PROCEEDINGS OF THE BAPTIST EDUCATIONAL CONVENTION. FIRST DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. MORNING SESSION. The Convention met in the Pierrepont Street Baptist Church on Tuesday, April 19, 1870, at 9:30 A. M. The Secretary of the Baptist Educational Commission, Rev. S. S. CUTTING, D.D., read the call for the Convention, as follows: At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the BAPTIST EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION, January 4, 1870, the following Preamble and Resolution were adopted: Whereas, From the correspondence of the Secretary, and from his personal interviews with educators and friends of education in the Baptist denomination, it seems desirable, and is desired, that a meeting of such educators and friends of education should he held, gathering into itself the widest practicable representation from Theological Seminaries, Universities, Academies, and Education Societies, and having for its object the consideration of questions of common interest, relating to the character and work of our institutions of learning, the increase and increased intelligence of our ministry, and the advancement of education in the great body of our people; therefore, Resolved, That the Secretary is hereby authorized and instructed to proceed to make arrangements for such a meeting, to be held in April or May, the call therefor to be issued with the concurrence of such educators and friends of education as can conveniently be reached, who have signified their approval of the measure, and propose to unite in its deliberations. In pursuance of the above, the undersigned, therefore, respectfully invite educators and friends of education, including representatives of the Boards and Faculties of Academies, Colleges, Universities, and Theological Seminaries, and of Boards of Education Societies, connected with the Baptist denomination, to meet in the city of Brooklyn, on the 19th, 20th and 21st days of April next, for the purposes above named. It will be observed that this meeting is called in general and not in special interests, its design being to move, if possible, the Baptist denomination to greater interest in every form of education. Topics for consideration will be published when collated and assigned. SAMUEL COLGATE, Chairman of the Executive Committee. The above call is issued with our concurrence: ALEXIS CASWELL, President of Brown University. M. B. ANDERSON, President of the University of Rochester. E. G. ROBINSON, President of the Rochester Theological Seminary. JUSTIN R. LOOMIS, President of Lewisburg University. The following gentlemen were chosen as permanent officers of the Convention : I thank you, gentlemen of the Convention, for the honor you have conferred upon me in calling on me to preside over your deliberations. It is a cause for congratulation that such an assemblage as this has been convened. Never before in the history of the Baptist denomination has the cause of education been represented by so able and numerous a body of men; never before had the friends of sound learning among us such reason for encouragement. Here are gentlemen distinguished for literary culture, from every section of our broad country, from Maine to California, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, who have come together as brothers, moved by a single purpose, partakers together of the generous hospitality of our friends, prepared to discuss in a spirit of Christian kindness topics connected with education, and to confer as to the best means of extending its blessings in our denomination. It seems to me an auspicious moment for a great movement, for none can doubt that there is clear evidence of a greatly increased interest on this subject among the masses of our people, and there can be but little doubt that all wise measures here inaugurated will be liberally sustained. The programme of proceedings which has been placed in your hands, and which will doubtless be adopted by you, will impose on us a large amount of work for the three days we are to be together; let me say that, to do justice to the numerous subjects proposed, we must be economical of time, systematic in procedure, and adhere closely to the topics under discussion. On my part no effort shall be wanting to facilitate the business of the Convention. Let us humbly hope that our proceedings here may, by the blessing of God, promote the cause of sound learning, and tend to His glory. Prayer was offered by the Rev. Dr. Jeter. A Committee of Arrangements was ordered, and the following gentlemen were appointed: A. B. CAPWELL, Esq., of N. Y. SAMUEL CGLGATE, Esq., of N. Y. Rev. A. M. POINDEXTER, D.D., of Va. Prof. JOHN STEVENS, of Ohio, The following gentlemen were appointed a Committee of Enrollment: W. A. GELLATLY, Esq., of N. Y. The PRESIDENT laid before the Convention the following communication: BAPTIST EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION. NEW YORK, April 19, 1870. The Executive Committee of the Baptist Educational Commission, grateful to God for the response to their invitation which has called together so large a number of educators and friends of education, from so many States, and representing so many educational interests, besides expressing a hearty and joyous welcome, beg leave to lay before the Convention some arrangements for the progress of business which it has seemed necessary to suggest in anticipation. These arrangements are not intended to interfere with the entire freedom of the Convention, but only to offer such a basis of procedure as may aid the Convention in its own determination of its methods and ends. The pre-arranged topics to come before the Convention fall generally under the following heads: 1. Questions of Education in Academies and Universities. 2. Questions of Theological Education. 