INDUCTION OF PROFESSOR SALMOND.

Evening Star, Issue 4114, 4 May 1876, Page 2

INDUCTION OF PROFESSOR SALMOND.

There was a very large assemblage in the First Church last evening, when Professor Salmond was formally inducted by the Presbytery of Dunedin into the Theological Chair in connection with the Presbyterian Synod of this Province. The Rev. Dr Copland presided, and preached from 60th chapter of the Prophecies of Isaiah, 10th verse. After devotional exercises, Dr Copland proposed to the Professor Elect the questions contained in the formula, which were answered in the affirmative. The members of the Presbytery then extended to him the right hand of fellowship, and the Moderator called upon Dr Stuart, who in the course of his address to the Professor, said : Vou have come into our midst and bringing testimony of the ability, learning, and intimate acquaintance with modern culture and devotion to the Kingdom of God that we desiderated, as well as fulfilling the high ideal of the Christian ministry which is demanded by our age, and in a country nine-tenths of whose inhabitants are composed of young people—men and women in the prime of life. lam sure you will expect me to say that the Church, while giving you all the tutorial assistance which its means will admit of, will expect at W nr k as head of this Divinity Hall —that in due time, ciovi Helping you and your colleagues, you will give the Church able ministers of the new Testament—men who will work for the wellbeing of our fellow-settlers in the very spirit of Chaucer’s good priest, who was a shepherd and no mercenary, and without fear. . . . While wishing you in your vocation the very utmost success, and, while assuring you that your brethren of this Presbytery will do everything in their power to help you, I humbly trust that, after years of usefulness in our midst, the Church of another day will gather up your labors, and will be able to say of you, “A wise and faithful guide of youth—tried and trusted.” This is our prayer and hope respecting you. The Professor then delivered an admirable address, the concluding sentences of which were as follow:—“ Fathers and brethren, Igoto my work, and you to yours; and though it be with us still the day of small things, it is also the day of great possibility and solemn responsibility. For, is not this the day of a nation’s youth ? Aid in a year of youth there is more of possibility and of moral result than in a score of manhood’s years. It shall be mine, God helping me, with entire consecration of all my powers, to prepare for public work the minds and hearts of the precious youth, whose spirit God’s all move to present themselves ; but it shall not be mine, but yours, to send forth the youth from out the church; for the passion for the ministry must be kindled by the light of the walk and conversation of those who fill the the office, or by sparks of fire falling from your pulpits on the pews beneath. A dead ministry will make a dead church, and a dead church will never produce a pastorate ; but a living ministry, like every living thing, will propagate itself from generation to generation.”