I) 
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Then with regard to physical science, I think we have seen 
that its real advances are in favour of religious faith. This 
mysterious atom in which some can see “ the promise and 
potency of all terrestrial life,” has to my mind brought God 
nearer to us. We see now the elements out of which it has 
pleased Him to make the world ; we see the presence of that 
one Supreme Intelligence as distinctly in the weed that grows 
or the flower that blossoms on our own planet as in the stars 
and nebulas which at still unmeasured or unimagined distances 
reflect His glory and proclaim His unvarying laws. 
The Bishop of Llandaff. — My Lord Shaftesbury, ladies, and gentlemen,— 
I have the honour to move : “ That the best thanks of the meeting be pre- 
sented to the Rev. R. Main, the Ratcliffe Observer, for the Annual Address 
now delivered, and also to those who have read papers during the session.’’ 
It is a great gratification to know that this Address, which unites the two 
subjects of scientific investigation and true Christian faith, will not only 
have been heard with very great advantage by those present, but that, 
being published in our Journal, it will be circulated throughout the kingdom, 
and will give the same pleasure and profit to many others that it has done 
* to ourselves. The second part of the resolution refers to those who have 
read papers during the session — papers which are not only extremely 
valuable from their contents, but also from the discussions which follow 
them. As I have never before this had the pleasure of being present at any 
of these meetings, I may take the liberty of saying how thankful I am that 
such a society as this exists, and that it is pursuing its course with such 
energy. I trust that every Anniversary meeting may prove that the Society 
is gaining greater hold upon the intelligence and respect of the public. We 
live in days of great intellectual activity, and there is no subject to which 
that intellectual activity has given a greater impulse, perhaps, than that of 
scientific inquiry and the practical results of science to our daily life. I 
think we may well believe that there is no desire whatever to limit the 
progress of scientific inquiry. Certainly we could not possibly do so. But 
why should we attempt it ? If I understand it aright, scientific inquiry, 
when properly conducted, is nothing more nor less than a devout examina- 
tion of the works of our Almighty Creator ; and the more we become 
acquainted with these, and the nearer we approach to His presence, the more 
must every one be filled with devout adoration and a sense of His infinite 
majesty and glory. As the learned author of this address has pointed out 
in the course of his observations, that the one circumstance of the Almighty 
having given us faculties to enable us to pursue these investigations, 
must be taken a priori as a reason and a proof that it is quite consistent 
with our duty, as well as with our highest interests, that we should pursue 
