6. Election of Council and Officers.

In accordance with the rules the following members of the Council retire by rotation, but offer themselves, and are nominated by the Council, for re-election:

Rev. Prebendary H. E. Fox, M.A.

Rev. H. J. R. Marston, M.A.

Ven. Archdeacon Beresford Potter, M.A.
J. W. Thirtle, Esq., LL.D., M.R.A.S.
Rev. Chancellor J. J. Lias, M.A.

T. G. Pinches, Esq., LL.D., M.R.A.S.

The Council nominate also the Rev. G. Harold Lancaster, M.A., F.R.A.S., for election on the Council.

7. Obituary.

The Council regret to announce the deaths of the Rt. Hon. Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal, G.C.M.G., LL.D., VicePresident; Sir David Gill, K.C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., Hon. Correspondent, and of the following Members and Associates :—

W. Dillworth Howard, Esq., Theodore Howard, Esq., the Rev. Prebendary Shelford, M.A., W. H. Seagram, Esq., the Rev. F. W. Tremlett, D.D., the Rev. J. Magens Mello, M.A., and G. A. Gutch, Esq. Also, since the publication of Vol. XLVI:

The Rev. John Urquhart, Gunning Prize Essayist, 1905.

8. New Members and Associates.

The following are the names of new Members and Associates elected up to the end of the year 1914:

MEMBERS.-W. H. Baxter, Esq., J.P., David A. F. Wetherfield, Esq., H. C. Hogan, Esq., Dr. J. J. Acworth, F.C.S., Arthur S. Chamberlain, Esq., B.Sc.

ASSOCIATES.-John Sterry, Esq., the Rev. J. Gosset-Tanner, M.A., S. Bramley-Moore, Esq., A. M. Newbegin, Esq., F.R.A.S., George Avenell, Esq., Miss Norah Ure Mackinlay, Dr. F. Layton Orr, the Rev. Prof. D. S. Margoliouth, D.Litt., Martin H. F. Sutton, Esq., F.L.S., Charles B. Wigg, Esq., Alfred Haigh, Esq., John Wood, Esq., F. C. Danson, Esq., F.S.A., Archibald Greenlees, Esq., the Rev. A. J. Nast, D.D., the Rev. A. L. Breslich, Ph.D., Smetham Lee, Esq., Mrs. H. Wynne, Lt.-Colonel Henry Smith, M.D., M.Ch., Mrs. Hester Smith, M.D., B.Ch., Colonel A. F. Laughton, C.B., Thomas Fitzgerald, Esq., Miss Ethel D. James, B.A., William H. Ash, Esq., J.P., the Rev. W. Ewart Glanville, Ph.D., LL.B., John C. Dick, Esq., M.A., Harold W. Browne, Esq.

9. Numbers of Members and Associates.

The following statement shows the number of supporters of the Institute at the end of December, 1914

showing a net decrease, after allowing for deaths and retirements, of 8 on last year's return.

10. Finance.

The year 1914 has been a difficult one for the Institute from a financial point of view. The heavy expenses connected with the removal of the Offices had to be met this year instead of being postponed to the next, and the outbreak of the War has caused a distinct diminution in the expected income, since several supporters have found themselves unable to continue their subscriptions. It is a matter for thankfulness that the loss from this cause has not been greater.

The total expenditure incurred in 1914 exceeded that in 1913 by £61 8s. Od.; but the removal expenses, direct and indirect, amounting in all to £57 16s. 9d., are peculiar to this ycar. These would have involved a heavy deficit had it not been for the donations received during the year for the Special Fund, and even with this help, the unpaid bills carried forward to 1915 amount to £36 Ss. Od. more than those brought forward from 1913. On the other hand, the removal expenses have already been discharged which otherwise would have had to be encountered at Midsummer, 1915, and there is every reason to anticipate that the expenses for rent of Offices and Meeting Room will be considerably lower in the future than they have been in the past. But, as the adverse influence of the War is certain to make itself felt in the near future, it is incumbent upon all supporters of the Institute to endeavour to strengthen it by enlisting fresh subscribers.

