The Henson Journals

[97]

S. Margaret's Day, July 20th, 1902.

I celebrated at 8 a.m. There were 44 commts, of whom but 5 were males, & these included Campbell & myself.

[98]

After the Coronation (August 9th 1902) I preached at a special Thanksgiving Service at which the Abbey Choir sang, and the Mayor & Corporation of Westminster attended in robes. (August 10th 1902) On the next day I fled to Oxford to avoid the persecution of the American tourists. There I remained until Wednesday morning, when I returned to Dean's Yard accompanied by Goudy. He stayed with me for that night, & then went abroad. On Friday I went to Scotland by the night train from Euston. Thesiger, a cousin of Fred: Thesiger was my compagnon de voyage as far as Stirling. I was most hospitably entertained at Balmains, Stanley, Perth, by the Wolfe-Barrys, & then went to Helensburgh where I was received by Mrs Paisley at 110 East Clyde Street. Here Ella was, & I began the round of Scotch cousins. On Friday (Aug 22nd 1902) I went on to Artarmon, Row, & was received there by Col: Gore-Booth. On Sunday Aug 24th 1902 I preached in Row Church an old sermon, & in the afternoon I attended a children's service in the Established Church. The minister - Webster - seems a capable man. On Monday I went with Ella to Fairlie, where Mr Charles Parker courteously entreated us. There I continued until Thursday (Aug: 28) when I went on to Dalton Vicarage near to Dumfries where [99] I stayed a night with Murray. On Friday, the 29th August, I travelled back to Westminster. On Saturday I went with Carissima house-hunting to Horley in Surrey, where we decided to rent a small house. On Sunday, August 31st, I preached twice in S. Margarets. The rain fell heavily from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. There was a fair congregation at Mattins, including Lord Rosebery: and a large congregation at Evensong. After service a pleasant faced-young man pursued me in order to thank me for my sermons, & to tell me they had helped him. He seemed to be speaking sincerely.

Albert & Edwin Saxton, & Ernest Reynolds came to supper.

[100]

Our Saviour Christ, Who hast called us to follow Thee in this difficult life of earth, have mercy on our weakness and pardon our failures. Show Thou us the way that we should walk in for we lift up our souls unto Thee. Thou, O Lord, didst bear the sore burden of unkindness & ingratitude: Thou wast misread by jealous eyes, & defamed by envious tongues: and Thou gavest no cause, in Thee was no fault. Alas, O Master, we are not so: our sufferings have place & title in our own action, & we never wholly undeserve our pain. Yet we are not patient as Thou wert; we do not forgive like Thee. Have compassion on us, O Divine Redeemer: by Thy Cross & Passion deliver us from sin. Pour into our hearts the spirit of self-sacrifice which filled Thine, and stamp on our lives the visible impress of Thy Cross. Teach us to forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven, and for all the unkindness & calumny of our lives grant us more & more approach to Thee.

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Issues and controversies: the coronation