The Henson Journals

[132]

20th Sunday after Trinity, October 28th, 1906.

This was the first Sunday in Session, and following my wont I preached a 'political sermon'. Unfortunately the weather was unkind. Rain fell most part of the day, violently at the time of the evening service. The members seats were filled with members and their wives. I recognized Black Michael, Alfred Lyttelton, Craig, and Sir Henry Craik. My text was from I.Thess. V. "Quench not the Spirit &c".

The congregation at Evensong was the smallest on record.

[133]

Books presented to me during October.

From my wife.

The Duke of Argyll's Autobiography & Letters

From the Author.

Mathieson's Scotland & the Union

From the Publishers. (Williams & Norgate)

The Crown Theological Library 16 Vols

Books purchased in November –

Spottiswoode's Hist. of the C. of Scotland	3 vols
Cardwell's Synodalia	2 vols
Barlow's Conference of 1603	1 vol
Jacomb's Holy Dedication	1 vol
Collier's Church History	2 vols. fol.
Sharp's Hist. of Witchcraft in Scotland	1 vol.
Tracts	1 vol.
Brown's Religio Medici	1 vol.
Mathieson's Politics & Religion in Scotland	2 vols.
Jowett's Essays	1 vol.
Hall's Oxford Movement	1 vol.
Cambridge Modern History vol.IV.	1 vol.

[134] [symbol]

On Thursday, Nov: 1st 1906, I had an interview with a young clergyman, Rev. G. H. Webb, at the request of Dr Llewelyn Davies. This rash young man had poured out his soul to his Rector (Gamble of Holy Trinity, Chelsea) anent his own theological scruples. He could not personally accept the Nicene language about our Lord &c. Gamble had taken this effusion au grand serieux, & had bidden him go speak with the Bishop of London, & get his Lordship's permission to hold these opinions! So he sought my advice. He read me what he had written. It was crude and indefensible: nor did he defend it. I told him he must eat humble pie, & withdraw that letter. This he promised to do, & went off somewhat dejectedly. It is rather a case of using a steam roller to crush a butterfly to put diocesan machinery in motion to crush a muddle–headed pass–man, for this youth is no more. Unfortunately the whole standard of gravity in ecclesiastical administration has fallen so low under the present regime of emotional goodness that considerations of that kind have lost weight.

[135] [symbol]

On Saturday Nov. 3rd 1906 there was a Funeral Service for Gathorne, Earl of Cranbrook, who died this week at the advanced age of 92 years. The Bishop of St Andrew's, formerly of Truro, conducted the service. I had not spoken to him for 20 years, when at the instance of Miss Leslie, I had an interview with him in the Hotel d' Angleterre at Rome. He has greatly changed. Then he was an ascetic–looking man, quick & nervous in his movements. He has become a stout, slow–moving man, more like a South African Millionaire (but this may have been the effect of his fur–coat) than an Anglican prelate. He was very curt & cold to me before the service; but the calm dignity of the service evidently pleased him, and afterwards he was conversational and almost affectionate, reminding me of our meeting in Rome in 1886.

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Issues and controversies: Nicene Creed