A Public Lecture under the auspices of this Association was delivered on Thursday evening (29th ult), in the Temperance Hall, by the Rev. W. Muirhead, Rev. W. Bonnell, one of the vice-presidents of the Association, occupied the chair. In li troduoing the subject; " Conscienes nature, authority, and obligation, the losturer referred to the that sciences is knowledy and conscience by vtymology means self knowledge; such bei the idea of it in Latin, French, the ovrraspondiny word in Greek." But the English term implies a moral' staudard of action, 8 well us a conscion of our own actions, and venient to make th regard conscience as constituting at once an internal law, and supreme rule of right, and an accuser, witness, and judge of var moral conduct.
Looking at the subject on speculative grounds Mr, Muirhead observed that the human ain sed of remarkable powers of thought and feeling, capable of ous exercise and development, and 1g on to consequences of the greatest magnitude, all being at the command of a principle of free will enabling theubject of it to use these powers to the utmost possible extent. Is it the case that he is at liberty to act as ho bleares in the matter, without any controlling agency in the whole, to which thesy powers are amenable, and this principle of free will is subordinate?) That were surely tent with the right order of things, and with the euppositi thut while the will is free to act as it pleases, there is nothing to set against it but the varying judyments and opinions that might be formed as to the path of duty. It seems needful that such a standard should be in existence as would exercise a wholesome control over the powers of faculties at large, and of free Will in particular, that the sentence of approval or disapproval should attend their operation, 'Taking note of the work in the human mind of practical reason, and also of the moral aspect of the teaching that man was anode in the image of histuaker, the lecturer in the second place lurked at' the subject on the geonnd of experience and ubservation. Det man investigate the workings of hie mind and heart and he will become alive to the presence and power moral nature, He will be no lasa _conscions of it than he is of any other faculty. The matters of his constant experience in thought and feeling, or of his outward conduct, or of that those around him, or ces of life, ar oral convictions, the and wrong, and determined accordingly. There may be a drawback in the clearness and Force of from the dead power of evil custom religious ing, yet there ious capacity tinclively and instant an ly judging gi all right. tances.
on the verdict of universal pity within us, and operatin all the varied form of culture and tion, the lecturer referred tw the writ Horace, Suveual, Cicero, and Shakespeare, and also mentioned that proofs of the jower and operation of this moral principle were to be found in the classics of China, and the common talk. of the people around us, a8 embodying the sentiments fa great nation, We meet with coninual alla thing as one with ven, asa heavenly forming the heart' of heaven, as attire implanted in us to be a standard of goodness and a monitor in the way of duty. These ideas are every where current and form a splendid grout of appeal the course " ary work, and no do they obtai ourselves, Alter dwelling ut considerable len; the fanetions and ellice of conscience, its charsoter and position in the human tind, and in relation to the other faculties, th lecturer proceeded to m ions opin that have and others ject. different views of Hubber, Hutcheson, Dr, T. Brown, Cumberland, J. Clarke, Darwin, Poley Herbert Spencer, and others, were alluded to; the lecturer, however, coming back with special satisfaction to the ideas of Bishop Butler regarding the supremacy of om-{acience, as represented in his sermons on human' nature at the end of his culbrated faculties to do with the freedom of whose action it does not interfere, while it exercises supre y over them. Ie is our duty to listen to its dictates, to avail of the moaria and opportunities that may preserve ita purity, or that may have been provided for irs'special advantage, and to carefully abstain from everything that would mar tegrity, weaken its power, or injure Jits character. Ae it has suffered from the defection and deterioration of the other parts of our nature, and requires new snd increased olemnts of spiritual life, to fit it for the work given it to do in our present cireun tances and condition, it seeks to be ct with the renew fluences of the spirit of God, the mination of Divine Truth, the conscious experience of peace in belive The lecture closed with the to make conscience of everything, our bu amusements, our religious dut our compan indies, our and private; then conscience will in return reward us in its own rest of mind, presence of our fellow men, and at of God.
The Rev. De. Williamson made several remarks on the satue subject and proposed that the thanks of the meeting be accorded the lecturer. The motion being seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting was closed with the beuedicti
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