VICTORIA INSTITUTE.

REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 1908.

1. Meetings.

The meetings of the Institute during the past session have been well attended and the discussions keenly maintained.

The subjects dealt with may be arranged under the following heads :

1. PHILOSOPHICAL.

"Science and the Unseen World." By Dr. A. T. SCHOFIELD, M.D.

2. HISTORICAL.

a. Ancient History and Archæology.

"Discoveries in Babylonia and the neighbouring lands." By Dr. T. G. PINCHES, LL.D.

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Legislations of Israel and Babylonia." By Mr. H. M. WIENER,
M.A., LL.B.

"Life in a country town of Lycaonia: a description of the conditions
of Christian life under the Eastern Empire." By Professor
Sir WILLIAM M. RAMSAY, D.C.L.

b. Contemporary Movements.

"Christianity and Socialism." By the Ven. the Archdeacon of Ely, Dr. W. CUNNINGHAM, D.D.

"Authority." By the Very Rev. H. WACE, D.D., Dean of Canterbury.

"Modernism, its origin and tendencies." By the Rev. CHANCELLOR LIAS, M.A.

"The present position of Catholics in France." By Rev. A. GALTON, M.A.

3. BIBLICAL.

"Ezekiel's vision of the Divine Glory." By Mr. C. A. CARUS-WILSON, M.A., M. Inst. E.E.

"8 B.C. The date of the Nativity." By Lieut.-Colonel G. MACKINLAY.

4. GEOGRAPHICAL.

"Geneva and Chamounix, half a century ago and to-day." By Professor E. HULL, LL.D. F.R.S.

It will be seen that while the subjects discussed during the session have been of wide interest, special opportunity has been given for the discussions of the practical problems of the day. In bringing the Victoria Institute into closer touch with contemporary movements the Council look with confidence for the support of all those interested in the work of the Institute.

2. Grants of Literature.

The usual grants of literature have been made to over thirty societies engaged in Missionary and Christian Propaganda work. 3. The following is the list of the Officers and Council for the past year.

President.

The Right Honourable The Earl of Halsbury, M.A., D.C.L., F.R.S.

The following changes in the Council and Officers have taken place during the year. Vacancies on the Council caused by the election of Sir Henry Geary and Professor E. Hull to the office

of Vice-Presidents have been filled by the election of Dr. A. T. Schofield and Dr. Heywood Smith to the Council. The death of Mr. W. H. Hudleston leaves a vacancy in the list of VicePresidents, and another is left on the Council by the retirement of Col. C. E. Yate. Mr. H. Charlewood Turner, M.A. Camb., has been appointed Secretary in succession to Professor Hull, of whose advice and support as Vice-President the Council are glad to be still able to avail themselves.

3. Obituary.

The Council regret to have to record the death during the past year of the following supporters of the Institute:

Rev. E. F. Burr, D.D., Rev. E. Blakeslee, Rev. W. Baker, Job Caudwell, Esq., H. C. Corke, Esq., D.D.S., General J. Crofton, R.E., Rev. Morgan Dix, Mrs. Mary Faber, Rev. J. Gould, Charles H. Hooper, Esq., Wilfred H. Hudleston, Esq., F.R.S. (a Vice-President of the Institute), Rev. J. G. Locke, R. Cope Morgan, Esq., Rev. J. H. Rigg, D.D. (Foundation Associate and formerly Member of Council), G. J. Scales, Esq. (Foundation Member), The Most Rev. W. Saumarez Smith, Archbishop of Sydney, Rev. Peter Tinsley, Sir Thomas Wardle, F.G.S., Rev. Charles H. H. Wright, D.D.

4. New Members and Associates.

The following are the names of Members and Associates elected since the last Annual Meeting:

MEMBERS.-Cecil Broadbent, Esq., Rev. Father Gerard, S.J., Miss Madge D. MacEwan, E. Walter Maunder, Esq., F.R.A.S., Martin J. Sutton, Esq., J.P., James W. Thirtle, Esq., LL.D., H. Charlewood Turner, Esq., M.A., Col. F. B. V. White.

ASSOCIATES. Rev. E. Godfrey Ashwin, M.A., Rev. Hamilton Ashwin, LL.D., Edwin H. Banks, Esq., D.L., J.P., Miss Mary Beachcroft, Henry H. L. Chichester, Esq., William Dale, Esq., F.G.S., Andrew F. Derr, Esq., M.A., George Evans, Esq., Pastor Otto Flugel, F. W. Gilbertson, Esq., J. C. M. Given, Esq., M.D., Rev. Prof. W. H. Hechler, Miss A. E. Hemming, Mrs. Hendley, Miss A. M. Hodgkin, Sydney Lupton, Esq., M.A., Rev. H. J. R. Marston, M.A., Alfred W. Oke, Esq., B.A., LL.M. (Life), Walter R. Perkins, Esq., John Schwartz, Esq., Junr., Rev. J. H. Skrine, M.A., F. P. Trench, Esq., F.R.C.S., Arthur Charlewood Turner Esq., M.A., Rev. R. Charlewood Turner, M.A.

5. The Gunning Prize.

The rules governing the award of the Gunning Prize were revised at the beginning of the session, and copies sent to all subscribers. The last date for sending in essays was fixed as March 31st, and there were appointed as judges Professor E. Hull, LL.D., F.R.S., the Rev. Chancellor Lias, M.A., and F. S. Bishop, Esq., M.A.

Nine essays in all were sent in for competition, the subject being "The attitude of Science towards Miracles."

The Judges were unanimous in placing first the essay sent in under the motto ἔρχεσθε και ἴδετε. On the opening of the sealed envelope the essay was found to have been written by Professor H. Langhorne Orchard, M.A., B.Sc., to whom therefore the Council have awarded the Gunning Prize of £40.

The essays sent in by the Rev. G. T. Manley, M.A., E. W. Maunder, Esq., F.R.A.S., and Professor J. Y. Simpson, M.A., D.Sc., were adjudged to be deserving of honourable mention.

6. Proposed change in the Constitution.

During the session the Council have devoted considerable time to the reorganisation of the Institute's office, and the revision of their own rules of procedure with a view to the more effective transaction of the Institute's business.

They recommend to the consideration of the Institute the following change in procedure which they believe will be found of great benefit:

(a) That whereas at present the financial year of the Institute runs from January 1st to December 31st, and the session from December to June with the Annual Meeting in June, the financial year and session shall in future be coterminous, both ending. on December 31st.

This will lead to the Annual Meeting being held in the early part of each year, when the report and balance sheet of the whole year and session immediately ended will be presented. It will also lead to the publication of the annual volume in the same year as that in which the printing and binding bills are paid, and do away with the debtor balance varying from £200 to £130 which is at present carried over on the balance sheet year by year.

The Council also recommend to the Members and Associates the following resolution:

"One-third of the members of Council shall retire annually but be eligible for re-election: such retirement to be by seniority in election to the Council."

This rule if passed will occasion eight vacancies on the Council in addition to the one already noticed. Members are