JOURNAL OF THE TllANSACTIONS OF THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE VOL. LXIV. JOURNAL OF THE TRANSACTIONS OF OR, VOL. LXIV. LONDON: lBublii!)ctr b!! tf)c institute, 1, <!i:cntrar JS11iitring-s;mcstmin1>trr, j,.00.1. A L L R I G H T S R E S E R V E D. 1932 LONDON: HAhfllSON AND SONS, LTD., PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY, ST. MARTIN'S LANE. PREFACE. -- THE present volume of Transactions-the sixty-fourth in series -makes its appearance at a time when the publications of Learned Societies are struggling with peculiar difficulties. The financial stringency dominating the commercial world has been reacting with serious consequences, also throughout the whole region of education and culture, religion and philanthropy; and to the sincere concern of its friends the Victoria Institute has not escaped the pressure of the times. The contents of the present volume will, we are sure, be held to reach the high standard maintained during many years past. Particular mention may be made of the Annual Address, delivered at the close of the session by Sir Ambrose Fleming, F.R.S., entitled "Some Recent Scientific Discoveries and Theories." The general body of papers, moreover, covers a wide range of subjects, Biblical and Theological, Scientific and Historical ; with Evolution theories treated under two aspects, and Assyriological research represented by studies that cannot but command the attention of Oriental scholars. With the list of Contents before him, the reader will not require a recital of the titles of the several essays now presented to the world. Suffice it to remark that, from first to last, when read at meetings of the Institute, the papers were accorded a hearty recep­ tion by Members and Associates, and the public generally. Evidence of warm appreciation appeared in the discussions that followed upon the papers, and of these discussions careful summaries are supplied throughout the volume. The peculiar difficulties of the time, already referred to, caused special responsibilities to devolve upon the Council. Among other VI PRJcFACE. things, it was found necessary to reorganize the printing arrange­ ments, in order to a due balancing of income and expenditure. The needful rearrangements were carried through with success ; and while the Membership roll had lost some well-known names, through death and otherwise, there was realized an accession of encouragement by the increase of support from new quarters. For this the Council are profoundly thankful ; and as a result, we are able to inform friends of the. Institute that the time of greatest difficulty seems now to have passed. Nevertheless, as in the past, friends are once more asked to introduce new supporters, to the end that the Institute may look forward to a steady continuance of service, with the hope of still further expansion. Certain it is that the special witness of the Institute continues to be in urgent demand, in order to a stabilising of thought, philosophical and spiritual, for the promotion in our day of "THE GREATER GLORY OF GoD." JAMES W. THIRTLE, Chairman of Council. CONTENTS. PAGE PREFACE V REPORT OF COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR, 1931 1 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY, MAY 23RD, 1932 . 9 THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH. By LIEUT.- COL. A. G. SHORTT . 11 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Lieut.-Col. Arthur Kenney-Herbert, Mr. Cyril van Lennep, Dr. Norman S. Denham, Mr. G. B. Michell, O.B.E., and Mr. Leonard W. Kern 20 GEOGRAPHICAL ENVIRONMENT AND RACE MOVEMENTS. BY G. R. GAIR, EsQ., F.S.A.Scot., F.R.A.I., F.G.S.E. 29 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Capt. T. W. E. Higgens, the Rev. Dr. H. C. Morton, Lieut.-Col. A. G. Shortt, and Lieut.-Col. L. M. Davies, R.A. 43 THE NESTORIAN MISSION TO CHINA. BY BRIG.-GENERAL H. BIDDULPH, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. .. 52 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S., Major Withers, D.S.O., R.A., Mr. George Brewer, and Lieut.-Col. L. M. Davies, R.A. .. 63 KARL EARTH'S THEOLOGY AND THE NEW THEOLOGICAL OUTLOOK IN GERMANY. BY THE REV. CHARLES GARDNER, M.A.... 67 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S., the Rev. Dr. H. C. Morton, Mr. Percy 0. Ruoff, the Rev. Dr. Hart-Davies, and Mr. George Brewer 74 THE SHADOW RETURNING ON THE DIAL OF AHAZ. BY ANNIE S. D. MAUNDER, F.R.A.S. 83 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Lieut.-Col. Hope Biddulph, D.S.O., Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S., Lieut-Col. T. C. Skinner, the Rev. J. J. B. Coles, M.A., Lieut.