securing due deliberation in the discharge of this important duty. They are inducted into their respective offices by the Presbytery of the bounds, in the same manner as ministers are admitted to charges. They can hold no pastoral charge, and must deliver the courses of lectures appropriate to their chairs under the arrangements of the curriculum, superintend the studies of the Students, conduct examinations in the branches which they teach, and take care of the discipline of the classes committed to them. They are expected to devote part of their time to hearing the Divinity Hall discourses prescribed by the laws of the Church. A Professorship of Natural Science exists in Edinburgh; in Glasgow there is a Lectureship; and in Aberdeen the Thomson Lectureship in Natural History and Theology has recently been instituted. SENATUS ACADEMICUS. In each of the Colleges there is a Senatus, composed of the Principal and Professors. Among the functions of the Senatus may be reckoned the arrangement of the hours of attendance on the various classes, the regulation of the libraries and museums, the decision upon exercises and discourses, and the maintenance of the discipline of the College. The Principal presides at their meetings, or, in his absence, the senior Professor. For several years, each Senatus was empowered to return a representative to the General Assembly. Since 1859 this has been discontinued, and the Colleges no longer possess any special privilege in this respect. Theological Professors are members of the Presbytery of the bounds, and may be returned as representatives for their own Presbytery, like other ministers. STUDENTS AND THE CURRICULUM. From the period of the Disruption, the subject of theological education engaged the anxious attention of the Free Church. The great aim was to discover the best mode of inducing young men of suitable character and qualifications to devote themselves to the ministry, and to determine the course of instruction by which they might be best trained and prepared for their work. The system which had long prevailed in Scotland, previous to the Disruption, was defective in several respects. First, it made no adequate provision for ascertaining the acquirements of Students before they entered the Hall. Secondly, the subjects of Systematic Theology and of Church History were each assigned to one Professor, whose prelections generally extended over three or four sessions, so that Students entering the Hall had to commence their studies at whatever point the Professor happened to have reached; and thus, three times out of four, the proper order of study was deranged. Thirdly, there was no distinct provision for initiating Students into the critical study of the Scriptures in the original languages, and conducting them through an accurate examination of some considerable portion of the Scriptures. With a view to remedy these defects, and fulfil the proper ends of a system of theological education, the following arrangements were adopted by the Free Church; and the education of Students proceeds in conformity with them at all her Divinity Halls. A Board of Examiners was instituted for the purpose of ascertaining the attainments of all applicants for the study of theology, and of those Students who have completed the curriculum in Divinity. The course of theology was so regulated that there should be, during each Session, four distinct classes under tuition, corresponding to the four years of the Student's attendance at the Divinity Hall; the first course comprehending the Evidences, Inspiration, the Canon, and the Rule of Faith; the second and third courses completing between them the exposition of the system of scriptural doctrine, including especially the truths bearing on the personal salvation and ultimate destiny of men individually; and the fourth course comprehending the exposition of doctrine with respect to the Church as an organised society, its characters, properties, and object, its worship, government, and discipline, the sacraments, and the ministry, with the duties of ministers.* Two courses of Historical Theology are also taught, completing the survey of the subject between them; and courses of instruction in Hebrew, with the textual criticism and interpretation both of the Old and of the New Testament Scriptures. In virtue of these arrangements, the studies of each Student proceed in regular and uninterrupted order. At the end of his course, the Student must submit to an examination by the Examination Board. His passing this successfully is indispensable (except in the case of an extraordinary dispensation by the General Assembly) to his being taken on further trials by the Presbytery under whose superintendence he is placed, with a view to his being licensed to preach the Gospel. In addition to these rules and arrangements, it is recommended that Students should avail themselves of suitable opportunities afforded them of engaging in practical work, especially under the regulations for their employment through the Home Mission Committee.