The Carmarthen Weekly Reporter

Presbyterian College, Carmarthen. c ANNUAL PHIZE DISTRIBUTION. 1 t.. The annual meeting for the distribution <• of prizes held in Chiss-room ISo. 1 on 1 Thursday, the -30th ult, at '-••'JO p m. The « Rev T. L. Maiolidll, socreiary of tht l ( Presbyterian Board, [.iv.-klcd. I L L The Cliaiiman, in taking the choir, was received with much applause. Thcv U\d, he said, no they did last, year, under the shadow uf a great Joss, tho sudden death of the n treasurer of the Board, Mr W. C. Clenuoll, B.A., who had attended three successive annual examinations and taken from the first a warm int'. r.st in the College and its studies. Himself an accomplished scholar, who lidd kept up his classical reading, he watched vrith the deepest interest the examinations, and even prepared himself for them by carefully reading the books that had been read during the session. None knew so well as Mr Fletcher Williams and tho Secretary the .services ho had rendered to the Presbyterian Board during the shurt period of his official connection with it. lie was happy to say that they had had a peaceful and harmonious session, interrupted only in the beginning of the year by the illness of all the Professors and several of the students ii-m the prevailing epidemic Ii influenza, which had caused the closing of the College for a fortnight. Ho would leave his colleagues b speak of the results of the examinations in their various departments. He could report with much satisfaction on the two subjects entrusted to him. The papers in Ecclesiastical History were the best written and the fullest and most accurate lie had ever received (applause), showing one of the advantages of the greatest concentration, of studies under the new stheme. He was also much interested in the papers on Hygiene—a very I Z-1 I important subject for students who might be called to exercise the ministry in country districts under less favourable conditions than those they enjoyed in this anci-mt town. The answers were full and accurate, and showed marked interest in the subject. The Chairman here created great amusement by quoting 0119 of the answers, in which a student with a lively imagination gave a most unfavourable aecouut of tho sanitary- condition of Carmarthen, concluding with the words, May Heaven send an earthquake to destroy the place, and then, perhaps, we shall have a new town with modern improvements, and a new College on the breezy heights of Bryn Myrddin (great laughter). He recently read the following note in that interesting little publication JYole-s cud Queries, contributed by Mr J. 11. Mathews, Town Hall, Cardiff — There is an old tree at the western end of Carmarthen of which popular traditions says that when the tree disappears the town will 16 destroyed or ended. It is said that a Catholic priest was hanged on that tree in or about 1 fjjU. I saw tho tree in the summer of 18J 1 ¡ and it was then in its last stage of decay." lie (the chairman) was so deeply affected by tho impending fate of Carmarthen that immediately alter his arrival he made a pilgrimage to tfhat tree, and found it even as Mr Mathews had stated, only more so. He turned away in much sadness, when ho noticed a thriving young sapling (springing from the same soil and possibly the same roots and putting forth vigorous branches aud abuudant foliage. Tie saw in this the delightful promise of new and vigorous lite for the good old town md "wr venerable College, t, 0 both adapting themselves to the new and altered condition of present-day life and progress (applause). In addressing a mixed audience if this kind be always felt deeply impressed with our essential uuity amid manifold differences. lie was far IVoru under-valuing Theology, which was Queen of tho Sciences, but their unity was religious not theological, and it was the Christian life C, and character which was the root of the matter. Many of the great controversies of the present and past ages were purely verbal, and would disappear or be greatly modified if the various disputants only defined their terms. lie was not long ago greatly struck with a sermon of South, the wittiest and most caustic of the Caroline Divines, entitled The Terrible Imposture and Force of Wcrds." There was immense significance in that very title, and the lesson he drew from it was that the Divine gift of speech was to be used with a sacred sense of reponsibility in theology as well as in all human relations. Passing on to a matter of deep personal interest to himself, he said that this was the last time he should come to Carmaithen (No! no!)