26 TRANSACTIONS 



and opposed by an array of witnessing improbabilities.. 

 Dates were assigned as early as fifty-five years before 

 Christ for its existence. Jack Cade, striking this stone 

 with his sword in 1450, made his first proclamation. 

 The whole history of London clusters about this venera- 

 ble relic which, as the speaker was inclined to believe, 

 marked the open field where the public assemblages of 

 the ancient people of London were held, for legislation 

 counsel, and great doings. 



President Elmendorf spoke in eulogistic terms of the 

 address, and invited the members to discuss the subject 

 presented. 



Dr. Stevenson expressed his pleasure in listening to an 

 address which reviewed at such length and so critically 

 so much of ancient lore, and moved " that the thanks of 

 the Institute be given to Mr. Miller for his interesting 

 and instructive paper." 



Mr. Bartlett seconded the motion, and complimented 

 the speaker of the evening for the address given. 



The motion was carried. 



JANUARY 8, 1884— SIXTEENTH REGULAR MEETING. 



J. Elmendorf, D.D., president, in the chair; twenty 

 members and one hundred guests present. 



James M. DeGarmo, Ph.D., read a parser entitled 

 "The Eternal Heavens." The speaker said it was cus- 

 tomary, both in scientific and popular writings, to speak 

 of the celestial vault' as "the eternal heavens" — as en- 

 during, continuing forever. So they have come to be 

 looked upon as the very type of the unchangeable and 

 the permanent. The expression "eternal heavens," in 

 various modified forms, has crept into current literature, 

 especially religious literature, and a specific meaning 

 has become attached to it; and "the stars in their 

 courses" are the symbols of perpetuity, and the repre- 



