TOPICS OF THE MONTH. 



4^5 



was raised as to whether it would not 

 be possible to bring about a substantial 

 measure of co-operation among the 

 several colleges. The inquiry, however, 

 was not prompted solely by considera- 

 tions of efficiency, but also by the 

 growth in the mind of the community 

 of a conviction that the time had ar- 

 rived when less attention should be paid 

 to the accentuation of the minor dif- 

 ferences separating the individual 

 Churches, and more attention devoted 

 to raising the standard of instruction 

 and education among men training for 

 the ministry of all the Churches, more 

 especially in view of the necessity for 

 concerted action on the part of all 

 Christian men, if Christianity is to ac- 

 complish the work which lies before 

 it at this time in either the home or 

 foreign field. 



A meeting of the leading men in 

 the several denominations concerned 

 was called, and this gathering appointed 

 a small committee of representative lay- 

 men and clergy from each denomina- 

 tion, together with the principal of each 

 of the four theological colleges, to 

 study the question, with the result that 

 after careful and friendly conferences 

 it was found that a very large measure 

 of co-operation was not only possible, 

 but would be welcomed by all. The 

 committee prepared a " Plan of Co- 

 operation,' which was submitted to the 

 governing boards of each of the several 

 colleges, ind of their respective 

 Churches ; and this plan was adopted, 

 and with the opening of the present 

 academic session a " Calendar of the 

 Montreal Theological Colleges affiliated 

 with McGill University," was issued. 

 The plan is one which had the en- 

 thusiastic support of the Bishop of 

 Montreal, and the principals of all four 

 theological colleges. 



A UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENT. 



While there are a number of Union 

 theological colleges where a theology is 

 taught which belongs to no denomina- 

 tion, the successful carrying out of a 

 plan for co-operation among the theo- 

 logical schools of a number of very 

 powerful and active Christian bodies, 

 each of whom intends to preserve its own 



theology, is, so far as we are aware, 

 a unique achievement. In this fact, and 

 as a movement which is susceptible of 

 widespread imitation with great advan- 

 tage to Christendom, lies its importance. 



MORI-; EFFICIEN1 TEACHING. 



What, then, asks Professor Adams, 

 are the chief features and main results 

 of this federation? In the first plare, 

 in this federation the staffs of the 

 several colleges are combined, and to 

 each professor is assigned the subject 

 which by his training he is specially 

 qualified to teach. This gives a faculty 

 of sixteen professors, which thus in 

 point of number commences to ap- 

 proach that of one of the regularly 

 constituted faculties of the University. 

 Much more efficient teaching is thus 

 secured. Further, it was found, after 

 careful consultation and debate, that 

 of the subjects which formed the cur- 

 ricula of the colleges, sixteen could be 

 taught in common, while in five sub- 

 jects only would it be necessary to give 

 instruction in separate classes in the 

 several component colleges of the fede- 

 ration. The subjects taught in common 

 are : — 



Old Testament. 

 New Testament. 

 Church History. 

 History of Doctrine. 

 Philosophy of Religion and Apolo- 

 getics. 



History of Religion. 



Systematic Theologv. 



Patristics. 



Homiletics. 



Pastoral Theology. 



Sociology. 



Christian Ethics. 



Christian Missions. 



Sunday School Pedagogics. 



Ecclesiast ical Architecture. 



I Ji ><ution. 



Those in which separate instruction 

 is given .ire : — 



I )enominational 1 [istory. 

 Church Polity or Government. 



New Testament certain portions, 

 ( 'litnvh ^i England 



Systematic Theology v Church of 

 England . 



