154 



OEDINARY GENEEAL MEETING * 



Lieut. -General Sni H. L. Geaky, K.C.B., V.P., in the Chaiu. 



The Minutes of the previous Meeting were read and confirmed. 



Election : — Sidney Collett, Esq., 191, Belsize Road, was elected 

 Associate. 



The following paper was then read by Rev. Canon Girdlestonp:, in the 

 absence of the Author : — 



THE BEABING OF RECENT ORIENTAL DISCOVERIES 

 ON OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY. Being the second in 

 order of merit of the " Gunning Prize Essay By Rev. 

 Andrew Craig ' Robinson, M. A. 



THE most serious assaults that are made in the present day 

 on the genuine character of the Old Testament proceed 

 for the most part from the camp of the Higher Critics, whose 

 theories seem to the present writer inconsistent with the view 

 that the Old Testament is an honest history of the people of 

 Israel — not to say a record inspired by the Spirit of God. 



Eminent archteologists — Professor Sayce and others — eiu- 

 pjhatically declare that recent Oriental discoveries entirely 

 discredit the critical theories. Professor Sayce writes in one of 

 Iiis latest works — Monument Facts and Higher Critical Fancies 

 (1904)_a5 follows:— 



" The answer of archseology to the theories of modern crifirisni 

 is complete ; the Law preceded the prophets, and did not follow 

 them." p. 83. 



And 



" 111 the critical theory of the Bi1)lical narrative archii^ology 



thus compels us to see only a Philological mirage." p. 53. (The 

 italics are mine.) 



* Monday, Marcli 5tli, 190G. 



