The Scottish Naturalist 



life and character, we may be pardoned for devoting a few sen- 

 tences to it. His own words will suffice. In a sermon which he 

 preached at Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1875, an0 ^ which was 

 circulated privately, he addressed to his younger brethren words 

 of earnest counsel on the questions which were agitating religious 

 thought. We take the following sentences for our present 

 purpose : — 



" There is no branch of science or literature which will not, if applied after 

 a godly manner, tend to the edification of ourselves and others ; and the more 

 we study, the less shall we be inclined to give in to a loose style of preaching, 

 which is sure to become a mere repetition, day after day, of the same round of 

 platitudes, to the weariness, not only of our congregations, especially those of 

 instructed minds, but also of ourselves. ... It is worse than useless to blind 

 our eyes to all the questions which perplex so many. Changes have taken 

 place before in many things, and others now arise in their turn as to matters 

 which were once regarded as mere points of religious conviction, without 

 injury to the integrity of the believer, and doubtless fresh acquisitions of know- 

 ledge will make that matter of doubt to-morrow which was yesterday supposed 

 to be an indubitable verity. From the very nature of the case it was no pur- 

 pose of the Bible to make revelations in science. Any teaching, which could 

 come home to the minds of the ignorant, must needs have been adapted to the 

 existing state of knowledge as to physical objects, or even to their prejudices. 

 But science is not necessarily antagonistic to religion ; we would rather say 

 with the poet — 



' Piety has found 

 Friends in the friends of science, and true prayer 

 Has flowed from lips wet with Castalian dews.' 



Self-respect alone would induce us not to rest in a blind belief of matters 



respecting which we cannot give an answer. . . . "While we adhere firmly to 



our own views, we should have equal regard to those of others. If we allow 



that there are difficulties in the way of complete conviction, though they do 



not press heavily upon ourselves, we must remember that those difficulties may 



make a far different impression on the minds of some than others ; and nothing 



can have a worse tendency, than at once to proclaim any one, as is too often 



the case, as an Atheist or Heretic, because he does not agree with ourselves. 



Differences must needs occur, but it is our duty as Christians, according to the 



perfect law of charity, to agree to differ. . . . There is no room for pretence. 



We must be what we seem. We must live as well as profess Christ." 



In these sentences we have the reflection of the mental 

 activity, of the intellectual breadth, of the large-hearted charity, 

 and of the practical reality of the ministry of the Vicar of 

 Sibbertoft. Such men are, quietly and unobtrusively, the strength 

 of any Church, in so far as it is the reflex of true Christianity. 



His remains were interred at Sibbertoft on the 3rd August, 

 with deep and mournful respect. 



J. s. 



