Clergy -- England -- Biography; Stoughton, John, 1807-1897
If I may be permitted to trespass a little on what was at the time in
futurity, I will, for the sake of preserving connection between incidents
at that period, mention other circumstances which brought together, in a
friendly way, members of different religious bodies. The first was of no
great importance. I think it was in 1870, the Archbishop of Syra visited
England, and made some little stir. Dr. Stanley entertained him in the
Jerusalem Chamber, and invited a larger party to meet him afterwards.
The host was not likely to lose such an opportunity for bringing together
people of different opinions. Several were introduced to this stranger,
who occupied during his visit, perhaps, a position above his usual one.
The simple fact of this introduction was magnified, by newspapers, even
the _Times_, into a sort of submission to Greek Archiepiscopal
superiority; for the few whose names were mentioned were represented as
receiving his formal benediction, and I wrote to explain the nature of
the interview, which really amounted to nothing more than a respectful
bow on the part of an Englishman to a foreigner, and the return on the
foreigner’s part of an accustomed Greek salutation. The intended effect
of private civil reciprocities is often spoiled, by attributing to them
meanings never intended and utterly absurd. Reports of them in quite a
ridiculous way get into newspapers.
It was owing to the circumstance of my being “capped” in Edinburgh at the
same time with Matthew Arnold, that I became acquainted with that
remarkable man. He was by no means popular with Dissenters, owing to
what, in some of his books, he said with reference to them. They
appreciated his ability, but censured the spirit which appeared in some
of his criticisms. My acquaintance with him convinced me that in some
respects he was misjudged. When I came to know him pretty well, I
playfully referred to some things he had written, which stung people whom
I knew. “But I am not such a bad fellow,” he rejoined, “as Dissenters
think.” “No,” I replied, “but Dissenters look at you through your books;
I look at your books through you—and that makes a great difference.” I
always found him kind, gentle, tender-hearted. He sympathised with me in
domestic sorrows, and was pleased with some things I had written.
The publication of “Ecclesia,” a volume by Dissenters, about the same
time that another volume appeared written by Churchmen, was the means of
bringing the editors and writers of the two works together at the house
of a common friend, the Rev. H. S. Toms of Enfield. The Rev. W. D.
Maclagan, editor of “The Church and the Age”—incumbent of a neighbouring
parish (afterwards Vicar of Kensington, then Bishop of Lichfield
{176a})—and Dr. Reynolds, of Cheshunt College, were present. Each editor
proposed success to his brother editor on the other side.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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