= la an 
11 
Marcy 277u, 1888. 
This was the first meeting held this year, the committee having 
been waiting for the opening of the New Museum. Ag however 
the date was still uncertain, this meeting was called in the Council 
Chamber at the Town Hall. The night was exceedingly unpro- 
pitious, and the attendance was consequently rather thin. In the 
absence of the President, the chair was taken by Dr. T. Hastes, 
V.P., who called on the Secretary to read his paper on 
THE DIFFICULTIES OF SCIENTIFIC BELIEF. 
Tt is not my intention this evening to enter upon any arguments 
either for or against certain articles in the scientific creed of the 
present day ; I only wish to show that to those who travel but a 
short distance within the borders of the realm of science, there are 
difficulties in the way of their acceptance. With the very slight 
amount of scientific knowledge which I have been able to acquire 
it would ill become me to set up my thoughts and conclusions 
against those who have grown grey in exploring the mysterious 
and hitherto unknown realms of Nature. And more especially so, 
because in my daily work I cannot avoid building much of my 
teaching on the foundation of these said doctrines. They may be 
true, or they may not, we are not concerned with that point to- 
night, and in what I say I do not wish to cast the least doubt upon 
one of them ; for all the purposes of this lecture we may, if we’ 
choose, take it for granted that they are true. That some of them 
are startling to the mind, and difficult of acceptation cannot be 
denied ; and this is the only point I wish to dwell upon in my 
paper. The more educated we become, in a scientific direction, 
the more inclined we are to receive these mysterious doctrines, and 
the more the probability of their truth increases in our minds. 
You remember how Antony in his skilful oration over the dead 
body of Cxsar, while rehearsing the good points of his friend’s 
character, was still careful to defer (at least in appearance) to the 
superior knowledge of Brutus; and how each time after praising 
him he adds— 
But Brutus says he was ambitious, 
And Brutus is an honourable man. 
So let me, this evening, while drawing your attention to some of 
the bewildering thoughts connected with certain scientific doctrines, 
shelter myself, even while asserting their seeming improbability, 
under the authority of those whom I unreservedly acknowledge to 
be both scientific and honourable. 
