the Revelation itself, but for the sake of the untaught multitudes who are injured by the processes of change which they are not competent to deal with. The generality of persons are not educated up to the point where they can satisfactorily grapple with error; and till they are educated, they will be at the mercy of charlatans in religion, and criticism, and science. As Christians, then, it is our business to promote education, and so promote religious progress in the truest and highest sense. (Hear, hear.) Great changes, too, are constantly going on in science, and the public at large are unable to test those changes, and will be so, until education is far more widely extended. In the mean time it is most necessary that there should be some means of watching the progress of knowledge, and protecting the many from the hasty theories of the few-theories changing every month. The Philosophical Institute to which they belonged would aim constantly at this, in the interest of truth. The Christian knows that his religion has been the fountain of civilization in time past, and doubts not the future. While their principles are indeed immutable,-for "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,”—their religion has formed the life of nations and generations most wonderfully and variously for 1800 years. The very founding of Christianity was the dawning of a new light on civilization. There never was a period in the world's progress in which there was so widely spread a scepticism in faith and morals as in the days of Augustus Cæsar. If nothing had been divinely done to arrest the moral decay of the Empire, the ruin must have been total for human nature. If by a stretch of imagination we could conceive what the world would have become, say by the time of Constantine, if Christianity had not been at work, we might have some idea of what our religion has done for human progress. It would be surely a frightful contemplation: a world possessing all the arts of civilization, without principle:it would be a scene well-nigh diabolical! If some of our men of genius would give us a book delineating" the possible fourth century of our era without Christianity," they would be better employed than in writing fancy "lives of Christ." (Hear.) It was a very wide subject, he would remind them, which he thus glanced at, when he asked them to mark the connection of our religion with all civilization, for some 1,800 years since it began. He could not enlarge on it. He would only recall to them, that in the monastic system of the middle ages-in the practice of the Councils or representative assemblies of the Church -in the preservation of all past literature, Greek and Roman-in the forming of all the educational institutes of the world, Christianity had led, or preserved, the civilization and progress of modern Europe. Then, what were the great missionary efforts of the Church? Did they not lead the way to the truest progress of the nations-even though we may not attribute to the saintly missionaries all the miracles their historians tell of? Now, was it not amazing to hear it said, in opposition to all history and fact, that the clergy were natural enemies of progress? He had spoken of government and law, and literature, but he would say more: he would claim a place for Christianity in the promotion both of science and art also. The great art and science (he would call it) of our own nation-the cotton manufacture of

England--had received its first great impulse from a clergyman, Thomas Cartwright, the inventor of the spinning-jenny. So also of the first applications of steam. Copernicus, too, the glory of our modern astronomy, was a country clergyman; Berkeley, the great teacher of the foundations of our modern optics, was a bishop. But he must not occupy them at greater length, or he might mention that Sir Charles Eastlake attributed to the clergy the best implements of his art. He would, then, in conclusion, assert for Christianity its entire fearlessness of the fullest use of reason, and the honest investigations of science. He was glad to hear that same fearlessness avowed by their noble President, at their late meeting in another place. Let the clergy occupy, as hitherto, and with increasing zeal, the field of literature, and they would be able to defend the truth more effectually than by any of the methods of coercion or repression. Even the discipline of the Church had utterly passed away, and could not be relied on for the strife with false teaching or false science. The weapons ready for our use in the world still, are those of Literature: weapons of reason, and faith, and research. Let them be-as they assuredly will be-earnestly used, and he had no fear as to the " progress of Christianity at home and abroad."-- He begged to thank them for the honour they had done him in associating his name with this toast, and the attention and kindness with which they had received what he had said. (Cheers.)

