The Henson Journals

[156]

3rd Sunday in Advent, December 16th, 1906.

It was raining heavily when I went to church for the early celebration, but there was a rise in temperature. At this service were 21 communicants.

The congregation at 11 a.m. was wretched. It included, however, both the Speaker and Lord St Aldwyn. I preached an old begging sermon for the Q.V. Clergy Fund: and a collection was made at the doors amounting to £16.0.8., which exceeded my expectations.

The Rain fell throughout the day, and spoiled the congregation at Evensong. I preached on "Staying the mind on God". Albert brought in a Rhodes scholar to supper named Sterry, to whom I gave a copy of "Cross–Bench Views".

[157] [symbol]

This has been a disastrous week, publicly and privately.

The Education Bill has been wrecked to the dismay of all sensible men, and to general astonishment, for when it became known that the Majority in the Lords was prepared to negociate, everybody assumed that a reasonable settlement was assured. But everybody had left out of account the singular personality of Mr Arthur Balfour. That subtle and violent Politician had resolved to 'keep open' the Education Question in the interest of the Unionist Party; and his influence sufficed to carry the wiser members of his following into silent acquiescence, if not active support . Significantly enough, the Duke of Devonshire voted with the Government in the final division.

A violent cold seized me in the course of the week, and reduced me to great discomfort and helplessness.

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Issues and controversies: education bill