Mr. ARTHUR W. SUTTON, in moving the resolution, "That the Report of the Council now read be received and adopted and circulated amongst the members and associates," said My lord, ladies and gentlemen, I need hardly say that I rise with great pleasure to propose the adoption of the Report which we have listened to with much pleasure and interest.

The Report itself is singularly brief; but the list of subjects. that were dealt with during the year by members, and the papers that have been read, show that the work of the Institute has been as valuable as ever; and those who have not been able to attend all the meetings will, I am sure, read the Reports of the Meetings in the Transactions of the Institute with the greatest interest.

It is gratifying to know that we close the year with a substantial balance in hand, and, if I might make a suggestion to the Council, it is, that when the funds admit of it, some special effort might be made to secure greater publicity in the daily journals, if possible, of the very valuable papers that are read at our meetings. The papers on subjects of general science have all been most valuable; and especially so as we know they have been contributed by members who are at one with us in their desire to promote the primary object of the Institute, which is investigation of scientific questions bearing on the truths of the Holy Scriptures. I trust that will always be the chief object of the Institute.

There was certainly never a time when research and investigation were so needed, or more helpful, than at the present day. The movement of modern thought is so rapid that we need to constantly bring tests to bear upon it. We may have in some instances, as have our forefathers, also, formed a misconception as to the meaning of certain portions of Holy Scripture; but we still feel, whatever meaning they are intended to convey, they are as absolutely trustworthy as ever. There is one danger which I think has to be guarded against in the present day, viz., the idea that because the agency employed in the compilation of Holy Scripture was human it is therefore fallible, and may be erroneous so far as it may not be in accordance with the science of to-day. It is often advanced that the spiritual truths of Scripture which cannot so readily be put to external test are alone those to which we can give our allegiance, and that the extent to which they can be held is according to how they square with modern thought. This might

B

be a convenient position for some to take up; but it would leave us no solid ground as to the path which we are to take, or the position we are to occupy in the future life. I believe we shall find that what we call spiritual truths, are of value to us, only so far as the historical events recorded in the Bible are recognised as authentic facts-not only that man was created in the likeness of God that he fell from his estate—that Christ became incarnate, and died and rose again, and ascended to the right hand of God. How empty the Bible would be, if nothing were left but its ethical teaching! If the Institute could more and more bring into prominence not only those points where the Bible is in touch with modern thought, but those where there is a divergence, I think then our thoughts would be better focussed, and that, by God's help, we should benefit by the illumination of His Holy Spirit. (Applause.)

Colonel T. H. HENDLEY, C.S.I.—My lord, ladies and gentlemen, I have much pleasure in seconding the resolution, and if I may make one suggestion, it is that the members of the Institute should do their utmost to carry out the wishes of the Council, and endeavour to raise the number of members to at least a thousand.

The PRESIDENT.-The question is that the Report of the Council now read be received, and adopted, and circulated amongst the members and associates.

The resolution having being put, was carried unanimously.

Mr. WILFRED H. HUDLESTON, F.R.S.-My Lord President, I have much pleasure in moving that "The thanks of the Members and Associates be presented to the Council, Honorary Officers, and Auditors for their efficient conduct of the business of the Victoria Institute during the year."

Of course, the mainspring of all societies consists of the working members of the Council, and seeing that the Council itself consists of a great number of members who, like myself, perhaps, do not very frequently interfere with the business of the Society, this vote is more especially directed in favour of the working members who attend the Council and manage the business of the Victoria Institute. I must own that as far as I have any acquaintance with the management, it is very skilful, and it has been well conducted ever since I had the pleasure of being a member of the Institute,

I think, with regard to your volumes of Transactions-and we

have now arrived at our thirty-fifth-it reflects very great credit on the management that such an annual volume should be brought It is most excellent in type and thoroughly well edited, and would do honour to any public institution whatever. I speak feelingly, having recently contributed a somewhat lengthy paper to the Proceedings, and I can only say that I was surprised at the rapidity with which that paper was brought out in type, and placed in the hands of the members, to enable them to understand what I was talking about, and to join in the discussion. Those matters are certainly highly creditable to the management. Of course this vote of thanks includes all the officers; but I more especially include the name of the Secretary. (Applause.)

The Secretary of a society is like the mainspring of a watch, and on him and his vigilance almost everything connected with that society is dependent. I am happy to say that my friend, Professor Hull, has had long and varied experience and that his ability is very well known. The work he has done in the past is of the highest importance, and the work he is doing now is of the greatest utility. I beg, therefore, to move the vote of thanks.

