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demonstration, for the nebular hypothesis. . The more definitely 
he states his views, however, the more rigidly he works out 
his principles, and the plainer he announces his conclusions, 
the better will all who differ from him, I am very sure, be 
pleased. Let him tell us how he begins his world, now that 
the fiery granite-mist has turned out to be a “ delusive” 
foundation. Let him step in where Laplace and Mr. C. H. 
Goodwin did not fear to tread, and give us something rational 
to fall back upon, before we quite give up the time-honoured 
Mosaic cosmogony. If he can't, let him say he can’t ; and, 
meanwhile, let the clergy ” wait. And if Professor Huxley 
will twit them with their Thirty-nine Articles ; let them ask him 
to produce a Fortieth, being a coherent “ scientific doctrine,” 
that even attempts to explain the existence of the world; and 
which he can truly say has been held by six men of science, 
taking these at his own estimation, or even by himself, for no 
longer time than merely the last six years ! Let him do this 
in the noble spirit of a man who would “ rather die than lie ; ” 
and let him keep nothing back either of his past or present 
beliefs, that the clergy and the public may know with what 
constancy and cogency of arguments he has taught and still 
teaches “ scientific doctrine.” The clergy and the Christian 
laity have long had their duty inculcated in the manly sentence 
of one who knew what it was to suffer and to die for truth's 
sa k e : — Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good . Be 
assured, that this comprehends the range of “ all things ” 
which we call nature. Did not the grand old Hebrew 
prophets, long before, denounce the vain teachers of their 
day, who regarded not the worlcs of the Lord , neither the opera- 
tions of His hands ? There is another old sentence to en- 
courage us, Magna est veritas et prcevalebit. By the clergy 
especially, permit me to say (since they have had lay-advice 
elsewhere), this ought to be well remembered ; for to them 
has been especially committed the teaching of that Truth, 
which, here, we still hope “ may flourish forth in the earth.” 
They should take heed what they put in its place, or venture 
to preach from their pulpits.” They should especially “ take 
heed to the doctrine ” they teach, when they have it in their 
power to know, that again, and again, and again, what has 
passed for a time among men as “ the wisdom of this world ” 
has been afterwards proved to be foolishness. 
On the motion of the Chairman, a cordial vote of thanks was passed to 
Mr. Reddie for his paper, and to the Rev. Dr. Thornton, who had read it in 
the absence of the author. 