-Col. A. G. Shortt, Miss E. D. James, B.A., Dr. James Knight, and Mr. G. B. Michell, O.B.E. 92 THE SO-CALLED BABYLONIAN EPIC OF CREATION. BY G. B. MICHELL, EsQ., O.B.E. 102 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Mr. W. Hoste, B.A., Mrs. A. S. D. Maunder, Lieut.-Col. A. G. Shortt, and Mr. G. Wilson Heath... 112 viii CONTENTS OF VOL. LXIV. PAGE THE LIMITATIONS OF ORGANIC EVOLUTION. BY DOUGLAS DEWAR, EsQ., F.Z.S., BARR.-AT-LAw. (Being the DR. ALFRED T. SCHOFIELD MEMORIAL p APER) 122 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Mr. G. A. Levett Yeats, C.I.E., I.S.O., Rev. C. Leopold Clarke, Rev. H. Temple Wills, M.A., B.Sc., Mr. G. F. Claringbull, Mr. George Brewer, the Rev. Dr. H. C. Morton and Lieut.-Col. L. l\'L Davies, R.A. 132 THE CHANGING ATTITUDE OF THE MODERN JEW TO JESUS CHRIST. BY THE REV. PAUL P. LEVERTOFF, D.D. 147 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S., Mr. Percy 0. Ruoff, the Rev. F. W. Pitt ... 154 THE TABLET OF THE EPIC OF THE GOLDEN AGE. BY PROFESSOR THEOPHILUS G. PINCHES, LL.D., M.R.A.S. 159 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S, Mr. William C. Edwards, and Lieut.-Col. T. C. Skinner 173 THE MAGI: THEIR NATIONALITY AND OBJECT. BY LIEuT.-CoL. F. A. MOLONY, O.B.E. 178 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Mr. William C. Edwards, Mr. G. Wilson Heath, Lieut.-Col. T. C. Skinner, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Molony, Mr. Avary H. Forbes, M.A., Lieut.-Col. A. G. Shortt, and the Rev. J. J. B. Coles, M.A.... 185 THE BIBLE AND EVOLUTION : THE EVIDENCE OF HISTORY AND ScIENCE. BY HENRY R. KINDERSLEY EsQ., BARR.-AT-LAw ... 191 Discussion.-Remarks by the Chairman, Sir Ambrose Fleming, D.Sc., F.R.S., the Rev. Dr. H. C. Morton, Mr. George Brewer, Mrs. Boyd, the Rev. C. Leopold Clarke, and Lieut.-Col. A. G. Shortt ... 202 SOME RECENT SciENTIFIC DISCOVERIES AND THEORIES. BY Sm AMBROSE FLEMING, D.Sc., F.R.S. (President). BEING THE ANNUAL ADDRESS 209 LIST OF MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES, ETC. 223 OBJECTS, CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS ... 253 VICrroRIA INS1'1TUTE. REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR 1931. TO BE READ AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, MAY 23RD, 1932. 1. Progress of the Institute. The Council beg to present herewith to Members and Associates the 64th Annual Report of the Society. Though the smaller number of papers read-10 in place of the more usual 12-may in some se,nse reflect the straitened circumstances of the Institute, a glance at the names of the authors and the titles of their papers will suffice to show that there has been no lowering of standard, of which full appreciation has been evinced in the sustained numbers and interest of the audiences from time to time. 2. Meetings. Ten ordinary meetings were held during the Session 1930-31. The papers published were :- " Adaptation in Nature as Evidence of Purposive Thought," by Sir AMBROSE FLEMING, D.Sc., F.R.S. (President). Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S., in the Chair. "The Fifteenth Year of Tiberius," by Lieut.-Col. A. G. SHORTT, B.A., late R.A. Sir Ambrose Fleming, D.Sc., F.R.S., in the Chair. "The Renaissance of Hebrew," by the Rev. W. M. CHRISTIE D.D. Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S., in the Chair. 2 ANNUAL REPORT, " The Influence of Christianity on Indian Politics," by W. N. DELEV1NGNE, Esq. E. A. Molony, Esq., C.B.E., in the Chair. "Demon Possession: Scriptural and Modern," by JAMES KNIGHT, Esq., M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S.E., F.R.A.S., being the Dr. A. T. Schofield "Memorial" paper. Dr. James W. Thirtle, 1~LR.A.S., in the Chair. "History of Practical Astronomy," by Colonel F. C. MOLES­ WORTH, late R.E. Lieut.-Col. T. C. Skinner, F.R.Met. Soc., in the Chair. " The Jewish Apocalyptic and its bearing on the New Testa­ ment," by the Rev. DAVID M. M'INTYRE, D.D. Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S., in the Chair. "Types in Scripture," by the Rev. A. H. FINK. Alfred W. Oke, Esq., LL.M., F.G.S., in the Chair. " Climatic Changes since the Ice Age," by C. E. P. BROOKS, Esq., D.Sc., Hon. Sec., R. Met. Soc. K. G. K. Lampfert, Esq., C.B.E., M.A., in the Chair. Annual Address, "Light," by Sir AMBROSE FLEMING, D.Sc., F.R.S. (President). Dr. James W. Thirtle, M.R.A.S., in the Chair. 3. Counail and Officers. The following 1s a list of the Council and Officers for the year 1931 :- '.!)rtsibmL Sir Ambrose Fleming, ~LA., D.Sc., .F.R.S.