—at least, his last official visit; as, on account of removal from London, he had sent in his resignation as secretitry, and would in a few weeks cease to be a member of the Presbyterian Board. He had been 45 years a member, and served 42 years as Secretary—a term of office exceeded only by one of his predecessors, the celebrated Dr Abraham Pecs, whose Encyclopaedia was in their Library, who was secretary from 1778, and died at his post at tho ago of 8'5, in tho year 1623. Ho had always been deeply interested in this College, and hoped he had helped to promote its welfare; and he wished to acknowledge the great kindness he had received here, and the valuabh "friendships he had furmed. One or two llliniters now present, grey and venerable, he had known when he iiyst camo down as one of the deputies and examiners. As he looked on the portraits on tho wails he was surrounded with mementoes of the long past. He recalled the successive Principals with whom ho had had such close rolations —Dr Lloyd, impulsive, hot-headed, warm- hearted, the kindly if not judicious friend of the students Stephenson lluutur, stately and dignified, with a depth of kindly feeling under a calm jind reserved exterior Dr Yante Smith, who brought additional reputation to this Cohere as one of the New Testament Kovisiofi Company, and low in a green old age, led a file of lettered leisure. S- n> < ad rcdeat (applause) and lastly their dear and valued Principal Evans, a sou of this town, a son of this College (much applause), of whom in his pivseuce ho could not say all that he felt. Time would fail were he to dwell ouM ho noble successor of Examiners,and colleagues on the Board, but lie must especially mentionVViJliacu Morgan, one of his dearest friends, whoso name was held in reverence by all who knuw him. Semper Jtotm nvmenniw suuni laiidcsque manebund. It had sometimes seemed to him as if lie could apply to himself the words of Tennyson's brook, "1\Icn may come, and iueu may go but 1 go on for ever," but at last tIlu tide of life was ofast ebbing it was time to retire and leavo the good work in younger and more vigorous hands, and he y m looked forward with confident faith aud the larger hope to be landed at last on the shore of the infinite love of the Great Father of all. They aU klDW' how fond he was of quoting their favourite Horace, and these lines from the Carmen Seeidare seemed an appropriate prayer on his taking leave of them—one word only being altered :— I)i probes mores lite. senectuii plaeidee quietem Cumbria: j<rnti dale Dee us omne (upplausg). And he might further in COmmend to them a iuindiar motto )f their ov/n—although ho feared they would hardly recognise it in his barbarous pronunciation— Y Gwir yn orbyn y byd," x very old British saying and a very noble one (" Truth against the World "), which is engraven on encaustic tdto on the pavement of the entrance hall of Tennyson's house doud and continued applause). Tho Rev 8. Fletcher Williams said he was voicing tho feelings of every person in the room when belaid that they had heard with profound regret that this was the last occasion on which the Hcv T. L. Marshall would appear there as secretary of the College. Mr Marshall had duvoted the greater part of his long and honoured life to the service of the institution, which had profited by his unwearying diligence, his unfailing courtesy, his great, tact. discretion, aud sound judgment. It would 80 extremely difficult- --and for the present impossible— for tho Presbyterian Board to adequately fill his place. He (the Rev S. Fletcher Will iams) would say in regard to the subjects entrusted to him that on the whole the answers had been better than in previous years. In both English Literature and in Comparative Religion the papers had been done remarkably well and he was glad to say that there was noticeable a great im- provement in the employment of the English p 6 tongue. He believed he had said before that he sympathised deeply with the students in having to think in their native tongue and then having to translate their ideas into what was to them a foreign language. With regard to the first of the subjects he had mentioned, he would say that it would be well for the students to continue their studies iu the great authors of the English language. It might sound heretical to some of his brother ministers but he would say as a minister of 28 years standing, that he had found more helpfulness, more suggestiveness, and more fructifying ideas "ZD C, ill the great English authors than in books of dogmatic