5/22/55

Scripture: Ephesians 4: 1-8, 11-16.

Let us mark today as a “day of recognition and of concern for the ministry.” Our national Commission on the Ministry of the Congregational Christian Churches has sometimes commended a date in the spring of the year as “Church Vocations Sunday.” But it is the Chicago Theological Seminary which has sometimes suggested it as “a Sunday of Concern for the Ministry.” That seminary is the most intimately connected of any with the Congregational Churches, though Andover Newton in Massachusetts, Bangor in Maine, Hartford and Yale Divinity in Connecticut, Oberlin in Ohio, Pacific School of Religion in California, Howard in the District of Columbia, and Yankton in South Dakota are all Congregationally-related schools of theological training. The Chicago Theological Seminary is the school from which I was graduated, after one year at Yale Divinity School, and more than 2 years at Chicago. It is the school in which Jack Crook had two years of training. It is the school from which my predecessor in this pastorate, the Rev. Fred. W. Hyslop was graduated. Many of the ministers in Congregational churches in this state are graduates of this school. It is the school attended by Mr. Donald Minnick, who has now completed the 4-year course under the Chicago Federated Faculty and was graduated last week.

Perhaps you might like to know a little bit more about this particular “School of the Prophets.” Historically, it is, in the words of former president Arthur Cushman McGiffert, a “part and parcel of the migration westward along what has come to be the great industrial belt of the country.” In the days of pioneer settlements in the Wisconsin Territory, and other areas of rapid westward expansion, the churches of New England and the East were greatly concerned that the Gospel and the church go with the settlers. Young ministers of enthusiasm and zeal, to match the venture of the settlers, volunteered for Christian service in the pioneer communities where all their work would be hard and both organization and facilities would have to be developed from “scratch.”

The missionary agent of the Presbyterian church, Rev. Stephen Peet, serving both the Presbyterian and the Congregational churches, assisted in spotting those churches in fast growing communities of lumbering, mining, and agricultural growth. Usually one, but not both, Congregational and Presbyterian churches, was started in a given community, and this prevails to this day in most of the moderate to smaller sized communities of Wisconsin. In his later years, Stephen Peet assisted in the founding of Beloit College and of The Chicago Theological Seminary. For Congregationalists were deeply convinced of the need for adequate training for those who were to choose the ministry.

It was to provide a supply of young ministers, sufficient in numbers, and suited by training for service here in the new conditions of what was then “the West” that this Seminary was started. Ministers and laymen from six Midwest states joined in securing its charter in 1855. These men invented new innovations in curriculum to include the benefits of two kinds of training heretofore accepted in the East.

Some men learned how to be ministers by becoming apprentice to a prominent minister, reading from his library, and working under his direction. Doctors and lawyers sometimes trained in that way, too. Even as late as the time of my grandfather, some men “read medicine” in the office of an experience doctor. Others, of course, went to graduate schools specializing in preparation for their profession. The Chicago Theological Seminary training often combined the academic training with a certain amount of practical experience.

At first the curriculum was adapted for the training of transplanted New Englanders. But by 1880, hosts of people were coming to the new West directly from Europe. So the Seminary began providing for instruction to be given in the Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German and Finnish tongues as well as in English. Redfield College, which has since become the Theological School at Yankton College in South Dakota, is one of the monuments to this endeavor, as was also North Park College of Chicago. Of course the instruction is long since all in English in those schools.

Chicago Theological Seminary has been interested in the changing character of its neighborhood. It has had a very close understanding with the Chicago Commons, a neighborhood house established by one of its revered teachers, Dr. Graham Taylor. It has also kept close to the Congregational churches of some 17 Midwestern states where it is referred to as “our Seminary.” Every 3 years these Congregational churches, through delegates assembled in Triennial Convention, elect the Seminary’s Board of Directors. The Triennial Convention of 1955 coincided with the Centennial of the Seminary’s founding. [I was a delegate to the latest such convention held last January.]

Our church here has had connection with the Seminary, not alone through the pastorate of ministers trained there, but also through the service of members on its Board of Directors. For some years, Mr. George Mead served as a Member of that Board, and influenced its members in important decisions. At present, and for some years past, Mr. Henry Baldwin has been serving as a member of that Board.

We here have known the visits of faculty members and heads of the school. Dr. Samuel Kincheloe, who spoke here during the State Conference of 1955, was long a member of the faculty. [Former] President Arthur Cushman McGiffert has been preacher and visitor here, as were also, before him, Dr. Albert Palmer and Dr. Ozora Davis during their terms of presidency. Dean of Students, Dr. Philip A. Anderson will give a talk the evening of Mr. Minnick’s ordination. During Dr. Davis’ presidency, the Seminary moved from Chicago’s West side to a site alongside the campus of the University of Chicago. There, its new buildings were erected, much of the construction and supporting endowment being made possible by gift of the late Victor Fremont Lewson, who served, with Mr. Mead and others, on the Board of Directors at that time. New departments were added to the established courses of study -- Religious journalism and drama, research in the field of religion and mental health, and research and survey in social ethics and sociology of religion were all newly initiated here.

