The Henson Journals

[67]

Passion Sunday, March 16th, 1902.

A glorious morning, good for body and soul. There were 54 cts. at 8 a.m., of whom only 7 were men: but it was S. Margaret's Guild Sunday. There was a good congregation at 11 a.m. I preached from S. Mark xiii. 1, 2, which was part of the 2nd lesson. The Offertory was for the Westminster Hospital, and amounted to a little more than £47.

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Dr. Parker of the City Temple wrote a very characteristic letter inviting me to preach in that synagogue. I answered as follows:-

March 19th 1902

My dear Sir,

I thank you much for your kind expressions: and for the proposal that I should preach in your pulpit, a proposal which I interpret as a very real & genuine token of goodwill.

You will understand & appreciate the extreme repugnance which I feel to taking any step which could wear the aspect of illegality. As an officer of the Church I cannot break its rules, while, because I am officially responsible in a measure for its system, I am greatly bound to exert myself to bring about those changes, which, in conscience, I am convinced to be necessary.

There are deep causes at work which will invalidate most of the old historic pleas of division, & compel Christian men to draw together. But the special burden of a transitional time is that the disallowing effects come to be first apparent, afterwards the affirmations which more than compensate. Hence the practical reasonableness of the conservative protest that reformation means [69] anarchy and disaster. But "he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved" – that is the 'formula of salvation' in times of transition.

With many thanks,

Believe me,

faithfully yours,

H. HENSLEY HENSON

At the mid-day service, Eck preached, and quite openly at me. It was a curious diatribe about loyalty to the Church of England. He denounced the critics who speak & write brilliantly &c &c, and plainly indicated that the said critics were ecclesiastical loafers or corner-men, and worse. It was a strange performance.

Bernard, the new Dean of S. Patrick's, lectured on "the Historical worth of the Acts".

The assistant at Elliott Stock's told me that 'quite a number' of copies of "Godly Union & Concord" had been sold: & he seemed to think that the book was going off well. I certainly should be glad of the opportunity of writing another preface.

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I wrote to Dr Clifford in response to a very well-expressed letter of his, as follows.

March 20th 1902.

Dear Dr Clifford,

I am greatly obliged to you for your kind letter, and also for the very generous expressions of a sermon you preached some weeks ago, a type-written report of which was sent me at the time by some kindly, but anonymous person.

It is a particular satisfaction to know that you agree with me in frankly accepting what may justly be accounted conclusions of Biblical science. The demolition of traditional barriers to Christian fellowship implied in a more rational exegesis of Scripture is far greater than might be supposed.

It is very pleasing to know that the London Baptist Churches are constituted on a Catholic basis: I suppose in organisation they would be essentially Congregational.

I wish some settlement of the Education question could be effected, which would not hurt consciences or [71] inflict hardships. I cannot think that matter ought to continue a bone of contention for ever. I venture to send you the enclosed because I would like to know your mind on the matter.

With renewed thanks,

I am,

Sincerely yours,

H. HENSLEY HENSON

I enclosed a copy of my sermon on the Education matter, preached on the first Sunday in this Session.

The first drawing-room meeting in my tenure of this house was held in the afternoon. The weather which had been wretched all the morning, remained threatening in the afternoon: however about 70 people came together: & were harangued in the interest of the Oxford House by the Bp. of Stepney, Sir W. Anson, Woolcombe, & myself. They subscribed over £31.0.0.

The Warden afterwards sounded me on a project of Perry, that I should accept the bpk of Pretoria. But I said nay.

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I dined in the House of Commons with Mr Renshaw. He had got together a very pleasant party: Ritchie, the Warden, Jebb, Talbot, Sir Mark Stewart, Sir C. Dalrymple.

Afterwards for a short space I listened to the debating. Lloyd George was speaking most traitorously.

On Friday, the 21st March, the Confirmation took place in my church: Bishop Barry officiated: 41 candidates were confirmed, only 9 of whom were males.

William Lancefield, a naval officer, came to see me with reference to his Confirmation in the Abbey. He seemed honest: and I therefore acceded to his request.

A drawing Room meeting was held here in aid of the Westminster Refuge. Princess Christian attended: Lang spoke.

