endure as "seeing Him who is invisible."* Invisible and omnipotent. Invisible and ever-active: directing omnipotence by love. Active in a mode, and by a medium, science knows not of, and which Materialism rejects, for it refuses to permit the Soul of Force in the universe to take possession of a human body and incarnate itself in one personality for specific spiritual purposes. We cannot thus think. We dare not limit the freedom and power of the Absolute. Nay, we hold that if He were pleased to undertake the glorious enterprise of the religious and moral salvation of His creature, man-He must do so by a personal manifestation which would furnish the means of closest communion and most intimate intercourse with man. The world yearned to know a God of mercy, pity, love, and patience. It needed to be drawn by the "very cords of a man "+-the chords of sympathy, fellowship, tenderness, and grace. It needed to have God brought down from far-off clouds and inaccessible heights-from the regions of air,and brought up and out from atoms of matter and physical force into human nature and life, into the common ways, the common haunts, the common hearts of ignorant and sin-ruined men. A true all-sided science will say so. A false and narrow science will not; it will shut God out of the one sphere in which He is most needed-the soul of the man made in His own image.

From such false science I turn for the satisfaction of my soul to the God manifest in the flesh, in whom I believe. Once in the flesh He proved Himself to be God by His control of all forces, material and spiritual. His last visible act gave a crowning proof of His Divinity. He ascended into heaven. There, as my faith believes, He re-assumed His invisible Spirituality. There He began a new epoch in the history of the Spiritual universe. There His activity took a new direction. Having put a new factor into human history by His Gospel, He adapted His invisible operations thereto-the operations carried on in the kingdom of heaven. And, in perfect harmony with the laws of change and development-call them the laws of evolution if you will-the Divine Being, the Word, the Christ of God, is now preparing the conditions necessary to changed creatures. He is preparing places for us in the many-mansioned universe, which is as truly His as this earthly globe: making ready a habitation for us when we shall have put off this fleshly body and shall receive a glorious spiritual body. "For this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the

* Hebrews xi. 27.

† 1 Hosea xi. 4.

kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." From the natural to the spiritual. From the mortal to tho immortal. From the corruptible to the incorruptible. "And as we have borne the image of the earthly † we shall bear the image of the heavenly.” ‡

All round us we see the rising of a tide of scepticism which we must do our best to keep back-or at least confine within narrow limits. From all quarters we hear the warning notes of an intellectual and spiritual conflict. I trust that the young men of our families-Christian families in every sense—will not flinch from taking their proper share of the solemn duties which such warfare involves. Let them not be alarmed. Religion is not going to disappear. Christianity is not going to be dismissed. History has shown how God refuses to leave Himself without a witness in the hearts of men, and history will show, too, how God in Christ will maintain His Sovereignty and retain the universal inheritance upon which He entered, that day He left this earth to re-assume His own glory. In the conflict of future years new facts will come to light; new aspects of truth will appear; new conceptions will be created; new words will be coined; new phrases invented to suit the larger life and vaster knowledge that are to be true. But firm in our faith in God and in His Christ, we know that the Spirit of grace and truth will overrule all for good. His truth is changeless and eternal as Himself, and while new facts, new ideas, new forms crowd upon men's minds, they will only live and last, as they harmonize with the eternal verities of God-as they lead to the acknowledgment of His perpetual presence and activity in the physical universe, and in the Spiritual Kingdom, which He has called into being.

The CHAIRMAN.-I am sure you will join with me in returning our best thanks to Mr. McDougall for his very interesting paper; it is now open for any one desiring to do so to offer remarks thereon.

Rev. G. CURREY, D.D.I feel scarcely competent to enter upon a subject which involves so many abstract thoughts. At the same time I have great pleasure in expressing my sincere thanks to Mr. McDougall for the able manner in which he has maintained some of those truths which are dear, I trust, to the hearts of all now present. The feature of the paper which struck me most forcibly was this, that while Mr. McDougall

* 1 Corinthians xv. 50, 51.

+ χοϊκός-ἐπουράνιος.

1 Corinthians xv. 49.

pursued the subject with a strictly scientific mode of examination, he did not shrink from entering upon, and from showing the bearings of, the highest and the most abstruse doctrinal truths which form the foundation of our religion. In a meeting of this kind, it is desirable that different views should be put forward, with the object of bringing out any points upon which differences may arise, which may be cleared away by examination. I am afraid that, upor this occasion, I cannot offer any contribution towards that end, for I really do not feel competent to advance any views or hints with regard to the propriety or the logical force of the arguments which have been adduced. These arguments were thoroughly satisfactory to my own mind, and I have nothing to bring forward as a point on which differences might arise. The author's aim seems to be to establish the existence of an independent power, an independent will, and an independent thought, apart from our own selves, and from those beings whom we see around us, and whom we believe, by a natural analogy, to partake of the same kinds of thought and feeling as ourselves. The belief in a power independent of and superior to us is naturally impressed upon us by our finding within us two forces, of which we ourselves, if I may so speak, are composed -a material force, which we exert by means of our body, and a spiritual force, independent of and controlling the material. Hence we arrive at the conclusion of the existence of a Supreme Intellect, an eternal and allpowerful God; because, as we feel within ourselves that we possess some power independent of the matter which composes our frames, and yet that matter does contribute and give to us a force by which we accomplish many ends. I shall, however, not now dwell upon differences, but try to gather up the sum and substance of the paper, as it has presented itself to my mind. To have the general scope of the paper before us may facilitate the comprehension of its abstruser arguments. So we conclude by analogy that there is, superior to the whole material universe and to ourselves, who, in one sense, form part of that universe, some great and supreme Will, Intelligence, and Power, who is using that universe and the beings that are upon it, for His own great, wise, and beneficent ends. If we conclude that there is such a Being, we only conclude that which our own experience tells us exists, in a certain sense, in our own personal beings. This I understand to be the ground upon which the paper of this evening rests, and is the substance of the argument that has been drawn out with regard to the existence of a supreme, intelligent, and beneficent Creator; and I think it is an argument which is perfectly unassailable. It is one which, as has been well pointed out, is entirely independent of the special discoveries of modern science, which, after all, only reveal the different modes in which the material forces act and have their influence, but do not approach, in the least degree, the source of that independent power which controls material things and uses material instruments. Though, with regard to our own being and our own persons, we may discover, with greater particularity, by science, the mode in which our will may move certain members of our body to perform certain acts, and

