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the people are believers in Revelation, you would not think them one whit 
better than the Hindoos. So we may trace the whole system of Hindooism 
and Buddhism to revealed religion; but as to what time they became cor- 
rupted, and at what time they maintained a belief in God Almighty, itis, of 
course, utterly impossible to tell without a thorough and exhaustive examina- 
tion of the whole question. 
Mr. W. Grirriru, Barrister-at-Law.—In one part of the paper the 
author speaks of a practice which prevailed in former times of ‘ lump- 
ing together alien beliefs of every variety and merit under the general 
title of heathenism.” Some who haye spoken this evening have come 
to the conclusion that, while blammg what may have been an improper 
practice, the writer has intended to uphold the advantages of the 
system of education which exists among the aboriginal tribes of whom 
he speaks; but, in my opinion, this is hardly a necessary conse- 
quence of the language he employs. What he says is, that “there is 
much in other systems of belief which deserves our admiration, and 
not a little that has served the Divine purpose in educating the world 
up to the understanding of a purer revelation” ; but he does not say that 
these characteristics exist in the systems which prevail among the aboriginal 
tribes to whom he refers. For my own part, I would rather have put this 
interpretation on his meaning—that there has been much to admire in other 
systems such, for example, as those of Greece and Rome ; something to 
admire in the system of Confucius which obtains in China at the present 
day ; something to admire in the system of Mohammedanism, which s 
opposed to idolatry and teaches the existence of but one true God; an 
something also to admire in the system of asceticism and charity which 
prevails among certain Hindoos. I think we may put this interpretation on 
the meaning of the writer without any breach of fairness, and that in com- 
mon charity we ought, in his absence, to say the best we can of the sentiments 
he hasadvanced. It is an argument frequently used by writers, that the 
very defects exhibited by even the admirable parts of other systems have 
shown the want of a revelation. I would rather interpret the concluding 
portion of the sentence in which the writer says these things have “served 
the divine purpose in educating the world up to the understanding ofa 
purer revelation,” as meaning that these very things have shown that a 
purer religion was wanted. (Hear, hear.) They have served as proof that 
. the unassisted power of man could not devise what was perfect ; that revela- 
tion was needed in order that we might obtain that pure, and perfect, and 
settled system of faith and practice called Christianity, which man by his own 
unaided powers would never be able to develope. I repeat, that I think we 
might in fairness put this construction on the author’s sentiments, which have 
been to some extent misconstrued in consequence of a vagueness in the 
language employed. To pass, however, from these controversial points, I 
think we may say that the paper presented to us is full of interesting 
information and one which may prove of great utility. The word “science ” 
may not be altogether applicable to it, as was remarked by the first speaker ; 
