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the Christian interpretation of Isaiah, for instance (and I only give that as 
one example) and not be prepared to accept Dr. Gladstone’s dictum, that we 
can ascertain its meaning for ourselves, in that off-hand way which he seems 
to suppose in this essay. I am perfectly sure that, apart from the hereditary 
faith of the Church, we should not be able to interpret truly the Old Testa- 
ment prophecies. Take, for example, the prophecy concerning the Child 
that was to be born, whose birth we celebrate on Christmas Day. We read, 
that “ before that Child should be able to know good or evil, the land would 
be abhorred of both her Icings All such details connected with the pro- 
phecy, literally and simply understood, would lead to a distinctly Jewish 
interpretation of the whole. I mention this as one warning as to the way in 
which the whole of Christian truth may be cut from under our feet, if we 
were to adopt the rule implied in this paper, of reading by our own wit the 
Old Testament, instead of being led by the Spirit of God to those interpre- 
tations handed down from the days of Christ. It was not my intention this 
evening to address you at all. I have been, though interested in the subject, so 
engrossed by other matters, up to the moment of my coming here, that I have 
been unable to do justice to the subject, in any observations I might have wished 
to make ; and you must forgive me for speaking in this desultory way. I 
do feel that this is an important Institution, and that every subject here dis- 
cussed ought to be watched with care. I should be sorry indeed if any paper 
read in the Victoria Institute should give currency to the idea that we are 
going to “ help Revelation ” in any way. Let us remember that we must be 
helped by Revelation, rather than that we can assist it. The passage which 
I referred to before, my eye now falls upon — “ Theology is the queen of 
sciences, it is befitting that those of lower rank should wait upon her.” Wait 
upon her ! With reverence, surely ; in a lowly and distant spirit of homage, 
if you will ; but not wait upon her in the spirit thus intimated ; for 
here she is set before us, as not only having an equal, but perhaps 
an equal of a somewhat domineering character, in this natural science! 
No, I must entirely dispute, either that science receives help from us, 
or that we ' receive help from science. I have not yet glanced, indeed, 
at the other side of the alternative. But I quite admit that it is not 
our business, as theologians, to import into science any of our dogmas. 
The two subjects should be pursued with independence of thought, and 
with fearlessness as to all conclusions. Reverence, indeed, in both should 
be predominant, for if there be not a reverent mind, I cannot conceive 
that any one would be either a truly scientific man or a good theological 
student; but the two things must stand on their own merits. Science 
must be pursued for its own sake, humbly, fearlessly, truthfully ; and so also 
Revelation ; but that must further be aided externally by the gift of God 
directly, and internally by the Spirit of God applying His truth to the 
soul of man. I have no further observations to address to you on this 
paper, and I thank Dr. Gladstone for his patience in listening to these few 
remarks. 
Mr. Redd ie.— I should wish to notice first the remarks of Captain Fish- 
