The Henson Journals

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20th Sunday after Trinity, October 13th, 1929.

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NOTTINGHAM

I read before getting up a very interesting and informing book – "Christianity and the Government of India" by Arthur Mayhew C.J.S., late Director of Public Instruction Central Provinces, India." It seems to be an honest, independent, and just estimate of Christian Mission.

I accompanied my host to S. Mary's and there received the Holy Communion at 8.15 a.m. in a side Chapel . The communicants hardly exceeded a dozen: but S. Mary's has become a 'down–town' church, to which the congregation comes in from distant parts of the town. The parishioner are very poor, & may even be called 'slummites'. Poverty and the Church of England accord ill together. S. Mary's is a fine building in the perpendicular style. It was liberally seated for 1100 person, & might be made to accommodate many more. On the wall behind the lectern was a fine Madonna & Child by the Fra Bartolommeo, framed in heavy gilt so that its beauty was somewhat "killed".

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The Service in S. Mary's was attended by the civic and academic authorities, to whom I was introduced before it began. The large Church seemed to be full, and among the congregation were many students of both sexes. There is a large choir – 20 men and 28 boys – and it sings well. After the service the organist was introduced to me: he said that he was Archdeacon Mangin's son–in–law. My sermon was listened to very closely, and was, I think, well heard. There were the usual mechanical devices & these for a wonder worked satisfactorily. A reporter carried off my MS. afterwards.

There were to lunch the Chairman of the County Council (Sir J. Rolleston) and his wife. He is said to be 83 years old, and he talked with a vigour & intelligence worthy of a man half his age. His wife, Lady Maud, was a charming old lady. She said that she had stayed at Lumley and spoke of the Scarbroughs with affection. The Chairman of the Governors of the University College was an intelligent and interesting man, who had evidently [383] read widely. We discussed the Sunday question and he said he had read Hussey's Bampton Lectures. I shd suppose there are few laymen who have done that.

After lunch, mine host with the Chairman & Principal of the College showed me over the fine new buildings which have been erected at the cost of Lord Trent (Sir James Boot). I was told that the students of both sexes number about 700, and that the annual cost of education (fees, food, & lodgings) wd amount to about £100. The Chairman took me to see Lord Trent. The old man is horribly twisted by arthritis, & completely bed–ridden, but he seemed cheerful, & he spoke with remarkable animation & intelligence. I asked him what Church he belonged to, & he replied that he had been brought up a Wesleyan Methodist, and though he liked several churches, he had joined none. He spoke of Dr Jowett as his friend.

I did not go to Coventry with mine host, but stayed at home, & tried to put together some notes for tomorrow's "lecture" on "Establishment".

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