The Henson Journals
Sun 24 October 1909 to Tue 26 October 1909
Volume 17, Pages 9 to 10
[9]
20th Sunday after Trinity, October 24th, 1909.
The morning fine but very blustering. I celebrated in St Mts at 8 a.m. There were 27 cts. At Mattins there was a large but over–petticoated congregation! I preached the first of 2 sermons on "New Theology and Old Religion". The people were very attentive, but I fear my words 'went over the heads' of many of them. That strange little good fanatick Lord Kinnaird was in Church, & the Duchess.
In the afternoon I went to a Wesleyan Church in the Old Kent Road, & addressed about 150 men, of the artisan class, assembled for the 5th anniversary of their P.S.A. Ernest Bennett & Gilbert Simpson came with me.
[10]
On Tuesday, October 26th, I gave a dinner–party (men only) to meet Newman Smyth. There were present the following:
- The Dean
- The Precentor
- Hine–Haycock
- Headlam
- Newsome
- Laffan
- Bevan
- Pearce
- Bell
- Gamble
We had a brisk argument on the Episcopate. Headlam displayed much rigidity of mind and acerbity of phrase.
In the afternoon I had addressed the 'Baptist Board', a collection of elderly Baptist ministers. It is said to have been the first instance of an Anglican clergyman being allowed to address them. About 60 were present in spite of a deluge of rain.