He was devout and sincere if ever man was. Yes, even
when he records in his diary (referred to by Morley in his "Life of
Gladstone") that, while addressing the House of Commons on the budget
for several hours with great acceptance, he was "conscious of being
sustained by the Divine Power above." Try as one may, who can deny
that to one of such abounding faith this belief in the support of the
Unknown Power must really have proved a sustaining influence,
although it may shock others to think that any mortal being could be
so bold as to imagine that the Creator of the Universe would concern
himself about Mr. Gladstone's budget, prepared for a little speck of
this little speck of earth? It seems almost sacrilegious, yet to Mr.
Gladstone we know it was the reverse--a religious belief such as has
no doubt often enabled men to accomplish wonders as direct agents of
God and doing His work.
On the night of the Queen's Jubilee in June, 1887, Mr. Blaine and I
were to dine at Lord Wolverton's in Piccadilly, to meet Mr. and Mrs.
Gladstone--Mr. Blaine's first introduction to him. We started in a cab
from the Metropole Hotel in good time, but the crowds were so dense
that the cab had to be abandoned in the middle of St. James's Street.
Reaching the pavement, Mr.
Pages:
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422