41 
Mr. J. E. Howard, F.R.S. — I will confine myself to the simple duty of 
moving, “ That the report of the council, now read, be received, adopted 
and circulated among the members and associates.” 
Admiral Nolloth, R.jST. — I have great pleasure in seconding this resolu- 
tion. 
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously. 
The Right Rev. Bishop Ryan, D.D. — I have to move, “ That the thanks 
of the members and associates be presented to the council and honorary 
officers for their efficient conduct of the business of the Victoria Institute 
during the past year.” I have great pleasure in moving this resolution, be- 
cause of the very great importance of the work of the Institute, and also 
because of the efficient manner in which that work has been carried on. I 
think that only those who have laboured, as I have, in the large towns of the 
north of England, can have any idea of the great importance of the work that 
is being done by this Institute. The most infidel sentiments are very largely 
circulated among the working people there, in publications that are printed 
and diffused widely throughout these districts ; and, in addition to that, lec- 
turers are continually coming to our great northern towns, endeavouring to 
subvert the principles of religion, and even the belief in an intelligent Creator. 
It may very naturally be asked, “ Why do not the clergy meet them ?” The 
truth is, that the clergy have not the time to do so, having to attend to the 
sick as well as to all their other duties in parishes, the population of which 
may often be numbered by tens of thousands. I have 30,000 people attached 
to one church, and although I have six curates acting with me, we have not 
time for performing all our duties, or for visiting the people with the view of 
bringing the truths of religion to bear upon them. At the close of one Sun- 
day service a short time ago, a young man, himself once an infidel, came and 
asked me if I could tell him any way in which he could procure some of our 
publications, and he would distribute them on Sunday nights to those who 
were going to hear the infidel lecturers. This is one instance of the value 
of such a society as ours, and I am glad we have such publications as it 
affords, because, and I am sure our noble chairman will agree with me, 
it is better not to answer infidels at all than to answer them in an imperfect 
way. I did not hear from the honorary secretary, in the account he gave us 
of the proceedings of the past year, of the almost gratuitous way in which 
the services we are acknowledging in this resolution have been performed ; 
the fact being, I believe, that the item of salaries has only cost the Institute 
about £3S per annum. (Hear, hear). For this small outlay a great deal 
of honorary service is done, and you will doubtless agree with me that we 
should not overlook this fact. (Cheers). 
Mr. M. J. Stewart, M.P. — The best test of the good done by this society 
is to be found in the statement which our honorary secretary has just read 
to us. The results have, as we must all acknowledge, been extremely satis- 
factory ; especially when we notice the fact that the increase in the number 
of our members during the past year has been no less than 115. The 