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In view of a statement in the Times, that the Abbey would be closed on April 1st, I wrote to the Dean as follows:

March 22nd 1902

Dear Mr Dean,

In view of the closing of the Abbey to the public from April 1st, I think it may be serviceable if I write to you formally, as Rector of S. Margaret's, & inform you of the arrangements which I propose to make during the period when the Abbey continues closed. I may say at once that any suggestion you may make, will be cheerfully agreed to on my part, if I can meet your wishes without trespassing on anybody's rights:-

1. The daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist will be continued in S. Margaret's at 8 a.m. I should welcome the assistance of the Abbey clergy.
2. Sittings will be reserved for the boys of Westminster School on Sundays at 11 a.m. & 7 p.m.
3. Whenever the Dean, Canons, & Headmaster attend the services, seats will be appointed for them in the Choir.
4. I shall be pleased to place the Church & the organ at the disposal of Sir Frederick Bridge, if he desires to practice the Coronation music [74] on convenient occasions.

You will allow me to add that I trust that every use will be made by those connected officially with the Abbey, of S. Margaret's – every use, I mean, which may serve them in conscience or in convenience.: and that you yourself, when you attend the services, will read the lesson, if you are so disposed, and, in any case, give the Benediction.

Believe me,

dear Mr Dean,

very sincerely yours,

H. HENSLEY HENSON

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To Mr Benj: G. Welch, in reply to his letter of March 12th 1902.

March 25th 1902

My dear Sir,

I am much obliged to you for your letter with its interesting account of the "Fraternal Associate" Plan of interdenominational affiliation. It hardly needs saying that I sympathize deeply with your effort, & cordially wish it success.

You ask what hinders an English Rector from accepting & giving letters of affiliation as suggested in your plan. I do not myself think there is any insurmountable hindrance; but the prevailing opinion within the Church regards episcopal confirmation as a necessary pre-requisite to acceptance of Holy Communion. I do not despair of a more generous interpretation of our Rubric being ultimately accepted, but such acceptance can only come as the outcome of a long educative process within the Church.

I think also it will be necessary to agree on some bases of affiliation. It could not be satisfactory to ignore vital dogmatic truth by affiliating with Unitarians, or to show contempt for the Sacraments of the Gospel by affiliating with Salvationists.

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On the basis of essential Christian truth, I see no reason why the mass of Protestant Christians should not draw together by means of your plan, or of some similar plan, and I am sure such drawing together would minister directly to the advancement of Christ's Kingdom. The rivalries of our numerous denominations are scandalous & indefensible. I see many signs that sensible men are coming to see that they are unnecessary.

With all good wishes for your efforts in the interest of Christian fraternity,

I am,

Sincerely yours

H. HENSLEY HENSON

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To Canon Rawnsley in answer to a letter.

March 25th 1902

Dear Canon Rawnsley,

I fear I can be of little service to you. The question of admitting non-Episcopalians to our pulpits is complicated by the undoubted injury to parishioners implied in the suggestion that in a matter of possibly cardinal spiritual importance they should be, so to say, put outside the protection of their own Church at the whim of an incumbent. Personally I desire greatly to secure the liberty, but I can see that it could not be rightly entrusted to the parish priest as such. We must, first, get the Church to enter into friendly relations with the non-episcopal Churches, or any one of them : and then – the cardinal spiritual issue having been thus decided by public authority – there could be no inherent wrongness in the incumbent being free to invite the minister of any recognized non-episcopal church to preach, subject to any reasonable disciplinary restrictions which might be imposed. I feel very clear that the essential point at this juncture is to make an end of individualistic methods - "conversions" [78] law-breaking & the like – and to get responsible negotiations between recognized bodies. This is, I suppose the principle accepted by the Lambeth Conference in 1888, when it laid down a "quadrilateral" basis for reunion, & urged the policy of conferences. But so long as we stand on the exclusive Divine-right of the episcopal ministry, there is really no rational hope of progress. We must come down from the altitudes to which the Tractarians uplifted us, & stand on the lower common ground of essentials. I much want to invite G. A. Smith to the Abbey, but I can't see how to do it.

This is all very useless: but I can't say anything serviceable,

Believe me,

Sincerely yours,

H. Hensley Henson

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On Good Friday I read the Litany and Ante-Communion Service at 8 a.m., and Mattins at 10 a.m. I conducted the Three Hours service; and in the course of the Address on the 6th Word, I introduced a reference to Cecil Rhodes, whose death was announced yesterday. There was a fair, but certainly not a large, attendance. The collection at the doors amounted to pounsign7.18.5, which was divided between the Police Court Mission of the C.E.J.S., and the Refuge Work of the Diocese.