The Rev. Mr. BOYCE also responded to the toast. He said that, as the secretary of one of the largest missionary societies established in this country -the Wesleyan-he could not allow the toast to pass without a few brief observations on the subject to which it referred. About twenty years ago, a Scotch divine characterized the period in which we lived as an age of "little men and little measures." He was of opinion that the sarcasm was hardly deserved, and that Dr. Chalmers forgot at the time the work which had been doing in extending Christianity. (Hear, hear.) He would call attention for a few moments to what had been done by the Universities' mission in Central Africa. He was himself a returned missionary from that country, where he had spent fourteen years, and-though a sectarian in a certain sense, but not in his own sense of the term (hear, hear)—he had taken the greatest interest in the Universities' mission. Though those who were connected with it might differ with him on some ritualistic questions, he felt that they were entitled to his warmest sympathy and respect. (Hear.) He had known Bishop Mackenzie, who was at the head of the mission, to walk some thirty or forty miles a day under the scorching sun of Africa, to preach the Gospel to the poor Africans; and he felt that he was a saint. (Hear, hear.) Let them, therefore, put him down in their calendar as "St. Mackenzie," and he would be very glad to commemorate the festival. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) He believed the labours of the mission had been attended with the best results; and the example which had been set had a very good effect on other missions in the country, and the best results were produced. (Hear, hear.) There were several missions which had been blessed with very great success, as the Baptist Mission in India, though the dangers to which the missionaries were exposed

were very great. He might also mention the Wesleyan Mission in the Fejee Islands, which was very successful. He thought the instances of self-devotion to which he alluded were sufficient in themselves to vindicate the character of the age from the charge of "littleness" in its men or in their measures. (Hear, hear.) One of the greatest benefits conferred by Christianity was the influence which it exercised on the conduct of the worst savages. It raised them from the most barbarous state to the dignity of manhood, and rendered them susceptible of all the influences of civilization. (Hear, hear.) He had formed the acquaintance of a Kaffir while in Africa, with whom he still kept up a correspondence, and he was one of the noblest specimens of a Christian man which he had ever met with in his life. (Hear, hear.) He concluded by thanking the company for the manner in which they had received the toast. (The Rev. Mr. TRESTRAIL, whose name was also associated with the toast, was unexpectedly absent.)

The CHAIRMAN then rose and said, the next toast which he had to give was the toast of the evening-"Prosperity to the Victoria Institute." He thought that, with God's blessing, there could be very little doubt of its prosperity, if they were enabled to have a series of papers such as that which they had heard that evening. (Hear.) They would then be provided with such an armoury, in which every weapon both for attack and defence would be found, as would leave them and the great truths of Christianity unharmed in any day of trouble, rebuke, or blasphemy. (Hear, hear.) He gave them the toast, which he thought it unnecessary to recommend to their favourable notice, and, associated with it, he would give them the health of Mr. Alexander M'Arthur and Captain Fishbourne. (Cheers.)

The toast was enthusiastically drunk.

Mr. ALEXANDER M'ARTHUR, in responding, said it was growing late, and as the meeting would be addressed by a number of other gentlemen who could occupy their time more profitably than he could do, he would not detain them with any long remarks. Amongst those who were to speak after him were Mr. Reddie and Captain Fishbourne, who were the originators of the Society. (Hear, hear.) He would not, therefore, trespass on the province of those gentlemen, who could point out the objects of the Society, and explain its usefulness, with much more ability than he was able to bring to bear on the subject. He begged to thank the noble lord who presided for the manner in which he had proposed the toast, and the company for the manner in which it had been received. Speaking for himself personally-and he believed he was also expressing the opinion of every member of the Council-he might state that their inability to commence the regular business of the Society at an earlier period than they had done, had been a source of much regret and disappointment. A variety of circumstances combined to cause the delay. He need not enter into any explanation upon that occasion, further than to say, that many of the circumstances were entirely beyond their controul. He was glad that the operations of the Society had been commenced, and he thought he might congratulate the members and friends of the Institute upon having so good a beginning. He thought he might also

