310 PROFESSIONAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 



on the part of students, in the affiliated schools of the university. 

 Thus may there develop a sympathetic theological culture, ripened 

 and deepened by contact with other disciplines, in distinction from 

 a segregated tenure of dogmatic opinion. 



As to the alleged peril that, in such an atmosphere, vagueness and 

 radicalism may take the place of faith, it is to be said that the ground 

 of this allegation probably is the tendency to measure the extent and 

 depth of a man's belief by his facility and accuracy in using the 

 language prescribed by authority. An impression exists that the 

 ecclesiastical court alone can give a satisfactory guaranty of fidelity 

 to truth. Whereas, in fact, the ecclesiastical body, being involved 

 in the obligation to maintain its own dogmatic consistency, is less 

 certain to be loyal to the ever-unfolding truth than the body of 

 unfettered scholars and the custodians of the non-ecclesiastical 

 schools of theology who, as such, have nothing else to consider save 

 loyalty to truth and obedience to the heavenly vision. 



There is no conservatism of revealed religion more pronounced 

 than that which comes through unrestricted liberty of research; 

 there is no warmth of devotional life more constant than in those 

 whose worship is not under the law of a churchly commandment, but 

 in the liberty of the Spirit. Of the conservatism and devoutness 

 of a truly liberal theological culture may one use Wordsworth's 

 splendid characterization of the reverent truth-seeker in the visible 

 world of nature : 



Thus deeply drinking-in the soul of things 



We shall be wise perforce; and, while inspired 



By choice, and conscious that the Will is free, 



Unswerving shall we move, as if impelled 



By strict necessity, along the path 



Of order and of good. Whate'er we see, 



Whate'er we feel, by agency direct 



Or indirect, shall tend to feed and nurse 



Our faculties, shall fix in calmer seats 



Of moral strength, and raise to loftier heights 



Of love divine, our intellectual soul. 



Excursion, Book IV. 



There are other considerations of importance pointing to the 

 expediency of a closer affiliation of the teaching of theology with 

 the non-sectarian life of the greater universities. Larger concep- 

 tions of the structural unity of the Christian Church are emerging 

 into the field of vision. It is probable that at no past time have the 

 Christian forces of the world been organized more effectively than 

 now upon sectarian lines. In strength of membership, in wealth, in 

 precision of business management, in excellence of religious method, 

 the contemporary divisions of Christendom represent probably the 

 highest average attained at any point in their history. As such 



