without exception-those students who have been most honourably distinguished for talents, mature knowledge, decision of character, and subsequent usefulness in the ministry, have manifested a degree of punctuality in relation to this matter truly remarkable.

OUT CEREMONY.

3. If you would acquire the virtue of entire punctuality in your attendance on the exercises of the Seminary, you must learn the important art of DISMISSING INTRUSIVE COMPANY WITHThis is a hard lesson to learn for a young and modest man; but he must learn it, if he would discharge his duty as a publick man; and the sooner he begins to reduce it to practice the better. You will often be visited by those who have nothing to do themselves, and who, of course, will not be apt to recollect that you ought to be busy. Endeavour to acquire that decision of character which will enable you, gently, but firmly, to dismiss such persons, when the hour for lecture arrives. What can be more reasonable than to say to such a visiter, when the bell rings"That is my signal, Sir; You will have the goodness to excuse me?"-Whether you wish to discharge present duty, or to form a habit the value of which will be developed in after life, the gain will far more than counterbalance all the irksome feeling, or social loss, which may attend the dismission.

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4. There is one practice in the Seminary, which very often interferes with punctual attendance on the exercises of the Institution. refer to the practice of the more advanced students, who may be licensed to preach several months before they leave us ;-and who, in many cases, MAKE ENGAGEMENTS TO PREACH which very materially interfere, from time to time, with their appropriate duties as students. This is a mischievous practice. There is, indeed, a real advantage in the pupils of the Seminary being licensed a short time before the completion of their course, that they may have an opportunity of actually appearing in the pulpit, in the presence of their Professors, and fellow students, and receiving their friendly remarks. But when such Licentiates have so little firmness of mind as to yield to every solicitation to preach, and thereby to break in frequently on their proper engagements in the Seminary, their license is worse than useless; and the privilege which it gives ought rather to be deprecated than coveted by a diligent student.

5. Never allow yourself to enter the Lecture room IN A SLOVENLY DRESS-in any dress in which you might not appear decently in the street. If I mistake not, you have sometimes seen very worthy students appear among

their companions in that kind of striking dishabille which might have been expected if they had five minutes before quitted their beds. There is something in this kind of appearance by no means respectful, either to their fellowstudents, or their Professors. I am far from being pleased to see theological students fond of elegance, or even of formality, in their dress. Decent neatness is all I ask. But surely this may be demanded whenever they come together to attend on any publick duty. Besides the considerations already suggested, they know not but that, on such an occasion, several strangers may be present, who may receive an impression concerning the Seminary in general, from the appearance of two or three individuals among the pupils.

6. While you are in the Lecture-room, LET

YOUR ATTENTION BE CLOSELY AND IMMOVEABLY FIXED UPON ALL THAT IS SAID AND DONE.

Some theological students are so inconsiderate as to allow themselves to bring to the Seminary the habit, in reference to this point, which they unwisely formed at College, or at the Academy; I mean the habit of considering themselves as not particularly interested in any thing that passes, excepting that which is immediately addressed to themselves. Nothing but the strangest want of reflection can tolerate such a thought, or the habit which flows from

it. Surely every member of a class is just as much interested in every thing which drops from the lips of the Professor, as he who is immediately interrogated, or addressed. Every question that is asked; every answer that is given; every difficulty that is solved; and every mistake that is committed or corrected, may be considered as the property of all alike; as equally calling for the attention of all; and as worthy, if possessed of any value, of being equally treasured up by all. In short, a mind awake, active, and eager, in the language of Solomon, to take fast hold of instruction, and let none of it go, will derive advantage from every word that is uttered in the Lecture-room, whether directed immediately to himself or to his companions. He will turn it all to gold; and make it redound, in some way, to the great cause of his improvement.

If every student were aware of the importance of this counsel, we should not be pained by those cases of evident absence of mind, which often occur; and those instances of languor, drowsiness, and even occasional slumber, which have been sometimes witnessed. We should see every one appearing to forget every thing else, in his all absorbing attention to the subject immediately before him. And even

when the remarks of the Lecturer were not either as weighty or as interesting as might be

wished, such a band of listening auditors as I have sometimes seen, by their eager looks, their pertinent questions, and their intelligent inferences, might animate dulness itself, and educe rich instruction from a lecture which scarcely rose even to mediocrity of character.

7. It is a bad practice to indulge IN ANY KIND OF READING during a lecture. One of the Rules of our Seminary, indeed, absolutely prohibits all reading, during any recitation or lecture, excepting that which relates immediately to the subject under consideration. But I am more and more persuaded that no one ought ever to avail himself even of this exception for it is manifest that no one can read a book on the same subject on which a lecture is proceeding, and at the same time, attend to the Lecturer. And if the pupil deliberately prefer the former to the latter, he had better be in his own apartment, employed in reading alone, than place himself in circumstances in which neither reading nor hearing can be enjoyed to the best advantage. As to the cases which now and then occur, in which something entirely foreign from the subject of the lecture is read, it is such a direct violation of a law of the Seminary, and such a piece of disrespect to the Professor who may happen to fill the chair, that no conscientious or well-bred student, who re