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various counts in the indictment. But I appeal to the report 
of the discussion upon the paper, and to the various answers 
which were then and there given to several of the principal 
objections to the Scriptures to which Mr. Warington had 
called attention, as the best proof that the Scriptures have 
nothing to fear from the strictest investigation as regards all 
such conflicting issues, and as the complete justification for 
opening our public discussions with the reading of Mr. 
Warington* s paper, and as further proving the importance 
and usefulness of this society. 
But I must now pass on to make a few remarks respecting 
the second paper read before the Institute. And here I have 
to remind you of the first loss we have sustained by the death 
of the author of that paper, our Vice-President, Dr. Charles 
Mountford Burnett. Our society is yet too young to require 
a formal obituary of its distinguished members who have 
passed away. But, young as it is, even in the first year of its 
existence, we have to lament the loss of a Vice-President and 
of one other member. But although Dr. Burnett and Mr. 
John Vanner appear as “ deceased** in our Foundation List of 
Members, I have the satisfaction to be able to add that their 
names are not lost to the Institute, but are perpetuated in the 
names of their sons.* 
The late Dr. Burnett's paper, On the Difference in Scope 
between the Scriptures and Science , is one to which justice has 
not been done by its critics, and which I therefore wish espe- 
cially to notice here. To those who have read our Journal of 
Transactions it must be known that Dr. Burnett's paper was 
written while he was suffering from the illness of which he 
died. It had not therefore the benefit of any final revision by 
its author while passing through the press ; and a sentence in 
it here and there may consequently be found not as definitely 
and clearly expressed as in other circumstances it no doubt 
would have been. To all courteous readers and all kindly critics, 
I am very sure, not another word need be said on this account; 
but in truth the arguments and main purport of the paper are 
sufficiently obvious to all who will read his words in charity, 
and construe them with reference to the context. The drift 
of the paper is as important as it is obvious. It draws 
attention to the fact that the Scriptures purport to tell us 
some things concerning nature which no natural science and 
Since this was written I have heard with extreme regret of the loss of 
another of our members, my friend Mr. Evan Hopkins, to whose papers read 
before the Society I hereafter refer. He died on Friday last. 