11. Special Fund.

It was mentioned in the last Annual Report that a Special Fund had been inaugurated by the Council at their Meeting on December 9th, 1913, with the purpose of placing the finances of the Institute upon a more satisfactory basis, and of making provision for larger audiences than could then be suitably accommodated in its rooms. A prompt response was made to this Appeal, and the amount received up to December 31st, 1913, was £52 16s. 3d. During the past year further subscriptions, amounting in all to £43 12s. 07., have been received, making a total of £96 8s. 3d. The subscriptions received during the past year are given in detail below:

Lt.-Colonel M. A. Alves, £2; Miss E. M. Baumer, 10s.; the Rev. C. H. Barlow, 5s.; Colonel A. W. C. Bell, 10s.; E. A. Bowles, Esq., £1 1s. ; Colonel W. W. Baker, £1; Mrs. Barbour, 10s.; Rev. H. A. Crosbie, 10s.; H. J. H. de Vismes, Esq., 58. ; the Rev. Prebendary Fox, £5; Archibald Greenlees, Esq., £1 1s.; General J. G. Halliday, £5; Mrs. C. S. Hogg, £1 18.; Prof. E. Hull, LL.D., 10s. ; Colonel Sir Swinton Jacob, £2; Miss M. A. Laurence, £1; Miss Longdon, 10s.; Williamson Lamplough, Esq., £2 28.; Colonel G. Mackinlay, £1 1s.; Captain M. McNeile, R.N., £1 1s. ; John H. Nelson, Esq., £5; Miss S. M. Nugent, 10s. 6d. ; O. T. Olsen, Esq., Ph.D., D.Sc., £1 1s. ; Dr. W. H. Plaister, £1 18.; E. Walter Perkins, Ésq., 78. ; Dr. T. G. Pinches, £1 1s.; Henry P. Rudd, Esq., £2; Henry Sandford, Esq., 10s. 6d.; E. J. Sewell, Esq., £1 1s. ; Captain Hon. H. N. Shore, £1 ; J. P. Stilwell, Esq., J.P., £1 1s.; W. Duncan White, Esq., £1 1s.; Henry Wilson, Esq., £1 ls.

While gratefully acknowledging the generosity of those who have thus contributed to the Special Fund, the Council regret that the total amount received is only one-third of that for which they had ventured to ask. It has sufficed indeed to meet the expenses connected with the removal, and of the hire of special rooms for many of the Meetings during the past year, but it does not provide the means for placing the capital account of the Institute in the position which it held a few years ago. The Council hope, therefore, that the friends of the Institute will not relax their efforts, nor consider the subscription list closed; but that the Special Fund will continue to receive support. They would also invite those Associates who can afford to do so to become full Members, that the losses which it is to be feared will follow upon the War may be made good, and an assured prospect provided that in future the ordinary income will prove sufficient to meet the ordinary expenditure.

12. Auditors.

The Council desire again most cordially to thank Messrs. Sewell and Lance Gray for their kind services as Auditors.

13. Conclusion.

In passing in review the year 1914, the Great War inevitably dominates our thoughts. The Victoria Institute, from its inception, has endeavoured to bear witness against the evil influence of Materialism, but the events of the last few months have impressed the truth, even upon the most thoughtless, that the principles of Materialism sap the very foundations of all ethics. There was a time not long ago when it was widely claimed, and too freely conceded, that morality was inherent in Materialism, and a high standard of ethics, really adopted. without acknowledgment from Christianity, was asserted to be its natural fruit. The demonstration that this is not so has now been placed before the eyes of the whole world. A great nation, great in science, in philosophy and music, and in former times in religion also, has apparently given itself up to the worship of material success. For fifty years it has prepared itself to bring by force or by guile the whole world under its rule. Leaders of its thought have laid it down that military advantage justifies any action, no matter how treacherous or cruel, no matter how contrary to the law of God. Science is good, but the science in which that nation has most excelled is the science of destruction, the destruction of the works of men, the destruction of their lives. Philosophy is good, but not the philosophy which destroys the distinction between right and wrong, truth and falsehood.

The Council would humbly express their hope that God has enabled the Victoria Institute in the past to combat materialistic tendencies, whether arising in this land or in others, and to bear some witness to their faith in the uprightness of the Law of God, the greatness of His Truth, and the reality of His Presence with men.

Signed on behalf of the Council,

HALSBURY.

£651 13 11

Expenses of Meetings

Library

£62 13 10

We have verified all the accounts and compared them with the books and vouchers and found them correct.