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Journal of

THE TRANSACTIONS

OF

OR

Selections from: "The Journal of the Transactions of the Victoria Institute" 
from the 1860's to the 1880's are proudly presented by:  www.creationism.org
Journal of the Transactions of the Victoria Institute or Philosophical Society of Great Britain  ·  London, England  -  (JTVI)

The Victoria Institute was formed in Great Britain in 1865.  Its formation and purpose are stated within its "Objects" which begins:  "First.-To investigate fully and impartially the most important questions of Philosophy and Science, but more especially those that bear upon the great truths revealed in Holy Scripture, with the view of defending these truths against the oppositions of Science, falsely so called."

Evolution is a modern: ... Science, falsely so called .... In other words, while its adherents claim it to be unassailable science, watch their anger grow when their faith in evolution is challenged by the true scientific evidence.

I Timothy 6:20  "O Timothy, keep that which is committed
to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings,
and oppositions of science, falsely so called.
"

Many excellent papers were presented in their formal meetings each year.  A few of them are presented again for your edification ... and there are a lot more where these came from:
 

  [Excerpt] - Vol I (1867-68), pg. 18  "You say that there are geological facts which prove the long existence of the world through many ages. I say there are no such facts. Here we are completely and plainly at issue. Produce, then, some one or more of these facts; and if I cannot fairly account for them without supposing the very long duration of the earth, I am beaten! I am silenced! But if you do not produce such facts, and retreat, like Professor Sedgwick, from the challenge, confess, or let your silence confess, that the whole doctrine of a pre-Adamite world has been a mistake..."

[Excerpt] - Vol VI (1870-71), pg. 36  "Why is it that all the great nations of antiquity have passed away ? Why is it that Babylon has gone? Why is it that the Medo-Persian empire, the Grecian empire, and the Roman empire have gone ? Why is it that the glory of Egypt has passed away? All the ancient nationalities have perished-even the Jews themselves, with their high civilization, both moral and material, are all scattered over the face of the earth. Why is this? Because of the fact of the universal degeneracy and the tendency of man to degenerate. The whole history of the nationalities of the world establishes the great principle that the tendency of man is to degenerate.  It appears to me that the whole matter rests on the surest foundations, and the theory (of evolution) which we have to meet is very futile, and has not a single sound pillar to rest upon."

[Excerpt] - Vol VI (1872-73), pg. 164  "But I should like to explain why it was that I did not go upon the platform of Scripture. Supposing a Roman Catholic wanted to confirm the truth of the tradition that St. Peter lived as Bishop of Rome for five-and-twenty years, would it be of any use to quote that tradition as a proof ? It is obviously absurd, and therefore a sort of thing to be avoided. If anything is urged against the Bible, it is of no use to appeal to the Bible to prove the contrary. The only thing for the clergy to do is to meet these people on their own ground."


Several complete selections from "The Journal of the Transactions of the Victoria Institute" - (JTVI)  are below. They clearly show that Darwinism has never had a leg to stand on (even in the years immediately following the publication of Charles Darwin's "The Origin of Species" in 1859) and that creationists, who firstly recognize the order in our universe, make great scientists and researchers.

People have believed evolution because the alternative (repentance before God) is completely unacceptable to them and not because of any scientific evidence. Creationists contend that science and logic show that we are created beings on a temporary planet; one that is less than 10,000 years old. In the 1860's, just as today, it was clear that Darwinism was standing against the known science of the day.


Introduction to the Journal - From 1866
Objects of the Victoria Institute

Scientia Scientiarum
Analysis of the supposed contradictions between science and the Scriptures. That existing societies do not trouble themselves to compare and contrast, and so to reject as unscientific such contradictory hypotheses, or one or other of them, is simply true. The transactions of the Royal Society--and no other need be named--bear witness to the truth of this averment. And that to do so--as proposed in the Third Object of the Victoria Institute--would tend to the advantage and real advancement of true science, I think will scarcely be disputed. The Science of Sciences, in fact, is the proper co-relation of all the various sciences into one grand and consistent Philosophy, which will be the interpretation of the nature of things as ordained by the one true God.
(22 pages; Vol. 1; 1867-68)

