250TH ANNIVERSARY 



TUESDAY JULY 16TH. 



By arrangement with the Dean and Chapter, a short com- 

 memorative service was held at noon in the ancient Abbey of 

 Westminster. Assembling in the historic Jerusalem Chamber, 

 the President and Council of the Royal Society, in academic 

 dress and preceded by the Society's Mace, followed in procession 

 the Dean and clergy to the places reserved for them. Seats were set 

 apart for the general body of the Fellows, for the Foreign Members, 

 and for the Delegates and ladies who had accompanied them. 

 The music was arranged and conducted by the organist of the 

 Abbey, Sir Frederick Bridge, C.V.O., Mus.Doc. Towards the 

 close of the service a short address was given by the Dean, the 

 Right Reverend Bishop Ryle, C.V.O., D.D., who, at the request 

 of the Society, has permitted it to be printed here. 



ADDRESS BY THE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER. 



l Esdras iv. 38, 40, 41. Truth abideth, and is strong for ever ; she liveth 

 and conquereth for evermore. . . . Blessed be the God of truth. . . . And all 

 the people then shouted, and said, Great is truth, and strong above all things. 



' Magna est veritas, et praevalet. 1 



' There have been times even within the memory of some who 

 are gathered within these walls, when a welcome such as we have 

 desired to give in this Abbey to the Members of the Royal 

 Society on the occasion of its 250th Anniversary, would have 

 received but a faint echo from the religious world of this country. 



' The perturbation which took possession of men's minds last 

 century at the period of the most startling of the discoveries in 

 Natural Science was wont to betray itself too often in ill-considered 

 words of fear, impatience, and indignation. Nor need we wonder. 

 To quote the words of John Fiske : " The men of the present day 

 who have kept pace with the scientific movement are separated 

 from the men whose education ended in 1830 by an immeasurably 

 wider gulf than ever before divided one progressive generation of 

 men from their predecessors." Misunderstanding, apprehension, 

 and friction were the result. 



