ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING* 



David Howard, Esq., D.L., in the Chair. 



The following paper was then read by the author : — 



THE CONCEPTION OF THE GREAT REALITY. 

 By Sydney T. Klein, F.L.S., F.R.A.S. 



AT the outset we must recognise that when we with our 

 finite senses try to form a conception of the Infinite it 

 necessarily takes the form of a negative, the negative applying 

 to those things of which we have cognizance; we carry our 

 thought to the utmost limit possible with our present knowledge, 

 and when we have come to a standstill we conceive the Infinite 

 to be not that but something further on. As our knowledge 

 increases by small steps, that something f urther on seems ever 

 to be flying from our grasp by mighty strides, until we are 

 forced to bow our heads and recognise that we are in the 

 presence of, though still not in sight of, the Great Reality. A 

 divine impulse is ever urging us forward to greater conceptions, 

 but shattering our hopes and giving us a feeling of despair if 

 we arrogate to ourselves a greater power of conception than we 

 have knowledge to sustain. We have to approach the study 

 with indeed that feeling of elation which the knowledge of our 

 divine origin wakes within us, giving us a feeling of certainty 

 that our souls are capable in the hereafter to attain to the 

 highest summit of knowledge, but with that humility in the 

 present which makes us acknowledge that he who knows most, 



* Monday, April 11th, 1904. 



