The Henson Journals

[176]

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22nd Sunday after Trinity, November 3rd, 1912. Cambridge, Mass.

Lord, we beseech thee to keep thy household the Church in continual godliness: that through thy protection it may be free from all adversities, & devoutly given to serve thee in good works, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A most glorious bright morning but with the bite of approaching winter in the air. I preached in Appleton Chapel at 11 a.m. There was a large congregation of students. Since I was here in 1909 the interior of the chapel has been renovated, & given a more churchly appearance. The general public are now limited to a single gallery, so that the aspect of everything is much more academic than before. I preached on the 'lukewarmness' of Laodicea; the sermon was followed with very close attention.

Talking with mine host before lunch, I suggested to him that he should invite Beeching to lecture & preach in Harvard. Incidentally he told me that I had not been invited to give the "Noble" lectures because Mrs Noble, the widow of the donor of the Trust Funds, being a very "orthodox" woman, indicated her disapproval of me as an heretick!! And this is a free country!

[177] [symbol]

I wrote to the Warden & Willie Murray.

Several persons came to tea including Mrs Allen, the widow of Phillips Brooks's biographer. She said that it was matter of common observation that the most familiar (as we might suppose) Biblical allusions were incomprehensible to American audiences. Political orators found this to be the case.

We motored to Newton, & there took the train to Wellesley, where we were met, & driven to the Ladies' College. There I read Evensong, & preached on Hebrews XII.I. to a congregation of about 1100 young women. They sang very sweetly, & carried themselves reverently. We got back to the house about 10.30 p.m.

While 'thawing' in the study after a cold motor–drive, we discussed female suffrage, & its probable consequences. Mine host agreed with me that one consequence wd be both certain & mischievous – the temperance question wd be dealt with fanatically with drastic unwisdom. He adduced his own experience in Rhode island, where 'prohibition' prevailed. The result was that, while no saloons were tolerated on the main streets of the cities, they swarmed in the side streets. Revenue statistics appeared to show that there is a larger quantity of alcohol consumed in 'dry' States than in 'wet'. The effect of this hypocritical system on the police, who perforce connived at it, was as bad as it was inevitable.

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Issues and controversies: female suffrage