The Henson Journals

[101]

3rd Sunday after Trinity, July 6th, 1924.

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We received the Holy Communion in the Chapel of the Palace. This is a beautiful little building of the 13th century, and contains a lovely frescoe of c. A.D. 1260. The Madonna with the Divine Child in her arms, adored by incense–swinging cherubs, is depicted with rare dignity, purity, & sweetness. The Palace itself is extensive & interesting, greatly re–modelled in the 18th century, but still retaining many older features. The garden is very ample & beautiful. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. we – Burrows, Frere, Headlam, & I – were engaged in going through the 39 articles. We resumed work at 5 p.m., & went on to 8 p.m.: and, by postponing the anti–papal articles, & the series which deal with the Calvinistic controversies, we got through the whole formulary.

Miss Burrows shewed us the Cathedral in the interval between lunch and Evensong. It is a finer building than I had expected to see. An unusual feature is the double aisles of the nave. A window set up by Cardinal Manning to the memory of his wife suggests many reflexions. Had the lady lived longer, the history of two churches might have been different.There are no less than 7 altars set up in the church.What doctrine of the Sacrament can justify this multiplication of altars? And how can that doctrine be harmonized with the standards of the Church of England? The old Dean came to supper.

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