]49 
Rev. F. N. Oxen ham. — I suppose we shall all agree in thinking that the 
question now before us is one with which we ought to have the highest 
sympathy. The book we are considering endeavours to supply an additional 
ground for a reasonable faith in immortality, to those persons who feel that 
the grounds they at present possess are insufficient to their minds. I 
suppose we shall all of us have the heartiest sympathy with any effort 
that has this object in view. At the same time, it seems to me that we 
owe a great debt to Dr. Irons for having pointed out to us, that, with this 
admirable object in view, the writers of the book have not merely gone 
about their purpose in a wrong way, in which it is very difficult for us 
to follow with any satisfaction ; but that, further than this, admitting their 
premises and arguments, they land us in conclusions which, after all, fail 
to fulfil the object they have in view. I hope I may take this resume of 
the book, which I understand Dr. Irons has submitted to the authors. 
Dr. Irons.— Allow me to explain. Professor Tait has written to me, 
and I have written to him in reply. He objects to certain phrases ; he 
finds no fault as far as I perceive with the current of my argument 
none whatever, and I have written to assure him that every phrase that 
can be objected to, or that seems in any way not to represent his book, 
so far as it can be represented in so short a compass, shall be carefully 
revised before the paper is placed on the records of this Institute ; as it 
would not be worthy of this society to put upon record an unfair repre- 
sentation of a great book coming from such men. I am anxious that, 
now or hereafter, any person who will kindly suggest to me anything 
that will make the paper more exact will do so by communicating directly 
with me. My paper was written when the third edition of “ The Unseen 
Universe ” was just published. I bought the first and the third editions, 
but I am told that the book has gone through four or five editions. I am 
not aware that these contain anything new, but Professor Tait assures 
me that several points are modified in the later editions, especially with 
reference to the manner in which Christ’s miraculous appearance in this 
world took place. He thinks I shall alter what I have said on that point, 
and if so, and any one lends me the latest edition of the book, I shall be 
glad to see it ; but it is too much to expect that one should buy every 
edition of an author s works. I assume that the different editions put 
forth are substantially the same in point of principle, and that, so far as 
the main argument is concerned, there can be no difference. Of course, I 
wish to be entirely exact as to the subject and the most revised thoughts 
of the authors, nor would I use one syllable which they do not acknow- 
ledge to be entirely just, as far as I can help it. Professor Tait objects to 
my prefatory outline of the argument, and wishes me to substitute for 
it his own table of contents. I have therefore placed the two side by 
side, for comparison : the notes are thus put together. 
Mr. Oxenham. My only object in eliciting this explanation from Dr. 
Irons was, that as I had not read the last edition I was not sure whether 