On Falling Stars and Meteorites
Discussion of meteors, asteroids, comets & severe weather conditions. "...I remember in 1829 being at Malta, when a meteorite came through the roof of the house in which I was. It was associated at the time with thunder and lightning; and a spire of one of the churches was struck."
(31 pages; Vol. 2; 1868-69)

On the Credibility of Darwinism
Are the elements involved in Mr. Darwin's hypothesis real elements, and are they capable of producing the kind of effects he ascribes to them? The elements involved are four:
(1) Growth with reproduction;  (2) Inheritance which is almost implied by reproduction;   (3) Variability from the indirect and direct action of the external conditions of life, and from use and disuse;  (4) A ratio of increase so high as to lead to a struggle for life.

(22 pages; Vol. 3; 1869-70)

On the Antiquity of Civilization
Let us look around upon the earth, therefore, apart from any records of divine revelation, and examine the conditions of mankind, in regard to moral and intellectual culture. On the one side we behold races both ancient and modern, possessed of refinement and civilization; on the other side, races, both ancient and modern, marked by manifest barbarism.
(23 pages; Vol. 4; 1870-71)

A Demonstration of the Existence of God
We believe that other men are also rational beings endued with intelligence; not because we can see or handle their invisible minds and spirits, but merely because we see the effects of their intelligence, and judge therefore of them, as they of us. Well, and why not so of GOD?
(43 pages; Vol. 5; 1871-72)

On Civilization, Moral and Material
Nature does not even clothe him, as it does the birds and beasts. His birth brings with it pain and sorrow and sickness unknown to the lower creation. His period of utter helplessness as an infant and child is long and protracted. If not carefully trained and taught and elevated, he degenerates. By his wilful acts he may demoralize himself, and often does, even after he has been taught and practised better things. By his knowledge and reason and manifest superiority, he can subdue the earth, make the very elements subserve him, and has dominion over all other creatures.
(40 pages; Vol. 6; 1872-73)

Prehistoric Monotheism
Why is it that in historical times religious beliefs have retrograded? for it is a fact that they have done so. We can appeal to the universal voice of history and show that a great number of beliefs, which we can prove to have existed in the earlier periods, have, instead of developing themselves from low to high, taken the opposite direction, and descended from high to low. ... The Aztecs recognized the existence of one Supreme Creator, and Lord of the universe ; addressing him as "the Omnipresent," that knoweth all thoughts, and giveth all gifts, invisible, incorporeal, under whose wings we find sure repose and defence. ... The monotheism of the Bible, rightly understood according to the general sense of the Bible itself, will, I believe, be found in perfect harmony with the needs of human reason in the highest state of culture.
(21 pages; Vol. 6; 1872-73)

Ethnic Testimonies to the Pentateuch
When the Spaniards discovered Mexico, they found in the midst of the Mexican Pantheon, a goddess whom the Aztecs venerated with the greatest devotion, and whose personal identity with the Mosaic Eve seems beyond dispute. This goddess was described as " the first brought forth," who "bequeathed the sufferings of childbirth to women,'' and " by whom sin came into the world." Moreover, she was usually represented with a serpent near her; and her very name (Cioactl) signified "serpent woman." Humboldt, too, in his Researches, describes an Aztec hieroglyphic painting of this goddess still preserved in the Vatican, which represents her in actual conversation with a serpent; that serpent, moreover, being drawn erect, as if in its state before the curse.
(36 pages; Vol. 6; 1872-73)

Life and its Physical Basis
We must notice the remarkable fact that the assimilative powers of vegetable and animal protoplasm differ in a very remarkable manner. Thus the protoplasm of plants, when associated with the green colouring-matter known as "chlorophyll," has the power of decomposing carbon dioxide in the presence of sunlight; and all plants possess the power of building up new protoplasm out of the inorganic substances, ammonia, carbon dioxide, and water. On the other hand, no known animal can thus synthetically construct protoplasm out of merely inorganic materials, but all require to be supplied with ready-made protoplasm as food. ... All masses of living protoplasm, whether these are independent organisms, or form parts of an organic whole, have certain active relations with their surroundings.
(34 pages; Vol. 14; 1879-80)

