OEDINAEY GENEEAL MEETING* 

 Peofessor Lionel Beale, F.E.C.r., F.E.S., in the Chaik 



The Minutes of the last Meetmg were read and confirmed. 

 The following elections were announced : — 

 Life Member :— Professor Lionel H. Beale, F.E.S. 



Members :— Eobert Bruce Foote, Esq., F.G.S. ; Eonald MacGregor, Esq., 



H.M.as. 



Associates : — George Herbert Payne, Esq., F.G.S. ; Frederick Gard 

 Fleay, Esq: ; Rev. James Marcliand ; Thomas Woods, Esq., M.D. ; 

 Henry Proctor, Esq. ; Alfred Lea, Esq. ; Hugh S. K. Ryan, Esq. j 

 Rev. Arthur Mercer, M.A. 



The Chairman. — I have now to call on the Eev. G. F. Whid- 

 borne to read a most interesting paper on the " Genesis of Nature." 



The following Paper was then read by the Author, entitled : — 



THE GENESIS OF NATURE. 

 By Eev. G. F. Whidbokne, M.A., F.G.S. 



CONTENTS. 



I. The problem of the genesis of Nature. 



II. The first line of inquiry^ i.e., by way of natural facts. 



1. Only actual facts reliable as evidence. 



2. Superstitious use of scientific phrases. 



3. Natural facts indicative of effects. 



4. Cause must be adequate for eft'ect. 



5. The relationship of the material and the immaterial. 



6. Search for the Cause in Nature. 



7. Effect of the discovery of God working in Nature. 



III. The second line of inquiry, i.e., by way of knowledge of the Creator. 



1. Search for knowledge of the Creator from facts external to 



Nature. 



2. The fact of the Bible. 



3. The Bible as a revelation of God. 



4. The God shown in Nature and the Bible identical. 



5. The Bible not a scientific text book, but authoritative about 



God. 



6. The Biblical conception of God. 



7. This conception applicable to explain Nature. 



•5^ Monday, 14th December, 1903. 



