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dinner table, that he remarked-" If this be a specimen of the students of that Seminary, I cannot, in conscience, encourage it ;" and, on his return home, altered his will. It is thus that a single student (and, truly, the one in question stood almost alone in his "bad eminence") may not only disgrace himself, but, what is much more important, dishonour religion, and the institution of which he is a pupil! Happy, indeed, would it be for the Seminary, if all its pupils duly recollected how much its honour is involved in their daily deportment !

18. Carefully guard against INJURING THE BOOKS WHICH YOU AKE OUT OF THE PUBLICK LIBRARIES. It has been with me a constant matter of wonder, that some students, who, aside from their delinquency in this respect, appear to be young men of strictly, honourable feeling, and pious principle, should be capable of treating books-books not their own-books the property of the Church-books purchased at great expense for their gratuitous accommodation-in so careless a manner as I have sometimes known them to do. There must, surely, be in some, either a want of thought, or a want of conscience, as to this point. It is of great importance that a student acquire good habits in reference to his treatment of books as early as possible. Pay particular attention to this

matter. I would say, it is your duty to learn to treat all books which you take into your hands, with neatness and care; but it is especially your duty thus to treat all books obtained on loan, either from publick or private libraries;-to keep them clean; to guard against turning down their leaves, holding them over the fire, defacing, or otherwise injuring them ; and to return them seasonably and carefully. I am deliberately of the opinion, that, whenever a student has evinced habitual, or frequent carelessness on any of these points, he ought to be considered as a person unfit to be intrusted with books, and to have the shelves of a library closed against him.

ITS FURNITURE.

19. Carefully AVOID DEFACING, OR INJUR ING ANY PART OF THE PUBLICK EDIFICE OR There appears to be a physical temperament in some young men, which continually impels them to be cutting, scratching, or, in some other way, committing spoliations on every wainscot, table, chair, or other fixture, within their reach. Now, that this should be done by silly or unprincipled College boys, we no longer wonder, because, after all the pledges of their truth and honour," that they will abstain from such things, we so frequently see it exemplified. But we are not prepared to see any thing of this kind done by Theological students, and, happily, we very

seldom do see it. Yet I have certainly known such a phenomenon, in some rare cases, to exist, at least in one Theological Seminary. Give no countenance, I pray you, to such a practice Consider the Seminary, and every thing belonging to it, as the property of the Church. Be as careful to preserve every part of it from the smallest injury as if it were your own. Nay, methinks, a mind of rigid christian delicacy will consider such property as far more sacred than his own; and will be careful to repair, to the least tittle, every injury which it may through him have sustained.

20 Finally; at the close of every day, and especially of every week, CALL yourself to a

SOLEMN ACCOUNT FOR THE MANN R IN WHICH YOT HAVE SPENT THE PRECEDING DAY OR

WEEK. We are so apt to become listless and indolent, with respect to details so continually recurring, that we need a frequent, nay a stated memento of what is incuinbent upon us. At the close of every day and week, then, let me advise you, in the solitude of your apartment, to ask yourself,-How have I spent the preceding day or week? How have I fulfilled my duty-my engagements--the plan of the Institution in which the Head of the Church has placed me? Have I violated any rule, either in its letter or spirit? Have I been diligent in study-punctual, to a moment, in my

attendance on every prescribed task-and duly attentive to the feelings of all my brethren? And if you occupy a room in company with another student, let these inquiries be made an object of joint attention. You may, by adopting this plan, be the means of refreshing each other's memory, and stimulating each other's conscience; and thus doubling the benefit, both to yourselves, and the Institution of which you are members.

LETTER VIIL

1 TIM. iv. 13.

Give attendance to reading.

HABITS IN THE STUDY.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,

WHEN a young man enters a Theological Seminary, he may be supposed to be already familiar with study. He must necessarily have made some decent acquisitions in the Greek and Latin languages, and in the branches of physical and moral science commonly taught in our colleges. Of course he may be presumed to have some acquaintance with mental exertion and discipline. Yet many, in these circumstances, have been so imperfectly directed, or so negligent of direction, in the earlier parts of their course, that they need to be put on a new track; and all, perhaps, may be benefited by an occasional suggestion and stimulus in their future efforts.

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