Jan.14] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY. [1890.
forthcoming. TheSocietyhas done much,butthereis much moreto be
done,andI cannot helpfeelingthatit is our duty to do it
TheTwentiethSessionhas now commenced,withthetwelfthvolume
of the Proceedings. In almost everyinstanceit has been possibleto print
in extenso in each currentnumberthe paper or papers readat each
meeting. ThusthoseMemberswho,fromdistanceof residence,or other
causes,havebeenprevented fromattending theMeetings,have been
placedin possession of the subject-matter discussedwithinbut a short
time,and the writersare no longer subjectedto the irritatingdelay
in the appearanceof their communicationswhich existedin former
years. Although theold formof publication, the Transactions,may
reallybe said to have ceased,withthe exception of the completion of
Vol.IX, and a probable IndexVolumeto the Series, it must be distinctly
understoodthatnothingis really doneawaywith. Thepapersreadare
printedexactlyas formerly, the only differencebeingthatthe materialis
transferredto another formof publication, the Proceedings; at the same
timebeingnot only increasedin bulk butin variety of subjects. Thus,
the old irregularly issuedTransactionshavebeenmergedintowhatmay
be called a regular monthlyJournalof Biblical Archaeology,a change
certainlymoreconvenient,andonewhichI think nonecanlookuponas
otherthana decided advantage.
In former years I have detailedthe various paperslaidbeforethe
Society,classed underdifferent sections. It will be well to continue
thisarrangement,as best suitedto the objects of my Report,andof
greaterconveniencethananyotherfor general reference.
I am happyto be able to state that about fiftycommunications
on many differentsubjectshavebeenprintedin our Proceedings. Some
of them are of very considerablelength,someare illustrated by plates
andothersincludenewtexts,eitherneverbeforepublished,or now issued
in a more correct andcompleteform. I need hardly pointout the
advantageto Members of thus havingvaluable texts,translations,and
notes placedin their possession, in clear type,without thenecessity
of poring over thecrabbedand difficultwritingof the originals. It
hasalwaysbeenthe endeavour of the Councilto furnish studentswith
suchoriginalmaterialfor study andextension,andthe best thanksof
the Society are due to those whoare able, andat the same time
willing, to go through the necessarydrudgeryin order to place us
in possession of the results of theirlabour.
To the President,the Societyis indebted for a variety of Papers
andshortcommunications,whichI have everyreasonto believe would
havebeen much more numerous during thepastyear, had nothis
officialdutiesusurpeda more thanordinaryportionof his time.
To commence withthe first numberissuedduringthepast session
(November,1888),the President re-openeda veryinterestingdiscussionin
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