theology. To Carlyle, Emer- i-son, Buskin, Browning, Tennyson, Z, Wordsworth, aud Matthew Arnold he was under special obligations. His hearers belonged to various denominations and represented various types of thought but they were all Nonconformists, and being Nonconformists, ho asked to be allowed to address to them a few observations on a passage which occurred in that elegant aud inspiring address of Mr Morgan Gibbon's, to which they had had the pleasure of listening a couple of days previously. Mr Gibbon said in the early part of his address that there was now prevailing a religion of ritual, a religion of ceremonial, and that one of the conditions under which Noncon- formist ministers had to conduct their ministry ill these days was provided by the strong and perhapsgrowingSacerdotalism of the present age. As Nonconformists, they believed that the Christianity of tho Now Testament is auti-hierarchial it was an emphatic proclamation of religious equality -ii,-)t in the sense of the equality of sect with sect before the law, which seemed to be the current interpretation of that doctrine -but in tho sense of the equality of man with man before God. Christianity knows nothing of auy human priesthood, except the priesthood which was in all men to render to God, the service of purity of heart and of righteous and beneficent conduct. Tho Gospel conferred the title of a holy priesthood on all who offered a spiritual :sacrilice-not oa a select and epi-copally-ordained few scattered abroad. The Gospel broke down the priestly monopoly both Jewish and Pagau aud made ever, true and every faithful disciple a king and a priest unto God on his own account (applause). It neither constitutes nor recognises any sacerdotal easte, any spiritual aristocracy, auy order of men standing in rx-ojticio relations to the Deity. It makes the relation of the individual soul to God direct, individual and imme- diate. Ecelesiastieasm lifts a mitred front in courts aud palaces and took the higher Á 1 j 1 1 il.. seat a at ieasi;> ana xuo upjn r piuces in me synagogue but Christ said, "My kingdorn is not of this world." Tn that address with which he closed his teaching, Christ enjoined on his disciples Call you no man your father upon earth." And yet Father," Right Reverend Father," and the "Right Reverend Father in God," are the styles and titles of the modern Christian episcopacy. It was a wonder that those who owned these proud titles did not proclaim that passage as a heretical inteipolation (laughter). The root of this departure from tho Now Testament was the doctrine of a priestly order distinguished from th., common multitude, endowed with the authority to expound religion, to administer certain sacraments, and entitled to demand the attention, the allegiance, and the submission of mankind. If that were granted, all the apparatus, all the machinery of an elaborate ceremonial followed as a matter of course. It was only natural that a priesthood should bo dressed in gorgeous vestments, with a cloud of incense Hung around them in order to awe men into the belief that those whom they saw through this blaze of glory were endowed in their works and their minds with the very authority of God. But we search the New- Testament in vain for the institution of any such order and of its ritual; tho only y authority which was found there was the authority of the truth which Christ's lips spake, tho authority of the lovo which consumed Christ's life, and the authority of the inspiration which Howed from tho whole of Christ's being. Tho priesthood stood branded with the terrible condemnation of throwing aside tho spirit of Jesus Christ, which rules by the power of truth and lovo alone. lie (Hev S. Fletcher Williams) was prepared to admit that there was a certaiu charm in tho idea of a paternal authority in spiritual things. To many minds, there was a fascination in tho conception of a Divine authority vested in human beings in spiritual affairs. It was an invaluable guidance to children, and—with great respect to the students ho would, say it— lVt3 aw all dlildron n in a very large measure throughout life. Was it not likely that God would provide for tho contiuuaaee of that paternal authority Was it not likely that He would secure guarantees for | the government of those who passed on to the mist-enwrapped and storm-tossed sea of life; He believed that there was an indubitable certainty that God had provided an authority for tho guidance of the govern- Luent of men as they passed out of childhood, But where was it provided ? In men who as Holy Father," as