The Council nominate as Vice-President, Prof. Edouard Naville, D.C.L., LL.D., of Geneva University, and as a new member of Council, Wilson Edwards Leslie, Esq., whose election is recommended to the meeting for confirmation.

6. Obituary.

The Council regret to announce the deaths of the following Members and Associates:

The Rev. Canon R. B. Girdlestone, M.A., a Vice-President, Sir Henry H. Howorth, K.C.I.E., F.R.S., a Vice-President, and Colonel C. W. R. St. John (Member of Council), Rev. Canon Berry, Miss M. Mackinlay, Rev. J. E. H. Thomson, D.D., J. Herbert Tritton, Esq., Sydney Gedge, Esq., Rev. C. F. Knight, M.A., Dr. Margaret L. A. Boileau, William E. Dyer, Esq., Thomas Fox, Esq., Joseph Howard, Esq., J.P., E. Walter Perkins, Esq., Rev. Andrew Craig Robinson, M.A., Mrs. F. W. de Shepherd, The Rt. Rev. D. S. Tuttle, Bishop of Missouri, the Rev. Prebendary Webb-Peploe, M.A., Mrs. J. H. C. Whipple.

7. New Members and Associates.

The following are the names of new Members and Associates elected up to the end of 1923 :

MEMBERS.-William G. H. Cook, Esq., LL.D., M.Sc., Mrs. C. E. CummingBrown, W. H. Frizell, Esq., M.A., J.P., Benjamin I. Greenwood, Esq., George Andrew Heath, Esq., R. Percy Hodder-Williams, Esq., Mrs. R. HodderWilliams, W. Hoste, Esq., B.A., Leonard W. Kern, Esq., Miss Hamilton Law, Victor G. Levett, Esq., the Rev. James M. Pollock, M.A., William Roger Rowlatt-Jones, Esq., Major Arthur F. Smith, D.S.O., M.C., Coldstream Guards. the Rev. Roland Audley Smith, M.A. (Life), Lieut.-Commander Victor L. Trumper, R.N.R. ret.

ASSOCIATES.-F. G. Adkins, Esq., George E. Ardill, Esq., George O'Brien Baker, Esq., Miss Emma M. Blackwood, Mrs. S. M. Blackwood, E. J. Cooper, Esq., Miss Marion A. F. Dashwood, the Rev. George Denyer, Dr. Rowland C. Edwards (Life), the Rev. W. M. Fouts, Th.D., Miss Elizabeth L. Goodchild, John C. Groocock, Esq., Colonel Frederick V. Jeffreys, Miss D. Johnston, Lionel E. Jose, Esq., the Rev. William V. Kelley, D.D., Prof. J. G. Machen (Life), Henry W. Mackintosh, Esq., M.A., M. E. Moore-Anderson, Esq., B.A., A.M.Inst.C.E., Delavan L. Pierson, Esq., F. W. Howard Piper, Esq., LL.B., Henry Proctor, Esq., F.R.S.L., M.R.A.S., the Rev. H. B. Richardson, the Rev. Jesse Sayer, B.D., the Rev. H. H. Skinner, M.A., Eric J. Starey, Esq., Miss Millicent Taylor, the Rev. W. F. Warren, D.D., Sydney E. Watson, Esq., C. E. Welldon, Esq., the Rev. Hugh W. White, D.D., the Rev. Prof. C. B. Williams, D.D., Frederick C. Wood, Esq., the Rev. Prof. J. B. Work, D.D., J. Inglis Wright, Esq., S. Hay-Wrightson, Esq., Mrs. Richard Young.

LIBRARY ASSOCIATES.-Drew Theological Seminary, U.S.A., Cleveland Public Library, U.S.A.

8. Number of Members and Associates.

The following statement shows the number of supporters of the Institute at the end of December, 1923 :

This shows a slight increase all along the line, except in the case of Life Associates, whose number is stationary. The aggregate increase on the year is 27 Members and Associates, which is quite encouraging. With a renewed effort this year we shall hope to be on a satisfactory basis.

9. Special Donations.

Anonymous (per Prof. T. G. Pinches), £100; R. E. W. Goodridge, Esq., £1 1s.; J. Norman Holmes, Esq., £2 2s.; F. T. Lewis, Esq., 18s.; Charles H. F. Major, Esq., £5; Charles Miller, Esq., £1 1s.; E. J. Sewell, Esq., £10; Miss C. Tindall, 10s. 6d. ; H. Temple Wills, Esq., M.A., B.Sc., £10; Dr. Louis E. Wood, £3 3s.

10. Finance.

We are glad to say that our financial position is gradually becoming more satisfactory. The efforts of the Council in exercising economy in the matter of printing are at last being crowned with success, and it is hoped that, with a further effort, the finances will be placed on a sound basis. This can only be by a sufficient increase in our membership. In the last two years this has increased by nearly 50. It is hoped that all supporters of the Society will do their best to invite their friends to come forward as candidates for election. It is also satisfactory to note that the above more satisfactory results has been obtained without any definite appeal to members for special contributions, though the Council are exceedingly grateful to those Members and Associates who have voluntarily sent in donations to the work and aided materially the finances of the Institute.

11. The Gunning Prize.

The triennial Gunning Prize of £40 fell to this year, and was offered to the best essay on "The Historical Value of the Book of Jonah."

Dr. J. W. Thirtle, Litt.D., Dr. T. G. Pinches, LL.D., M.R.A.S., and the Rev. A. Finn, kindly undertook the somewhat onerous duties of judges. About forty essays were sent in. The successful essay proved to be by Mr. E. J. Sewell (late I.C.S.), a former Member of the Council of the Victoria Institute and late Hon. Secretary. The essay was read before the Institute on Monday, 21st January, with Dr. T. G. Pinches in the chair.

12. In Conclusion.

The Council feel encouraged by the testimonies that reach them from other lands of the high appreciation of the work of the Institute. Thus one who is taking a prominent part in the Antipodes in apologetic work, the Rev. P. B. Fraser, M.A., of New Zealand, editor of the Biblical Recorder, writes: "It is a great joy to read the splendid papers in the volumes. I hope to be the means of adding publicity to the great work of the Institute in this new land."

It was felt by all who listened to the learned paper by the Rev. Andrew Craig Robinson, M.A., who has already given us other papers, whose death we all deplored, on the "Peculiarities of the Pentateuch" as disproving the higher critical theories, as to the late date of the Mosaic books, was a contribution to the problems of the Pentateuch which demands serious consideration from those who follow Wellhausen. It is to be regretted that no one of this school was present to defend their point of view and refute the arguments of the learned lecturer. Silence in presence of arguments, though not always giving consent, is sometimes an eloquent testimony to their validity. The Council are of opinion that the production of such papers year by year, by men of cultured mind and sound judgment, is doing a much needed work of positive edification of the faith in these days of unsettlement and destructive criticism.

Signed on behalf of the Council,

ALFRED T. SCHOFIELD, M.D.,
Chairman.