The Henson Journals

[442]

7th Sunday after Trinity, August 6th 1905.

The altar had been arranged in front of the scaffolding, as the workmen had not succeeded in finishing the temporary screen. The effect architecturally was surprisingly good. Frank Campbell celebrated at 8 a.m. There were 29 commts. At Mattins there was a considerable congregation, and no less than 95 commts. I preached from the "parable" of the Feeding of the 4000 [sic], which happened to be the Gospel for the day. We all had tea on the roof, a circumstance which indicates my wife's progress towards recovery. I wrote at some length to the Admiral.

There was again a considerable congregation at Evensong, when I preached an old sermon. A Canadian clergyman came into the Vestry to shake hands afterwards. This seems to minister much comfort to the Transatlantic mind. Fedarb's voluntary choir was on duty. In the morning 'twas a horrid failure, but at Evensong when we made them sing "full", and read the prayers and versicles they did better; but I was amazed that so little sound could issue from 14 young men evidently making considerable exertions!

Alwyn Parker & his Russian friend came to supper. The latter was a very entertaining & attractive fellow. He talked freely of the war, & seemed to have much [443] knowledge of the subject. He described Stőssel, the "hero" of Port Arthur as hen-pecked and effete. Private letters from the Russian army, which he had seen, were full of complaints against the incompetent generals, but said little of the Japanese. He was an enthusiastic sportsman, and described with much humour the hunting of bears & wolves. The latter, indeed, seem to interest him greatly. They are in his view extremely intelligent beasts, & neither numerous nor dangerous. Elks are plentiful even close to S. Petersburgh, and boars on the frontier of Poland. His account of the Russian Clergy was not flattering, they are ignorant and depraved. The monasteries have ceased to civilize. There is little preaching in the churches, & what there is, is bad. No educated or well-born man would dream of taking Orders. He was, he said, more impressed by Westminster Abbey than by anything else he had seen. S. Paul's did not attract him. Everywhere you found churches of that kind, but the Abbey was unexampled. This shewed his good taste. He repeatedly pressed me to visit him in Russia.

[444]

On August 13th 1905 I preached to the Extension Students in S. Mary's, Oxford: & in the evening I addressed a meeting on the subject of University Settlements: but I was far from well: & on Monday morning felt dismally ill. However I was able to pull myself together & leave the Deanery, (where Strong has hospitably entertained me). I travelled back to Dean's Yard, and collapsed on my arrival. After 4 days in bed I revived sufficiently to leave Westminster, & go with my wife to Frant, where I visited Sir Peile Thompson, a quaint Yorkshire baronet who had started as a barrister, &, on the failure of his health, became a parson. Here we stayed until Wednesday, 23rd Aug:, when we returned to Dean's Yard. The next day, I went to Sutton to visit Mr Arthur Rawle, a cousin of mine, with whom I stayed until Saturday, when I journeyed to Horley with my mother & sister. Here I continued until Monday 4th Sept: when I returned to Westminster, & the next day married in S. Margaret's an American millionaire, Mr Marshall Field. After the service I went again to Horley, & continued there until Sept 8th, when I journeyed to Dunsfold in order to visit Admiral Rolfe. With him I stayed until Thursday, Sept. 14th, when I went to Westminster, & the next day to Oxford. Here I remained in college until Saturday 23rd Sept., when I went out to Pusey to spend Sunday with the Warden. On Monday, 25th Sept: I returned to Westminster, & rejoined my wife, who [445] had been meanwhile in Switzerland with her father. On the 26th Sept. we travelled together to Wells, where I had promised to preach in the Cathedral. But I had taken a chill, & had no voice: so Mr Goudge, the Principal of the Theological College, read my sermon for me. I had promised to preach at Nottingham on the 29th, but, under the circumstances, preferred to forward my MS. with an apology, & to go direct to Glasgow. We broke the journey at Carlisle, & the same day when we were dining in the Hotel, the Bps. Of Carlisle & Stepney fell in with me, & constrained me to address the meeting, which they had convened in the Hall adjoining the Hotel. On the next day we continued our journey to Glasgow. We were hospitably entertained at Jordanhill. On Sunday Oct: 1st, I preached in Glasgow Cathedral to crowded congregations. We stayed at Jordanhill until Tuesday, Oct. 3rd, & then went to Fairlie to visit Mr C. S. Parker, with whom we continued until the 5th, when we travelled back to Westminster. Ella returned in consequence of a vehement toothache which claimed the dentist's ministry: & I returned to my work.

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