22 



DR. SILVANCS P. THOMPSON, F.R.S., OX 



Professor Silvanus Thompson for the address now delivered, and 

 our thanks to those who have read papers during the session. 



Of course, an old man of eighty-three, I stand here as one of the 

 <children having yet not got beyond childhood, and am still wrapped 

 up in some of the old arguments of the early, first, second and third 

 ■century beliefs. But our resolution is by no means that we are 

 ^prepared to accept all that Professor Thompson has put before us, 

 but that we still owe our thanks to him for his address. 



Eev. John Tuckwell, M.E.A.S. — Mr. Chairman, I rise to 

 propose that our very best thanks be given to the Lord Chancellor 

 ior kindly promising to come, and remaining with us as long as he 

 could, and to General Halliday for having so kindly and promptly 

 taken the seat which the Lord Chancellor would otherwise 

 faave occupied. Perhaps I may be allowed to say a word or two 

 concerning the basis of this Society, and if I refer to what has been 

 said this afternoon I hope it may not be out of place. The Society 

 professes to maintain an open mind, both in the direction of science 

 •and in the direction of religion ; and I hope it is the endeavour of 

 .all to do so. We, I trust, recognise that no religion can be accepted 

 by us as true which is not strictly in accordance with reason ; in the 

 same way as we regard no fact of science as being acceptable to 

 the human understanding which is not in accordance with reason. 

 But I may be permitted to say that there is a mistake somewhere. 

 What is science but the systemisation of the facts of nature as 

 known to man 1 I think- that is a correct definition. Taking 

 that as correct there is, of course, ample ground for recognising 

 changes and advances which science may make ; but I think it 

 ought to be recognised that the changes and advances are simply 

 in human knowledge. Facts of science do not, and cannot, change 

 until the Almighty Creator shall see fit to introduce some new 

 fact. We know that electricity existed centuries ago before it was 

 discovered. There have been no changes in the facts ; what has 

 changed has been the knowledge of man concerning them. On 

 ■the other hand, what is religion % or what is theology ? but a 

 systemisation of the facts concerning the relationship between God 

 and man. These facts are the same to-day as they were thousands 

 of years ago ; and there has been no change in the relationship 

 between God and man. Theology has made progress in the same 

 way as science has made progress ; and progress in theology can 



