The Henson Journals

[21]

Friday, September 26th, 1924.

Shortly before retiring from public life, former Senator Thomas, of Colorado, himself a learned lawyer of high type, made a speech in the Senate in which he pointed out that within a relatively short period of time we Americans had some seventy thousand statutes, State and National, passed for our guidance and Government. To state this fact is to name a powerful force making for the spread of lawlessness.

Nicholas Murray Butler. January 26th, 1923

I worked at a Sermon for the Sunderland Freemasons.

In the evening Clayton and I motored to South Shields, where I addressed the "Convention for deepening the Spiritual Life", which the "Free Churchmen" have organized, and which has held its sessions for a week in the Presbyterian Church. The building was densely crowded with an assembly in which males appeared to dominate. My subject was "Jesus, & World Govtt" and it was evidently conceived on "Copec" lines. My address was painfully out of accord with the atmosphere of dervishdom which prevailed, but they had the civility to conceal their chagrin, and even presented me with books to mark their gratitude for my visit! Could the parish churches combined have gathered such a company? We returned to Auckland after the service, arriving about 10.30 p.m.

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