Text Box: Publish Bimonthly by 
Pilgrim’s Bible Church
Timothy Fellows Pastor
VOL. III No. 16
OCTOBER 15, 1976
 

 

"HOW HAVE THE MIGHTY FALLEN!"

The Story of Harvard University

It has been observed that Cotton Mather testified that in one generation, Old England had more preachers from New England, than New England had from Old England. The reasons for such profound prestige in so short a time were two fold: its strict adherence to its rules of conduct; and its thorough curriculum.

A spiritual institution never crumbles from without: if it fails, it does so from within. These two pinnacles: its Rules of conduct, and its curriculum, which raised Harvard to such a prodigious height must also prove to be the most protected, for if she fails, it will be because of a relaxation of its Rules and of the quality of its curriculum.

PART II—THE TIME AND ORDER OF STUDIES OBSERVED AT HARVARD --1643

Monday and Tuesday-- read lectures as followeth:

1st year 8:00 A.M. ----Logic, the first three quarters;

  • Physics, the last quarter
  • 2nd year 9:00 A.M.--- Ethics and Politics

    3rd year—10:00 A.M. ----Arithmetic and geometry, the first three quarters, Astronomy, the last quarter

    Afternoon:

    1st year – 2:00 P.M.--- Disputes

    2nd year – 3:00 P.M.--- Disputes

    3rd year- 4:O0 P.M. ----Disputes

    Wednesday-- read Greek:

    1st year – 8:00 A.M. ----Etymology and Syntax

    2nd year – 9:00 A.M. ----Prosodia and Dialects

    Afternoon:

    1st year- 2:00 P.M. ---Practice the precepts of grammar in such authors as have variety of words

    2nd year – 3:00 P.M. --- Practice in Poesy

    3rd year – Perfect their theory before noon, and exercise style, composition, imitation, epitome, both in prose and verse, in the afternoon.

     

    Thursday—read Hebrew and the Eastern tongues:

    1st year --8:00 A.M. ----Grammar

    2nd year --9:00 A.M. ----Chaldee

    3rd year --10:00 A.M. ---Syriac

    Afternoon:

    1st year --2:00 P.M. ----- Practice in the Bible

    2nd year --3:00 P.M. ----- Ezra and Daniel

    3rd year --4:00 P.M.----- Trostius’ New Testament

    Friday --read Rhetoric to all at 8:00 A.M.

    9:00 A.M. ----Declamations --Every scholar declaiming once a month

    10:00 A.M. ----Rhetoric --through the rest of the day

    Saturday --read Divinity Catechetical at 8:00 A.M.

    9:00 A.M. ----read Commonplaces

    Afternoon:

    1:00 P.M. --- read History--in Winter

    read Nature of Plants--in Summer

    The sum of every lecture shall be examined before the new lecture be read.

    Part III --THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREES ISSUED BY HARVARD --1643

    Bachelor’s Degree: (First Degree)

    Every scholar that on proof is found --

    1. Able to read the originals of the Old and New Testament into the Latin tongue, and to resolve them logically, withal being --

    2. Of Godly life and conversation,

    3. And at any public act hath the approbation of the overseers and master of the College --

        is fit to be dignified with his first degree.

    Master’s Degree: (Second Degree)

    Every scholar that --

    1. Giveth up in writing a system or synopsis, or summa of logic,

    2. Natural and

    3. Moral philosophy,

    4. Arithmetic,

    5. Geometry,

    6. Astronomy,

    and is ready to defend his theses or propositions, withal skilled in the originals as above said,

    7. And of Godly life and conversation, and so

    8. Approved by the overseers and master of the College at any public act, --

    is fit to be dignified with his second degree.

    DIVINITY STUDENTS:

    As a foundation for divinity, undergraduates studied William-Ames’ Medulla, or Wolleb’s Abridgement of Christian Divinity.

    Upon graduating in July, if he wished to prepare himself for the ministry, he usually remained in residence for an additional three years to read theology and philosophy. At last when he had received the Master of Arts degree, he went forth to assume his clerical duties.

    And who would suspect that a University so founded upon Christ would in the 30 years be guilty of publishing a book in which Harvard professors would assert we have advanced educationally to a point where God and Jesus Christ play no part in education! THE HARVARD REPORT,

    which cost some $60,000 further asserted the Bible is no authority in the field of educational endeavors!

    Harvard, "HOW HAVE THE MIGHTY FALLEN!" --II Samuel 1:19, 25,27.