42 
tent with this easy-going 1 method ; he attacks our enemies on their own 
ground. (Hear, hear.) He says, “ Science and common sense are both 
on our side ; on yours there is nothing but a baseless, unintelligible, 
and never-ending mysticism, and it is you, not we Christians, who are 
leading mankind astray.” I am not quoting Bishop Cotterill’s words ; but I 
think I am doing no injustice to the tendency of his very admirable dis- 
course. I am very thankful to find we can afford to be aggressive, and not 
only so, but that we have amongst us one who can conduct that aggressive- 
ness in such an admirable manner. (Applause.) I am sure I am only 
expressing the feeling of all present in tendering to him our most hearty 
thanks for his able address, in which he has fought the unbelievers with 
their own -weapons, and exposed the fallacies they are in the habit of setting 
forth as though they possessed the entire force of law. (Applause.) 
D. Howard, Esq. — I have very great pleasure in seconding this resolution. 
I do myself most heartily thank his lordship for what has been to me 
the very keen enjoyment of listening to the Annual Address — an address 
very tempting to comment upon, but for this fact, that there is so much in 
it on which one could comment that it would be unsafe to begin. (Hear, 
hear.) I am sure we shall all look forward most eagerly for the time when 
we shall be able to see it in print, when the gaps which the exigencies of 
time have caused in it will have been replaced, and we shall have the 
satisfaction of reading, not only that which we have heard to-night, but 
that which we have not yet heard. Such Papers are of infinite value for 
every one of us. Very many problems which have puzzled us have been 
explained, or have been brought out into clearness and light by the 
Papers read before the Society, and most emphatically is that true of 
the Paper read to us this evening. This Paper is valuable because it 
shows us that we can afford to let those things which are perplexities 
to us, be ; and that we may wait with patience, knowing how -well some 
of the problems put before us have been explained away, and that if we 
are content to wait, the time may come when they will all be explained. 
And not only this, but we should remember that we do not exist for 
ourselves only, and that we ought to do our best to spread widely the 
knowledge that there is, a true side of the question as well as the other 
side. We cannot venture to imitate our antagonists in their self-conceit, 
which, as has been truly said, is beyond all expression, but we can at 
any rate show them that there is sounder and clearer thought, and more 
real science on our side — the side of truth — than on theirs. (Hear, hear.) 
Ho not let us be ashamed of our colours, do not let us wear our Christianity 
as a kind of secret to be kept only for Sunday use, and hidden carefully 
when science comes out ; but rather let us carry our banner in front and 
fight -well for the standard. (Applause.) Ho not let us think the truth 
will suffer. Truth is eternal. Let us hold fast on the truth ourselves, and 
do our best to get those who have lost their hold once more to lay hold upon 
it. (Applause.) 
The resolution was then carried by acclamation. 
