Page:Palestine Exploration Fund - Quarterly Statement for 1894.djvu/193

Rh shall disabuse these semi-barbarous persons of these superstitions, and that we shall have the power of investigating and bringing together the principal objects and inscriptions which still remain, and which will bring us into the possession cf a greater knowledge of these countries and their people, and their ancient history. Linguists have also gained enormously by the researches which have been made, and I have no doubt that they will gain a great deal more by those which have still to be made. It is with great happiness that we see amongst us men like Major Conder and Sir Charles Wilson, and several others whose names are illustrious. Not only Englishmen, but Germans and French are interesting themselves in this study, and it is a source of happiness that we have these men to pursue this work. I think that a meeting like this to-day ought to awaken great interest in the Palestine Exploration Society, which, in a country like this, ought to be the best supported amongst all similar societies. (Applause.) It is with great pleasure that we see His Excellency, Mr. Bayard, here to-day, representing the United States. I think that although we are two Governments we are one nation, and I hope that in all these great works we may be supported by American sympathy and American capital, and I am quite certain that if we can only create an interest as great as the subject deserves we shall be rewarded by vast discoveries within the next fifty years. I have great pleasure in seconding the motion. (Applause.)

The resolution was heartily carried.

The resolution I have the honour to propose to you is one which will be received at once with acclamation, and it does not require many words of mine to preface it. It is that of our appreciation of His Royal Highness having come amongst us (applause) to take the Chair this afternoon. I am asked to do that, not because I am better acquainted, or even so well acquainted as a great many others who are here to hear this interesting lecture, but because I have been connected with the Palestine Exploration Fund ever since its commencement. It is now some years ago—I had then come back from my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and when we look at the Committee list of 1865 and the list to-day, we see how many good friends have passed away during that period. But still, the roll of the Committee, and the roll of those who support the Association is larger, I believe, to-day than it ever was before, and we all know and appreciate what a stimulus will be given to our efforts to carry on the work that we are now about to commence under the new firman that has been given, by the presence of His Royal Highness this afternoon, and by the remarks with which lie kindly opened the meeting. We have a great work before us, for who can tell what is yet hidden under the mounds of that Holy Land? We have fresh discoveries made every day, and all that we want to bring still more to light is the funds to do it with, and I am sure that this large gathering assembled here to-day is a good augury that these funds will be forthcoming, because the work in which we are engaged is not only interesting to those who have had the time to spare, and have been able to incur the expense of a visit to the country itself, but by the publications of the Society we are also enabled to bring these interesting discoveries home to those who can only read of them. (Hear, hear.) I will not trouble you with any further remarks upon this occasion, except to say that I should like to add my testimony and thanks to Major Conder for the