expenses have, at the same time, been so diminished that they have been 
reduced to the lowest possible point. For instance, the item of salaries has 
averaged about £38 per annum during the past five years, while e 
operations of the society have been so extended, as not on y to r a 
those cases that have been alluded to as occurring in the busy manufacturing 
and mining parts of the country, but they have also stretched as far. as 
America and our Colonies. ( Hear, hear.) But beyond this, we have during 
the past year had printed and published a people’s edition of certain treatises 
which have been put forth here. (Hear, hear.) All this points to one fiict, 
namely, the earnestness and zeal which has been displayed by the honorary 
officers, which together with their genial manner and tact, redounds greatly 
to their credit. I think the best thanks of the society are due to them. (Ap- 
plause.) We all know that a machine, however well put together, and however 
skilful the workmanship that has been employed upon it, unless it be well 
handled and ably managed, will not do much good work. We look forward 
to the time, and we trust that it will not be far distant, when the operations 
of this society will be even more largely diffused throughout the world, and 
especially in this country. It cannot have escaped the attention even of the 
most thoughtless of our statesmen, or of those who are not necessar y 
associated with politics, that immense importance attaches at the present 
moment, perhaps far more than at any other time, to the putting into 
the hands of our people good, and pure, and sound reading. ( ear, lear.) 
Not only has this fact been acknowledged by other societies that have been 
successful in disseminating the best works of the best authors, but this 
society has adopted a somewhat higher and more elevated point of view, 
and endeavours to instruct those sceptics, those rationalists and those 
materialists, of whom, alas, so many are found in this country, in the more 
abstruse and difficult points connected with Bible teachmg ; and, as was 
truthfully and practically remarked by the last speaker, unless we are a e 
to direct the minds of these classes into the very best channel, and to explain 
the real meaning of the more difficult questions and points of philosophy 
and science, especially those bearing upon the great truths revealed in Ho y 
Scripture, we had better not attempt to meddle with those points at a . 
(Hear, hear.) A new and very practical object of this Society may be 
found in “the people’s edition” of some of the more popular papers 
which they have thought fit to publish this year. It is stated in the report, 
that with increased funds this useful department of the Institute s operations 
might be very greatly extended, and I trust that the friends of this Institute 
will bear in mind, that with a view to placing “ the people’s edition ’ within 
the reach of the people generally, it is sold at a nominal profit. It is a re- 
markable fact that the earnestness of inquiry into scientific truth, exhibited by 
members of this society, extends not only among those who are philosophers 
and men of large education in connection with our universities and our great 
centres of learning, but a similar zeal is to bo found among a lower stratum 
in this country. We have many skilful artizans and miners and persons 
