The eleventh head was the “Reports of Theological Tutors.” Rev. J. R. Mackay, M.A. submitted his report as follows:—
MODERATOR AND BRETHREN,—As you know, I had only one student, Mr. Andrew Sutherland, under my charge, as Theological Tutor, during last session. It was Mr. Sutherland’s last year in Divinity. Owing to my not returning from Africa until late in December, we did not take up work until the beginning of this year. The session lasted from the beginning of January to the Friday before the 2nd Sabbath of May. So far as concerns Old Testament Hebrew, the time was occupied with the Book of Deuteronomy. Over and above what was done by way of translation, syntax, and exposition, it was my aim to meet at every point the construction which the destructive Higher Criticism puts upon questions dealing with the authorship and composition of the Pentateuch generally, and of the book of Deuteronomy in particular. In Systematic Theology, as in our former sessions, Fridays were devoted to reading, in Latin, Turretine’s De Satisfactione, a work than which, as it is one of the very greatest on the fundamental doctrine of the Atonement, I know none better fitted to give point and decision to evangelical preaching. On the other three days of the week—for we met only on four days of the week—it was my aim to give a succinct view of dogmatics, and although in the time at my disposal the course could only be fragmentary, I sought always to be fuller at those places where the Calvinistic system comes in conflict with the many systems that oppose it.
The fundamental disciplines in a Theological Course are, of course, Exegetics, Historics, Dogmatics, and Practics. Exegetics (in its two branches of Old Testament Hebrew and New Testament Greek), Historics, and Dogmatics, Mr. Beaton and I professedly teach; and although Practics, or Pastoral Theology, has not had the attention paid to it that the subject deserves, nevertheless we do what we can to supplement this deficiency also. For example, in Mr. Sutherland’s case, Mr. Beaton had him through a course of Church law and practice, and with me last winter Mr. Sutherland worked through the whole of Dr. Shedd’s Homiletics and Pastoral Theology. We also had opportunities of hearing Mr. Sutherland conduct divine service once and again, and of making such suggestions to him in connection with those services as we thought might be useful. Mr. Sutherland’s conduct, in every respect, was worthy of all praise.
Mr. Mackay, after giving in the above report, said that, having regard both to his own health and also to the duty which the Church owes to its students, he felt necessitated to curtail to some extent his work in connection with the ministry. As the Court knew, he had, for several years now—over and above attempting to do ordinary pastoral work in connection with the congregation of which he was pastor, and carrying on classes in two difficult subjects, Old Testament Hebrew and Systematic Theology—tried to give assistance at several Communion services in the course of the year. He felt obliged to come to the conclusion that he must confine himself—at least (if the Lord should spare him) for some time to come—to pastoral and theological work exclusively. There was no part of his work in the ministry in connection with which he had greater comfort oftentimes than in Communion services, but the considerations stated above compelled him to make this curtailment, and he spoke of it now only to avoid the pain of refusing to come to the help of brethren, when they would thus understand his position.
Rev. D. Beaton gave in the following report :—
REPORT OF WORK DONE IN THE CLASSES OF NEW TESTAMENT GREEK AND CHURCH HISTORY DURING SESSION 1909-10.
In submitting this report to the Synod, I am pleased to report that during last session we were able to cover a wider and more varied field of study than in former years. A part of the time of the New Testament Greek Class was devoted to the study of the grammar of New Testament Greek. Such a course is decidedly helpful to a student when he comes to the work of translation, as it familiarises him with the usages and idioms which meet him in the Greek of the New Testament. The Greek text of the Gospel according to Matthew was used for translation and exegetical work. Questions raised by unbelieving critics and others in connection with the so-called discrepancies of the Gospels were also dealt with—MacClellan’s New Testament—the Four Gospels being used as a text-book. In view of the persistent attacks made on the Sacred Writings and some of the great fundamental doctrines set forth therein, it is almost an essential of theological discipline that our students should be familiarised with the line of attack and the weapons most useful for repelling these attacks. With the limited time at our disposal only certain aspects of the attack and line of defence of the great doctrines of the Resurrection and the Virgin Birth could be touched upon; but the other stock-in-trade arguments of the unbelieving school of critics, by which they endeavour to disparage the Gospels, are so thoroughly and satisfactorily dealt with by MacClellan that this part of our work cannot help being of immense value in strengthening the faith in the divine authorship and authenticity of the Gospels, but it is also a splendid equipment for those whose life-work brings them face to face with the varied forms of unbelief. As in former years, we devoted part of our time to the study of Gifford’s Incarnation. Its perusal introduces the student to one of the finest examples of modern scholarship, and one of the great masterpieces in exegetics. Apart altogether from this—its unanswerable argument against the doctrine of the Kenosis—it is an invaluable study for every minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Textual Criticism the text-book used was Miller’s Guide to Textual Criticism, in which the principles of the traditional school of New Testament textual criticism are expounded in opposition to the dominant school of Westcott and Hort.