Pope," or Papa," claimed the universal allegiance of mankind ? In those Bishops who arrogate to themselvos the right to dictate our belief, and to administer our worship ? In those priests who preach the impiety that God has promised guidance to the human soul only on condition of our surrendering to their sell-constituted authority V No: It was provided in the whole system of things by which we are surrounded. That was a system intended, as lie thought, to teach us the more we study it of fatherly co-operation and of fatherly beneficence and intended to make us conscious at every point of the touch of a father'shand and the sound of a father's voice. The wlioic world was full of voices conveying messages to our souls. It was full of expression as a living cuuntenanco which gives inspiration to our heart and onr life. There is help and guidance for us everywhere; and it was the help and tho guidanc3 of God our Father. God did not communicate Niitii the human spirit only through an order of men as weak and as I helpless as ourselves and if we wore w-illing to accept such an order of men, it was not only that we did not honour God; but wo denied him and put au idol in his place (applause). lie who stands iu the place of (fuel at last becomes a God to us. "Our God the Pupa" is not the only sentence recorded in history giving us nn awful warning of the practical atheism towards which priestisui leads humanity at last Had ho time he could cite historical testimonies as to the influence which tho prir&fhood exercised but ho would say in one word that in the long run the influence 0 of the priesthood was an iufluenco for mischief. Priests wero overywhero the father of idolatries the prophet was every- i where their do:, troy or. The priest everywhere livpLlllPUll tho mental feebleness and the moral nervelessness of mankind tho prophet lived upon their intelligence and on the strength of their moral sentiments. He dared to say that in every age of the world the priest had been and still is the conspirator against the world's liberties; even In this country cabinets are constrained to consider the effect which legislation would have upon the clergy, what must bo done aud what must be left undone in obedience to tL, t ir wishes, -tii (I what rights must be denied to tho nation in order that the privileges of the ciergy might be maintained. It was the duty of every patriotic statesman and of every free people to guard very watcblully and very jealously against encroachments from that quarter, and to treat the clergy as all other citizens are treated, and to avoid the very appearance of being governed by or governing through them. The clergy were the servants of one whoso kingdom had suffered far less through the attacks of infidels than through the pretensions of the priesthood. Against the pietensions of the priesthood they had to place the power of Democracy—Democracy iu a religious sense. Ouo of tho most precious of their rights and liberties was the right of tho access of the individual soul to God its Father, and any theology which contradicted that was anti- Demoiratic and anti-Christian. The time was coming when tho democratic principle would make the same revolution in religion that it had in politics- revolving kings down that the People might come up. When that time came, synods, conferences, assemblies, and churches would bo compelled, as civil cabinets had hrou, to take their laws from the enlightened and trained consciences and intelligence of the people and as the great mass of the people had shown themselves wiser and better rulers than their Sovereigns, so would the great mass of the Christian people »sh>• w tuemselves ill the long run wiser ani better than their pro- fessional loaders. 110 was only sorry that ho was not to young as he had been; the wheels revolved very slowly; but tho day dawned, although it might nut be so near as some of them thought. The time would come when God speaking through the race would silence the tongues of hierarchies and there would bo such a growth of au enlightened Christian sentiment and of a Christian conscience iu the cotumuuity, who would so manifest their superiority that religion would not be degraded to the burden it had been; but its expressions would be enlarged and its teaching., ennobled so as to vastly iuereaso its powei and its influence amongst men. Hev G. D. Hicks, M.A., Ph.D., who had come as au examiner in Philosophy, said that the papers which lie had examined had showed evidence of independent thought and reflection in Ethical subjects— subjects