8 THE president's ADDRESS. - 



Everything, whatever may be its position in the veneration of the 

 world, must in an age like this, stand the test of criticism. Its claims, 

 in our belief, must be prepared for strict examination. 



No faithful heart need fear the result— the dross will shrivel and 

 wither in the fiery test — the pure gold will remain fairer than ever. 



Hardly a year has elapsed since the now famous " Essays an(^ Re- 

 views," startled the sober minded world from its propriety A hun- 

 dred so called answers have fluttered in hot haste from the press, a 

 wild storm of rebuke has come from many throats — none however so 

 loud or so virulent as those whose owners had never read a line of the 

 work in question. To the infinite profit of publisher and fame of 

 authors, it has taken its place very high up in the " Index Expurga- 

 torius " In common with many others who have taken the trouble to 

 read the book, I think its publication will ultimately effect a large 

 amount of good, and will succeed in pouring a flood of light on some 

 of the questions suggested. Most of the views that have caused 

 alarm, possess no novelty whatsoever, but as one of their most sensible 

 opponents has happily said, " what is put forward as new lights is 

 simply ancient darkness." Some of the as yet half investigated 

 phenomena of Geology, are made to speak with far too certain a 

 voice, as to the past history both of man, and the earth on which he 

 stands, and onslaughts are made on popular opinions, on premises as 

 yet, I humbly conceive, wholly insufficient to support the writers con- 

 clusions. But the real mischief which the book may possibly work, 

 lies in the very unfair, though not unexpected use which the openly 

 avowed opponents of Revelation have hastened to make of its too rash 

 admissions and concessions. 



The only legitimate object of introducing the notice of this work 

 into these remarks lies in the intimate relation, which, in the world's 

 judgment, exists between its conclusions and the labours of material 

 science. A certain looseness of expression adopted by the Essayists 

 has contributed largely to the formation of this opinion. 



For one example out of many I may notice the loose language used 

 in discussing the Mosaic Cosmogony, as possibly, " the speculations 

 of a Hebrew Newton or Descartes." This expression, besides jarring 

 unpleasantly on most ears, will not bear any critical examination, and 

 is in fact as unjust to the Hebrew Lawgiver as to the modern astro- 

 nomer. 



A large portion of thinkers will possibly consider that the book, 

 amongst other points of value, is sound in its enunciations of the true 



