8 ANNUAL 
[Captain F. Purrie (Hon. Sec.), having read several letters trom distin- 
guished members who were unable to be present, briefly read the report, proof 
copies of which were in the hands of those present, and referred to the large 
correspondence which reached the Institute from every quarter of the globe, 
showing a wide and lively interest in the work of the Society, and the great 
importance of its being as widely and as largely supported as possible. ] 
The Very Reverend the Dean of LicHFIELD, in rising to move, “ That the 
Report be received and the thanks of the Members and Associates be presented 
to the Council, Honorary Officers, and Auditors for their efficient conduct, of 
the business of the Victoria Institute during the year,” said :—Mr. Chairman, 
ladies, and gentlemen, I have found myself somewhat unexpectedly in the 
position of being called on to move the adoption of the Report just read by 
the Honorary Secretary.. I am sure that every one who has heard the Report 
must be quite convinced that the Officers of this Society have discharged 
their duties with great advantage to the cause which this Institute was 
designed to promote. I assume that the great object which the Victoria 
Institute has at heart is the advance of truth upon the lines indicated in the 
Report; and I think that, in looking back over the last twenty years, we may 
truly say that this Institute has not been founded in vain. What I conceive 
to be specially wanted at the present day is, information of a really solid 
character. I am convinced that a vast deal of the ignorance and infidelity 
among us is due to a want of proper knowledge on the subjects taken up by 
this Institute; and those who have studied these questions to any extent, as 
I myself have done, so far as my other duties would permit, must, I think, 
feel, as I most assuredly do, that there cannot be any possible inconsistency 
between the discoveries of science and the revelation of God. If there be 
any such inconsistency, it is simply owing to the imperfection of the human 
faculty; and it is the business of this Institute to try and improve the human 
faculty by aiding in the circulation of really sound knowledge on those 
questions which concern the hopes and destinies of mankind, not only in this 
world, but in the world to come. I may here refer to the fact that we 
have sustained a serious loss during the past year in the death of a very 
eminent man. I allude to the late President of this Society, the Earl of 
Shaftesbury. I believe that from one end of this kingdom—I might almost 
say from one end of this empire—to the other, but certainly throughout our 
own country, the name of Lord Shaftesbury will ever be held in reverence, 
respect, and affection by all who have had the pleasure of knowing him, and 
who were acquainted with his many sterling qualities. I cannot do otherwise 
than cordially congratulate the Institute on the accession to the Office vacated 
by Lord Shaftesbury of so eminent a man as Professor Stokes. I am per- 
fectly sure that the election of Professor Stokes to that distinguished 
position will be a source of great advantage to the Institute, and will help it 
in every way. We, who have the honour of belonging to the University of 
Cambridge, know what Professor Stokes is, as a philosopher and a Christian. 
and may express our gratitude to him at finding that, in addition to the 
