The Henson Journals

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14th Sunday after Trinity, September 20th, 1908. Auchenlea.

I preached in the Episcopalian Church, and assisted at the Holy Communion. The weather, which overnight had seemed promising, now went back to rain: & one's spirits became as low as the hopes of farmers.

Yesterday's "Times" contains my letter in reply to Sanday. I hardly see how it was possible for me to leave his letter without answer: but I would greatly have preferred to do so. And it is the case that I resent the method of his writing. He comes in to the Rescue of the Fanaticks whenever they are really up a tree: & his great reputation for learning & balance of judgement make his assistance of immense value.

On Tuesday, the 22nd Sept, we motored to Pitnacree in Perthshire & stayed the night at that house with Mrs Glassford–Bell. The weather was unkindly, & save for a short distance round the northern end of Loch Lomond (whereof the spectacle was entrancingly beautiful), we travelled with the hood on the motor–car. At Pitnacree were staying Miss St George, who sang very prettily: & Captn Graeme, who had, or professed, a genuine interest in bull–fights, of which he had attended more than fifty.

On Wednesday, the 23rd Sept., it rained most part of the day: we motored in the afternoon to Balharry, Meigle, where we stayed two nights with the Dunroach Smiths.

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On Tuesday, 24th Sept, we motored to make a call on Admiral Drummond, an ancient comrade of my father–in–law, who had settled down to play at farming in his old age.

In the afternoon we motored to Dundee, a distance of about 15 miles from Balharry. In the evening Mr Halker, the stipendiary magistrate of Hull, dined. He shewed me a letter addressed to him by Hayes Fisher, speaking in terms of the warmest respect & affection of Whitmore, whose very unexpected death was reported a week since.

On Friday, 25th Sept, we motored from Balharry to Row via Perth, Dunblane and Donne. We stopped at the cathedral at Dunblane. It is a beautiful building, and seemingly well restored. The eastern window by Kempe is a fine specimen of modern glass. On the chancel floor are the tombs of the three Drummond sisters said to have been poisoned by the Scottish nobles who desired to wed James IV to Margaret Tudor.

In the evening we dined at Artarman.

• The 'Times' of Thursday, 24th Sept, contained a leader entitled 'Episcopacy & Reunion', in which it summed up the correspondence, in which I have contributed two letters.

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From Monday, the 28th Sept, to Saturday the 3rd Oct., the Convocation Committee on the Letters of Business sate at the Church House, daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m, and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Archdeacon Stocks & Canon Hammond stayed here: and daily the Committee lunched at the Deanery & here, one side of the table going to the one place, & the other side to the other.

N.B.	On Saturday, the 3rd October, a second copy of the Petition to the King as Visitor was sent to Lord Knollys. The first copy, which Duckworth left by hand at Buckingham Palace, went astray, and thus, through the carelessness of some menial, we have lost two months of important time.

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