ORDINARY MEETING.* 

 Captain Heath, R.N., in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the last Meeting were I'ead, and the following election 

 took place : — 



Associate : — H. Hartshorne, Esq., M.A., M.D., Japan. 



The following paper was read : — 



COMMON ERRORS AS TO THE RELATIONS OF 

 SCIENCE AND FAITH, ^j George Macloskie, 

 D.Sc, LL.D., Professor of Biology in Princeton 

 University, U.S.A. 



IN a memoir of the great investigator, Josepli Henry, it is 

 stated tliat, whilst he was of a devout spirit, lie Avas not 

 much troubled by physieo- theological controversies. He 

 thought it would be strange if, in an advancing Avorld, the 

 theologian and the investigator in their independent paths 

 should not occasionally misunderstand each other. And he 

 held that men should not loAver their scientific flag- in order 

 to conciliate theology, or lower their Christian tiag in order 

 to satisfy scepticism. Like many other thoughtful men, he 

 knew that, as betAveen Christianity and science in their own 

 essentials, there is no quarrel ; and that on neither side of the 

 controversy over them is there a monopoly of blamelessness. 

 It is instructive to observe how largely ex-President A. D. 

 White's able sketches of the conflict bear on tenets once 

 accepted by all schools and professions, and hoAv the 

 deA^elopment of science has involved a reconstruction of 

 men's ideas of juris^prudence and philosophy and therapeutics 

 as well as of physico-theology : and to note that the one 

 general truth evolved by history is that a worthy clergyman 

 even Avlien Avell read in divinity and in classical literature, is 

 not safer agaiust error in his scientific excursions, than is a 

 brilliant scientist Avhen he turns anti-theologian. This is a 



* March 1st, 1897. 



