81 
believe in the statements which it contained, and never heard of their refuta- 
tion ? It would be the business of this Society to lay bare the fallacies of publi- 
cations of that character, in the manner that had been so ably done in that 
admirable pamphlet, the ticientia Scientiarum. As the author of it said, they 
must criticise science as they had criticised the Bible. (Hear, hear.) Science 
was in a perpetual state of development. That which was a “ fact ” to-day was 
not a fact to-morrow, and it was as much open to criticism as anything else. 
What they wanted was a free trade in science. (Hear.) They wanted those 
who were engaged in science to carry their inquiries to the utmost extent, and 
to acquaint the public with the results. Let their Society be a refuge for all 
the Cassandras of false science,— for those who were never believed, although 
they always spoke the truth, — an institute for those who come forward to 
defend the cause of truth from the attacks made upon it. It would thus be the 
means of enabling many who were now in comparatively obscure positions to 
resist scientific dictators, and to take a place amongst the greatest and best in 
the land. (Hear, hear.) He could not help thinking, however, that revealed 
religion had suffered quite as much from its defenders as from its foes. It 
oftentimes happened, when they heard of a bone, or a flint, or the tail of a 
jackdaw (laughter) being picked up on the sea-shore, that many Christian men 
became so nervously sensitive upon the subject that they tried to distort 
revelation in order to adapt it to the sujoposed discovery. But in a short 
time it turned out that the bone was not a bone, that the flint was not a flint, 
and the matter was forgotten. But the consciousness remained that revelation 
could be twisted and turned about to suit every current of scientific opinion, 
and that science was the great thing to which revelation should be subordi- 
nate. But he hoped that nothing would be done to induce the members of 
this Institute to depart from their belief in the plain, simple, and dignified 
truths of Holy Writ. He would say, let science have its own way— it was 
“a chartered libertine”; but to scientific men he would address this one 
word of exhortation:— Let them say what they liked upon what they supposed 
to be the difference between the teachings of science and revelation ; let 
them weigh what was weighable, see what was seeable, and try what ’was 
triable, but let them not try to put down those who were opposed to them 
by main force'. Let there be an open field, and free use of fair weapons, and 
he had no doubt as to victory. (Hear, hear.) It was true of Science as it was 
true of the Gospel, that the more it was discussed the more it would redound 
to the honour and glory of God. (Hear, hear.) 
The Noble Chairman then resigned the Chair to Mr. Fowler— the Vice- 
Chair being filled by Captain Fishbourne. 
Dr. Habershon then proposed “ The health of the Vice- Patron, Vice- 
Presidents, and Council of the Society.” He said that many had supposed 
that the Society was opposed to the cultivation of science ; but that was a 
mistake. On the contrary, it desired the advancement of science, and it 
would be the object of the Society to promote true science in every possible 
way. But it was opposed to what was merely superficial. Nothing" was more 
patent at the present day, than the way in which pseudo-science was brought 
