1796.) 
Various unfuccefsful trials have now 
afforded fuch practical proof of the al- 
moft infuperable difficulties attending the 
eftablithment of a collegiate plan of edu- 
cation among the rational Diffenrers (I 
ufe the word rational merely by way of 
verbal diftin€tion) that it is probable the 
attempt will not fpeedily be renewed. 
The point, then, for determination will 
be, what fubfticute can beft: fupply its 
place? Now the ‘education ‘of youth 
defigned for the miniftry, has hitherto 
been generally regarded as a fundamental! 
object in thefe inftitutions ; nor can it be 
eoubted, that, by many, itus ftill fo con- 
~fidered. Affuming, then, the import- 
ance of this point, I own, I think the 
propofal contained in Caftor’s letter, a 
very good one, and the. beft expedient 
that can, at an equal expence, be adopted. . 
Doubtlefs, there are many diffenting 
minifters very capable of teaching: the 
whole or part of what has conftituted 
their own itudies, and whofe fituaticn is 
fuch, that two or three pupils, with a 
handfome allowance, would be both an 
agreeable and ufeful domeftic addition. 
And if there were a kind of interchange 
or rotation of pupils, each might enjoy 
the benefit of learning, from different 
tutors, that branch which they were beft 
qualified to teach. In this cafe, it is 
true, they would no longer poffefs the 
advantage, or difadvantage, of affocia- 
tion with lay-ftudents ; but this (however 
it be confidered) is already at an end, 
provided the collegiate fyftem, -lately 
adopted, is not again to be tried. No 
other choice feems to remain, but either 
an academy for ftudents in divinity alone, 
or, at leat; principally; or fuch a d- 
mefiic plan of education for them as Caf- 
tor recommends. 
But your correfpondent J. T. R. if I 
fully underftand him, is of opinion, that 
the whole eftablithment of minifters to 
diffenting congregations is unneceflary ; 
and that public worfhip may be profita- 
bly carried on without their help. This 
is an enlarged idea, and has been coun- 
tenanced by fome refpectable names. 
And, indeed, upon a fair balance of the 
good and evil that have arifen from fet- 
ting apart a body of men for the pur- 
potes of religion, many may be perfuaded, 
that a feét which attaches no particular 
powers or privileges to fuch an order, 
but has rather been accuftomed to look 
upon them with fufpicion, might ufefully 
give the example of doing without them. 
it may be thought, that learned men 
have in vain been fo long employing. 
Education of Diffenting Minijters. 
46t 
themfelves in commenting on fcripture 
and compofing fermons and forms of de- 
votion, if their labours have not as yet 
enabled a fenfible layman to fele& froin 
printed books every thing neceffary for 
the worfhip and inftruétion of Chriftians. 
And as to what is called the pa/foral office, 
that has long ceafed to be a branch of 
minifterial duty among the rational Dif- 
fenters, efpecially of the fuperior claffes. 
Such, I fay, may be the reafoning of 
many thinking men upon this fubjeét. 
Yet, from a furvey of human nature, 
and the real motives which a@tuate man- 
kind, I am well convinced, that public 
worfhip, or religious fociety of any kind, 
could not be kept up without a miniftry, 
among people accuftomed to its ufe. 
~ Befides the pure fpirit of devotion, and 
defire of inttruéticn, which uperate on 
the frequenters of religious aflemblies, 
who will deny, that reverence and re- 
{pect fora particular character, curiofity, 
the love of novelty, and the mere habit 
of yielding to profeflional authority, 
powerfully confpire to the fame end 3 
When the leader of public fervice was 
begume only one of themfelves, how 
many of a congregation would be tempt- 
ed to fay, “* Why fhould I not reada 
fermon and prayer of my own choice to 
my family, rather than come here to at- 
tend upon my neighbour’s reading >’ 
The mere circumftance of the duty be- 
ing in one cafe performed in public, in the 
other, in private, would not, in the 
eftimation of many, be important enough 
to induce them to put a force upon their 
inclinations. Intereft and attention would 
languifh ; natural indolence would foon 
find additional reafons for ftaying at 
home; and thus attendance would gra- 
dually dwindle away among the luke- 
warm, while the zealous would moftly 
join themfelves to other congrepations 
provided with a more attraétive efta- 
blifhment. I do not, by thefe obferva- 
tions, mean at all to enter into the quef- 
tion concerning the general ufe and 
obligation of public worthip, oppofed to 
private; I am only ftating probable 
events to thofe who entertain no doubts 
on that head, : 
With refpeét to the wifhes expreffed 
by J. T. R. for the revival of a place of 
liberal education for the /aity among the 
Diffenters, warmly as I concur with 
him in them, I am not able, in my own * 
mind, to furmount the difficulties hitherte 
experienced in the maintenance of a 
proper difcipling among ftudents of that 
clafs ynder a collegiate plan—difitculties 
which 
