20] 



OEDIXARY GENERAL MEETING 



WAS HELD IN THE ROOMS OF THE INSTITUTE, ON 

 MONDAY, APRIL 22nd, 1907. 



Lieut.-Gexeral Sir H. L. Geary, K.C.B., in the Chair. 



The Minutes of the previous Meeting were read and confirmed. 

 Election :— William A. E. L^ssher, Esq., F.G.S., was elected Associate.. 

 The following paper was read by the Author : — 



EXPLORATION OF ASIA MIMOR, AS BEARING OX 

 THE HISTORICAL TRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE 

 NEW TESTAMENT By Professor Sir William 

 Ramsay, D.C.L. 



TN ancient history generally, and particularly in the depart- 

 ment which forms the subject of this paper, the investiga- 

 tion of Biblical history, many of the greatest difficulties originate 

 in our ignorance. Ignorance produces misconceptions, and from 

 these misconceptions positive inferences are drawn with un- 

 becoming and dangerous confidence ; yet the whole structure 

 of inference rests on absolutely no foundation. In nothing is 

 the spirit of the true scholar and historian better shown than 

 in the ability to know what premises are safe, as resting on 

 positive knowledge, and what premises are mere prejudices 

 having no support except ignorance. 



I would for a moment call your attention to one example or 

 this general principle, viz., the prejudice that the art of writing 

 was late in origin, known in its early stages only to a small 

 number of persons, and little used except for great and solemn 

 religious or State purposes. This is a mere prejudice — perhaps 

 one ought to sa}^, it was a mere prejudice — only it still survives 

 in practice, though no one now in theory would any longer 



