Page:Palestine Exploration Fund - Quarterly Statement for 1894.djvu/194

158 interesting paper he has read to us, and to ask you to give your most cordial thanks to His Royal Highness for having taken the Chair. (Applause.)

His Excellency the in seconding the vote of thanks, said: Your Royal Highness, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, it is at all times, as you may suppose, a matter of the greatest satisfaction and pride to me to speak for my countrymen, and to-day, upon this most interesting occasion, I wish you to feel the emphasis of my representative voice for the many millions of Christian people who join with you in their interest in such a subject as that of which we have heard through Major Conder's lecture. (Applause.) I was most glad to join in the thanks to the lecturer for his earnest, his zealous, his valuable, and his most interesting contribution to our knowledge of a subject and of a place, than which nothing can be more interesting and important, and I am very glad to second the motion of thanks to that member of the Royal Family of this realm who has testified for himself the interest which he feels in that which is so interesting to so many—and indeed, to all the inhabitants of the realm. (Hear, hear.) He said in the very pertinent and excellent remarks with which he opened this meeting, that England and America were hand in hand in the objects to which this Fund devotes itself. I am glad of it, and I think you will agree with me that the more they are hand in hand in that and in other things, the better it will be for both countries. (Loud applause.) The subject of this lecture is the Holy Land. No words could better convey the estimation in which that spot of earth is held by all of us who profess the Christian faith. It is the Holy Land, and anything that can disclose to us its true history, anything that can assist us to dwell more humbly and more piously upon the mysteries—the great mysteries—that surround us, must be welcome to us. (Applause.) Therefore, as assisting such a purpose by coming here to preside, it is with sincere satisfaction that I second the motion of thanks to His Royal Highness for having attended upon this occasion, and for having fulfilled his duties with such propriety and dignity. (Applause.)

The resolution having been cordially carried.

replied: Your Excellency, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentleman, I thank both Lord Amherst and the American Ambassador most sincerely for the very kind words they have used in proposing and in seconding this vote of thanks, and I thank you all, ladies and gentlemen, for the very cordial manner in which you have received it. I can assure you it has given me very great pleasure to preside over this meeting to-day, the object of which is one so worthy of everybody's assistance, and it has also given me very great pleasure to listen to the most interesting lecture which has just been delivered by Major Conder. (Applause.)

The proceedings then terminated.

Supporters of the Fund will be glad to learn that excavations have been successfully commenced at Jerusalem by Mr. F. J. Bliss. His first report appears in the present number.

We are happy to state that Herr Baurath von Schick, having recovered from his long illness, has resumed his activity and sent us some interesting Notes and News. An essay by him on the Jerusalem Cross will be found at p. 183.