t what is needed is a
splendid constructive method which will build the people up in every phase
of life and sweeten human relations. All the people demand of such a
teacher is that he should be as good as the doctrine he proclaims and
should fully comprehend what he is about. There certainly is no place
where larger opportunity is offered for service than in the high calling
of the ministry. The average course of study in seminaries provided for
both white and colored candidates for the ministry is not calculated to
bring them in touch with the problems which are to confront them as it
should. The following is a course of study covering three years, and a
fair sample of courses provided by seminaries established for colored
ministers:

First year: Biblical Introduction; Hebrew Language; Greek Interpretation;
Sacred Rhetoric and Elocution; Vocal Music.

Second year: Church History; Hebrew Interpretation; Greek Interpretation;
Sacred Rhetoric and Elocution; Vocal Music; Homiletics; Christian
Theology.

Third year: Pastoral Duties; Theology and Ethics; Biblical Introduction;
Homiletics and Church Polity; Christian Theology; Sacred Rhetoric and
Elocution; Electives.

There is not much in this course that inspires men with the gravity of the
problems of human society in the beginning of the twentieth century. Too
many times in our seminaries men speculate about theories of salvation and
various other things labelled doctrines, which are of little or no value
to men whose business it is to bring the kingdom of Jesus on earth as it
is in heaven. Why spend a term on the theory of salvation when Jesus said,
"He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." One man with faith in
this and a comprehensive training will do more to save the world than a
dozen men can possibly do battling over the theories which have grown up
with the church during the past ages. It is unfortunate that many of our
ministers have had no systematic training at all, and it is surprising
that so much has been accomplished with such poorly equipped men as many
of them have been. They are not to be too severely censured. Again I
repeat, no band of men in our race has been more self-sacrificing and more
desirous on the whole for race uplift and development than these men, and
there is no intention at this time to do anything more than to call
attention to the great need of a better trained ministry to reenforce the
present ranks in an effective way for g