YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5521, 6 December 1878, Page 6

YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

LECTURE BY PROFESSOR KIRK. On November 18, a lecture was delivered by Professor Kirk, F.L.S., &c., under the auspices of the Young Men’s Christian Association, the subject being “ Minute Life.” Mr. G. Hunter, M.H.R., occupied the chair. The Rev. Mr. Williams opened the proceedings with prayer. Tho Chairman, in introducing the lecturer of the evening, said his great ability to deal with such a subject as that which he had chosen need not be referred to, nor was it necessary to remark that in whatever he had to say he would not indulge In the custom nowadays too prevalent of making use of science for the purpose of attempting to undermine those great truths of rsvea'ed religion which men and women had been brought up to believe in and still held fast to.

Professor ICirk, ou coming forward, was heartily applauded. He commenced by al-. lading to the great engineering skill and the: immense dynamic power employed some forty years ago in the removal of a rock of chalk off the coast of Dover, estimated to weigh a million tons,, and covering a space of twenty acres, to the depth of as many feet, to show the vast nature of the accumulations of the skeletons of once living beings so inconceivably minute that a thousand of them might bo taken up on the point of a pin, a million rubbed out of existence by a single stroke of the finger ; and he then went on to state the chief characteristics of a few of the minute organisms which thus entered largely into the composition of considerable portion of the earth’s crust, and the way in which they had become aggregated into vast masses extending over hundreds of miles, and often hundreds of feet in height. First he drew illustrations from the vegetable kingdom, notably the diatans , whose minute but exceediugly complicated and beautiful structure, common occurrence, uses, and various habits, according to tbo locality in which found, were all graphically described. The desnuds, edgae, and other minute vegetable organisms were passed in review. He next came to oceanic organisms, referring to foraminifera, challenge* ridft; and Tculiolaricc ; and then gave an Interesting account of the formation of coral reefs, noting the Great Barrier and other reefs, remarkable for their immense size and curiosity of structure, and the action of # sea anemone and coral polypes in connection therewith. A vivid description of tho attractive appearance presented by living corals was given, and then followed references to the formation of coral islands, fringing and barren reefs, atoles, reef formation, subsidence and destruction of reefs, &c. In concluding his address the lecturer said he had chosen bis subject because there was a great deal of distrust excited in the minds of many with regard to tho study of science as tending to produce a feeling of antagonism to tho teachings of the Bible, and because he wished to do what he could to remove that feeling. Ho believed there was no difference between God’s words in His revelations and His works in nature, and that if science were only studied in a humble and truthful spirit, and not with a feeling of doubt and distrust, the student would only confirm his faith in revealed religion. The lecturer then resumed hia seat amid applause. The usual votes of thanks to the lecturer and to the chairman, followed by the benediction pronounced by tho Rev, Sir. Williams, brought the proceedings to a close.