542nd ORDINAEY GENERAL MEETING, 



HELD IN THE EOOMS OF THE EOYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS, 

 ON MONDAY, MARCH 17th, 1913, AT 4.30 p.m. 



J. W. Thiktle, Esq., LL.L)., occupied the Chaik. 



The Minutes of the preceding Meeting were read and signed. The 

 Secretary announced the election of the Rev. George Denyer as an 

 Associate. 



The Chairman explained that owing to advancing years, distance, and 

 many occupations. Dr. Flournoy was not able to read his paper himself, 

 and called upon the Secretary to read it for him. 



(Dr. Thirtle's further remarks will be found at the end of the paper.) 



THE BEARING OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND 

 HISTORICAL RESEARCH UPON TEE NEW 

 TESTAMENT. By the Eev. Parke P. Elournoy, 

 D.D. 



IT should be remembered, in discussing this subject, that 

 history and archaeology cannot directly establish the truth 

 of the statements of the New Testament, except in a few cases. 

 Eesearch in these two spheres may, however, remove such 

 obstacles in the way of belief as have been placed there by 

 assertions to the effect that the book could not have been 

 written in the first century, alleging that parts of it bear 

 marks of second century production. 



Thus, it will be seen that the advocate of the historical 

 truth of the New Testament is at a distinct disadvantnge, 

 since historical and archaeological research can only yield 

 probable results for him, while, for the objector, it may seem 

 to furnish absolute proof of the inaccuracy of historical 

 statements in the New Testament. If it can be shown that 

 one of these writings contains accounts of events which are 

 known to have taken place in the second century, or un- 

 mistakably implies the existence of conditions which are 

 known to have existed in the second century, and not to have 

 existed in the first century, tliis can be pointed to as positive 

 proof that the book of the New Testament containing such 