On the Relation Between Science and Religion
The present outbreak of Atheism assumes a flimsy disguise of Science; but, in reality, it has no scientific basis. It assumes that scientific conclusions can be proved, and are therefore to be believed; that the existence of God cannot be proved, and therefore is not to be believed. ... We find, however, that in addressing the heathens, the Apostle Paul argues from the existence of God, and he asserts confidently that men know not only that there is a God, but also sufficient of God to recognise that idolatry is a contradiction of His being.
(18 pages; Vol. 15; 1880-81)

The Early Destinies of Mankind
"I see no difficulty in believing" has become the creed chanted in full chorus by Darwin and his disciples. ... When man, not content with a position of dependence, aspired to be as Elohim, he manifested that species of thirst after knowledge which distinguishes philosophy, and soon sought after this in forbidden ways. ... Pride seems to be the ruin of the human race.
(31 pages; Vol. 15; 1880-81)

Pliocene Man in America
We are informed that in 1858 a stone mortar holding two quarts was taken, at the depth of 300 ft. from the surface, from a mining tunnel in Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California, lying in auriferous gravel under a thick stratum of lava. In 1862 another mortar was found at the depth of 340 ft., and 1,800ft. from the mouth of the tunnel. At the same depth in Table Mountain, spear-heads, 6 or 8 in. long, a ladle of steatite, and a pendant or shuttle of siliceous slate, were found along with bones of the mastodon and other animals. ... "An ancient skillet," as we are told, "made of lava, hard as iron, with a spout and three legs, was washed out of a claim at Forest Hill." ... At Placerville; numerous stone relics, mortars, grooved disks, &c., at various depths. We may add that bones of the camel, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, and extinct horse, or of allied forms, occur in these gravels. ... I quote from Schoolcraft's Archaeology, vol. i. p. 105 :-- "It was late in the month of August, in 1849, that the gold-diggers at one of the mountain diggings called Murphy's were surprised, in examining a high barren district of mountain, to find the abandoned site of an old mine.  " 'It is evidently,' says a writer, 'the work of ancient times.' The shaft discovered is 210 ft. deep. Its mouth is situated on a high mountain. It was several days before preparations could be completed to descend and explore it...."
(28 pages; Vol. 15; 1880-81)

On the Credibility Of the Supernatural
The question, then, lies between a self-existent Creator, and a self-existent phenomenal universe. Those who believe in the latter have to encounter a similar difficulty to that of those who believe in an intelligent Creator. If they ask us, How came God to exist? we ask them in turn, How, without God, came matter and force to exist?
(21 pages; Vol. 16; 1881-82)

Biblical Proper Names
In treating of Biblical names, it is only fair to allow that the Hittite names recovered from Egypt and Assyria differ in character from the few that appear in the books of Scripture. But the whole question is in a very nebulous state at present. The lists of names which appear to include those of Hittite places and persons present a curious mixture of Semitic language with some other element. The names in Scripture may be Hebraized. Some Hittites (Uriah for instance) may have received new names. And we must wait with patience for a solution which will most likely come in due season.
(19 pages; Vol. 16; 1881-82)

Discussion on Biblical Proper Names
With reference to the question of Biblical names, we ought to remember that, with very few exceptions, all the Semitic languages, such as the Hebrew, the Chaldean, and the Arabic, contain words which have a meaning; and it is very remarkable that, if you begin with Genesis and end at the old dispensation, we shall find that every name has a connexion with an attribute of a God, whether it is connected with idolatry or the worship of Jehovah. It is the same way in the present day amongst the different nationalities referred to. We must take into account the three distinct sects which exist in the East, and which have occupied a conspicuous position in regard to the inspired Book. I allude to the Jews, the Christians, and the Mohammedans.
(16 pages; Vol. 16; 1881-82)
 



Also see the web site: 
Victoria Institute (Faith and Thought)
www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/articles_jtvi-01.php



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