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whicli men had attained. Why, then, should we expect to find a guide 

 to the knowledge of geology or cosmogony ] Why should men be 

 offended when they find that the way in which the sacred writers speak 

 of common things is simply in accordance with the state of man's 

 knowledge of those things at tha,t timel The fact is that common 

 things were spoken of in common langiiage. And so it is now, and 

 ever will be. Whatever the facilities given to us wovild enable ns to 

 find out, must be sought for by the use of those facilities, or it will not 

 be attained. It is ti'ue, indeed, that all human attainments are but 

 vanity of vanities, and nothing worth if cherished for selfish ends, or 

 alloAved to usurp the place of Divine culture ; but, when kept in due 

 subordination, and cultivated as a part of the work given to us by the 

 one Father to do for the good of His household, and for the exercise of 

 the faculties which He has implanted in us, they become a true and worthy 

 part of the Divine worship. 



There is no more mistaken idea than that true religion is opposed to 

 real progress. On the contrary, it is from Him whose name we bear 

 that we have the promise of one who shall guide us along the path 

 which leads to all truth. Surely the histories of these centuries of the 

 Christian era bear witness to the continued fulfilment of that promise. 

 In spite of the passions and prejudices of men, in spite of the opposition 

 of interested ignorance, in spite even of persecution itself, the banner of 

 truth is carried onward, the errors and fallacies which shut out the light 

 are from time to time exposed, and the M^hole human race will eventually 

 be partakers of the blessing. 



The greatest enemy of true religion is superstition ; but science 

 is superstition's deadliest foe. Let, then, these t^vin sisters walk 

 together hand in hand, not fearing, but materially assisting one another, 

 and the nations will rejoice in their progress ; and let us who have 

 associated ourselves together in this Institute, keep before us, as the one 

 object of all our efforts, the attainment for ourselves, and the dissemina- 

 tion among others, of a knowledge of truth. 



Since writing the address I have just read, I have been informed 

 that some of the astronomical instruments I have referred to in my 

 address, necessary to make observations on the transit of Venus, have 

 come to this colony. I have had a conversation with Captain Heale, of 

 the Survey Ofiice, respecting the establishment of this district as one of 

 the points of observation at the coming transit, and have been informed 

 that a very little expenditure would be required to obtain the necessary 

 observations to secure this district being chosen as one of the stations. 



