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fully rest in tlie conviction tliat “ Truth is the daughter of 
Time/'’ and that we must not expect at once to discover the 
harmony of all things in heaven and earth. 
2. The very existence, however, of this Institute is itself a 
proof that we are conscious that there is nevertheless an 
important work to be done, in some degree peculiar to the 
present age, in investigating the true relations between these 
two departments of human thought. Those of us, indeed, 
who know from sad experience how deeply infidelity and even 
atheism have penetrated into the lower strata of our English 
life, and how they are fostered by the specious arguments 
against all religious belief which some of the theories of 
modem science suggest, cannot but feel how necessary in these 
days, and how highly to be valued, are the labours of those 
who devote themselves to the special work of exposing these 
sophistries. And we cannot but ask with some anxiety, what 
progress has been made in this direction, and whether anything 
has been effected towards the solution of the problem (to use the 
popular language) of the reconciliation of science and religion. 
3. It seems impossible to doubt that there has been of late 
among the more intellectual classes some reaction from the 
general disbelief which at one time was the fashion, and which 
still represents itself in some of our leading periodicals as the 
most advanced thought of the age. It has been found that 
the leaders in that department of science which is physical 
science in its true and proper sense are, in this age, as they 
have been in former ages, believers in Revelation ; whilst the 
objections to Christianity have proceeded almost exclusively 
from men who, however eminent for certain scientific attain- 
ments, are students only of the phenomenal laws, and not of 
the dynamics of nature. Indeed, dynamical science has 
turned the tables on the objectors, proving from its own 
standing-point, if not all that it attempts to prove, at all 
events that the problems of the universe present greater 
difficulties to the unbeliever than to the Christian. And on 
all sides there seems to be growing up a somewhat altered 
feeling. On the one side, it is discovered that Christianity 
has much more to say for herself on purely scientific grounds 
than was anticipated. On the Christian side, there is more 
confidence that all real science ought to be welcomed as an 
ally, and not feared as an enemy ; and there is, on this side at 
least, much less of that dogmatical and overbearing language 
as to the questions at issue, winch too often in controversy 
displays the consciousness of want of argument. 
4. We have, therefore, good reason to believe, it would 
seem, that some progress has been made in the right direction. 
Yet, if we are to have a lasting peace — I do not, of course. 
