52 
Stephenson took Peel aside and said of Follett,“ Never in my life could 
I have conceived the full power of a clear conception and a perfect 
utterance if I had not witnessed what I have seen to-day.” (Hear, 
hear.) From this anecdote, therefore, we learn how valuable these qualities 
are. All I have to say in respect to my own experience in these matters 
with a view to the great benefit you wish to confer on society, is, that if you 
desire the permanent, the safe, and the substantial welfare of the working 
classes in the great progress they are now making towards power, compared 
with what was their former position, you cannot do better than diffuse 
among them such literature respecting science and sound knowledge as that 
which is produced by the writers of papers for the Victoria Institute. 
(Hear, hear.) If you can only bring the people to read those writings you 
will do much. I can hardly imagine how any one can say, as has been said 
by one speaker, that there is little or no unbelief. It seems to me that 
unbelief is dominant. There are a vast number of people who, wishing to 
believe something, do not believe anything at all ; nevertheless, these persons, 
full of intellect, eager to inquire and yet crammed with unbelief, are ready to 
receive the deep impressions that are made by literature such as that issued 
by this Institute ; and, if you really do look to their welfare and to the honour 
of the country you so dearly love, you cannot do anything likely to prove 
more beneficial than the dissemination of the publications of this Institute, 
replete as they are with powerful reasoning and sound principle, and 
showing as they do the indissoluble connexion between Religion and Science 
—Science and Religion. (Applause.) 
The members, associates, and their friends then adjourned to the museum, 
where refreshments were served. 
