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CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY ARCHIVE

Section III: Central Records

Part 19: Papers of Henry Venn (Secretary of CMS, 1846-1873) and Family

Extracts

Reel 281 Diary of Emilia Venn of a tour in Europe, 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo

“…. & then to Brussels.

Stopped at the entrance by a man holding a lanthorn  into the carriage, & asking in a gruff voice for our passports. After a great deal of fuss & reading them over he gave them back to us, & told us we might go on, & so we did. We drove through handsome streets, though very dimly seen, to the Hotel d’Angleterre, but they had not a single bed. Then we went to the Hotel de Wellington, & there they directly showed us into a large handsome room, with a canopy bed with curtains of the richest crimson damask….

Aug 8 Tuesday. Our waiter told us that General Ponsonby had had the very rooms that we have, & was in them on that night before the battle when he was roused up & called into the field of battle, that in the morning he had sent one of his Aides de Camp for breakfast, but that when it came he was dead & in that state was brought back to the troops. Allowed ourselves rather a long rest to make up for the many broken nights we have had. Sent our things to the wash, & then began to look about us, & indeed we did open our eyes to a very delightful resting place. The street in which our Hotel is, is a long wide one. Directly before the windows is the Park or Promenade consisting of many wide walks, with handsome gates & statues, heading into different parts of the town. After breakfast, & after writing several letters to England, Nancy and I went out with a servant Mr Dicey hired to be our conductor. Walked through the promenade, & went to the Cathedral: thought it very grand; & then through some of the principal streets & squares a bright blue sky setting off every building & walk to the greatest advantage, & then we ended our morning by going to Mademoiselle Brunel’s….”

Reel 283  Diary, 1838 of Henry Venn concerning CMS matters

“Sunday Feby 18. rose at 7. finishing sermon – preached, but had not sufficiently got up the sermon – This point must be accomplished. In afternoon went to see Mr Softley who is suffering from a bad leg danger of mortification – severe pain mind much oppressed with business & depressed with gloomy views of religion, yet truly contrite.

Monday. rose 7½ before 8 Causton called talked over his sad misunderstanding with Dyne – agreed to see Mr Saltwell. IX½ to XI preparing list of Districts – letters John’s controversy reading out of it till XII. District meeting at church I returned called on S Kelly about her behaviour to school mistress….

Tuesday rose at 6¼ reading scriptures ¾h. VIII½ breakfast IX½ assaying papers & letters – XI saw Hill, Softley, to office. Dr Jennings called about curate. Daniel Wilson misunderstanding with Hambledon time lost till III, writing letters to V to Beattie Dinner met Mr & Mrs Midwinter of Winchester and a young Clergyman….”

Reel 284 Diary of Henry Venn concerning CMS matters, 1849

“November 26th 1849 Monday

9¼ to 11¼ arranging letters respecting Missionary Home, Wrote a letter to Dr Barth, about to proceed to the interior of Africa, pointing out the ways in which he might furnish useful information to the CMS. 12½ got to the office – letters – minutes of the last Committee Meeting. Callers – Mrs Archdeacon Robinson – Revd C F Schlientz. 2½ went to a meeting of the “Gorham Cause Committee” at Villiers. Present Villiers, Goode, Harding, Baring, Auriol, Lord Ashley, Russell, Gurney, Cohen, D Wilson.  Agreed after much discussion to let the paper stand in its present form. Considered what steps we should be prepared to take in case of an adverse decision of the Privy Council. Should be ready to bring forward our measures immediately on such a decision being given. The only practical way appeared to be to address the Queen to issue a commission for devising remedial measures. Lord Ashley who had just come from an interview with Lord John Russell told us confidentially that Lord John was thoroughly aware of the importance of this question, that he was very anxious about it, that he had talked with the Lord Chancellor about it whom he found to be entirely on Gorham’s side, that the Lord Chancellor thought that the two Archbishops and the Bishop of London would be ex-officio members of the Committee of the Privy Council for this purpose…. Lord John spoke strongly upon the necessity of some organized change which might give to the church the power of regulating its own affairs and prevent the preposterous exhibition now before us of a judge fixing the doctrines of the Church whilst he knew nothing about them and cared nothing for them….

Walked home with Daniel Wilson. Dinner. Evening broken in upon and consumed by Rev W Adley complaining about the straitness of his income and the neglect of his claims by those who had church patronage at their disposal.

November 27, 1849

After breakfast till 9.30 to the Committee. Rev C Dudley from New Zealand attended the Committee. A question arose respecting the New Zealand Prayerbook of which 10,000 copies had been ordered to be printed at the last meeting…. Determined that Mr Pettitt should go as secretary to the Ceylon Central Committee. Mr Herm thought it not wise to deprive Tinnevelly of that master-mind – Mr Pettitt being present – and Mr Ridgeway with great simplicity put the question to him whether he thought his removal from  Tinnevelly would be any loss to the Mission? Mr Pettitt with equal simplicity answered that he thought the Tinnevelly Mission was in such a state of perfect organization that any common man could now supply his place….”

 

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