The Henson Journals

[44]

Tuesday, June 4th, 1901.

I attended the Celebration in Henry VIIth's Chapel, when the Bishop of London was the Celebrant, and a number of members of the London Diocesan Conference communicated.

Afterwards I attended the meeting of the Conf: in the Church House. The Bishop presided, and did very well. There were animated debates both in the morning & in the afternoon.

Armitage Robinson moved the amendment on the proposal to re-translate the Athanasian Creed in a remarkable speech, which made a deep impression on the Conference. [45] [symbol] I seconded the amendment. Then the previous question was moved by Wace & seconded by Riley, & carried by a great majority. On the whole we succeeded in effecting our purpose viz: discrediting this now fashionable notion of re-translating the Creed.

^Armitage Robinson and I were temperamentally opposed but we were often in agreement on ecclesiastical matters: while Charles Gore and I were almost always opposed on questions of ecclesl policy but attached to one another by genuine affection.^

[46]

June 10th 1901.

My dear Lemare,

I have been thinking over the practical applications of the principles enunciated in my sermon of yesterday morning. It is of evident importance that we should follow up our announcement of purpose by suitable action. Otherwise we shall lie open to the charge of urging people to duties which we obstruct them from performing. I think it convenient to set down in a written statement the course I wish you to pursue in order to secure that congregational worship which I have advocated. The key of our position is the distinction between the common worship, & such musical performances as we may think desirable. These, then, are to be the directions, which I desire you to follow for the future. I set them out quite shortly for the sake of lucidity:-

1. There shall be Anthems both at Mattins & at Evensong, but in no case are they to exceed 5 minutes & 10 minutes in length respectively.

2. The Canticles viz: Te Deum, Benedictus, Magnificat, & Nunc Dimittis are to be sung to chants such as the congregation [47] can easily sing. Only on Festivals are ‘services' to be used.

3. The Responses are to be sung with greater vigour & more body of sound: especially those after the Creed. It is most important that these should be sung by everybody.

4. The whole Choir is to sing throughout the Hymns.

5.On certain special occasions viz: in Advent, in Lent, & at the Festival in July, there shall be special performance of suitable music e.g. Spohr's Last Judgment, Passion Music, Mendelsohn's Hymn of Praise, rendered on convenient evenings apart from the Church Service

I wish you to consider whether the responses could not wisely be taken on a lower note. It is complained that at present the note is impossibly high for the mass of people.

Believe me,

ever sincerely yrs.

H. HENSLEY HENSON

[48]

[symbol]

On Sunday, 20th October 1901, I preached before the University of Cambridge in Great S. Mary's. The sermon had been prepared in fear & trembling; I never worked with a stronger sense of responsibility. In that sermon I crossed the Rubicon which divides "Catholicism" from "Protestantism": I went back on published declarations of my own – I parted company with probably all my oldest clerical friends: I 'burnt my ships' on a burning practical issue. The members of the University gathered in force to hear me: & my decision was sufficiently public.

[49]

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The Dean of Ripon, that fluid Latitudinarian Fremantle, wrote to ask me to join some scratch crew of religious cranks calling themselves the 'Christian Conference'. I replied in these words.

Dear Mr Dean,

Thank you for your kind suggestion, but I won't join any societies – I am sick to death of talk, & reunion talk most of all. Nine-tenths of it is the merest cant, which never will lead, & is never meant to lead to any action. After years of thought and self-violence, I have come to think that we ought frankly to recognize the non-Episcopal Ministries, & negociate [sic] a fraternal federation of Churches variously organized but built on the Faith of the Incarnation and linked by Intercommunion in the Eucharist. This is the thesis I am now defending in a series of sermons in the Abbey. I mean to press this point as the proper preliminary to everything else. But I am not made for conventional talk, & always come to grief when I dabble in it.

Believe me &c

[50]

[symbol]

My residence happened to facilitate my design. I had arranged to take two months consecutively. The idea occurred to me that the Abbey pulpit should become the instrument for the propaganda I was meditating. On All Saints Day I struck the note, and on the following Sunday [Nov: 3rd 1901] I pressed home in a long sermon the declaration I had made at Cambridge. There was a great congregation, and the impression made was confirmed & extended by the publication of the sermon in the "Church Family" newspaper, and the "Christian World Pulpit". Mr. Bunting, the Editor of the Contemporary Review, invited me to write an article on the theme of my discourses: and I consented. On Nov: 10th, I preached a long sermon in the interest of the East London Church Fund; and this also went to the Christian World Pulpit. The Dissenting papers had copious & gushing articles, which gave some opportunity to some characteristically venomous writing in the Church Times. It seemed to me well to emphasize my position by posting a list of subjects. The Dean gave his consent, and I drafted a notice which was duly posted on the boards at the Abbey entrances. This notice [51] [symbol] ran thus. "Canon Hensley Henson will preach on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. a Course of Sermons designed to facilitate Intercommunion with the non-Episcopal Churches."

