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God's holiness, where it can still stretch onward to the moral 

 infinity that then conies into view. This doctrine of the 

 helplessness of man, and his need of Divine grace, by no 

 means conflicts with the doctrine of the Freedom of his Will. 

 Some of the Scotch theologians have, I think, confounded 

 unjustly man's need of grace with the doctrines of philoso- 

 phical necessity. To my mind the two are in entirely different 

 regions. Man is free to take his own course, but, if he proudly 

 rejects the help God offers him, he will find that all schemes 

 of his own are unavailing, and that his weak arm cannot bear 

 back the forces which urge him in a downward direction. 



Let us, then understand that in this question of the Free- 

 dom or the reverse of the Will we are dealing with a matter 

 of the greatest moral moment. If the will be free, then the 

 moral nature of man at once comes into prominence ; the con- 

 science is seen to be seated on the throne ; the awful moral 

 sanctities are clearly revealed; the infinity of all questions 

 connected with righteousness is made evident; the horizon 

 which bounds our existence recedes before us, and we find our- 

 selves placed as actors on the vast stage of the universe, fur- 

 nished with helps and guides, but bidden to choose our own 

 destiny, to take upon ourselves the solemn burdens of exis- 

 tence, and to say whether our path through life shall be, first, 

 the battle-field of a hero, then the exultation of a conqueror, 

 then the aspirations and holiness of a saint, and shall finally 

 carry us throned and triumphant to our coronation amidst the 

 saints of God ; or whether that life-path shall be a misuse of 

 opportunities, a despising of offered help, a mocking at the 

 restraints of law, an intellectual selfishness, a gradual debase- 

 ment, a final sinking into crimes forwhich no name can be found. 

 Upwards or downwards man must go, and there seems an 

 infinity in both directions. It behoves us all to choose the up- 

 ward and happier path, knowing that we are quickly advancing 

 to the last tribunal, where the secret action of every Will will 

 be laid open, and all will be tried by just and universal Law. 



The CHAIRMAN (Kev. Preb. Row, M.A.). On the part of the meeting 

 I have now to propose a vote of thanks to the author of this paper, a vote 

 which I feel sure we shall all very cordially tender for the extremely clear, 

 distinct, and effective manner in which he has met the entire question. 

 (Hear.) Before sitting down I wish to make a few remarks, as I shall 

 not be able to remain until the end of the meeting, this being the first 

 evening during the last two years upon which I have ventured out of 

 doors. I think the paper throughout is exceedingly clear, and that it has 

 ably met the position assumed by Mr. Herbert Spencer. One thing which 



