Ill 



THE WORK OF A THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



GENTLEMEN, On the first evening of a new session, 

 when we find ourselves gathered again in the old familiar 

 room to renew our fellowship for another winter, it is 

 natural that we should wish to set clearly before us the 

 work which as a Society we are met together to do. 

 And it is all the more necessary that we should be able 

 to give a distinct utterance on this point, because we see 

 among us to-night not a few who are not yet of our 

 number, but whom we must hope to interest for the 

 work of our Society if that work is to be carried on with 

 vigour and success. 



Clearly it is not enough to have recourse to the official 

 definition of our Society as a Theological Society meeting 

 to discuss subjects connected with theology ; for a 

 common interest in theology is by no means a sufficient 

 guarantee for the degree of unity of standpoint, method 

 and aim, without which friendly discussion is impractic 

 able. And that our discussion must be friendly dis 

 cussion lies in the very conception of an organised society. 

 Were we in principle divided against ourselves our 

 house could not stand. The floor of a Theological Society 

 must not be the arena for the contest of opposing parties, 

 each striving to pull down what the other has built up ; 

 all the members must feel that they are labouring at 

 the same work and that in that work the labour of each 

 finds a fitting place. 



