"June, 1835.—All, we believe, are in favor of general education. This is a great principle on which all are agreed. On this ground we can, and indeed it is our duty to unite all our energies, until our congregations shall be an enlightened and intelligent community. We do not think our people now so far behind other societies as some may imagine; we have also scores of ministers who are not a whit behind the chiefest apostles of the sects around us, in a sound knowledge of theology; and among us are some of the finest natural orators in our country. We do not believe that any society of equal numbers can find, among their church members, an equal number of biblical critics. The people called Christians have labored under many embarrassments; but they have made the best use of the limited means in their possession for improvement. This is a proof that they are capable of still higher attainments, and a reason why they should be blessed with greater privileges. As the time has come for the Christian church to take strong and improved ground in this enlightened age, let education and all other practical subjects be thoroughly discussed, that we may be sufficiently enlightened to go forward in union and strength, and sustain our character as Christian reformers."
He recommended that there should be a vigilant committee in every conference, whose business it should be to look up young men whose good but buried talents might, with a little encouragement, be brought out to good advantage in the work of the ministry. He proposed, as a temporary aid, the establishment of suitable libraries, and of theological reading-rooms, where young men could repair, and find a desirable retreat for study and reflection.
"This," says he, "is an age of improvement, and we must keep pace with the improvements of the generation in which we live in order to be useful. Nothing can be more degrading to a religious community, and nothing can more effectually retard their usefulness and prosperity, than an ignorant ministry. We are not in favor of men-made ministers, for we believe there must be a spiritual, experimental, and divine qualification. But we do believe that young men whose minds are exercised on the great work of preaching the Gospel should embrace every opportunity for improvement, and study 'to be workmen that need not be ashamed.' In old times, there were the 'sons of the prophets;' in the days of the apostles, there was a Timothy and a Titus under the particular instruction of Paul."—Pall., vol. 3, p. 54. 1834.
"April 15, 1835.—The Education of Ministers.—On this subject we expect to be able to present an improved method of education, which will be less expensive, and will remedy two great evils. The first is the destruction of health and the natural energies of the man. The second is the decline of grace and of spiritual exercises in the mind of the student. There is a system of self-education just introduced in this State, on which Mr. Southwick and other scientific gentlemen are lecturing, which is highly spoken of. We intend immediately to inform ourself on this subject, and hope to find something in it worthy the attention of our readers. A study of this kind may, to great advantage, be connected with theology without the burdens, the darkness and pollution of heathen mythology."
February, 1837.—In his remarks on Dr. Channing's letter, he says:
"We are generally opposed to the present mode of getting up sectarian theological schools. We see so many ignorant men coming out of those establishments pretending to teach theology, who were never designed, by nature or grace, for the ministry, who are as ignorant of grace, and the first principles of the Christian religion, as Nicodemus, that we have become disgusted with such human institutions, and regard them as sources of corruption and division rather than helps to the church of God. In past ages, the schools have been the channels through which error, like a mighty torrent, has poured its poison into the church. Through these mediums the clergy have contrived to control and take away the liberty of Zion. And is it surprising that we, who are reformers, should be a little cautious about entering hastily into a course which has proved so fatal and dangerous to thousands? It is not education, but the method, which produces alarm among our friends. The doctor proclaims the sentiment of our congregations in the clearest manner, in the following noble strain: 'I feel that a minister, scantily educated but fervent in spirit, will win more souls to Christ than the most learned minister whose heart is cold, whose words are frozen, whose eye never kindles with feeling, whose form is never expanded with the greatness of his thoughts, and the ardor of his love.'"
When, in his tour to New England, in the autumn of 1835, he passed the evening of September 8th, with Dr. Channing, at his summer residence at Newport, R. I., the topic of education was partially discussed; and the views there developed, and the interest manifested on the part of Dr. C. in the Christian denomination, whom he regarded as having a great mission to fulfil, induced Mr. B., in January, 1837, to invite a communication from his pen. Those who would be pleased to read that able document will find it in Vol. V, p. 305, of the Christian Palladium. Mr. Badger's interest in the cause of education grew with his years; I remember to have heard him express a compliment to the Roman Catholic Church, in 1845, to this amount; "Their scholars," said he, "are scholars. There is no smattering or pretension about it,"—a sentiment that perfectly expressed his profound regard for thorough learning. But he had a contempt, which he did not always conceal, for that class of men in the ministry, or elsewhere, who had a systematic book-learning, without any knowledge of human nature, or any living force with which to act upon the world they were living in; at times, both in private and in public, he alluded to them under the name of "College dunces."
"August 1, 1837.—The Gospel and the Reforms. The Sun and the Stars.—The natural sun is the centre of the solar system. Every planetary star is stationed at a respectful distance, and is dependent on the great centre for its power and influence. Every planet revolves round the sun in its time, and is directed, sustained, bounded and governed by its attractive power. So the Gospel is, to the moral world, civil government, science, and all the systems of light and improvement, what the sun is to the heavenly bodies. All must revolve around, are dependent on, are subordinate to, and all must be governed by the glorious Gospel of the Son of God.
"If this reasoning is sound, and we think none will deny it, we bring it forward as an admonition to all men, who, in their zeal to promote certain objects and to carry certain points, have set up some little star as the centre and attempted to make it the rallying point, and are pleading for all other planets to revolve around it. The Pope's decree, Mohamet's revelations, the decisions of councils, synods, and the creeds of men, all in their turn have been substituted for the sun, or centre of operation. How mean they all look in this age of light as a rule of action, when compared with the testimony of the living God.