This chapter, on the proper education for students aspiring to the ministry, hit too close to home for men like Charles Hodge at Princeton. The reason is that students who graduated were instructed in an academic education that did not prepare them to be pastors, but more acamedicians or intellectuals. Why- Because unlike the first generation of Princeton Seminaries, the teachers had little experience as pastors. Spring wrote, -1848-Many a young man has finished his course in our theological seminaries, who never ought-to have thought of the ministry, and whom a faithful pastoral supervision would have so instructed- while more have suffered in their usefulness as ministers, for the want of that personal inspection which, from the multitude of students, it has been impossible to exercise. Give us abler, better, and more spiritual preachers, even if they must be fewer.

Moses was at his wits' end. But he went to his old refuge, and, appealing to God, received directions as to how he was to proceed. He was commanded to take his rod and speak to the neighboring rock before the eyes of the assembly, and was assured that an abundant stream of water would immediately gush forth for their supply. But the self-control of Moses gave way before the perversity of the people- so that, instead of speaking to the rock, he spoke to them-and that, too, in words of anger

By reason of that vice, corruption, or depravation of the minds of all unregenerate men, which the Scripture calls darkness and blindness, they are not able of themselves, by their own reasons and understandings, however exercised and improved, to discern, receive, understand, or believe savingly, spiritual things, or the mystery of the gospel, when and as they are outwardly revealed unto them, without an effectual, powerful work of the Holy Spirit,

Daniel Baker 1791-1857. A contrast is made between the revivals under his ministry, and those of Charles Finney born 1 year later. It was usual for me to write one sermon with care, and commit it to memory for Sabbath morning- for other occasions I had only brief notes, and sometimes no written notes at all- and here I will mention an incident which turned out better than I feared. One Sabbath afternoon, just as I had announced my text, which was this- -Ephraim is a cake not turned-- John Quincy Adams, the Secretary of State, stepped in, and walking up the aisle, took his seat near the pulpit. The reverence which I had for this great man, the singularity of the text, and my want of due preparation, all united to disconcert me- I was thrown off my balance, and preached, as I then thought, and still think, a very indifferent discourse. It had, however, one excellence, not found in most of my sermons-it was very short- not more than twenty or twenty-five minutes long. When I finished, I was excessively mortified, and thought I would never see the Secretary of State in that church again- but, to my astonishment, the next week, I was told he had rented one of the best pews in the church.

It is true, in his preface, he disclaims all pretensions to infallibility, but in his lectures, he more than once substantially assumes it. He tells his hearers, in relation to promoting revivals, - If you will go on to do as I say, the results will he just as certain as they are when the farmer breaks up a fallow field, and mellows it, and sows his grain.- He speaks repeatedly of the - endless train of fooleries- the - absurdities- the - nonsense- which, up to his time, have been taught both in private and from the pulpit. He declares, - there is only here and there a minister who knows how to probe the church,- -c. - This is a point where almost all ministers fail.- Princeton Review 1835

There is a hardness of heart that is indeed but partial and comparative, whatever appearance it may make of that which is total and absolute- whence the inquiry ariseth whether it be an evidence of the dominion of sin or no. There is a hardness of heart which is known and lamented by them in whom it is. Hereof the church complains, Isaiah 63-17