The Henson Journals

[283]

11th Sunday after Trinity, August 27th, 1911. Hamburg.

After breakfast we made our way to Great St Michael's Church, only to find that no service was proceeding there. We turned back & on the way looked into a Roman Church which appeared to be well–filled for Mass with a congregation of both sexes. Then we entered the Lutheran Church of St James, and attended the service. The building is Gothick, much be–painted & pewed, with many pictures on the walls, & modern windows. There was a considerable middle–class congregation, in which men seemed as numerous as women. The service was mildly liturgical with several hymns, which were sung sitting, an Anthem & a Sermon. The officiating ministers wore ruffs & black gowns. Everybody turned to the east & stood for the creed; the Gospel was read from the pulpit in the course of the sermon, and the congregation stood up for the reading. Also Scottico mods, they stood for the final blessing, at which the Pastor who pronounced it made the Sign of the Cross in the air! The Sermon was delivered without book or notes, & with but little gesture. It lasted fully 30 minutes. I was pleased with the reverence & evident attention which marked the congregation. The singing was good & devotional.

[284]

After lunch I wrote a letter to Marion. Then we went out & committed the folly of taking a taxi to the Karl Hagenbach's Zoological Gardens. The bandit of a chauffeur charged us 10 marks! The special point of this collection is the arrangement of the animals so far as possible in natural surroundings. Remarkable results have been obtained with the wild sheep, zebras, deer, polar bears, seals &c., but mostly the creatures are shown in cages nowise natural in aspect or ample in extent. It certainly is the case that the animals in these foreign Zoos do for the most part look better than those in our Gardens. We had tea (which was served in tumblers) at the Zoo, & then went back to the Hotel by the tram. We noticed that the streets adjoining the Haupt–Bahnhof were thronged with people evidently waiting for something. We learned that they were expecting the arrival of the Emperor who is in Hamburg for the manoeuvres.

After dinner I wrote to Harold.

In the Zoo encaged with the other savage beasts, like them curious & terrible, were two English Bull dogs. They made a pathetic appearance in the exposed situation. Indeed they might serve as symbols of the Briton himself, like them amiable & well–intentioned, but by these Germans clothed with the attributes of carnivore, & treated accordingly!

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