The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-18

English Religious Thoughts.
AS vour observer and reporter Of relig-
i1us thought fra England there is fitness
ir my noting some of the reference to
our late laureate from the point Of view
o. a. religious teacher Let my contribu-
ton this time Dee ALSO a warm though mea-
en-. tribute of yaulration and affection for
on. Wloat a critical time I'm my own spir-
fu growth became a real helper, only
second iu power and effectiveness 10 the
sacred writer's themselves. one of the
best expectations OF Tennyson in the as
poet iu which / am regarding him IS the
sermon preached ia Westminster Abbey
last Sunday by Canon Ducl1worth, who at
short notice took the place of the dean.
Ea.r own c0untryman, LOngfellOw, has
Spoken } remember. SO sW01uy of nature
d. being the story book which the Father
l.s written for Iis children. Canon
I..kuarIh reminds us how truly and
I..E Tuuysou does this also. in depict
i h native land his magic faculty Of
vuf-alntns found fun scope. Lines
of e.r.. --lug loneliness haunt us, in
which. with rare fidelity and dclicacy. he
r.I- tle charms of the English land
s..n. and dWels with the tenderest fond
l. ou the sights and sounds Of that
tranquil country life from which mono
could June him. Amongst the many rem-
iu..u..s given in the Times and othe-
I. tas TWO are worth reproducing
ting Ternvs0u's intense love and
Bee s.rtiny OF nature. BY one com
l.l.u. when on a country stroll, the
poet was seen bending I'm rapt admiration
over dragon fly. Look here. look here"
said he 'I can actually see the cOlors OF
the flower through the insects wing"
once at t'rCshWater TeunysOn took his
fi.st out for walk just before midnight.
Suddenly he fell on his knees and eagerly
shifted at the Niolets on the ground end
URGED bis friend TO do the same. All this
s. in perfect keeping with tfe man whose
earliest known remark about nature was
DIS saying To his brother Charles: 'I
hear voice speaking I'm the wind" and
whose later was one in which to him the
worlds stairs are altar stairs that slope
through darkness up to God.
I.e Westminster preacher again only
Voices the thoughts of many when ne
asks. "('an We eXagserate the debt which
owe 10 our great teacher who, in an
a.. ~ doubt and unsetuement has
helped souls without number to cling to
g.. higher faith and 60 trust the larger
i.-t 10 is simple fact, vet most signih-
can't that Yeunyson has been a lay
preacher TO many who have never sat at
Cir feet of an ordained priest
I.H many "a dOUbter has been crate
t-y helped by the well-known lines:
cone indeed 7 knew
jim many a subtitle question versed
Who touched o. EARRING note at first,
L-t ever strOve to make it true.
'F,w'ast in faith. but pure in deeds,
AZ last DE beat his music out.
f..... lives MORO faith I'm honest doubt
Believe me than in half the creeds.
ue fought his doubts and gathered
strength
H- would not make his judgment blind,
u faced the spectres OF the mind
aU. ...i Them: thus me came ut length
al. --I @ stronger faith his own"
striking testimony to the rallying
ut Tmnyson's poetry was given by
a. arIur Nonuhore the other day. He
e'rg in the Malay Archipelago
t happened 30 quote q line from 1.-THE
when the mate Of the vessel com
. and very much more, and con
. aging that but for Tennyson's
Doe would have committed suicide
many .rs before. To the deadly ma
lu which Withers q nation TO its
Canon Duckworth adds. Tennyson's
Was "a priceless antldote.
't song was like the sword Excalibur
- l symbolic knight, trenchant, IN
stained.
d shook the world Of wordy baseness.
--e caasuess heathendoh Of huckstcr-
is days"
-aa Bishop Of Winchester, who preached
l.as-emcre GA tine Sunday when the
-eate's figure of marble lay IN the
ln "a Aldworth, said that ii is no'sliGht
faction for those who are not pre-
Iat- 10 disassociate science from faith,
'r to divorce morals from genius, 10 re-
member that among the leading sOngsters
our revolutionary time are Robert
browning. Lewis Morris and Alfred Ten
DYSON. the latter OF whom has given US
exquisite line:
strong son OF God. Immortal Love,
Whom we, that have aot seen thy face.
by faith. and faith alone. embrace,
-erns where we cannot prove"
Ilebendary Harry Jones has given
through The Times the following glimpse
INTO mo inner mind OF our departed
L~ureate Walking IN a beautiful gar
otn one day a guest said to TennysOn:
What do you really think OF Jesus
'AflatY After a lengthy pause, Tenuy
ton pointed so a lovely flower and said:
what the sun IS to this flower, Jesus
CHRIST IS 10 me. He is the sun Of my
lopl" Such an incident recalls the
poets own noble words, words which
beautifully express, II they were not in
'ended 70 express bis own character;
Follow Christ, the King;
1--we pure, speak true right wrong;
Follow the King: else wherefore bornT
One OF the most significant Of the ut
nrances OF the tate national singer has