The effect of this proceeding was almost nullified by a sudden change of weather. A bitter frost accompanied by fog made church-going difficult. However there was a large congregation on Nov: 17th when I preached on "Proselytising". Among others I recognized Mr. Asquith in the stalls. On Monday the Dean sent for me, and expressed alarm at what he called the controversial character of the notice. He said Gore had complained, & the Precentor. I at once offered to issue another notice with only the names of the subjects, considering that my object had already been gained when the thesis had been fixed to the Abbey entrances, & that it was plainly important to minimize domestic friction as far as possible. Gow, the Headmaster of Westminster, sent me a most friendly note on Sunday evening.

[52]

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Lady Wimborne wrote to ask me to stay at Canford: but I thought this would never do. So I replied in these terms.

Nov: 21st 1901

Dear Lady Wimborne,

I thank you much for your very kind letter, & am glad to have your sympathy in the very difficult effort, to which I conceive myself bound to put my hand. But I am not at all a 'good Protestant' in the conventional sense, & you would find me extraordinarily unsatisfactory. You must not resent it therefore if I decline your invitation, which, none the less, I am glad to have received & think it extremely kind of you to send.

Believe me.

very faithfully yrs.

H. HENSLEY HENSON

[53]

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There was a great crowd in the Abbey on Nov: 24th when I preached on "Superstition". The Dean's Verger informed me that Lord Roberts was again present. He has attended all the sermons so far: & also Lord Cadogan.

There was a larger congregation than ever on Advent Sunday, numbers standing throughout the whole service. One young man in Poet's Corner fainted & was removed not without disturbing the adjacent listeners. I preached for 40 minutes on the Judgement of Christ. Certain papers say that I was not well heard; on the other hand, I was assured by some of the congregation that they never heard more easily. The aspect of the congregation was that of a listening crowd, & certainly they were very still & steady. On Monday I took a chill, & spent most part of the week in bed, preparing my next sermon with immense difficulty. The Article in the Contemporary - "Our unhappy Divisions, a Plea for the recognition of Non-Episcopal Churches" - appeared, & attracted a good bit of notice from the religious press.

The next Sunday was boisterous and wet, but there was a very large congregation, though rather less than on Advent Sunday. I preached [54] on 'the Bible' with much effort. The sermon was the least 'popular' of the whole course in form and in substance: and must have been difficult to follow for some of the audience. However there was very good attention on the whole.

The Dissenting Papers teem with effusive articles: especially the "Methodist Times". The Record and the Rock are naturally well-pleased. The secular Press is not unfriendly but distinctly puzzled. The Guardian still preserves a threatening silence, & the Church Times is intermittently abusive.

[55]

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Dec: 18th 1901.

My dear Sir,

I am much obliged to you for your letter, but it is not possible for me to undertake fresh work just now, when I have really more on my hands than I can well carry through. Even if it were otherwise, however, I could not consent to take part in an inquiry so far-reaching in its inevitable suggestions & consequences, & so arbitrarily & irrationally limited in its scope. The public apprehensions, to which you refer in your post-script, have their justification, so far as they have any justification, in the whole body of facts relating to the Jesuits. A complex history in nearly every country under the sun, protracted through 3 centuries, & leaving as its result the relentless suspicion & hatred, which beyond all question attach to the Jesuit Society, not merely or mainly in the Protestant sphere, cannot be the reflection of a blunder as to the formal teaching of the Jesuit canonists. The blunder, if blunder it was, must be regarded as one effect of the exasperation caused by the Jesuit practice, & the essential question is, precisely, the origin of that sustained & practically universal exasperation. It is sufficiently well known that I hold a very unfavourable view of [56]

the Jesuits, but I shd be extremely sorry if my countrymen were so far to forget their own principles of freedom & equity as to show discourtesy to strangers, who seek the hospitality of Great Britain from the inexorable distrust of their neighbours & compatriots. So long as the French Jesuits & other ecclesiastics respect the laws of this country, I am for receiving them with kindness.

Believe me,

v. faithfully yrs.

H. HENSLEY HENSON

Richard Butler Esq.

Editor of the Referee

[57]

The last post on Saturday night brought me a very bitter cutting from the Church Review, bitter and base, and a characteristic cutting from the Tablet. The weather conditions on Sunday (Dec. 22nd) were extremely unfavourable: a smoky fog developed in the course of the forenoon, and was distinctly unpleasant at the time of service. Moreover many people had left town for the holiday. There were thus explanations in abundance of the very obvious fact, that the congregation was distinctly smaller than on previous occasions. And it seemed to me that it was more unfriendly. There was more coughing than is usual when I preach, but this may have been due to the fog: and I noticed a certain amount of whispering. However I preached my sermon on ‘Holy Communion'.

[58]

Christmas Day 1901 was an uncomfortable Festival. The weather was dreadful, an icy & furious rain in the fore-noon wonderfully thinned the congregations. There was much coughing during my sermon until I rebuked it. Carissima was down with a chill, & everything was quietly exasperating. The communicants were 30 at 7 a.m., 104 at 8 a.m., 79 at 11 a.m.: total = 213. The total number at the Abbey was 212.