which had a very close connection with tho labours of a minister. Some years ago a celebrated society was formed in London for the purpose of the members meeting t gether and discussing philo- Z!) sophical subjects. After twelve or thirteen years they agreed to dissolve the society on the ground that although they had met ma ny times they had never been able to secure an understanding as to what philosophy really was. Philosophy had indeed been defined as "the giving of bad reasons for what everybody knew already (laughter). He was not going to criticise that definition further than to warn them to be sure that they did knuw the things already before proceeding to give bad reasons for them. In studying philosophy he advised them noc to begin at tho end—not to read Herbert Speucer, and John Staart Mill, before going thiough the works of Plato in and Aristotle, which could now be read in. excellent English translations. t) Mr Talfourd Ely said that there had been a great improvement in the work since ho had first come as an examiner to the College but he dared say they would not be sur- prised to hear that perfection had not yet been attained. Professor Tyssul Evans said that the good influence of Mr Marshall would remain years after he had severed his connection with the College. Ho did not agree with Shakespeare, in that ) The evil that men do lives after them, The ;;ood in oft interred with their bones." He was sure Shakespeare was a heretic wheu he wrote that. Tho students had done very well; the New Testament Introduction was much better done that it had been since lie becamo examiner; and even in Hebrew lie had had somo excellent papers. He had examined the students for the last four or five years in the subjects which Professor Moore taught; and had beou impressed with the thoroughness and the care with which he had douo his work. Principal Evans, in distributing the prizes, said that the session had been oue of uninterrupted harmouv, and had been marked by earnest Avork on the part of the students. The latter would be sorry to hear that the prize which Dr. Davies, of Maesteg, had given for fifteen years would now be Avithdrawn, Dr. Davies holding that the necessty for oHering special en- couragement to English studies had dis- appeared. Dr Davies had a high opinion of the services which the College had rendered to the Free Churches in Wales, and in his lettor bore generous testimony to the noble catholic spirit which the Presbyterian Board had displayed in their administration of i t. Ho was sure the meeting would authorise a luessago of gratitude to Dr Davies for what he had himself done. They were now in presence of other serious losses already referred to. Mr Fletcher Williams had proved a stimulating and sympathetic examiner, and would be greatly missed. To Mr Marshall they were not prepared to say farewell. He would couio amongst them again. The following is the PRIZE LIST. A-OIWEl: OF MJEKIT AT THE WJUTTEN EXAMINATION. 1 John Richards (II.) (Thomas George (II.) I John Lewis (II.) 4 T Gwilym Joncs (III.) 5 Samuel D Williams (II.) 6 Job Evans (II.) 7 Lewis Richards (I.) 8 f J J SaOiluel (II.) ( David R Davies (I.) 10 Tom Dalies (I.) 11 ( William Lloyd (III.) i Evan Jones (I.) 13 J Gwynne James (1 ) 11 James Jones (I.) 15 Evan Evans (I.) (Rhys T Williams (III.) I C, < 1) Gowar Richiids (11.) W inforgan (t ) I 'J T Prion .Joms (I.) 20 David F Davies (I.) 21 H N ltenderson (I.) „ j E Walter Thomas (III.) (David Williams (1.) (Thomas E Jtffreys (II.) (T Arthur Thomas (I.; 116 T T Dalies (I.) I o (Tydwal R Davies (III ) I (.Samuel Williams (III.) '.1'J David Evans (III ) B-DK WILLIAMS' BURSARIES (awarded at Midsummer, 189T, and payable at Midsummer, 18'J8, X'10 each). STUDENTS OF THE THIRD YTI.'IR. T Gwilym Jones Rhys T Williaai3 E Walter Thomas William Lloyd Samuel Williams HiUDEXTd OF THE SECOND YEAH. Samuel I) Williams John Richards Tlionas (jeorge J J Samuel John Lewis C. —CLASS PitIZES, open only to Non-Bursais. £ a d Job Evans (II) 3 18 0 Lawis Richards (I) 1, 3 16 0 D R Davie# (I) 3 14 0 Tom Davies (I) 3 8 0 Even Jonezi (I) 3 2 0 J Gwynne James (I) 3 0 0 D-SPECIAL PRIZES. I SITARPI, PRIZE (offered by Miss Emily Sliarpc, of Highbury, to students of the second and third years, for excellence in Biblical Studies). £ 1 John Richards (II) G 2 Samuel D Williama (II) 4 2 Samuel D Williama (II) 4 Pitizi,, (oaered by I)r Jclin DirieL-, of MaesLeg, for excellence in English Studies). Senior English Literature T Gwilyoi Jones, jE2 Junior EnglUh Literature Job Evans, JE2. Eiijflis/i- Earn;/ H N rlenderaun, J61.

