MYSTICAL BUDDHISM. 35 
who are equally desirous with many of these agnostic gentlemen 
that the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, should be 
taught in matters of philosophy, science, and history, and who 
choose to come boldly forward and associate themselves with an 
institute like this, which is striving, and has been striving zealously 
for the last twenty years, to promote the full and free discussion of 
these subjects in their religious aspect. I will not detain the 
meeting longer by dilating on the claims ‘of Professor Stokes to our 
gratitude, but will at once ask you to join me in according a hearty 
vote of thanks to him for his great kindness in fulfilling the duties 
of President of this Society. 
The Rev. Rosryson Toornton, D.D., V.P.—At the end of a long 
meeting like this, when the audience may be supposed to have been 
reduced to the condition of pratyahara, a virtuous state, which con- , 
sists in the withdrawal of the senses from all éxternal objects, I will 
not attempt to detain you at any length in seconding this resolu- 
tion ; for I may say that the condition I have mentioned is one I 
have observed to be produced by long after-dinner speeches, by 
lengthy addresses towards the close of a meeting, and also by a 
certain class of sermons. I shall therefore not trespass on your 
time very long, and, in what I have to say, will merely endeavour 
to answer a question put by Sir M. Monier-Williams in his paper. 
Towards the end he asks whether the Psychical Research Society 
have extended their researches into the phenomena said to be dis- 
played by the community termed Mahatmas. As a member of that 
Society, I may say that we made inquiries as to whether there were any 
Mahatmas at all, and the replies we obtained were such that we are 
extremely doubtful about their existence. But, even if they do 
exist, I do not think it would be any use to send out a commission 
of inquiry, inasmuch as no one, we are told, can see a Mahatma unless 
he is a Mahatma, or next door to one, himself. I have now only 
to second the vote of thanks which Sir Henry Barkly has pro- 
posed to our President, assuring him of the pleasure we all expe- 
rienced in electing him to the office he holds, and of the satisfaction 
we feel in his presence here this evening. 
The resolution having been unanimously accorded, 
The Presipent said:—I have to return you my thanks for the 
kind way in which you have received this motion. I feel that I 
have been very backward in what I have been able to do for the 
Society ; but, as you are aware, I have a great many irons in the 
fire, and, that being the case, I am unable to give that minute 
D Z 
