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astical revolution of the .sixteenth century as a reformation ; but the 

 literary character of the movement cannot be doubted, neither can the 

 imi)ortance of literature in the conduct of the controversy which has raged 

 more or less ever since. But apart from this question of the Reformation 

 it may be averred that tlie deeper and more general cpiostion of the 

 defence of the truths upon which the Christian CJhurch stands has tended 

 more and more, as time goes on, to connect itself with literary considera- 

 tions. I have already remarked upon the manner in which, according to 

 the good providence of God, the revelation of His will was made from the 

 beginning to depend upon Ijooks ; but as time went on those books be- 

 came anticpiities ; the original copies were lost or worn out ; the books 

 had to survive the perilous period of manuscript transmission, previous to 

 the more secure and calm days of printing ; and so they have become 

 subject to all the questions of genuineness, and authenticity, and balance 

 of probability for this reading and that, to which all ancient 

 books are subject ; so that independently of the almost infinite amount 

 of devotional, historical, homiletical, and other literature con- 

 nected with Holy Scripture, there is a large amount devoted to the 

 scientific establishment of the sacred text, and the discussion of the 

 genuineness and authenticity of each component book, which can only be 

 sound and good when it forms a part of a literature which is based upon 

 sound scientific principles, and has the benefit of the labours of the most 

 clear-headed and most skilful literary labourers whom the age afford. 

 Thus, I think, you will perceive that it is impossible to any one who 

 takes an interest in the Christian faith to be indifterent to literature, and 

 especially to what I may call literary science ; and this leads me to 

 the further remark, that if an association for the advancement of litera- 

 ture be one in which a person occupied and pledged as I myself am, may 

 rightly take an interest and a part, this is equally true— perhaps even 

 niore true— in the case of an association for the advancement of science. 

 Under the term "science" I should, of course, include all departments 



the lowest as well as the highest. I have already said that I think 



there are branches in which you and your various local societies may do 

 good service, but I shall not be so foolish as to flatter you by saying, or 



