14 



Mr. James Bateman, F.R.S. — lu acknowledging this kind vote of 

 thanks, my words will be very few : and they will not be few, I am sorry to say, 

 from any embarrassment such as a person might feel from having himself 

 wrought any part of the meritorious work which has called forth such a 

 handsome acknowledgment in such an important meeting. Full justice, and, 

 I think, no more than justice, has been done to the Council ; honour to 

 whom honour is due ; and we must not forget the thirteen years' labours of 

 my gallant friend the Hon. Secretary, who is entitled to a very large share 

 of this well-merited meed of praise. He must himself be astonished at the 

 success of his labours. To those labours, to his indomitable perseverance, 

 and to his unflinching faith in his mission, this Society owes what it has 

 attained. I remember the time when our adherents were reckoned by units, 

 while now they are to be counted by hundreds, for at this moment the 

 Society has a roll which extends to four figures. (Applause.) It would 

 have been still larger than it is but for a very heavy death-rate, which 

 includes some of our most important members, and men who were uni- 

 versaUy known, such as the Earl of Harrowby and Lord O'Neill. How 

 much the Society has lost by the death of Lord O'Neill you will be better 

 able to appreciate when you have heard the paper which the Bishop of 

 Derry is about to read. I hope I shall not be accused of any breach of 

 confidence if I read a passage from a letter which I received yesterday from 

 Lord O'Neill's widow. She tells me that not only she, but her daughter 

 and all the family have their thoughts fixed on this meeting to-night. Her 

 words are these : " I do hope that you and all who value the dear and holy 

 words wiU be able to be present, and in doing so you will bring solace to a 

 heart as completely broken as there ever was on earth." This adds a new 

 interest to our meeting to-night, and I am sure it will be a great privilege to 

 me to be able, when the meeting is over, to commvmicate to Lady O'Neill, 

 not only how largely it was attended, but also how fully the value of Lord 

 O'Neill's paper was appreciated by those who were privileged to be present. 



[The following Address (entitled "An Unbeliever's Description of 

 Christianity") written shortly before his decease, by the late Rt. Hon. 

 Lord O'Neill, was then read by the Right Reverend the Lord 

 Bishop of Derrt.] 



I AM not aware that I have met with any more succinct 

 enumeration of the objections raised against Christianity, 

 or one more plausibly expressed, than that which occurs in 

 Mr. Herbert Spencer's First Principles, p. 120. Speaking of 

 the spirit of toleration which " the cathoHc thinker " should 

 display, he there says : — 



" Doubtless, whoever feels the greatness of the error to 

 which his fellows cling, and the greatness of the truth which 

 they reject, will find it hard to show a due patience. It is 



