306 PROFESSIONAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 



tested by the canons of criticism and found to rest on the rock of 

 actuality. The historicity of the documents being proven, it follows 

 that the arrangement and comparison of their contents in accord- 

 ance with historical principles, the exhibition of permanent elements 

 in distinction from transitional elements, the expression of religious 

 values becomes the important and prolific function of those who are 

 to develop this branch of theological learning in the future. It is 

 apparent that upon the basis of Biblical material thus made ready 

 the companion discipline of systematic theology may build a struc- 

 ture of noble proportions. Absolved from ecclesiastical restraints, 

 committed to no sectarian programme, its function is to formulate and 

 coordinate the essential ideas of the Christian religion, and to do this 

 in a constructive and irenic spirit, having in view the cosmic bear- 

 ing of those ideas, and seeking to present them to the attention of 

 the world. In this effort the university teacher of systematic theo- 

 logy will be sustained by presuppositions of the highest order. He 

 assumes the nature of religion as the universal perception of the 

 Infinite, the yearning of the universal human soul after God. He 

 assumes the unity of the human race as an actuality existing beneath 

 all social, political, religious, ethnic distinctions. He assumes the 

 all-pervading presence of God, the limitless operations of his Spirit, 

 who "hateth nothing that he hath made," and " willeth that all men 

 shall be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." System- 

 atic theology developing in such an atmosphere becomes, not the 

 intricate dialectic of a school, but the charter and gospel of the world's 

 redemption. 



From this point of view it appears that, without discriminating 

 against local and sectarian schools for ministerial training, it is de- 

 sirable that there be also an adequate recognition of the teaching of 

 theology in the circle of university scientific pursuits over which 

 churchly authority has no jurisdiction. This may tend to remove 

 obstructions from the path of truth and to advance the progress of 

 unity and religion. It may restrain certain undesirable tendencies 

 which, having attracted the attention of the thinking world, have 

 induced a regrettable disinclination toward theological studies on the 

 part of many able men. These undesirable tendencies are, in par- 

 ticular, a disposition to forestall inquiry in the interest of systems 

 sanctioned by authority; a disposition to disparage the beliefs and 

 motives of those who, bound by conviction, are unable to subscribe 

 to the authorized systems; a disposition to coerce subscription at 

 the expense of intellectual and moral sincerity. The offensiveness 

 of these tendencies to large numbers of strong and excellent men is 

 marked. The protest against them, especially during the last fifty 

 years, has been resolute and has gathered volume with time. One 

 recalls the rugged and uncivil words of Mr. Froude in his essay on the 



