The Henson Journals

[14]

Monday, August 19th, 1912.

It were better to be a Galley slave to a Turk than under the Spanish Inquisition. I would rather fall into the hands of a swaggering Good–fellow and notorious sinner, in a point of danger or disgrace, than stand to the mercy of a formal professor, & proud Pharisee. Though the notorious sinner be further distant from the Christian in degrees of some kinds of goodness, than the formal Hypocrite, yet many times he is not so opposite in extremity of malice & height of disdain.

Robert Bolton 'A discourse about the State of true Happiness'. p.189 [A.D. 1631].

I walked into the City, and changed a cheque (£20) at the Bank. Then I wrote to Lady Limerick, Clarence, & Beeching.

In the afternoon I attended a meeting of the Committee of the Anti–Slavery & Aborigines Protection Society with reference to the Putumayo affair. I read to them the correspondence which has passed between me & the solicitors of the English Directors. Returning to my study I wrote a long letter to the Dean mainly about the question of General Booth's fitness to be buried in the Abbey. I [15] decided against my feelings that it would be a wise & defensible procedure to offer burial. The Dean will probably have to take a decision on the subject very quickly, for the old man is reported to be dying.

I wrote cheques paying up all the tradesmen until last Saturday.

Then I went to Euston and met Ella returning from Glasgow. The train ran into the station almost exactly to time.

I received a letter from Mr Harris, the Secretary of the Anti–Slavery &c. Sy asking permission to publish the correspondence between me and the Putumayo Directors, & also giving me the address of Mr Hardenberg, the American whose disclosures published in "Truth" first brought to light the abominations which have now been officially certified by the Blue–book.

Mr Hardenberg's address is

c/o J. Grant MacGregor Esq

Red Deer

Alberta

I wrote at once to Mr Harris to say that I was content that the Society should make any use they would of the correspondence.

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Issues and controversies: Putumayo