During the presidency of Dr. Albert Palmer, the relationship of the seminary with the University of Chicago Divinity School, the Disciples Divinity School, and Meadville Theological Seminary were solidified in formation of the Federated Theological Faculty. This federation of teachers pooled the instructors of all four schools for the benefit of all students enrolled in any one of those seminaries.

During the presidency of Arthur Cushman McGiffert, Jr., this Federated Theological Faculty was reorganized to function in an improved relationship. It has been one of the really significant faculties of the world; young, vigorous, dynamic. As we have already said, the CTS is this year [1955] celebrating its 100th year of service; and we join with it in this Sunday of celebration and in the observance of this “Sunday of Concern for the Ministry.”

Well, why any concern for the ministry?

1) Because the Christian church is still the bulwark of that faith by which we vastly prefer to live. And churches, to proclaim, preserve, perpetrate, practice and vitalize that faith must have an adequate professional ministry.

2) Further, there is dramatic need for consecrated and trained ministers.

a. In 1952, our denomination ordained 120 men for the Congregational-Christian ministry. In the same year, we lost, by death, retirement, and so on, 237 --- a net loss that year of 153 from our ranks of ministerial leadership.

b. We are not recruiting from our own fellowship enough young ministers to meet our needs. Too many churches of our order go outside the denomination to call a minister trained in another fellowship (I think of 4 or 5 in this state within the last 2 or 3 years).

c. As in the ministry of other church groups, the average salary for full-time ministerial service is low enough to make it attractive only to the deeply convinced and consecrated. The average annual salary for full-time Congregational-Christian ministers in 1953 was $3484; it was slightly higher in Wisconsin. In 1947 the income by occupations of all college graduates placed the clergy in 8th place after medicine, law, dentistry, business, government, science and education. In our own state, Superintendent Norenberg reports that average annual salaries of full-time ministries advanced from $3,787 in 1953 to $4,478 in 1954, with parsonage and annuity fund benefits added in many cases. “Nevertheless, many of our men are still underpaid,” said he. [Since then there has been some improvement, at least on a “cost-of-living” increase basis.]

Well, the reason for wanting to serve the churches in the ministry is clearly not to “make a lot of money,” and it never has been. It lies rather in the realm of dedication to the call of God, of the desire for service, of the satisfactions to be found in working cleanly with people.

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What does a church expect of a man whom it calls to its ministry? Robert J. Cadigan, writing in “Presbyterian Life” magazine, says: “Laymen are expecting a nearly impossible collection of skills in their ministers ....” church chores, administration, community activity, preaching, teaching, etc. Well, at least Don and I want to stay in the Congregational ministry! And, having landed in pastorates like this one in Wisconsin Rapids, where lay members do take hold with gratifying vigor and dedication, the so-called “impossibility” or our chosen profession is considerably alleviated.

I do want to express here a real concern for a well-trained as well as consecrated ministry. In certain cases, perhaps more often in certain other denominations than in the Congregational, one sees a young fellow, deeply sincere in his desire to be a minister, and convinced as to his “call,” taking less expensive and less time-consuming short-cuts in preparation. For instance a quick course at some Bible Institute following high school graduation. Congregationalists have long been of the opinion, and rightly, that one’s mind, as well as his heart, should be trained, in study and experience, for the ministry. This has been true from the very earliest experience of the colonists, who established Harvard College, and other schools in quick succession (and at great cost!) so that their citizenry generally, and their ministers especially, should be well trained for their responsibilities.

Any Congregational minister who is going to be adequately trained for his work should have, at the least, a four year college course and degree, plus three (or four) years in an accredited Theological Seminary -- with graduation and appropriate degrees. Some take even more training. This is comparable to the preparation now required for law, and nearly that required for medicine. It takes a long time, and it is correspondingly expensive. But it is essential for the well-being and usefulness of the minister and the churches he will serve.

[Variety of Christian vocations]

The Christian ministry is a calling that challenges the best in the lives of the most alert, capable young people. It is not overcrowded with first-rate, adequately trained men. None of the professions are. The ministry calls urgently and earnestly for a new generation of eager, dedicated, well-trained folk who will minister to the needs of a rapidly changing and always new world.

[Prayer]

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Delivered in Wisconsin Rapids, May 22, 1955.

Also in Wisconsin Rapids, June 18, 1961.