The Henson Journals

[150]

Saturday, August 31st, 1918.

1489th day

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Grant, Lord, Thy Blessing upon our life in this House. Give us the mind to understand, and the will to work. Guard our hospitality from frivolity & self–indulgence, and inspire our labour with the spirit of true service. Cleanse our hearts, and keep the door of our lips. Pour out upon our Family the spirit of fellowship and discipline, and make our home a little church, ordered according to Thy Will, and serviceable to Thy Purpose, through Jesus Christ Thy Son. Amen

I spent the whole day in writing letters, and trying to arrange my study on a "workable" basis. How I covet the methodical skill and orderly habit of the professional secretary! Wynne–Willson had tea. He has been down with influenza, and has been ordered to slacken work. I offered to preach for him tomorrow morning. Streeter came in after dinner, & I consulted him about the wisdom of getting up a public meeting to advocate the "League of Nations". He did not seem very enthusiastic, but agreed that we ought to keep the idea out of the monopolizing hands of the avowed Pacifists. Finally I wrote to the Mayor inviting his opinion on the subject. I wrote to Miss Anson conveying the joint opinion of W. P. Ker and me on the subject of her MS., expressing myself considerately in order to minimize the inevitable disagreeableness of the message. But her MS. is really inadmissible to such a Memoir as I project.

[151]

My predecessor, Bishop Herbert Croft (1603–1691) was an interesting person. As a young man, he, like the more famous Chillingworth, was seduced into popery, but "on the occasion of a visit to England, he was induced by Morton, Bishop of Durham, to conform to the established church". Laud was interested in him, & caused him to go to Oxford. He became chaplain to Charles I"who employed him in conveying his secret commands to several of the great officers of the royal army". In 1644 he was installed Dean of Hereford, where his valiant loyalty almost secured his destruction in the Cathedral by the exasperated soldiers whom he denounced! In 1661 he was nominated by Charles II to the bishoprick of Hereford. Burnet says "Croft was a warm devout man, but of no discretion in his conduct; so he lost ground quickly. He used much freedom with the king: but it was in the wrong place, not in private, but in the pulpit". As a bishop he seems to have been popular and effective. "He laid down strict rules for admission to holy orders, & dissatisfied some of the clergy by invariably refusing to admit any to be prebendaries of his church except those who resided in the diocese". In 1675 he published "The Naked Truth, or the True State of the Primitive Church by an Humble Moderator". 'The author endeavours to show that protestants differ about nothing essential to religion, and that, for the sake of union, compliances would be more becoming, as well as more effectual, than enforcing uniformity by penalties and persecution".

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