THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURY, K. G., ON SCIENCE AND RELIGION.
By Editor
WE have received the following from the “Victoria Institute, or Philosophical Society of Great Britain,” with a request to publish it in the SIGNS. We cheerfully do so, as we think it will be of interest to all our readers. “A few years ago the attacks made upon religion by some men of science, led to the foundation of a Society to investigate all philosophical or scientific questions, more especially those said to militate against the truths of revelation, and to publish the results to its members in a quarterly journal; this Society, which was called the Victoria Institute, or Philosophical Society of Great Britain, has now a house at 7, Adelphi Terrace, London, and boasts of 900 members, each paying a small annual subscription, amongst whom are many leading men of science. The Archbishop of Canterbury, and several English, Colonial, and American prelates have also joined it. Having been founded under Lord Shaftesbury's auspices, his lordship takes much interest in its progress, which he recently described as follows:— “I was present at the very birth of this Society, when an address was delivered in a small, dark room. I had no conception at that time of the work which the Society would do, and of the position which it would hold, not only at home, but also, as it is now beginning to do, in America, and our Colonies. I had no expectation whatever, of seeing the Society assume such magnificent proportions, and from the bottom of my heart I thank Almighty God that he has so prospered our efforts (cheers). The object with which this Society was formed, was not merely to beat down the views223of others, not to be antagonistic to the progress of science, but to do all that we could for the development of truth, and, if I may use the phrase, to give religion “fair play.” This Society was not founded to establish either one opinion or another. It was not started for the purpose of setting up the Bible against science. The object of the Society was, that science should have fair play, that the truth should be told on all sides, and that we might get rid of the despotism of certain scientific men (hear, hear). Because it is perfectly well-known that men of science, with all their sublime and mighty notions, are as despotic as the weakest of the human race, and they are exercising their despotic sway to a remarkable extent over a very large number of rising young men, who are either fascinated by what they have read and discovered or are crushed by the authority of a few great names. It was in order, as I have said, that science should have fair play that this Institute was established, and the blessing of God has so rested upon it that it has at last taken a hold in public estimation.”