so we may resolve the actions and motions which we are thus enabled to put into exercise to certain mechanical or any other laws; still, we do not approach any nearer to the solution of the great question-the connection between our spiritual and our material being. Just in the same way the discovery of the laws, or the rules, or the modes of operation, of certain portions of the material universe, or of certain persons residing upon that material universe, if we could resolve those motions or those actions, or even those mental operations, into their laws, and simplify or classify them, and our comprehension of them, by such discoveries, we should not touch the great question of the connection between the universe and the one Supreme mind and intelligence which directs and controls it. We need not, therefore, shrink from any result of science, which is engaged in classifying, simplifying, and explaining, either the operations of matter or the operations of mind. If we can resolve the phenomena of the mind into certain laws, and explain the connections between them, we do not lessen or alter the truth, that all these mental operations are the result of one mind. We may classify and describe mental operations, but that does not affect or alter the question, that those mental operations are the operations of one mind, just in the same way as all the operations and proceedings in the material universe itself, however much we may classify, simplify, or arrange them, are guided and arranged by one Supreme Being to work out His will. I have only said these few words because our Chairman called on me to speak. I heartily thank Mr. McDougall for his paper, for he has addressed himself to his subject in a manner which, to my mind, carries not only reasonable probability, but comfort and assurance. I am glad to find these great truths, which are dear to my mind and heart, stated ably and forcibly by one who does not shrink from placing them upon a scientific basis. (Cheers.)

Mr. M. H. HABERSHON.-I cannot but admire the very close logic which characterizes Mr. McDougall's paper, and the general way in which he has dealt with the subject must have commended itself to every one present. It occurs to me, however, that there was one omission from the paper, inasmuch as Mr. McDougall did not refer to animal life as well as to the spiritual life. I think an objector might possibly say, "What about the intelligence manifested to a certain extent by the lower animals?" The life-characteristic of man, Mr. McDougall has shown, will continue, but what about the intelligence of the lower animals? The paper needs something in anticipation of the objection which an unbeliever might raise in reference to its logic upon that point.

Mr. W. THORP.-Mr. McDougall's able paper will be of great importance not only to the religious, but to the scientific world. But it seems to me that there is a difficulty, meeting us at the very outset, for which we are entitled to demand an explanation, and that is, the connection between the attributes of matter and the particles said to constitute that matter. That map yonder is hung upon a nail which is driven into the wall. If you ask why the nail supports the weight, you will be told that it is in consequence of the cohesion

between the particles. But does that tell us anything? What is cohesion ? Why should the particles keep together? Take another illustration from chemistry-a fertile field. Some of the compounds to be found there form bodies which are known to chemists as isomeric,-that is to say, they are absolutely identical in a material sense, but they have different properties. Take an instance of this: the common form of phosphorus is a yellow, waxlike substance, easily fusible, and taking fire at a very low temperature; but there is also a substance known as amorphous phosphorus, which is well known and seen by us every day on the sides of safety match-boxes as a red powder, and that cannot be fused except at a high temperature, and does not take fire except at a comparatively great heat. Yet those two substances are absolutely identical, so far as their material essence is concerned. What is the difference between them? Some chemists say the particles are differently placed; but why should that different arrangement bring about so great a difference in their properties? The same difficulty arises in the explanation of the force of gravitation. We are told that by it bodies attract each other. But why should they be so attracted? It seems to me that Professor Tyndall's remark, that he sees in matter" the promise and potency of every form and quality of life," may well be challenged. How can particles of matter have any potency in them at all? That was felt by the great Faraday-an authority which we must all receive with respect-who, when writing on the subject, said, "As to the little solid particles which are by some supposed to exist independent of the forces of matter..... they greatly embarrass me; for after taking account of all the properties of matter, and allowing in my consideration for them, then these nuclei remain on the mind, and I cannot tell what to do with them." Professor Tyndall gives us no explanation whatever as to the connection between matter and its properties. There is one term used by Mr. McDougall which is, I think, a little unfortunate. He speaks of "psychic force"; but that phrase has already been used for a totally different force to the one he suggests. Mr. Crookes has used it for quite another purpose; and, however appropriate it may be for Mr. McDougall's meaning, I think it would lead to confusion to employ it in a new sense. The CHAIRMAN.-It seems to me that there are one or two arguments which may be used respecting that potentiality of matter which is asserted by materialists-its potentiality, of its own accord as it were, to enter into the formation of all organized beings. Undoubtedly the particles of matter are capable of entering into those combinations which constitute all organized beings, when that property is called into action, but not otherwise. The meaning I wish to express is this: take for example a field; you have the various elements of matter composing the soil, and the various elements composing the atmosphere- the oxygen, nitrogen, aqueous vapour, and other gaseous matter which composes the atmosphere overlying the field. We know perfectly well that from these same elements ten thousand different vegetable organisms may be produced; but how are they produced?