11 



Mabch 27th, 1888. 



This was the first meeting held this year, the committee having 

 been waiting for the opening of the New Museum. As however 

 the date was still uncertain, this meeting was called in the Council 

 Chamber at the Town Hall. The night was exceedingly unpro- 

 pitious, and the attendance was consequently rather thin. In the 

 absence of the President, the chair was taken by Dr. T. Eastes, 

 V.P., who called on the Secretary to read his paper on 



THE DIFFICULTIES OP SCIENTIFIC BELIEF. 



It is not my intention this evening to enter upon any arguments 

 either for or against certain articles in the scientific creed of the 

 present day ; I only wish to show that to those who travel but a 

 short distance within the borders of the realm of science, there are 

 difficulties in the way of their acceptance. With the very slight 

 amount of scientific knowledge which I have been able to acquire 

 it would ill become me to set up my thoughts and conclusions 

 against those who have grown grey in exploring the mysterious 

 and hitherto unknown realms of Nature. And more especially so, 

 because in my daily work I cannot avoid building much of my 

 teaching on the foundation of these said doctrines. They may be 

 true, or they may not, we are not concerned with that point to- 

 night, and in what I say I do not wish to cast the least doubt upon 

 one of them; for all the purposes of this lecture we may, if we 

 choose, take it for granted that they are true. That some of them 

 are startling to the mind, and difficult of acceptation cannot be 

 denied ; and this is the only point I wish to dwell upon in my 

 paper. The more educated we become, in a scientific direction, 

 the more inclined we are to receive these mysterious doctrines, and 

 the more the probability of their truth increases in our minds. 



You remember how Antony in his skilful oration over the dead 

 body of CaBsar, while rehearsing the good points of his friend's 

 character, was still careful to defer (at least in appearance) to the 

 superior knowledge of Brutus ; and how each time after praising 

 him he adds — 



But Brutus Bays he was ambitious, 

 And Brutus is an bonourable man. 



So let me, this evening, while drawing your attention to some of 

 the bewildering thoughts connected with certain scientific doctrines, 

 shelter myself, even while asserting their seeming improbability, 

 under the authority of those whom I unreservedly acknowledge to 

 be both scientific and honourable. 



