ideas," and must not be taken absolutely with regard to the whole paper, as, with the conclusions of Socrates, they are so numerous, and so absolute on such abstruse questions which depend entirely on the meanings we attach to the words we use that it is difficult to avoid contradictions.

Compare, for example, the first line on p. 120, repeated half-way down the page, and p. 125 (15 lines from bottom), “each is one part of this one." Also p. 121 (6 lines from bottom) and p. 120 (8 lines from bottom) states this one which is divided into parts is identical with the one that is not (line 1).

This beautiful paper ends naturally with line 3, p. 128. What follows is extraneous to it, though very true, and does honour to the Christian instincts of the distinguished author.

AUTHOR'S REPLY.

My many thanks are due to this philosophical audience, especially to those who have joined in the discussion, for the patient attention and cordial appreciation with which they have received my paper. Some of the remarks in the discussion invite a brief reply: The Chairman, if he takes account of the whole verse, Col. ii, 8, will see that what is there censured is not philosophy as such, but only that kind of philosophy which is "not after Christ." Miss Maynard: Is there not what may be called Christian Pantheism? All things are of GOD, and the day is coming when GOD will be All in All. Very reverently we may say that when HE created Satan, and when HE created Man, HE fore-knew every sinful thought and action. Even we ourselves may have ideas in our mind which we do not regard with sympathy but with abhorrence. Perhaps we have an analogy in the ether which, though present in "hair, mud, filth," is undefiled by them; and in the beautiful sunlight shining upon a cesspool, but retaining its own purity. The Lord Jesus touched the leper, yet contracted no defilement. I warmly thank my whilom student, Dr. Bridges, for his valuable triads. Mr. Rouse can surely not intend to tell us that all qualities are permanent. The remarks of Dr. Schofield are, as always, most thoughtful and luminous. He refers to some difficulties or supposed contradictions. These seem soluble by

noting that my theory is not necessarily the same as Plato's on every point considered; and also that the simple abstract idea of The One (as Oneness) is not identical with the idea of The One Being (where the idea of Existence is added). We are much indebted to Mr. Hoste for the way in which he has pointed out the connection between "the invisible things" and "the things which are made,” and how Matter is properly subservient to Spirit. He will, I hope, take frequent part in our discussions.

HELD IN COMMITTEE ROOM B, THE CENTRAL HALL,
WESTMINSTER, ON MONDAY, JUNE 2ND, 1919,
AT 4.30 P.M.

THE REV. PROFESSOR D. S. MARGOLIOUTH, D.LITT.,
IN THE CHAIR.

The Minutes of the previous Meeting were read, confirmed and signed. The SECRETARY, Mr. SEWELL, announced the election of the Rev. Canon Berry, formerly an Associate, to be a Member, and the election of Major P. J. Wiseman and Mr. Herbert A. Hall as Associates. He also announced the death of Sir T. F. Victor Buxton, Bart., a Member.

It was also announced that owing to the serious illness of Lady Halsbury, Lord Halsbury would be unable to deliver the Annual Address on June 16th. Lt. Col. Mackinlay had very kindly undertaken to deliver the Annual Address, his subject being the Literary Marvels of St. Luke.

“THE MOSAIC CALENDAR." By E. WALTER MAUNDER, Esq., F.R.A.S., Superintendent of the Solar Department, Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

BY

**

Y" The Mosaic Calendar" I wish to denote the complete circle of national religious observances enjoined by the Law ascribed to Moses, and recorded in the Pentateuch. I have no desire to deal with the ritual laid down for these observances, or with the typical, prophetic, or theological significance attaching to them. But these ordinances have a special interest for me in connection with my own profession, since they have a specific relation to the heavenly bodies. Thus in Genesis i, 14-15, we read:

"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for appointed assemblies, and for days, and years and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was so.”

In our English versions, the word which I have rendered "appointed assemblies is given as seasons." There is no doubt as to its meaning. In the great majority of cases where we meet with it in the Old Testament, it is translated

"congregation," but here, and in Leviticus xxiii, 4-" these are feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons"-the seasons are the "times appointed" for the assembling of the people in acts of worship. The purposes, therefore, for which the lights of heaven were ordained, were not only to give light upon the earth, to divide the day from the night, and to be measurers of time for all the nations under heaven-that is to say, to be for days and years -they were to be "for signs and for appointed assemblies; signals when men should gather together to worship God.

This general principle, therefore, is laid down in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis. The Book of Exodus exhibits. the principle put into practice. It records how the children of Israel were delivered from their bondage in Egypt, and how Jehovah called them to enter into Covenant relation with Him as His Chosen People. This new relationship began at that strange supper, eaten standing and in haste, before they were called to start on their moonlight march toward the wilderness. Then came the passage of the Red Sea, by which the chains of their slavery were struck from off them, and a few weeks later, an enfranchised people, they entered into solemn Covenant with Jehovah at Mount Sinai. Then with all possible speed the means for seemly public worship were provided the tabernacle with its furniture was constructed; the priesthood appointed and the altar consecrated. This done there follows, without a moment's pause, the record of the appointment of the “continual burnt offering":

Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: . . This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation (appointed assemblies) before the Lord where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee. and I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God." (Exodus xxix, 38-46.)

We find the same observance commanded in the Book of Numbers, chapter xxviii, 1-4 :

"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their appointed time of assembly (due season).”

THE DAY AND THE YEAR.

Thus each day was marked out and sanctified by an act of worship at its beginning and by another at its close. And the times for these two daily services were indicated by the sun, which by its rising called men to set in order the morning sacrifice, and as it sank to its setting to offer the evening oblation. The sun was for the two "seasons," the two " appointed assemblies," of the "continual burnt offering."

But the sun was for both "days and years"; the day being a miniature of the year, and the year a day on a longer, fuller scale. As, therefore, the day is divided into two portions, the light portion which we call "day," and the dark portion which we call "night," so the year is divided into a bright, warm portion, the summer, and a cold, dark portion, the winter. And carrying out the analogy of the two acts of daily worship, the morning and the evening sacrifices, two great religious ordinances were instituted in the year, the one at the beginning of summer, the other as the summer drew to its close. And as we use the word "day" sometimes to designate a complete period of twentyfour hours, including the hours of both day and night, and sometimes as referring only to the hours of light, so the word year,” which usually denotes the complete round of the seasons, is employed in connection with these two great annual religious celebrations, as if it were confined to the summer half. One of these, the Passover, with the connected week of unleavened bread, was held in spring time, in the beginning of the year :

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"And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the lan of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months it shall be the first month of the year to you. (Exodus xii, 1-2.)

These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed times (seasons). In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven