Anniversary Address. 315 



but to over fifty years. It is a plain and palpable advance, 

 and it is still going on — and we may well be proud of it. 

 But that feeling of justifiable pride must be tempered by 

 regret, that many of our leading men in scientific circles 

 should have latterly assumed a position more or less openly 

 opposed to dogmatic Christian faith. Physical science holds 

 a position totally distinct from that of religion, in the carrying 

 on of human progress — physical science and theology ought 

 never to clash with one another. To allow them to do so is 

 not only improper, but most unphilosophical. Dogmatic 

 truth has been delivered once, and once for all ; but to 

 scientific research and development there is no limit, within 

 assignable bounds, if at all, for we know not where or how 

 far it may carry us. Our progress within our own recollec- 

 tion is, to repeat it, plain and palpable. But great as our 

 progress may seem, we can still only compare ourselves, to use a 

 favorite simile of a valued and old friend, to " puppies nine 

 days old." Something or other turns up every now and then 

 which makes us rub our eyes, and confess that we have, as yet, 

 on many subjects, only the faintest glimmerings of light. We 

 cannot penetrate the depths of the immensity that surrounds us. 

 Of our own world — this earth and the subtle agencies that 

 surround it: — we know just enough to puzzle us and make us 

 feel how small our knowledge is ; of the region of the fixed 

 stars we know absolutely nothing. The wisest philosopher 

 in the world cannot tell the feeling of the soul after death. 

 Let science and dogma then each confine itself to its own 

 province : science exploring to the utmost the truth as it is 

 in nature ; dogma declaring the mysteries of faith as revealed 

 by the Holy Spirit of God. These and similar thoughts 

 have been suggested to me by the very able address of the 

 President of the British Association. Most, if not all, of you 

 will agree with me — all of you will bear with me. 



Having gone again over the ground we had most pleasantly 

 traversed during our excursions in the past summer, we are 

 arrived at the close of a very enjoyable, and, as I hope, not 



