The Henson Journals

[188]

3rd Sunday after Easter, May 11th, 1919.

The glorious weather continues. Ella and I went to the Cathedral at 8 a.m., and received the Holy Communion. The celebrant was Alexander, who rather "peeped & muttered" after the fashion of the priests. I discovered in conversation with the young lady who is acting as governess to the children, Irene Molony, that she is the daughter of the former Vicar of Ilford, who died recently as Vicar of Stevenage. How small the world is!

Ella, Miss M., the two little girls and I walked to the Tower, and attended service in the chapel. The congregation was mainly soldiers stationed at the Tower, & was conducted by the chaplain, Mr Mitchell, to whom we carried a note of introduction. He shewed us the objects of interest, which are numerous & important. The plate (Charles I), and the register are most interesting. He took us to the ancient Norman Chapel, which is extremely dignified & beautiful. What memories & associations attach to that old grey building! Three ravens were hopping about outside the Chapel. It is a long–standing tradition to keep those ominous birds in the Tower. If only the Palace of Whitehall and the Houses of Parliament had not been burned down, the national history would have been well–expressed in the buildings of London.

[189]

There came to tea a number of French Protestants escorted by English Sectaries. They are over in this country on a begging expedition. One old gentleman named de Witt interested me as being the grandson of Guizot, and a direct descendant of the famous Dutch Republicans of the 17th century. A Professor from Strassburg, who had held his place there throughout the War, said that the joy of the people at being re–united with France was deep and general: that there was some difficulty about language as the people speak nothing but German, & the French Government will have nothing but French: that the Roman Catholic clergy were less utterly perverse than the Protestant in condoning German brutalities: that his own personal knowledge certified these brutalities as extreme & almost incredible. The Editor of the Christian World Pulpit was among the 'bear–leaders'. He said that the circulation of his paper had been maintained during the War, and that he expected it now to increase. He added that the War had created a large demand for every kind of religious book – good, bad, & indifferent. There was a representative from DrHorton's chapel, and another from the Baptist Church in Bloomsbury, who claimed acquaintance with me, as having heard me preach in their respective churches.

[190]

I attended the evening service in S. Paul's. There was an immense congregation, which joined heartily in the singing, and listened attentively to the sermon. Ralph preached an interesting discourse on Immortality, very felicitously phrased and containing some passages of great beauty. A critic might have observed that the teaching was somewhat vague and nebulous, and that there was a total omission of any reference to our Lord's Resurrection.The preacher did, indeed, quote the statement that Christ "brought life & immortality to light", but he went on immediately to explain it by saying that Christ had done this by a teaching and an example, which were unintelligible apart from immortality.

There appears to be a notion abroad that Ralph will be offered the Bishoprick of Oxford. Foolish people are already congratulating him: and he himself evidently is excited by the suggestion. It would be an interesting, and, from some points of view, excellent appointment. Intellectual distinction is greatly needed on the Episcopal Bench, and this he would certainly supply. On the other hand, he has small acquaintance with practical administration, he is handicapped by deafness: & he has the manner and habit of a student.

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