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THE FIRST COURSE OF LECTURES:

THE AFFIRMATIVE.

1889.

REFSE LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY
CALICORIN

PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY.

GIFFORD LECTURE THE FIRST.

Intolerance

Introductory-Lord Gifford-The bequest-The lectureships-God really all in all to Lord Gifford-The lecturers-Natural theology the only science-The immediate lecturer-The three Churches - Feeling - Understanding - Both Reason as reason --The positive-Rationalism-Aufklärung"Advanced" views-The temper of the time-Tom Paines of the tap-No-God men-What is really the new-The prejudice against belief-Duty of philosophy now-Sacred books-Those of the Hebrews-Discrepancies-Buckle, Hume, Voltaire-Historical anachronism.

MR. PRINCIPAL AND FELLOW-STUDENTS, - The first word that is due from a man in my position is necessarily one of thanks. I owe it to the Senatus of this University respectfully to tender it my best thanks for the high honour it has done me in electing me to the distinguished office of its first Gifford Lecturer.

Again, a word is no less due from me in respectful acknowledgment of the rare liberality and signal generosity of him who disinterestedly sought to bestow what best boon he could think of for the public, in the founding of this and the other University lectureships which bear his name.

I have had but few opportunities of acquaintanceship with the late Lord Gifford. I have, however, met him over the dinner-table and elsewhere; and I could not but like what I saw in him. He had eminently the bearing of an honourable gentleman who held his own ground. With a smile, there was humour on the mouth; but there was at the same time a look of shrewdness in the eyes, with a certain firm stability of the chin and the whole countenance, that intimated as plainly as any words could: I am accessible, open, willing; but, have a care that you neither trespass nor exceed. He was frank, loyal, warm, generous in his affirmation of merit; but neither bitter nor unjust in his negation of demerit and insufficiency. He was good-natured: he could listen to what was out of place, or doubtfully offensive even, in a personal regard, and keep silence with a smile on his lips. That he was skilful and successful as a lawyer; esteemed, respected, honoured as a judge, - that is a matter of public recognition. To me it belongs rather to note that he was a lover of books. The hours he loved best were those he spent with the writings of his favourite authors; foremost among whom were the heroes of his own day and generation: and, of them all, that it was Emerson for whom, perhaps, he entertained specially a predilection, vouches for his love of philosophy. Further, now, indeed, we know that not philosophy only, but religion also, lay at his heart, and must have constituted there a very familiar theme of reverent and persistent meditation. I did not think of that then as I met him often in my walks about Granton. I did not think of that then as I saw him trailing his poor semi-paralytic limbs along, but holding his head bravely aloft and looking imperturbably before him, as, within his open coat, he still placed a broad chest, as it were, in front of all the accidents of time. That, in these circumstances, was always the impression he exactly and vividly made upon me. He was for months confined to the house before his death; but, doubtless, even in these walks at that time he was meditating this bequest that is the occasion of our being at present together.

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