The Rev. Dr. IRVING.-I have much pleasure in seconding this resolution proposed by my old friend Mr. Hudleston, and especially I feel bound to endorse what he has said about the energy and efficiency with which the Secretary has discharged the business of the Institute. Professor Hull, like Mr. Hudleston, is an old geological confrère of mine, of many years' standing, and I feel very happy to-day in finding my name associated with theirs.

As regards the work of the Institute, since I came into the room, I heard a remark made in proposing the first resolution, which reminded me of some words of the great Lord Bacon, and which seem to me to hit off exactly what should be kept before this Institute as to its objects. He says, speaking of the work of the Creator, that His first work was the creation of light, and his last was the creation of light by man's intellect; and his Sabbath work, ever since, has been the illumination of the Spirit.

It appears to me that the author of that statement gathered up in it a wide range of thought and research which an Institute as this ought to keep before itself, remembering always that the illumination of the Spirit is not confined to theologians or even the inspired record; that God's Spirit works and has been working

through the minds and intelligences of capable men to unravel to us that wonderful revelation which He has made of Himself to us in nature. That should always go along with the other revelation which is of a more spiritual and of a deeper kind. The two must be regarded not as antagonistic but as complementary to each other. It seems to me that that defines the real object of this Institute. It was summed up well by the present Bishop of Winchester, when he was a Professor at Cambridge, not many years ago, when he said we have two sources of light, the first consisting of the spiritual in the Person of Jesus Christ, and the second the illumination of the intellect of mankind through the Holy Spirit in teaching us to unravel the secrets of nature.

I have much pleasure in seconding this resolution.

Colonel GEORGE MACKINLAY.-I have been deputed to respond to your vote of thanks to the Council and officers of the Institute. It is a great pleasure to do so and it is a great pleasure for us to work together. I notice three balances here. There is a favourable balance of money, which is better than last year; and then at the end we have a favourable balance of foreign members, and it is a great benefit that our proceedings do reach our fellow-countrymen in the colonies. Thirdly, there is a balance, which has not been alluded to yet, and that is, with regard to the future. The number of papers for next session which has already been arranged for is large, and no doubt they will be very interesting and instructive. That part of the work is, I may tell you, chiefly due to the Secretary, who has been able to obtain many good subjects for the coming session.

The only adverse balance is that small decrease in the number of members. The Council will do their best to increase the numbers; and we ask you to do your best to add to them, so that they may reach the 1,000 which has already been alluded to.

The PRESIDENT.-I am afraid I must ask you to pass the resolution, though it was not put to the meeting and carried before the last speaker responded.

Colonel MACKINLAY.—I am sorry.

The PRESIDENT.-You will pass it, no doubt, nunc pro tunc, and therefore I will put the resolution in the usual way. [Carried.]

The SECRETARY.-Perhaps I may be permitted to express my gratitude to Mr. Hudleston and those members who have so kindly alluded to my services as Secretary to this Institute.

THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

I regret that I must announce that owing to the pressure of work, I have not been able to complete the address which I intended to deliver to you, and I must candidly tell you that I do not propose to deliver a formal address to-day, but I hope you will allow it to be postponed, and I will reverse the maxim that has been quoted to-day and say tunc pro nunc, if you will allow me to do so.

I might have written to say that I had not completed my address. I had begun it; but I thought it would be an ill commencement of my career as your President if I did not present myself in person to express my gratitude to you for having done me the great honour of electing me as your President; and further I ought, I feel, to express the gratitude of this Society to our late President, whose career as a man of science was one that I should think no one in Europe would doubt, placed him in the very highest rank of scientific men.

I may make an observation about him that is not confined to the gratitude we owe his memory, and not confined to the domination of his genius and his knowledge.

I do not think anything can be found that is more important to this Society, and to similar societies, than to show that men of the highest rank in science, and with the greatest knowledge, do not object to belong to a Society whose charter is to investigate, boldly and thoroughly, all subjects bearing on religion and science with the view of showing that they are not inconsistent with each other. I confess, and you will permit me to say, perhaps, that I believe no time ever existed in the history of the world when investigations of this sort were more required. There is undoubtedly a more subtle spirit of unbelief now than I think has prevailed for some time. The pious and very good people who thought that the best way to preserve the Scriptures and preserve the faith of men was by suppressing scientific investigation made a great mistake. In the first place you can no more suppress the exercise of the intellect by human beings who are intelligent than you can still the tide of the ocean; and the only result was that men were led to doubt, because they were afraid of investigation.

The charter of this Institute, as I understand, is to boldly and fearlessly investigate every problem that bears on those