Church History, which for many years was so much in the background in the theological curriculum, is of recent years gradually coming to its own. The discovery of new materials, and the more extensive study of materials already at hand, have done much to awaken a new interest in this important department of theological discipline. In this department the limited time at our disposal is felt more than in any other subject we deal with. In general Church History the period dealt with embraced from the beginning of the Christian Church to the Middle Ages. We also devoted a part of our time to the study of Old Testament History. It ought to be our desire, and I am sure my brethren will agree with me, that our students should be complete masters of the history of the Old and New Testaments. There is no history like the history written by the Holy Ghost, and while we must be on our guard of coming to God’s Word merely for the intellectual pleasure that may arise from the study of its wonderful history so full of incident, blended with a pathos and tragedy that have touched the imaginations of many who never acknowledged its heavenly origin, yet it is not creditable to any theological curriculum that makes it necessary for a theological student to have more intimate knowledge of certain periods of the history of the Church than of the history of the Bible, which, after all, is to be the great text-book of his life. For it is not simply that we have in the Bible the history of the most remarkable people that have as yet appeared on the stage of time, and the most wonderful events that ever happened in this world, but in this book we are brought face to face with the gradual unfolding of the purposes of mercy and love of a gracious God to perishing sinners. Its history is the history of the covenant of grace unfolding itself in time and familiarity with the events in this wonderful development, ought to be made an essential part of the curriculum of theological students. All our theological study should tend to make our students feel as they proceeded with their studies that they had in the Bible the most wonderful of books.
In the other subjects usually associated with Church History, such as Church polity, we devoted some of our time to the study of Professor Witherow’s excellent little manual, Which is the Apostolic Church? Some of our time was also devoted to the study of Church Law—Sir Henry Moncrieff’s Practice of the Free Church of Scotland being used as the text-book. The procedure of the different Church Courts, such as Deacon, Kirk-Session, Presbytery, Synod, and Assembly were dealt with, as also the procedure in cases of discipline. The writing of specimen minutes dealing with special phases of Church procedure was part of the work to which attention was given.
In practical training, Mr. Mackay, the student under my tuition last winter, preached once every Sabbath for me, and I had thus an opportunity of offering any criticism that I deemed necessary. He also taught a Bible-Class for me on the Wednesday evenings, and both in his preaching and teaching he acquitted himself in a highly satisfactory manner. I have also the greatest pleasure in reporting to the Synod that in his other studies he applied himself with commendable diligence to the acquirement of knowledge, and in the written examinations showed that he had an intelligent grasp of the subjects discussed in the class.
The Clerk (Rev. J. S. Sinclair), moved that the Synod receive the reports of the Theological Tutors with pleasure and with thankfulness to the Most High, and that they also tender their cordial thanks to the Tutors for their valuable services. The motion was seconded by the Rev. D. Macfarlane, supported by the Rev. E. Macqueen, and cordially adopted.
Rev. D. Beaton proposed that their students should take two years instead of one of New Testament Greek and Church History, as it was impossible to go satisfactorily over the ground in one session, and he concluded his remarks by moving accordingly. Rev. Neil Macintyre seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Rev. E. Macqueen moved that the Synod grant allowances not exceeding £5 each, per annum, to the Theological Tutors for the purchase of any books that were necessary for carrying on their work, the books to become, as usual in such cases, part of the Church’s Library. The motion was seconded and unanimously agreed to.
Rev. J. R. Mackay gave in a report of the Final Examinations of Mr. Andrew Sutherland in Hebrew and Systematic Theology. He said that the members of the several Courts knew that, with the concurrence of the three Presbyteries, he was appointed to examine Mr. Sutherland for finals, in Deuteronomy and in Turrettine’s De Satisfactione. In Hebrew, Mr. Sutherland gained 77 marks, and in Systematic Theology, 75. The results were to be announced, and he hereby did so to the Synod. And in order to avoid waste of time he begged to move “that Mr. Sutherland, on account of these results, be reckoned as having made a satisfactory pass in his finals, and that the Western Presbytery be authorised to appoint Mr. Sutherland subjects for examination with a view to license.” The motion was unanimously agreed to.
The Rev. D. Beaton reported the result of Mr. Alexander Mackay’s First Exit Examination. In New Testament Greek he had a percentage of 92, and in Church History, 74.
Rev. D. Beaton moved the appointment of the following as the Theological Committee: Revs. D. Macfarlane, Neil Cameron, and John R. Mackay (convener). Rev. Neil Macintyre seconded, and the motion was agreed to.