The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-25

enthusiasm which undsriay both natures made
them fast friends, and thu future Archbishop
conceived a deep and rcyercnt admiration for
Kingsley's energies and devotion 10 Christianity
The biographer tells us The rector Of Eversley
was often with us, and Wa frequently walked
over 10 $50 him. Kingsley seldom dressed az a
clergy man. and ! recall him bsst In u suit of rough
gray cloth. with knickcrbockers and a block
tie" Benson himself used " relate how, at the
Gloss OF a discussion as to Tho pleasaniest way
of spending a holiday. Kingsley claimed with
great warmth, and with q vigorous stutter which
pe'meated his conversation and gave II NJ racy
a flavor. why, 10 lie all day. Of course, with your
b b-b. belly on a hot, nat stone. like a lizard IN the
sun, and think about nothing" Benson would
also recount tina, once. walking with Kingsley
at a remote part Of Eyersley, on a common, the
Rector suddcnly saying. Il must smoke a pipe"
went 10 a furze bush, and felt about In 1t for a time,
presently producing a clay, church warden pipe,
which he lighted and solemnIy smoked as he
walked, putting it, when he had done, into a hole
among some tree roots, and explaining that he
had a cache Of pipes in several places in the parish.
% meet the exigencies OF a sudden desire for 10.
bacco, On one occasion. Coxwrll, the Gronaut.
was %lecturing at Wellington, and Kingsley was
asked 10 meet him, Several neighbOrs were
invited 70 dinner after the lecture, and. in a pause
in the talk. Kingsley suddenly exclaimed tina, he
had always thought that the first rronaut mus,
have been \ dentist Benson asked why. Why
said Kingsley. because he is always looking
down peoples throats, and breathing foul air.
and he must 50 long 70 get right away above
the housetops into the free heavens" Coxwe
laughed and said, well, that was not the reason
in my case, | am a dentist. II is true My
dear MI, Cox we'll" said Mr.. Kingsley getting
suddenly red, Il really must beg your pardon.
! hadn't the slightest idea when | said it, You
must have thought my Jest a most III hammered
one" lie could not recover his spirits for the
rest OF the evening.
II appears that Benson was always impressed
by the sense Of religious feeling manifested in
the services at Eyersley's church by both prizes,
and congregation; nevertheless Kingsley's dis.
regard Of ceremony and ritual used to amuse
him. Kingsley would go and sit within a curious
painted and gilt Jacobean screen during mathis,
taking no part whatever. To hear the Lords
Prayer at the beginning Of the Comm union ser
vice coming from within the screen in a deep,
solemn. majestic voice was a strange surprise
10 those who were used TO his hating utter ance
Of every day. When the curate preached, Kings
ley used to take of his surplice and sit in the
rectory pew, rising to give the blessing at the
end. Benson thought this an ahectaton. The
friendship, however, between the two enthusiast tic
men was very intimate. What Is Benson's
character" said u friend to Kingsley. who re-
piled. beautiful, like his face" On the other
hand. till the end Of his life, Benson delighted
in talking Of Kingsley. and spoke Of him with
tears in his eyes,
AT Wellington College, Benson as Master,
lived rather outside direct ecclesiastical innu.
ences: his most intimate friends were engaged
In work similar 10 his own. Or. Westcott was .
house master al Harrow, DR., L.ightfoot was tutor
at Trinity; Mr.. Hutchinson was al Rugby. John
Wordsworth. who, at the time, was composition
master to the sixth form at Wellington. intro,
duced Benson To bis father. Christopher Words
worth. thsn Archdeacon Of Westminster,
who in 1865 became Bishop of Lincoln.
This acquaintance soon bore frui, In
1869 Bishop Wordsworth nominated Ben.
son as his examining chaplain, and made
him prcbendary OF Heydour cum Walton. In
1872 the Bishop Of Lincoln offered Benson the
Chancellorship Of Lincoln and the residentiary
Canonry annexed to that once. After some h esi-
tation, Benson resigned the msstership Of Wei
lington College and accepted the Bishops offer
iO"uiu ~ Cibse u lOtD, uo reCtlNeQ IIOm lprn
Beaconsfeld the offer OF the newly constituted
Bishopric Of Truro. The new Bishop was enthroned
in the Church Of st Mary's, Truro. on May /,
1877. 1t was owing 10 his eNertions that a cathe-
dral was built, the foundation stone being laid
at Truro in May, 1880. II Is here TO be noted
that, as Bishop Of Truro. Benson never succeeded
10 the House OF Lords and only went up TO Lon
don TO attend conventions, or 10 the meetings
Of the Ecclesiastical Courts Commission, to which
he was nominated by the desire Of Archbishop
TAFT. Archbishop TAFT, who is now known TO
have recognized In him a probable successor,
though the idea never then crossed Benson's
mind. saw much Of the latter, and gave him a
set Of rooms in the IOllard's Tower at Lambeth.
Surveying the Truro period, the biographer would
say that 1T was, In spite OF intervals Of reaction,
characterized by a brightness and a buoyancy
which were very remarkable. Ny father had
free scope: his task was ecclesiastical orrnnixa-
tion, pure and simple, without any admixture
OF politics, and curiously remote from the soilinr
contact Of the world
The exact reasons why the Pnmacy Of the
Anglican Church was offered 10 Bishop Benson
on the death Of Archbishop TAFT In 1882 can
never, 1t seems, be accurately known. We are
told that Dean Church was sounded by Mr. Glad
stone as TO whether he would accept the Primacy,
butt his health and mode Of life made his acceptance
out Of the question. The Bishop oQWinchester
Harold Browne) was then approached on the
subject; II had been, intended, apparently, II
Browne accepted il, 10 offer Benson the Bishoprc
Of Winchester. Queen Victoria herself was
strongly In favor Of the Phmacy being offered
to the Bishop OF Truro. The Prince Consort
had reposed a singular confidence in him, and
she had long regarded him with friendly feelings
The health Of DR.. Thomson, Archbishop OF York
was known not TO be very secure, and Bishop
Lightfoot had been scarcely long enough at Dur
ham TO have made his mark as an ecclesiastical
ruler. Benson, the Bishop Of Truro, was no
politician; he had been moreover, appointed by
Lord Benconsdeld TO Truro, and Just before the
Primocy was vacant he had, with what might
have been regarded as almost unnecessary can
dor. taken the trouble to 20 TO Cambridge 10 give
his vote for a Conservative candidate 70 repre-.
sent the university In Parliament This would
hardly commend him 10 Mr.. Gladstone, then
Prime Minister On the other hand, Benson
was known to hold fairly liberal opinions, and
his conspicuous success wherever he had been
marked him out as q leader Of men. The Dean
Of st Paul's, writing to Prof Asa Gray on Dec
81, 1882, said. Benson Is, | really believe, the
best choice that could have been made in Eng.
land. Everything that he has touched, he has