286 
It is now our duty to estimate our present position as -an 
„ . „ f Institute, and tlie work which is more immediately 
opposition, -before us. The problems which vitally interest 
men are always the same; but they are presented from time 
to time in various aspects. ,, - 
I. Five or six years ago (when we began) some alleged 
“ difficulties,” wearing an air of urgent importance, and claim- 
ing to be scientific, were importunately besetting the supposed 
position of Christianity. Much more was hinted, 
oflhe Institute indeed, than openly said, but the “ difficulties, 
hitherto. sucll ag they were, had very free discussion at once 
among us; and in what spirit, and with what results, the 
Journal of our Transactions will show. Every one, we trust, 
will recognize the resolute fairness of the Council on all occa- 
sions, in the breadth and variety of opinion expressed, which 
they refused to restrain. „ 
Regarding as primary the fact of our Responsibility foi 
thought and action, a large space was conceded to the ™“ aa ' 
mental inquiries respecting it, and, it is hoped, not without 
fruit.— Questions of Ontology have not yet occupied us, though 
they must be forced on attention sooner or later, ine cLim- 
culties " of so-called science claimed practical precedence. 
Some “ theories of the world " were then discussed, whie 
appeared formidable to many persons, but they are now e 
coming; more than “ nebulous," while others seem to be already 
as literary fossils. The omission, for instance, in Genesis ot a 
particular cosmogony which was still in high favour as recently 
as 1860, may not bring down on Moses, m 18/1, the tape - 
cilious title of a mere “Hebrew Descartes. Things 
moved on, and other theories are in process of formation. 
Naturalists, too, in their department, have certainly advance . 
Some who had thought Cuvier sufficiently sound, or who at 
most were content to trace the animal pedigree of man to the 
“ old-world monkey," have now a yearning to the jeily-lish as 
our probable ancestor, and even hint, to those who have at 
least moral doubts, that they may go farther and fare worse. 
Many other changes are indeed thought to be 
Our imme- j mm inent in the progress of opinion, of which i 
diate future. suffice tQ gay tliat we must here be prepared as 
Christians to deal with them as they arise. Whenever we are 
brought to the knowledge of fresh facts, we shall prize them, 
but we shall have to look closely after what may be termed 