3. Questions of Denominational Work in Education. And on these subjects respectively it would seem desirable to appoint stand ing committees at an early period after organization. In arranging for the disposition of time, it has been deemed proper to recommend that the morning sessions be held from 9 to 12:30, the afternoon sessions from 2:30 to 5:30, and the evening sessions from 7:45 to 9:30. Under this scheme of the sessions, the subjoined is submitted as the order of proceedings, the reading of papers to be followed by oral discussions, and the introduction of incidental or related topics. This arrangement will intimate the value of time, and the indispensableness of compacted and matured discussions. The authors of papers have been restricted in the call of the Convention to thirty minutes as the utmost limit, and a similar restriction by the Convention itself is suggested as equitable and necessary. The unwritten discussions will be reported verbatim by accomplished reporters, and this fact will naturally tend to carefulness and directness in debate. It is believed that the published proceedings will illustrate an intelligent, wise, and earnest zeal in the cause of education. It will be observed, by an analysis of the topics, that this Convention is called in the hope that its influence will not be limited to those who are in attendance on its sessions. If it fails to reach and move permanently our ministry and the mass of our people, stimulating every form of higher education, and making it a denominational habit and characteristic, so helping and strengthening our institutions of learning, and so, by the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, giving us,'out of a people thus set forward in the cause of education, a more numerous, a better educated and more adequate ministry for our churches, it will come short of the ends which have moved to its assembling. To accomplish this the best wisdom of the Convention will be put to task, in devising an organization which shall be simple and inexpensive, and which shall be efficient in making the cause of education one in our country, and in raising it to its true sphere as our present paramount denominational interest. The unassigned topics, which may be brought into the related discussions at the pleasure of the Convention, will be found appended. Respectfully submitted to the Convention. SAMUEL COLGATE, Chairman Ex. Com. Baptist Educational Commission. SEWALL S. CUTTING, Secretary. Dr. CUTTING: I beg to call attention to the fact, that the order of proceedings referred to in this communication, is made with a view to bring to the notice of the meeting the particular topics through the discussion of which the efforts of the Convention shall be brought to a result. The bearing of the topics will be found to be much more practical as we approach the end. The Order of Proceedings was then read as follows, and referred to the Committee of Arrangements: ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS. Submitted for the consideration of the National Baptist Educational Convention, Brooklyn, April 19-21, 1870. 9:30 to 10-Organization. TUESDAY.—MORNING. 10 to 12: 30-The place of Academies in a system of higher education, the standards to which they should aspire, and the conditions of their efficiency.-Prof. S. S. GREENE, Brown University. AFTERNOON. 2:30 to 3: 30-The sphere and duties of Education Societies G. W. BOSWORTH, D.D., Sec'y of the Northern Baptist Education Society. Cor. 3:30 to 4:30-The duty of the church to provide the most advanced investigators and teachers in the departments of science, and, at the same time, to conserve the discipline and culture of classical and literary studies.-J. R. LOOMIS, LL.D., University of Lewisburg. 4:30 to 5: 30-The question of Fellowships as a reward for eminent scholarship, and with a view to the rearing of a specially learned class, from which Professors may be taken for our Universities and Schools of Theology.-ALVAH HOVEY, D.D., Newton Theological Institution. EVENING. 7:45 to 9: 30-The University of the 19th century-what it is, and what it will cost-M. B. ANDERSON, LL.D., University of Rochester. WEDNESDAY.-MORNING. 9 to 9:30-The relations of our denominational papers to the educational interests of the, denomination.-J. W. OLMSTEAD, D.D., Boston. 9: 30 to 11-The methods by which education may be made a specialty and a paramount organized interest in our denominational activities.-L. Moss, D.D., Phil adelphia. 11 to 12: 30-Jesuit Collegiate Instruction, as affecting present questions of education and society.-G. W. SAMSON. D.D., Columbian College. AFTERNOON. 2:30 to 3:30-The condition and prospects of education in the Southern States, as affecting both races, and the duties of the Baptists as thence arising-J. L. M. CURRY, LL.D., Richmond College. 3:30 to 5:30–The kind and extent of ministerial culture demanded in our time, and especially in our denomination.-E. G. ROBINSON, D.D., Rochester Theological Seminary. The most advanced ministerial culture as illustrated and vindicated in the actual work of preacher and pastor.-E. DODGE, D.D., LL.D., Madison University. EVENING. 7:45 to 9: 30-The discussion of Theological Education continued. THURSDAY.—MORNING. 9 to 11-The duty of educators to lead the cause of education.-G. W. NORTHRUP, D. D., Chicago Theological Seminary. 11 to 12: 30-Reports and discussions. AFTERNOON. 2:30 to 3: 30-The demand of the age for the higher education of women, aud how it should be answered. JOHN H. RAYMOND, LL. D., Vassar College. 3: 30 to 5-The question of endowments for our literary and theological institutions. A discussion. To be opened by EDW. BRIGHT, D.D., New York. 5 to 5:30-Reports and discussions. EVENING. Reports of Committees, with discussions, concluding with a conference on the bearing of a general educational movement on the character and prospects of the denomination, and the duty of pastors, by public instruction and by private counsel, to co-operate in promoting it. UNASSIGNED TOPICS, To be taken up according to the time and choice of the Convention. 1. The advancement of our laity in the higher forms of education, as affecting the supply of ministers, and the character and extent of ministerial training. 2. The necessity for an abridged course of studies in our Theological Schools, and the methods of making it effective. 3. The practical training of students of theology as connected with the theoretical. 4. The hindrances to the intellectual power of the ministry in the instability of the pastoral office. 5. Methods of religious teaching and influence in academies and colleges. 6. The education of our laymen in Christian schools, in view of the new developments of lay labor in mission schools and lay preaching. 7. The displacement of spiritual ideas by the materialism which seeks to propagate itself under the guise of educational reform. 8. The question of instruction in the elements of the Hebrew language, in the college course, to those who expect to study theology. |