The vital thing is not a knowledge of the historical schisms and decrees of Christendom—­not the external Evidences of Religion, Ecclesiastical History, Ecclesiastical Polity, monuments, texts, memorabilia—­the vital thing is the power to think about God, and the problems of mankind.  It is a heart-knowledge of the difficulties and questionings of a race that yearns for virtue.

Man thirsts for God.  No one is wholly indifferent to the Spirit.  I fear that some ministers do not know—­and never will know—­the heart-hunger of the world.  When they rise to speak, there is always some one present whose breath is hushed with longing to hear spoken some real word of truth, or strength, or comfort.  If he receive but chaff!—­

Theology is not a dry thing, and ought not be made so.  It is quick with the life of the race.  Each dogma is a mile-stone of human progress.  It is the sifted and garnered wisdom of the centuries, concerning God, and His ways with men.  Each student should feel, not that a system is being driven into him, as piles are driven into the stream, but that he is being put in philosophic contact with the thought of the race on the great topic of Religion, with liberty himself to experiment, think, and add to the store.

Homiletics is not a series of nursery-rules for man—­formal, didactic droppings of a pedant’s tongue.  Homiletics is the appeal of man to man, for the welfare of his soul, and the true progress of mankind.  Exegesis is not a matter of Hebrew or Greek alone.  It includes the spiritual interpretation of the great problems of the race.  Homer, Tennyson, Browning, and Dante are exegetes, no less than Lightfoot, Lange, and Schaff.

Pastoral Divinity is not the etiquette of a polite way of making calls:  it is an entering into the social spirit of the time; the learning of friendliness, unreserve, sympathy, persuasion, and a way of approach.  It is the mastery of spiritual savoir-faire.

Outside of this group of technical subjects there are yet others of vital importance from a scientific understanding of the world, and of one’s work.  They are Psychology, Ethics, Sociology, and Politics.

Since we have known more of the psychological meaning of adolescence, a new theory of Conversion has sprung up; and whether or not we accept it, the whole outlook over the underlying principle of conversion has been changed.  We must at least recognize that conversion is a scientific process, as much as digestion is, or respiration; it is not a purely emotional occurrence.

The minister must learn what society really is, and how the far still forces of time act and react upon each other, producing group-actions, institutions, customs, ways.  There are social fossils as well as physical ones.  Sociology is not a system of fads and reforms.  It is the scientific study of society, of its constitution, development, institutions, and growth.  He must also breathe largely of the great governmental life of the race—­understand the primary principles of politics and administration.  He should have some knowledge of commercial interests, of the formulas, incentives, and right principles of trade.