Christmas Boxes:-

[symbol]	Canons' Verger	£1
[symbol]	Dean's Yard policemen	10/- apiece
	Gate-keeper	10/-
[symbol]	Ellison	£1
	Miss Clark	10/-
	" Irons	10/-
	Ward	5/-
	Wood	5/-

[59]

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The weather was mild & threatening rain on the 29th Dec:, when I delivered the concluding sermon of my course. There was a great congregation, which included a very large proportion of men. In spite of some coughing, which worried me at the start, there was very close attention. Lock, the Warden of Keble, was my guest from Saturday to Monday. He declined attendance at the sermon!

[60]

On New Year's Eve I wrote to Raleigh, and then went to Church & gave a short address at a special service. Kirshbaum returned with me to the Rectory, & spent the last two hours of the year in reading through some of the papers I design to publish, Edward Arnold having accepted a series of articles & Essays in satisfaction of my promise made last spring.

Thus ended my first year at Westminster.

On New Year's Day, Albert Saxton came to lunch, & took me for a walk. I gave him a copy of "Light & Leaven". He strikes me as a manly & intelligent fellow, & would make a good parson.

In the evening I gave a "party" to the Choir boys: and romped madly with them. Kirshbaum, Perkins, Gerald, & Miss Nichol helped to entertain them.

[61]

Contents of Volume of Essays.

1. Church Reform. I. Speech at the S. Alban's Diocesan Conference. Nov 2nd 1897
2. [symbol] Church Reform. II. [1898]
3. [symbol] Church Reform. III. Paper read to a private Conference of Clergy. Oct. 28th 1901
4. The Confessional in the Nat. Church. [1898]
5. [symbol] The Abp. of Canterbury's Charge. [1899]
6. The British Sunday. [1899]
7. The Abp's Judgment. [1899]
8. The Mivart Episode. [1900]
9. Sermons. [1901]
10. French of Lahore [1896]
11. Foreign Missions [1897]
12. [symbol] The Chinese Puzzle of Missions [1900]
13. [symbol] History of the Pastoral Ideal within the English Church since the Reformation [1900]
14. Cui bono? [1898]
15. [symbol] Dissent in England [1900]

[62]

Subscriptions received

Jan. 6.	Mrs Humphreys	£5.5.0
"	Mr Erskine	£10.0.0
"	Mrs Swinburne	£10.0.0

[63]

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Jany 13th 1902

My dear Churchwarden,

I need not assure you that nothing is farther from my thought than, in any way, to show discourtesy to my excellent friends & colleagues, the Churchwardens: but the appointment of the organist is my business, & the determining of the type of service, so far of course, as the law does not determine it for me.

I have satisfied myself that Mr Custard is prepared to carry on his work on the lines which I desire, & which I understood the Churchwardens approved, viz: a reverent congregationalism.

I do not agree with you about the organ recitals, which give great & wholesome pleasure to many people, & I never meditated considering their cessation, if the organist desired to carry them on, & could do so satisfactorily.

Believe me

sincerely yrs.

H. HENSLEY HENSON

H. H. Montague Smith Esq

[64]

The Westminster Abbey sermons & others, making up altogether 21 discourses, were published on Saturday, 15th Feb: 1902. I directed Murray to send copies to all the diocesan bishops, and to a few dissenters & others. I myself gave away 30 copies.

1.	Raleigh	20.	Bp. of Colchester
2.	Arthur	21.	Ker
3.	Frank	22.	Warre
4.	Gilbert	23.	Fedarb
5.	Precentor	24.	Graham-Harrison
6.	Blackmore	25.	Albert Saxton
7.	Kirshbaum	26.	Woolcombe
8.	Watson	27.	Roberts (Choir School)
9.	Perkins	28.
10.	Hughes	29.
11.	Weller
12.	Rutherford
13.	Gow
14.	Auntie
15.	The Library at All Souls
16.	Benham
17.	Gerald
18.	Eyre
19.	Beeching

[65]

On Feb: 26th Edward Arnold published a vol. of essays &c entitled "Cross-bench views of current Church Questions": and on the next day sent me £100 as agreed on.

On March 12th I travelled to Birmingham and preached in S. Philip's at 1.15 p.m.: at 6.30 p.m. I preached again at Queen's College. I stayed until Friday morning preaching both on Thursday & Friday. Mine host – the Bishop Suffragan of Coventry – was very agreeable.

I read through Benjamin Kidd's new book –"Principles of Western Civilization".

[66]

Confirmation Candidates. March 21. 1902

• Davies, John Llewellyn. 26
• Drowley, George. 24
• Huckstepp, William John. 29

• Atkinson, Marjorie Stopford. 16
• Cunnington, Mabel Constance. 14
• Hagger, Edith Anne. 16
• Gates, Emma Mary. 15
• Prestidge, Marion Constance. 15
• Wheeler, Margaret Louisa. 17
• Norris, Ethel Mabel Margaret. 19
• Bright, Ada. 17

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Issues and controversies: crossing the rubicon; recognition of/reunion with non-episcopal churches; Athanasian Creed