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the evils resulting are evanescent and harmless indeed as com- 
pared with those which must result from inculcating a system 
which professes to be founded on reason, but which really 
rests upon fictions and arbitrary assertions, — a system in* 
which fact is appealed to, but is not to be found. Loot at it 
how you may, you will not discover the smallest speck of 
firm ground of truth upon which to build any form of the 
materialistic doctrine. The phantom of possible molecular 
mechanisms, — confusion between mere energy and the power 
by which it is directed, between a machine and its maker, 
between designing and making in form and order and for a 
purpose, and the mere purposeless piling of particles of matter 
one upon another, or their equally purposeless falling down, 
are a few of the erroneous comparisons frequently made and 
accepted as if they were compatible with reason, and even 
trophies of recent scientific conquest. 
By materialism it is sought to reduce vital phenomena 
to mere attractions, repulsions, affinities, and to annihilate the 
idea of vital power. Materialism can only be sustained by the 
suppression of truths and by ignoring facts that are known, 
and by a most fantastic and reprehensible system of using the 
same word in very different senses, and in applying the same 
term to things which widely differ from one another and even 
exhibit opposite qualities. By intellectual devices which are 
certainly not creditable to intellect, the absolute and irre- 
concilable difference between the non-living , and the living, 
and the dead, are ignored by some, and denied by others ; 
difference of degree is substituted for absolute difference, while 
identity is not unfrequently made to do duty for diversity, 
and like is used where not like would be more correct. 
The Chairman (the Kev. R. Thornton, D.I)., Vice-President). — I feel 
some little reluctance on this occasion in asking you to present your thanks 
to Dr. Beale for his very thoughtful and interesting paper ; because, if I 
were to do so, I should be asking you to draw upon yourselves the wrath of 
those whom he attacks, and expose you to being called “bigots.” (Laughter.) 
Now, the word “ bigot” is a very terrible word indeed, and I do not like to run 
the risk of having it applied to you. The meaning of the word in Spanish 
is “ whiskers,” so that you will see I have very little bigotry about me, and 
our lady friends none whatever. (Laughter.) But I am afraid we cannot 
fall back on etymology. The fact is, that the term bigot is used nowadays 
Q 2 
