131 
ORDINARY MEETING, March 16, 1868. 
The Rey. Walter Mitchell, M.A., Vice-President, in 
the Chair. 
The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed. 
The Secretary announced that the following Books had been presented to 
the Institute : — 
A Complete Course of Biblical and Theological Instruction, in accordance 
with the principles of the United Church of England and Ireland. 
Yols. II. and III. By the Rev. Joseph Baylee, D.D. 
From the Author. 
The Rey. A. De La Mare then read the following paper : — 
ON THEOLOGY AS A SCIENCE. By The Rey. 
A. De La Mare, M.A., Mem. Viet. Inst. 
I T will, I presume, be conceded by all, that, on the Hypothesis 
that Theology, as it is commonly accepted among ns, is 
true, its importance and its claims can scarcely be exaggerated. 
Dealing with truths confessedly beyond the grasp of unaided 
reason, which not even the imaginative faculty in man would 
seem to have been equal to originate, and which, when 
accepted, his most laboured processes fail to reach; truths 
beyond the sphere of ordinary observation and experiment — . 
supernatural, limitless, essential ; truths, moreover, which 
constitute the basis of all his varied relations with the high, 
the holy, the infinite One ; by which also his inner being', his 
life of lofty aspirations and noble promise, is moulded ; 
theological truth, if established, is surely beyond all estimate 
as truth — truth pure and simple ; and its practical bearing 
and issues priceless, peerless. 
Again, it will, I presume, be conceded by all, on the hypo- 
thesis that Theology is a science properly so called, that it 
must take rank among other sciences corresponding to the 
rank which the truths of Theology hold amongst other truths; 
and, if so, then that Theological science, its importance and 
VOL. III. L 
