well known that these characteristics are especially applicable to the subjects comprehended in a course of divinity, where, in points not essential to the Gospel, as a system necessary to be be lieved, and even in the manner of maintaining those which are thus essential, there is so much room for diversity of views, and so much probability that minds not well disciplined by thorough education, will fall into error, either by inconclusive reasoning from sound and sufficient principles, or by logical inference drawn from partial and imperfect knowledge. The aid, then, of those who have given to these points a more than ordinary degree of attention, is undoubtedly important.

In these respects, as well as in others which could be mentioned, the Seminary does certainly offer facilities for a successful prosecution of study, which were not attainable by the candidate for the ministry in our Church, before its establishment. He possesses advantages which those can best appreciate who know them, and who know also what it is to have wanted them; those who have experienced the labor of toiling through the original languages of the Bible, groping their way in the dark, and advancing step by step, without any guide to direct them where to fix their eye upon one ray of light, or where to plant the foot with security, and consequently often making a wrong step and falling back into darkness and confusion; those who have wended their way among the mazes of that labyrinth of opinions which the affected wisdom of the foolish has built around the simple structure of truth; those who, in obedience to the rule of the apostle, would "examine all things," in order that they may "hold fast that which is good," but who, perplexed by a multiplicity of guides, and without entire confidence in any, cannot tell where to begin their course, nor after they have entered upon it, which of the multifarious paths to select, which afterwards present themselves; in these perplexities, they must be subjected to loss of time, to dissatisfaction with their acquisitions, to indefinite and uncertain perceptions, not to say, to many errors, which nothing but experience in the same course of study can effectually guard against or disperse.

5. In enumerating the facilities for study which the Seminary offers, there is another which I cannot prevail upon myself

I mean the diminution of expense to the student. It is possible that some may think this a very little subject to introduce in connection with what has been stated. But I am persuaded that no man of good sense will think so, after he considers how important it is that the mind of a student should be perfectly at ease with regard to pecuniary matters; when he reflects how hard it is to fix the thoughts upon the subject to be studied, when they are distressed and harrassed by difficulties of this nature, and how weak must be the impression which those subjects can produce in such circumstances. Those men, (whose best praise it is that they honor the Church to which they belong, and obey the practical requisitions of the religion they profess,) who, by giving donations in property or money, or by founding scholarships, have contributed, in a great degree, to remove these difficulties, are entitled to the warm gratitude of those who are indebted to their benefactions, and to the hearty thanks of the Church whose cause they have thus practically advocated.

In the second place, I proceed with as much brevity as possible to point out the advantages which the Seminary affords for improvement in religious character.

1. In the duties which a regular attendance on the Seminary course requires, it is made obligatory on every student to join in morning and evening devotions; which, however, is nothing more than is to be expected from the members of every well regulated Christian family. Attendance also on the service of the LORD'S day is only a Christian duty. On these points, therefore, it would be irrelative to enlarge. But, for the information of those who are unacquainted with the arrangements of the institution, it cannot be considered as out of place to mention, that a weekly meeting is held for devotional and literary purposes, alternately, and that subjects of practical religion are brought forward, and with no other view than that of advancing evangelical piety, and of exciting in each boson the flame of holy affection. To these stated exercises may be added, the effect of that mutual animation to the great purpose of the Gospel ministry, which cannot but result from pious intercourse. Does a young man come here, whose mind is not much enlightened by religious truth, whose soul is not deeply imbued with the savor of Christian piety, whose affec

tions do not frequently mount up to that heaven where he must wish to dwell forever? does he enter on the study of divinity, because the profession of the clergy is respectable, without any very strong impression of the responsibilities it involves? Unless the number of such students predominates over that of the contrary character—which, may God of his mercy and love to his Church, forbid the probability is considerable, that such may be influenced, by the piety of their brethren, to reflect more seriously on the solemnity of the office which they are about to undertake, and not to assume it uncalled and unqualified. The influence produced by a general tone of piety and Christian character, may not always be conspicuous or even acknowledged; but it will be felt, and will produce an effect, which in future life, when reflection becomes unbiassed, must be salutary.

2. And if the duties practised within the walls of the Semina ry, and the associations subsisting therein, are such as cherish and cultivate a habit of devotion, there are also extraneous circumstances which have the same happy tendency. In this vicinity, a field of usefulness has presented itself, and it has been occupied with a spirit of zealous industry, which cannot be too warmly commended. More than a hundred children of the neighborhood have been formed into a Sunday school, which is not surpassed in the regularity of its arrangements, in the completeness of its course of instruction, and in the punctual and assiduous devotion of the teachers to its interests. Whether the efforts now making, will, by the good providence of God, result in the establishment in this growing part of the metropolis of a regularly organized Episcopal church, or whether other denominations of Christians will gather into their various folds those sheep, who, while tender lambs of the flock have drunk of our milk and fed on our pastures the preacher is unable, nor does his present purpose require him, to say." But he feels himself called on to state, that the circum

* It is with feelings of the highest gratification that I am now enabled to say, that a small and neat brick building has lately been erected near the Seminary, and was consecrated on Saturday the 5th of February, 1832, by the Right Reverend BENJAMIN T. UNDERDONK, D. D., to the service of Almighty GoD, under the name of the Chapel of the Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Peter. The Rev. B. I. HAIGHT, A. M., an alumnus of the Seminary, rector. The number of Sunday scholars on the books, now amounts to 420, and that of regular attendants to about 240.