ANNUAL MEETING. 



n 



the deliberations of tlie Council and to preside at the meetings on 

 occasions when otber public duties have had their claims upon 

 him ; and I think any one who knows the work of this Institute 

 will agree Avith me that we are also indebted to the labours of 

 our Hon. Secretary — (applause) — Captain Petrie. Wo owe him 

 a debt of gratitude not only for the time and energy he has given 

 to the Institute, but for the manner in which he has carried out 

 the Council's wishes, his unfailing urbanity, his strict attention 

 to the duties and minuti(B of the work, which occupies his wbole 

 time, and I happen to know by accident that sometimes when we are 

 comfortably resting in our beds he is at work at the desk carrying 

 on the correspondence. Therefore I think we should be doing 

 violence to our feelings if the resolution did not contain the names 

 of our President and Hon. Secretary (applause). The resolution 

 was passed. 



The Yen. Archdeacon Thornton, D.D. — I am afraid I cannot 

 claim to be anything more than a Member of the Council and a 

 Vice-President, at the same time I am quite open to express the 

 thankfulness of the Officers and Council and all connected with 

 this Institute for the confidence that is reposed in them. The 

 Council have always endeavoured and will always endeavour, I am 

 sure, to keep in mind the motto of the Society. The motto of the 

 Society is this — not printed or impressed upon a seal, but the motto 

 that regulates its proceedings — that between Scripture rightly 

 interpreted and the facts of science rightly understood and 

 deductions rightly drawn, there cannot possibly be any conflict, 

 and that wherever there is any apparent conflict it must be the 

 consequence of misinterpretation of Scripture or of scientific facts. 

 There is another Society which deals rather with the interpretation 

 of Scripture but this Institute has nothing to do with the interpre- 

 tation of Scripture or dogmatic suggestions ; the line it takes is to 

 examine scientifically, including history, the scientiGc and technical 

 objections brought against the Book which we revere, and that Book 

 is always kept in mind, and always will be — so we hope to be the 

 means of clearing away many of the difficulties that have interfered 

 with people's acceptance of Scripture; and likewise, we steer clear 

 of religious controversy. I am quite sure that this has always been 

 our aim and desire, and we shall beencourMged in this work by the 

 vote of thanks that has been so kindly accorded to us to-day., and 

 I beg to return thanks for it. 



