74 
We have for our object the glorious purpose of vindicating that Faith which 
has liberated nations ; which has liberated the human intellect ; and which 
has spread civilization over the world; and it is our duty to see that t at 
Book, the record of God’s will, is held by us, and transmitted to our chil- 
dren, notwithstanding the hostility of those who have hitherto opposed it, 
and who, I trust, through our operations, and by God’s grace softening their 
hearts and opening their eyes to untruth and to the marvels of God, will at 
last take this Book as God’s great gift next to His Son, because it proclaims 
Him to be the Son of God. I have much pleasure in seconding the 
resolution. 
The resolution was then put to the meeting, and unanimously agreed to. 
Admiral E. P. Halsted— I am very happy to move the second resolution ; 
but as I am not so eloquent as my predecessors, I trust my friends and brethren 
of this Institute will accept from me simply the terms of the motion : “ That 
the thanks of the members and associates be presented to the Council and 
the honorary officers for their efficient conduct of the business of the ‘Vic- 
toria Institute ’ during the past year.” (Cheers.) I have great gratification 
in moving this resolution, because, from the accounts we have heard, though, 
perhaps, the Institute might have progressed faster, the rapid progress which 
it has made is due to the exertions of the council and the honorary officers. 
(Cheers.) The founder himself, my dear and good friend Mr. Reddie, would 
have been most gratified to-night if he could have heard the report read. I 
do not know that I can say anything more— I should be happy if I could ; 
but I am not useful in the way that others are. I am quite sure the resolu- 
tion will be properly supported by those who are better able than myself to 
speak upon it. (Cheers.) 
The Rev. G. Currey, D.D. — I believe that most of those who have 
already spoken have been acquainted with the proceedings and working of 
this Institute longer than I have— having only recently had the pleasure 
of joining it and taking part in its discussions. I have only been pre- 
sent at a few of the meetings of the Institute ; but on . such occasions 
have always acquired some information which I believe has been 
valuable to myself, and I think that all who attend the meetings of this 
Institute go away with the same impression. I am sure that nothing could 
tend more to the real knowledge of the great subjects which are contin- 
ually put before us by this important Institute, than the quiet and simple 
discussion of various particular points, as they are raised at each of the 
meetings. In these meetings— which appear comparatively small when we 
look upon the large and crowded meeting brought together this evening 
persons are able to rise and to speak their thoughts freely ; and I have 
always been pleased to observe how freely those thoughts are expressed, even 
though they may seem to run counter to the general opinions held here. I 
have" admired the freedom with which people have been able to come forward 
and state their difficulties, and the mode in which they imagine they are 
able to solve them, while they are quite ready, at the same time, to hear 
other arguments and objections to their own mode of dealing with the ques- 
