PRKSIDENT S ADDRESS. 3 



A typical man of any race regarded from any point of view 

 — physical, mental, moral — will stand forth as having characteris- 

 tics which are representative of every normal member of the 

 human race. 



(a) Take his organic form. Morphologically the develop- 



ment of the human of any race as a living organism 

 speaks of unity. 



(b) The same is true when he is viewed physiologically. A 



consideration of the processes and functions of the 

 parts of the human organism testify to solidarity. 



This, if pressed, may perhaps tend to lead a little far for the 

 comfort of some who are sensitive in regard to their kinship with 

 certain sections of the animal creation, but after all we are 

 annuals. Still, we are animals with a difference. An elephant 

 is not a giraft'e, and a man is not an ape, however much he may 

 resemble one. The implications of the unity of man do not 

 irclude his complete unity with the highest order of the animal 

 creation outside of his own, because they include more than that. 

 There are no transactions yet produced by a Society of Apes for 

 the x\dvancement of Science, but the lowliest form of man yet 

 discovered may be conceived of as a rudimentary scientist. He 

 gives evidence of studying the markings, habits, and haunts of 

 the animals he kills, distinguishing those he likes best, com- 

 municating his knowledge to his fellows, and working in concert 

 with them to secure what he requires, or to save his food-stocks 

 from being killed off too rapidly, or even killing other beasts 

 which prey upon them ; improving and adapting from time to time 

 the implements unth which he does this, and leaving records of 

 his methods in the rich stores of his kitchen middens and in his 

 graphic rock-paintings : all of which is a rudimentary association 

 for the advancement of science. There is pure science in the 

 knowledge of fact, and applied science in the wisdom of action. 



it is, however, not a principal part of this enquiry to enlarge 

 on the essential unity of the human race, or to dwell upon the 

 points in which it is differentiated from the rest of the animal 

 creation. Through the ages various and subtle processes have 

 been at work to produce new expressions of the form divine, and 

 at the same time powerful counteracting influences have been 

 labouring to bring alx>ut reversion to type. There are suggestive 

 theories regarding the origin of, and the purpose in, all this, 

 some purely materialistic and others giving large place to the 

 work of mind and spirit. They can barely be mentioned here — 



A fire, a mist, and a planet, 



A crystal, and a cell, 

 A shellfish and a saurian. 



And a cave where the cave-men dwell 

 Then a sense of law and beauty, 



And a face turned from the clod, 

 Some call it " Evolution," 



And others call it " God." 



