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ter ' s ( o Mr . Charles Davidson . The prizes for the best Oration , and also the best delivered Oratiou , at this Examination , to Mr . Higginson , to whom also is adjudged the first prize for Regularity , Diligence and Proficiency throughout the Session , as are the second and third to Mr . Henry Squire , and Mr . Henry Wreford . If Mr . Darbishire had not been obliged by ill health to leave the College before the conclusion of the Session , he would undoubtedly have maintained his already acquired rank : the circumstance also of Air . Bache ' s not having been a Student during the whole
Session , alone prevented his obtaining one of these prizes ; it should also be mentioned that he has with great delicacy and propriety declined being a competitor with his fellow-students of the first class , on account of his superior age and previous attainments . " And now let me address a few
thoughts to my young friends who are going to leave us for important stations in the Church of Christ , and in general to the Students for the ministry . You will find it , Gentlemen , of great advantage to have some first principle , by
carefully attending to which you may judge of the general course you ought to pursue , the best manner of doing particular things , and the issue which you may reasonably expect from the whole I find the excellent Mr . Grove , who so long and so . successfully directed the education of Students for the ministry during the early part of the last century , has proposed a very short but
comprehensive one , which the Apostle Paul had given to his pnpil Timothy , c Study to shew thyself approved unto God . ' In every debate with thyself , which thou shalt choose among several contradictory ways , in every difficulty respecting the
conduct which others may expect thec to pursue , be this thy constant aim , 1 What will secure me the Divine
approbation ?' " Not that it is unlawful or improper to desire a , ud endeavour being approved by men as well as by God , or impossible to a certain degree to obtain it ; nay , it is mentioned to the honour of *> ur
Master , that m his early years he increased in wisdom , and in favour both with God and man ; and the Apostle lias told us that righteousness and peace and joy in a holy spirit will render us acceptable to God and approved of men . lint if any love the praise of men more than the praise of GocL if , when these ? come into
competition , the coin petition can be admitted for a moment to influence their decision , they will soon cease to prove themselves < workmen that need not be ashamed , uprightly distributing the word
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of truth ; ' they will aot scruple to adulterate it , so as that it may please men 16 man who studies to shew himself approved unto God , having first endeavoured to establish himself in right and worthy notions of that Sovereign Being whose approbation he seeks , will make it his great care to know his will and what he expects from him in his private and public character as a Christian and a Christian minister . Especially he will draw from the Christian Scriptures the scheme of his doctrine and the model of his life , and will thence trace out his duty as an instructor and an
example , ever following that which appears to be his duty , whatever contradictiou , reproach , or inconvenience he may be called to suffer by it . Though far from setting up his private sense as superior to the rest of mankind , and ready to mistrust his own judgment when he finds it differ from others ; on the contrary , thankful for all the assistance he can receive from others , and never through vain conceit ashamed to confess
his obligations to any , when he has satisfied his mind that he has found the truth , whether in speculation or practice , he feels himself bound to declare it with an honest freedom , and to detect and expose prevailing errors and vices , as he hopes to be approved by Him , to whom he is indebted for all his faculties and all his opportunities of improvement . /\ t the same time he will do this with all the deference and respect for others which he feels is becoming in one who is conscious how much pains he has himself found requisite to one who wishes to
form a right judgment , and from how many different points of view men necessarily see and judge of i-he same object : he will not , therefore , think the worse of another merely for differing from him , but while he feels a necessity
laid upon him to preach the gospel in what he conceives its most favourable and efficacious form , he will strive to do it , not in the spirit of a party-man , but of a sincere inquirer after Christian truth .
" For your encouragement in habituating yourselves to act by this simple rule , consider that whoever sincerely studies to shew himself approved unto God is sure to be approved by him . He who faithfully improves the ability and opportunities afforded him , and with them seeks not his own will or his own glory , but the glory of his Father in heaven , is a successful imitator ot his blessed Master , and with him will share the glory prepared before the world was . " Consider , further , that having approved yourselves to God , you cannot fail to be self-approved : you cannot but .
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432 Intelligence . —Manchester College , York .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1826, page 432, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2550/page/52/
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