2 PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



the scientific spirit during a period exceeding an entire generation, 

 not only amongst the youth of the country generally, but more 

 particularly amongst the agriculturists. James Hyslop, perhaps 

 better known in the Province of Natal than in the rest of the 

 Union, coupled military instincts with a keen desire to alleviate 

 mental ailments among his fellow-beings. Modest and unobstru- 

 sive, he accomplished the bulk of his valuable labours sa silently 

 that the great world around was almost unaware of them, but 

 those who came from other parts and saw, returned deeply im- 

 pressed with admiration for the man and for what he had done. 

 Then there was Bernard Alarchand, keen as an educationist, and, 

 if that were possible, keener still to uplift sunken and degenerate 

 countrymen, alive to every opportunity of fashioning such into 

 thrifty and useful members of society. Each of those three 

 worked for South Africa in the manner that best became him. 

 In aims and methods they differed considerably, but all were 

 alike practical, and their aggregate achievements covered a field 

 so extensive that few, if indeed any, of us adequately realise its 

 proportions. 



We are now meeting in annual session for the fourth time 

 since the war began, a war which has made some of us wonder 

 whether an association for the advancement of science is after 

 all an institution beneficial or prejudicial to the best interests of 

 the human race, for it is undoubtedly science — organised, calcu- 

 lating, deliberately applied science — that has made this un- 

 paralleled conflict — a conflict of arms, yes, but more of intellects 

 — possible. But the suggestion is fallacious : fire and water are 

 ills only when they are allowed unbridled scope and become mas- 

 ters ; under control they serve us excellently. The world had 

 got into the way of luxuriating in all the unprecedented benefits 

 that new forms of applied science had conferred on human- 

 kind during the first decade of this century, when the second 

 decade let loose on an unprepared world all the evils, all the 

 passions, all the debasing influences that misapplied and mis- 

 directed science could call into being. 



I doubt whether humanity at large has even now learnt the 

 lesson which this colossal disaster should teach it ; that principle 

 and loftiness of purpose are more to be desired than knowledge, 

 and that mere science, uncontrolled by man's higher aspirations 

 and nobler feelings, may involve the human race in an inconceiv- 

 ably stupendous catastrophe. We are fortunate indeed that we 

 do not yet possess the highly dangerous power to unchain the 

 interatomic energy now happily latent in our stabler chemical 

 elements. 



Is science, then, to be blamed for that which the world now 

 suffers? Is it not rather the circumscription of science that is 

 the cause of it all? Inasmuch as science is knowledge, our science 

 of necessity remains imperfect as long as we know only in part ; 

 and if a so-called science levels in the dust all the highest moral 

 and spiritual principles in man, if it outrages liberty, flaunts truth, 

 tramples sanctity underfoot, casts chivalry to the winds, and 

 acclaims as its god all that is vile and loathsome and devilish, it 