congratulate them upon the statement in the Report with respect to the large number of members who had already joined, and which was almost unprecedented in a new society. He believed, now that the Institute was established, the number of members would go on increasing. (Hear, hear.) No society could have had a more satisfactory "Inaugural Address." He thought the commencement which they had made was excellent-that failure was now next to impossible. A wide field was open to them, and the necessity which existed for some such society as theirs had long been felt. It filled up a gap which had been open between scientific societies, which ignored religion altogether, and theological societies, which did not profess to discuss scientific subjects. He was aware that a number of literary and scientific societies existed in London, all doing good service in their own spheres; but it sometimes happened that questions bearing upon the truths of revelation were under discussion, and many unnecessary accusations were made against it by some who were regarded as scientific men. But gentlemen who attempted to defend revelation were placed at a great disadvantage, because they were obliged to conform to the rules of such societies, and to confine their remarks on the subject under debate to the scientific view of the question. He was not going to say that was wrong-perhaps it was right-but many gentlemen had experienced the difficulty to which he referred. Not long since, during a discussion which took place at the Anthropological Society, an instance of this kind occurred. A paper was read in which most unfounded statements were made with reference to Christian missions and the truths of revelation; but when a gentleman stood up to defend the cause of Christianity, he was told he must confine his observations to such questions as came within the scope of an anthropological debate. It was to meet difficulties of this kind that the Victoria Institute was established. Its chief feature was that it did not confine its discussions to any particular branch of science (hear, hear) ; and when any fact was brought forward likely to affect the truth of revelation, the members would be at liberty to discuss it in all its bearings. (Hear, hear.) He trusted that no one regarded the Society as being established in opposition to any other scientific institution of the day. (Hear.) They had just drunk prosperity to the Society; but unquestionably a great deal of its prosperity depended upon the support which it received from the gentlemen present, and he trusted that they would all exert themselves to promote its success. (Hear, hear.) It had been admirably begun, and he hoped it would be enabled to carry out its work. One of the objects of the Society was to translate foreign books of a kind which might be beneficially read by Christian readers. This would involve considerable expense, but he did not doubt that the support which would be given to the Society would enable it to effect that object. He trusted they would all endeavour to get as many members as they could, and that at the next annual meeting of the Society it would number a thousand members. (Cheers.)

Captain FISHBOURNE said, he did not know why he should have been selected to respond to the toast of success to the Victoria Institute, as its formation was no more due to him than to other members present. They

were all entitled to credit, more especially so the noble lord in the chair, for coming to the front while so many were hanging back. He must take the liberty of congratulating all upon the success which had attended their inaugural meeting, and to compliment their distinguished Vice-President upon his able paper. As a sailor, he was thankful for the formation of such an institution; not, indeed, that he had met many infidels at sea. They that go down to the sea in ships, they see the wonders of the Lord in the great deep. They have too many hair-breadth escapes not to know that every hair of their head is numbered. Though he had met many infidels on land, he was thankful to say, he had met very few in his travels by sea: a sailor's life did not seem to suit such people—they collapsed in the face of danger, showing themselves to be mere drums. Sailors were a religious people in their way ; their superstition, the result of their ignorance, is an acknowledgment of their belief in a God,-indeed, he believed every man's conscience testified to the existence of the Deity; and he could only conceive of those who attacked the truths of revelation, as men who wanted to get rid of the findings of the conscience, by endeavouring to persuade themselves that neither it nor Scripture was correct. It was most natural that such men should ask Christians to give up their Christianity before they entered upon the discussion of science, otherwise they could not reasonably deny miracles; since every Christian was a miracle, and Christianity itself was a standing miracle. It was simply absurd to assert that the teachings of revelation were inconsistent with those of science. For besides the names of Christian men mentioned by our learned Vice-President, who had taken the first rank in the walks of science, I may add Captain Maury; and, as science knows no country, we may claim him as a compatriot, and he, with the modesty of genius, at once acknowledges that the idea of his complete theory of the wind's “circuits" was derived from Holy Writ. Apart from some such intimation, it is not easy to conceive the possibility of his obtaining the necessary amount of facts out of which to have originated the idea, seeing that the facts must more or less have covered the earth from pole to pole and girded the globe. As for the endless ages contended for by geologists, and based upon the slow formation of deltas in rivers, they are the merest theories. If such men had seen the rapid changes that take place in a short time that he had seen, they would not be disposed to place much confidence in such myths. He had seen trees being carried down the rivers, caught, and forming an impediment to the rapidity of the stream, upon which a deposit immediately took place, and islands were formed in a few hours. A change in the direction of the current, or sometimes an increase of its volume, has eaten away these islands, and the deposit takes place at the next obstruction, by which an island is formed with the stratification of the former island inverted. Place one of these geologists to examine one of them, without informing him of their recent origin, and he would, consistently with the basis of these endless ages, pronounce that they had existed for hundreds or thousands of years, as may be. He recollected on one occasion getting aground up a river in a ship he commanded, when the ship was imbedded in a mud dock in a few hours, out