Untitled - Electric Scotland

.860-64] EXTRACTS FROM DIARY 307
"
2 \th February 1861. Anxiety as to the judgment
of the
Bishops on Essays and Reviews. Fear of misunderstandings
with old friends."
March i86i.--This week has been one of great trial.
Temple s letters respecting the declaration of the Bishops have
greatly pained me."
March 1861. How difficult is my - s
position.
letter speaks the truth. For once, he says, I have no desire
to be a Bishop. We have had a great duty, to express our dis
approval: a great duty also, I think, to guard the accused from ill-
usage : a great duty to the Church to guard :
its doctrine
and
also to watch for its children likely to be led astray by any
appearance of persecution. O Lord, grant me wisdom to help,
even in spite of themselves, those whom I so greatly regard.
March, CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD. Came here on
Friday to preach at St. Mary s the last of the Mission Lent
Sermons. Attentive congregation. Many undergraduates,
though term is over. Yesterday, sad memory of old friends. I
am staying with Stanley, who had a great gathering yesterday
to meet us at dinner, wishing to unite all parties. Jowett and
Dr. Jelf, accused and accuser, very nearly sat side by side.
"To-day, St. Peter s Church, morning. Good practical ser
mon from an old pupil, Capel Cure. In St. Mary s heard another
pupil-(dull). The Vice-Chancellor classifies four character
istics of University Sermons : Altitude, Latitude, Platitude,
Longitude.
All tolerated but the last."
"LONDON HOUSE, Sunday, 2\st April 1861 11.30 P.M.--
Read to-day four of Temple s sermons. They convince me
more than ever how great a mistake he made in stepping entirely
out of his own line to join such people as Williams, etc. etc., in
the Essays and Reviews. Read over again the article in the
Edinburgh on Essays and Reviews. 1
Its logic is very poor
the writing forcible. It would be a good defence of Temple and
perhaps of Jowett, if they stood alone or only with Pattison. As
a defence of the book generally, it is quite powerless.
And now I lie down commending myself and Thy Church,
O Lord, to Thee."
1 The article was by Dean Stanley, see p. 310.