† Students are also recommended to avail *This is the division and arrangement of subjects in Edinburgh College; in Glasgow and Aberdeen there are some differences in the details of the course, but the same general object is secured. + See Appendix, p. 92. themselves of the facilities which exist for their training in the art of reading and speaking, and this at the earliest stage of their attendance at the Hall. Presbyteries are recommended to have regard to their qualifications in this particular when conducting their trials. The spiritual condition of the Students of Divinity has repeatedly engaged attention, and means have been used from time to time to bring before the Church the necessity of a converted ministry, and the need, not only of earnest prayer, but also of all scriptural and appropriate means for promoting this object. There are thus three distinct periods of a Student's course(1.) before he enters the Divinity Hall; (2.) during his attendance there; (3.) when he has finished his attendance, and is preparing for license. § 1. What is required from Students before entering the Hall. Examination Board. According to the ancient practice of the Church, those who enter the Hall as regular Students must comply with certain conditions, the due fulfilment of which ought to be ascertained by the Presbytery to which they apply for leave to study, and by the Professors of Divinity. An additional guarantee, which is also expected to produce greater uniformity in the standard, has more recently been provided by the creation of the Board of Examiners. All regular Students, before entering the Hall, must pass the examination appointed by the Board, except in so far as they are relieved from this by having previously passed the whole or part of the University Examination for a Degree in Arts. (See p. 9, Sec. 3.) The Board is appointed by the General Assembly from year to year. It ascertains the attainments of Students in the branches which the laws of the Church require to be studied at the Universities ;* and for this purpose it fixes the special subjects of examination, nominates a certain number of Examiners, and appoints the time and place of examination. The subjects of examination are determined several months beforehand, and are advertised at the University seats. The examination is in (1.) Languages-Greek, Latin, Hebrew; (2.) Sacred History; (3.) Philosophy, embracing Logic, Metaphysics, Ethics; (4.) Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. The places of examination are Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Glasgow. Papers on the subjects announced are prepared either by members of the Board, or by competent examiners selected by them, and are afterwards revised and adjusted by the Board's acting committee. The examination is conducted in writing. But, after the * See note, p. 10. written examination, there may be an oral or viva voce examination in the languages. The proceedings occupy two days. The examination papers, with the Students' answers, are thereafter sent, in the first instance, to the Examiners by whom they have been prepared, that they may report upon the answers, which they classify in point of merit according to a fixed scale of numerical valuation. These reports are then submitted to the Board or their acting committee, who have also before them the opinions of the Examiners on the oral examination. From these materials, if the Student's examination is sustained, his certificate is filled up. The certificate is so framed as not merely to show that he has passed, but to indicate the judgment of the Board as to his proficiency in the particular branches on which he has stood a trial. It is thus fitted to be useful as a practical guide to the Student himself, to the Presbytery in their yearly examination of his progress, and to the Examination Board, who have thus a record to which they can refer when the Student comes before them for examination at the close of his theological course. Members of the Examination Board. Dr. Blaikie. Dr. Laidlaw. Dr. A. B. Davidson. Dr. Thomas Smith. Dr. Goold. Dr. Laughton. Mr. Robert Howie. Rev. Dr. Whyte, Convener. Mr. James Wells. Mr. David Somerville. Dr. Salmond. Mr. Geo. W. Thomson. Elders Rev. J. G. Mackintosh. Rev. James Kennedy, Secretary. Entrance Examination, 1882-83. 1. Diets of Examination will be held in the Free Church Colleges, at Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, only on the 24th and 25th of October, beginning each day at 10 A.M. 2. All Students intending to begin their theological studies next Session (1882-83), are required to give in their names and addresses to the Convener, on or before the 2nd of October, 1882, stating also the place where they intend to appear for examination, and whether they have passed any of the University examinations in Arts. 3. Graduates, and Students who have passed all the Examinations necessary for a Degree in Arts, are examined only on the subjects marked thus*. Students who have passed the University examination in any of the branches required for a Degree, are exempted from examination by the Board upon the corresponding subjects. Certificates to be produced. 4. The Examination in Classics will be as heretofore. *I. Scripture History, II. Languages, III. Philosophy, IV. Mathematics, Subjects of Examination. From the Birth of Moses to the Birth of Samuel. 'HEBREW. Dr. Davidson's Introductory Hebrew Grammar, Sections I.-XXX. inclusive, excepting the matter contained in the small print, but with the Exercises from Hebrew into English, in Sections XX.-XXVII. inclusive; along with Ruth, for translation. +LATIN. Livy, Book XXVII. +GREEK. Matthew's Gospel; Xenophon's Cyropædia, Books I., II. 1. LOGIC. Jevons' Elementary Lessons in Logic, pp. 1-191 inclusive. 2. MORAL PHILOSOPHY. Stewart's Outlines of Moral Philosophy (M'Cosh's edition). 1. EUCLID, Books I., II.; and ALGEBRA, as far as Simple Equations (including Fractions and Simultaneous Equations). 2. NATURAL PHILOSOPHY. Blaikie's Elements of Dynamics, Chapters I.-VI. inclusive. The following Regulations of the Board have been approved of by the General Assemblies of 1872, 1873, and 1875 :— I. That not less than one-fifth of the value, or 20 per cent., shall be required on each paper,-i.e., the Student who, in any + In Classics, special importance will be attached to translations from the English. |