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21 April 1906 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Saturday. 21st April [1906]. We were at 9 o’cl breakfast the Bishop, Mrs Collins & I went. Dr van Someren telephoned he wished to see me so I answered I was ready to see him at once & he came. He wanted to talk about his religious attitude towards the patients he wants to bring to our hospital in case he closes his own nursing home. He has now a religious mania & thinks he should try & convert people here to his view of Christianity. I told him that we must come to an understanding on the subject as I had given a promise to people here that no one’s religion would be tampered with in our hospital & therefore if he thought right to do so with his patients I could not admit them. I pointed out to him that more was to be done by example & influence of one’s life than any amount of distributing tracts &c. When he began to argue with me as to “works” & “faith” I told him I was not competent to go into that—that I had given my word & could not go back on it. He was quite pleasant & said he would consider the matter & give me a final answer later on—in the meanwhile he undertook to do nothing in the way of conversion as regards those he now has in our hospital—& he left. At 11 I took Mrs Collins out in gondola. We went to our church to see the window I have just had put up in memory of Henry. We both liked it—as also the one to Wotton. The church was being cleaned & prepared for tomorrow’s services. The Bishop joined us there also Canon & Mrs Ragg & Sir Hubert Miller who was making up a throne for the Bishop– Messrs S. & H. Arbib also came in to see & admire. From there Mrs Collins & I went to the Piazza to shop & then home– The Bishop joined us at 1 o’cl lunch—& I went to the Sailor’s Institute with the Bishop before 3 for a Gibraltar Mission meeting—to which unfortunately only 2 people came so it could not come off. I dont think any one had realized that the Bishop had been going to make a speech on the G.M. So we returned home & I sent him & his wife out for a quiet row for rest & quiet. At 4.30 Angela Reinelt called for me & took me to the party at Marchese Sacripante’s whose daughter is engaged to Count Lovatelli & the reception was in their honor. All Venice was there & it was very hot & tiring—so that we did not stay long. I accompanied Angela back to her hotel & sat a little while with her. She likes me to talk to her about the differences of our two religions R. Catholic & Protestant—& is impressed with some of the things I tell her—not that I think of doing so with an idea of bringing her over. She is a good R.C. but is a clever woman & likes to understand about things that do not interest other women here. I came home at 6 & rested till 7 when I dressed for dinner to wh Canon & Mrs Ragg came. After dinner there was a goodly gathering of English & Protestants whom I had invited “To meet the Bishop”—& there were also a few passing travellers—about 100 people in all—quite a lively affair. | |
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