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In reply to a letter from Freemantle, I wrote as follows:-

March 31st 1902

Dear Mr Dean,

Pray forgive me for leaving your kind letter so long unanswered: you will understand that Holy Week & Easter left me little leisure for anything beyond immediate duties.

My feeling about interchange of pulpits is rather like this. There are insuperable objections to placing the matter in the hands of an individual whether incumbent or bishop, for it would imply putting the congregation outside the protection of the Church system. Therefore I hold that interchange of pulpits must be preceded by recognition of churches. Then, in the case of any recognized Church, interchange might be permitted under the usual safeguards against imposture, without wronging the congregation, since an authority - that of the Church itself – to which incumbent & congregation alike owe deference, would have settled the essential matter. I think we ought to narrow down the issue for practical purposes, & press for a [81] recognition on equal terms of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. That step taken, further developments would necessarily follow.

I learn from Archdeacon Wilberforce that in 1887, when he got into some trouble with the then Bishop of Winchester & the Convocation for preaching in a chapel within his own parish, he obtained from Mr Charles Q.C., the present Judge in the Court of Arches, & Mr Courtney Kenny, an opinion favourable to his action. Certainly I think the legality ought to be insisted on: but it won't do much for reunion under present circumstances.

The Church of England isn't considerable enough in itself to take up towards the greater denominations (more powerful than it) the mother-mistress attitude of the Church of Rome towards the Orders.

I have a good many supporters who daren't speak out, & a few who won't. This education bill seems to portend a bitter fight between Church & Dissent, in which voices of charity & reason will have faint chance of being heard.

Believe me, sincerely yours,

H. HENSLEY HENSON

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I wrote to Gamble suggesting a procedure at the Dioc: Conf:

1. That the interest of Xity wd be greatly served by the restoration of fraternal relations with the Church of Scotland.
2. That fraternal relations must at least include inter-communion & interchange of pulpits.
3. That the Bp. be requested to appoint a Ctee to consider the present relations of the two Churches, to ascertain how far Scottish Churchmen desire an improvement in those relations, & to make practical proposal to that end.
4. That this Ctee shd proceed with all convenient dispatch & report to the Bishop as soon as possible.

As an alternative course I suggested such a resolution as this:-

1. That in view of the great & rapid increase of the population it is desirable that amicable relations shd be established with the leading Nonconformist bodies with a view to common action in respect of (α) pastoral visitation (β) aggressive religious work (δ) social reform.

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The Easter-day services were, perhaps, more comforting than last year, for though the number of communicants at the Choral celebration was less, yet there seemed a worthier tone of reverence in the congregations. The singing was really very beautiful, and, in the evening, very congregational. I preached twice. On Low Sunday, there was some influx of members of the Abbey congregation, the Abbey now being closed (from April 1st) for preparations for the Coronation. There was an increase of communicants at the Choral Celebration. I preached twice, and also read Mattins at 10 a.m., as Kirschbaum was absent on a short holiday, and Watson was at the Sunday School.

I noticed on an advertisement sheet of Murray's that "Godly union & concord" was said to be in a 'second impression'.

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On Monday, April 7th, 1902 , I left London for the continent, in company with Robertson & Davies, & their respective sisters. We crossed to Antwerp, & spent some days in a little town visiting successively Brussels, Louvain, Liège, Namur, Tournai, Ghent, Bruges. I returned via Ostend & Dover on Friday, the 18th, nowise refreshed from my holiday, but enfeebled by colds & chills contracted on the way.

On Sunday I preached twice in S. Margaret's and on Monday was presented at the Levée - a fatuous proceeding. On Wednesday I dined with Mr Tomlinson, & met divers M.P.s. On Friday I travelled to Kirkby Lonsdale and preached a missionary sermon in the parish church; & on Saturday I returned to Westminster.

On Sunday, April 27th I celebrated the Holy Communion at 10 a.m. for the Westminster boys, it being the first Sunday in the term, & they being ejected from the Abbey. The Rev. Robert Hamilton of Wolverhampton preached at Mattins.

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Issues and controversies: education bill