The Henson Journals

[116]

Wednesday, September 15th, 1920.

[I read aloud the lecture on "Puritanism", & corrected it. Then we walked to the British Legation, and inquired about the passport into Germany. A pleasant youth named Bennett (I think) one of the secretaries, retained our passports.] We went to the Skansen, & viewed with interest the collections, living and life–less, which are there preserved. After lunching in the island, we visited the Scandinavian museum, where Ella "enthused" over the furniture & I gazed with profound interest & a religious veneration on the relics of Gustavus Adolphus. After tea we returned to the hotel, & there I found messages from Abp. Söderblom, including an invitation to lunch on Friday with the Crown Prince.

[117]

I wrote 1) to Mr Baldwin at Gothenburg, 2) to Balfour Wilson at Broadstairs, and 3) to George. Then I revised the lecture on "The Roman Controversy".

There is a brief account of Henrik Schartau (1757–1825) in Bishop Wordsworth's "The National Church of Sweden" p.364f., but it is too vaguely expressed to assist to an understanding of modern "Schartauists". He appears to have been a considerable "director" of individuals, and an ardent preacher & catechist. Thus he combined the characteristic qualities & distinctive influence of Pusey and Simeon.

["His fault, which was exaggerated by his followers, was a certain constant reference to the forms & divisions of logic and to inward state of the soul ̶ in other words to psychology. This led to a curious & anxious introspection, to a balancing of motives & convictions, and to the requirement of a conscious ascent through certain stages of progress, which was not altogether healthy. In his followers these characteristics have produced a certain dryness & tediousness, and, it is said, too great a dependence on the "direction" of the chosen spiritual guide." All this leaves no clear impression on my mind.] Bishop Wordsworth adds that "popular favour is no longer strong for the system which he inaugurated." I suppose Schantauism is but a variety of Evangelicalism – an affair of emotions labelled by cant ^ traditional phrases ^. The emotions have generally disappeared, the phrases which were coined to describe them have continued in use, & are now the veriest cant. Hence the whole system has sunk into a very nauseous kind of artificial pietism.

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