LEAVING CEIITUICATE. The ordinary certiticate was Riven to Rhys T Williams, E Walter Thomas, Tydwal R Davies, William Lloyl, Samnel Williams, and a certificate of Honour to T Gwilym Jones, all six having completed the full course. Professor Jones said that he could only say to Mr Marshall as the North Wales people said to visitors "TIrysiwch yma oto (' Make haste to come here again.") Regarding the departure of Professor Moore thero was but ono sentiment amongst the College btaft-ttiat of unallayed regret at the loss, as these had not sinca his appointment boon tho slightest friction amongst the professors in the college. The Chairman at this point road a copy of the letter which had been forwarded by tho Presbytoriau Board to Professor Moore on receiving his resignation. The Board expressed their regret at Professor Moore's decision and testified to the excellent manner in which he had discharged his duties during the ten years of his con- ZD y nection with the College. ZD Professor Moore said that although he looked forward to revisitiug Carmarthen, still it could not be otherwise than painful to Stiver even temporarily the friendships which had bound him to Carmarthen during tho last ten years. IVIten lie con- sidered all the subjects he had taught during his connection with the College- chemistry, mathematics, English in all its periods from Anglo-Saxon downwards, German, Greek Testament, Hebrew, Bible Introduction, etc.-ho sometimes thought that ho must have been very clever to teach all those things (laughter). But he had hoard of a gentleman who said he did not see how one could not teach all that one could learn and perhaps in that light his performance was not very remarkable (laughter). Ho believed the Presbyterian College had a great future before it. The recent change in the curriculum had placed it in that current which was setting in Wales towards greater proficiency in educational preparation for the ministry. With that tendency in Wales ho thoroughly sympathised he believed that the establish- ment of the three University Colleges, and latterly of the University of Wales, would be to the utmost benefit of the Principality in the future. Rev W. Thomas (Whitland) said he had not thought that he would have had to pay e, the first tine as chairman of the Congre- ZD gational Union at that meeting. He was 1 11 glad to find in the speech of Mr Fletcher Williams that the principles of the Liberation Society were so prominent; and if it were not that he was so modest he would, as agent of the society, have gone round to solicit subscriptions. He believed that by the 90-operation of the Presbyterian Board with the Churches in Wales that the future of the college would be even greater than its past. The meeting was closed with prayer by the Rev W. Thomas.

ADDRESS BY THE HEV. J. MORGAN GIBBON. The students of the Presbyterian Collego mot in the large lecture-room Oil Tuesday woak, at 7 p.m., to hear an address from the Rev J. Morgan Gibbon, minister of the Stanford Hill Congregational Church, London. The Rev T. L. Marshall, secretary of the Presbyterian Board, occupied tho chair, and there were also present the Rev S. Fletcher Williams, Principal W. J. Evans, Professor Philemon Moore, Professor D. E. Jones, Rev D. Cadvan Jones, Rev W. Emrys Lloyd (Penygraig), Rev D. J. Thomas, Rev W. W. Lewis, (Zion), Rev Gilbert Rees, tho Rev Stephen Thomas (Blaenycoed), Mr W. Roberts (Old College School), Mr G. Phillips (Hall-street), etc etc. The Chairman said he felt rather shy of introducing the Rev J. Morgan Gibbon to the audience he rather felt that Mr Gibbon ought to introduce him. lie had a distinct recollection of Mr Gibbon as a student at the College. In common with all connected with the collego, ho (Mr Marshall) felt interested in the wonderful success of Mr Morgan Gibbon, who was, perhaps, the most successful Congregationalist preacher in London. Ho had, therefore, the greatest possiblo pleasuro in calling upon Mr Gibbon, one of the old alumni of the College, to address tho meeting. The Rev J. M. Gibbon said he felt a great sympathy with the parson who was repre- sented to have said, Do as I say not as I do." That counsel had been grossly miscon- trued. It was possible that the parson who gave utterances to the sentiment was a very good man probably lIe was a modest man certainly he was an honest man. And honesty was a, very large part of goodness (applause). He (Mr Gibbon) had to confess that in his student days he was neither the pet of his professors, nor the pride of his college, Professors had their pets in those days; but he was sorry to say that the latter were far from being the pride of their college. lie did not stand before them as a whited sepulchre, laying claim to a virtue which he had not possessed. He admitted that the students in those days did the things which they ought not to have done, and made amends for it by leaving undone the things which they ought to have done. He canle before them as one who kept a Avarm corner in his heart for the theological students and he came from the forefront of the battle to tell those who were training for it how the fight was progressing. The time undoubtedly was ono of great difficulty. there was a painful lack of enthusiasm. were becoming morally and mentally tlabby. There was, of course, a great deal of unbelief but it was uot the unbelief of strong, eager, sincere men, filled with a passion fur truth- however, misguided might be their methods. It Avas rathei the unbelief of a lotus-eating gro.