Calendar: 1850-1851 Page 26

22 ANNUAL REPORT 1850 Students who commenced the study of Greek and Latin in this class have been admitted after creditable examination into the Theological Department properly so called The Council have made provision for two branches of in- struction which although not hitherto considered indispensable to the training of Theological Students appear likely to fur- ther the efficient discharge of their ministerial and parochial duties and which were not lost sight of in the original scheme for the foundation of this department The first of these measures is the appointment of Lecturer in Public Reading It is superfluous to say much on the value of good clear unaffected reading when applied not only to the delivery of sermon but to the due performance of Divine Service in all its parts The beauty of the Liturgy of the Church of England and even the sense of Holy Scrip- ture itself are too often obscured if not desecrated by indistinct and inarticulate reading while it not unfrequently happens that sermon excellent in respect of doctrine of reasoning and of composition fails to reach the hearts or even the ears of the congregation for want of little atten- tion to the merely physical management of the voice and lungs Nor is it unimportant to add that the health and consequently the usefulness of many of the Clergy in large parishes is sacrificed to disregard or ignorance of the simplest elementary rules on this subject The Council have the satis- faction of announcing that they have intrusted this new and important office to the Rev Thelwall-a gentleman thoroughly qualified by his scientific investigation of the sub- ject and by his long experience to take the lead in path hitherto comparatively untrodden The second measure adverted to is the foundation of an annual Course of Lectures on the Physical condition of the poor with particular reference to its bearing upon the ma- nagement of parish It is now generally admitted that little progress can be made in the attempt to persuade men to be Christians so long as their physical condition is degraded below the level of humanity It seems essential to the full success of the Pastoral office with respect even to its primary