178 
Brought forward 
Very Rev. Dean Payne Smith, D.D 
J. Lewis, Esq., R.N., Southampton 
Rev. C. A. Row, M.A 
Rev. J. H. Titcomb, M.A 
G. C. Harrison, Esq 
Rev. 0. Skrine, M.A 
J. Shaw, Esq., M.D., Boston 
W. Payne, Esq 
Rev. R. Thornton 
Rev. G. R. Badenoch 
£. s. d. 
159 11 0 
110 
1 1 0 
1 1 0 
110 
10 0 
10 0 
10 0 
1 0 0 
3 3 0 
110 
£171 19 0 
1872. 
A. McArthur, Esq 
Total £374 9 0 
£. s. d. 
42 0 0 
The Earl of Harrowby, K.G. — My Lord, Ladies, and Gentlemen, — I 
hardly know why I have been put forward in so prominent a position, except 
from two circumstances : the one is that I am a novice here — I have only 
had the honour lately of joining your Society, and I know there is often more 
rejoicing over a new comer than there is in retaining an old friend ; the 
other reason is that for the last two years — that is, since its foundation — I 
have had the high honour of presiding over the Committee of a some- 
what kindred body, namely, the Christian Evidence Society, whose objects, 
although not identical, are similar to some of those of this Institute. Now, 
we are here, as I understand it, more as a Society of Christian Philosophers 
ourselves ; w r e are mostly if not all among those who have been con- 
vinced that the phenomena connected with the Christian religion are no t 
easily explained except upon the supposition of its truth, and that it 
requires a good deal of evidence to counteract, or even to shake for a 
moment our confidence in the truth of those conclusions which the 
weight of the phenomena attending Christianity would naturally lead us 
to. (Cheers.) We therefore, I imagine, are just in this position : — We do not 
pretend to establish the truth of Christianity, or to come to any distinct conclu- 
sion upon it ; but we are so far prejudiced in its favour that we are inclined to 
think we have a right to sift the theories which are produced against it, and 
that it is our duty to do so. We think we have a right, when some men of 
science — not the majority, but some very distinguished and eminentmen — come 