-ssly-living people, in whom prosperity and pleasure had bred a largo measure of indifference to higher things. In obedience also to the law of supply and demand, there had arisen a religion of rites and ceremonies a Christianity which was Judaised and even Paganised beyond the recognition of those who had only seen it on the lulls of Galilee or in the upper chamber of Jerusalem. This was a sensuous, spectaculor, aesthetic religion, devised and Rented to meet tho tastes of a generation that liked to bo amused, and which must be amused at its prayers. There were not, however, evidence wanting that this period was passing there was a growing conscious- ness arising that man cannot live by bread alone," and that the religion and creeds of fifty years ago could not contain the growing spirit of the age. When Canon Gore published Lux Mundi"—a series of essays 011 Liberal theology by High Churchmen Cardinal NeAvman said, "This is the end of the Tractarian Movement.' rEvery move- ment takes time to mature. The appeal of the leaders of the Ritualistic party now was to Reason and to reverent Scholarship, and II not simply to Authority and to the germs of insanity latent in the human brain. There was a change all along the line. This was the beginning of the end it showed that a new period of though t and feeling was arising, and that under God's grace England was about to recover her senses, and to come to herself after her temporary aberration of intellect. lIe believed that there was a great future before the pulpit. lie had lately taken up Amiel's Journal," by Mrs Humphrey- Ward and in the preface he read, "The age of the Preacher is passing." There were the words of Mrs Humphrey- Ward and Mrs Humphrej'-Ward Avas .Mrs Humphrey- Ward (laughter). But turning to the u Journalitself, he found that Amiel said, "At the Church of St. Gervais I heard a »erir.on by Adolphe Monod. I found myself hanging on the lips of the orator My eyes were dimmed with tears. I was astonished, shaken, taken hold of." The age of the preacher was then not past. There was a future before the preacher and let the students see that they would be adequate to the demands which the future would make upon them. He, therefore, preached to the preachers of the future three Gospels. The first he should preach would be the Gospel of Juvenal, "A sound mind in a sound body." The Avork of the minister was hard work. Ladies sometimes said that Woman's work is never done." It was the minister's work Avhich was never done. The work of a minister was accompanied by a certain measure of anxiety, more distressing than the work itself. It demanded good health as one of the condition of ministerial success. St. Francis of Assissi used to call the body Brother Ass but even if they took that mediaeval view of the body, they would find that Brother Ass was the only animal procurable for this journey and, therefore, they had better be on good terms with him, and to look to his interests. He believed in physical exercise. Let them consecrate their bodies as well as their minds and their souls to Almighty God. Let them not listen to the sanctimonious nonsense that a game of cricket or a game of golf was unbecoming a minister. The pursuit of physical exercise would enable them to bring a certain amount of dash, and urgency into ministerial life which would help to make ministers men, and saye them from degenerating into that despicable third sex. The second gospel he should preach to them would be that of Goethe—the gospel of mental culture. The study of Greek and Hebrew was not very inspiring but even if they only learned enough to enable them to consult lexicons and to verify reference" it would be infinitely valuable. When a man was able to consult a lexicon and to verify what a commentator said, it enabled him to preach with an accent of confidence, conscious that he was not merely echoing another man's thought but had looked into the matter himself, and learned how the land lay. He advised them not to undervalue commentators. Had he the authority given to the curate in "Don Quixote," to clear out libraries, lie would make a clean sweep out of ministers' libraries of these wretched volumes of skeleton sermons—skeletons in the cupbuard-homiletic helps—dictionaries of anecdotes, hoary and mildewed-collection" of ancient lies that