EFFICIENCY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1132, 20 May 1911, Page 9

EFFICIENCY.

TRAINING OF THE MINISTRY. "Efficiency" is tho note of a thoughtful and plain-spoken articlo in "The Methodist Times'' on the training of the ministry. Tho writer clearly sees that on no'single sido must a minister's training be neglected if his work is really to tell under modern conditions, lie refers quite properly to the importance of such matters as elocution andphysical culture, but lays still mora stress on a very complete reform of tho theological colleges. Tho pieseni system of training, ho avers, is breaking down while professors, of national reputation in their special studies are set to spend their energy and time on elementary subjects. The eourso at tho colleges must be extended to five or six years — three years being given to arts and two or three to theological subjects. A fully educated, and equipped ministry is the imperative need of the times.. Not the least fruitful of this • writer's suggestions is that every mar., should be scut for three months into a Central Mission, and bo sot to study the work of tho successful ministries of other Churches. "Wo are content to teach a man Hebrew and Greek, and make no attempt to teach him how to fill a chapel." Practical, cominonsense efficiency of this kind is no more to be neglected in the case of a minister than of an engineer or a doctor or a schoolmaster.