never were true, never ought to be true, and never would -be true (laughter). He advised the students to walk upon the feet which God gave them and not stumble along 011 these crutches provided for homiletic paralytics (laughter). II3 advised them to read Avidely- to read books which were Aviser than they themselves, if such were conveniently procurable (laughter). He recommended books which Avould "send the sunshine streaming into their hearts and the moonshine streaming out of their heads." He advised them to read history—the history of doctrines, of men, and of movements. Let them read books from the opinions in which they differed. Let them not waste five minutes over a book with which they agree,1. What they wanted was to read books which shook them up, banged them down, and irritated them. Let them read poetry: but—if by the grace of God they could avoid it—let them write none (laughter). There was rather a tendency on the part of the Welsh people to undervalue culture and to admire the rough diamond. Hn had heard Welsh ministers in English pulpits advise young men to take care not ton >,se their Welsh brogue if they Avished to be a success in the ministry. He regarded that in the same light as the advice of the tailless fox, who wanted all the other foxes to have their tails cut off. They could not speak any language properly until they could speak it in such a way that their nationality could scarcely be detected. Culture came of contact Avith noble minds and noble thoughts. The mind became like that which it fed upon. There was one Book which they as ministers were rather apt to undervalue—that Avas the Bible. Why was it that some ministers held forth on the latest novel or the latest picture in the Acadeni ? Why was it that there was arising a Yellow pulpit, which vied with the Yellow Press in its striving after sensation alism ? Because so many ministers did not know that the Bible was seamed with silver and gold. In the South Wales coal-fields, the mineral near the surface was cheap and poor but they must dig down deep to strike the three-foot seam. He advised the ministers of the future in their study of the Bible to dig deep—to strike the three-foot seam (applause). The third Gospel nich he should preach to them was that of Paul Excerise thyself into goodness." How easy it was for ministers to become a little insincere, a little flabby, to force the note a little, to simulate an inspiration which they did not possess What a dreadful thing it was to preach for a mere livin"- to pawn one's soul to fill one's mouth, to preach for popularity, to be the puppet of the people instead of the prophet of God That was the lowest depth of degradation to which a minister could fall. As fulfilling the type of the good minister he quoted Chaucer (in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales J A good man was thcr of religion And was a pore PEKSOUN of atouu Bat richc he was of holy thought werk Ho was also a lerncd man a clerk That Cristes gospd gladly welde preeh < < < « To draw folk to heven by clenne?ee By good ensaraple was his busynesse A bettre preeet I trowe ther ro^here non is He Avaytud after no pompa ne rcverence < But Crista lore and his apostles twdve He taught and feist ho olwed it himsebe." And also the person described by Goldsmith (Ill the Deserted Village ") In.-his duty prompt at every call He watched and wept, 1:. pray'd BII 1 fet for all And as a bird e-tch fond « dearmeat tries To tempt i!1! ne w-Hedged ..1fspdng to the skies He tried each art, repro1- > a each dull delay, Allured to brighter worlds, and L d tho way. The speaker went 011 to describe how in a gallery at'Vcnice were to be seen the various efforts of Titian-from his boyhood until his death at ninety years of age—to depict the leneamonts of the Christ; and he exhorted the students in the same way to let it be their ideal throughout life co (lash the character of Christ: 011 the consciousness of men, and to bring men to have a closer and better under- standing of the Christ of God. A vote of thanks to the Rev J. Morgan Gibbon was moved by J¡.: 1. U, Jones (senior student), and seconded by J rincipal Evans. The Rev S. I letcherW lihams, in supporting, said that the present age would be noted above everything else for the rediscovery of the immortal personal.:y of Christ, tho Fatherhood of God, and iie Brotherhood of Man. The Kev J. M. Gibbon having responded, the benediction was given by the Chairman, and the meeting terminated.

rno THE DEAF.—A rich 1 dy having fcsea curtj i- of her Deafness and Noi"es in the Head by l)r. Nicholson's Artiifcial Ear Drv-n s has sent JEl,<it)0 to liis Institute, so that Deaf perQ;ms unable to procure the Ear Drums may do so free- .-pply by letter to B. L. Z. Hale, Secretary to the Institute, 20, St. Bride street, London, E.G. Iy you require WEDDING CARDS, (-all at the Reporter" Office. A nice selection to choof»e fruru. Cheap prices.