Cloudy and chilly—any thing but summer. There was rain at night. I called to see Mr Munchton Mills, and left my card as he was too ill with gout to see me. Attended Divine service at half past three. I had the curiosity to attend at a service in French held in the Regent’s Park Chapel. The assemblage was small and consisted mostly of French people. The service as simply as ours at home. The prayer impressive. The sermon was from 1. Corinthians 16. 22. “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maranatha” The preacher began by remarking upon the singular contrast between the tone of this denunciation and the general spirit of the teaching of Christ and his Apostle. It is indeed so striking, especially in its juxtaposition between messages of peace and good will than I should be strongly inclined to suspect interpolation. But the preacher proceeded to reinforce it by quoting what he called a parallel and explanatory passage in 1 Galatians. That is however by no means the case. That denounces persons who preach a false gospel, a positive act of offence in misleading others from the true faith. But this threatens the severest conveyance on a negotiation. It inflicts a punishment for what should in order to have value be a purely voluntary act. How can a man’s affection spring from compulsion? Such a process is likely rather to create very opposite emotions—either fear or hate. Surely the Deity can place little credit in affection the offspring of terror. Such is not the teaching of the Saviour.134 His is the doctrine of love which produces love, which is in harmony with all the attributes we give to the Creator. He denounces the wicked, the malevolent the violent on account of their offences, but he does not expect love for it excepting by the way of repentance and reformation of the heart. I think therefore this text must be an insertion of some bigoted Jewish commentator, or a mere expletory malediction. The preacher viewed it simply as an injunction to love as a duty. Many parts of his discourse were earnest and sincere exhortations to the love of the Saviour, which carried me with them regardless of the false basis on which they were made to rest. I do like above all things in the church simplicity and earnestness. From here I visited the Zoological gardens and wandered about for some time. On my return home I found the week’s bag had come. Not much beyond filling up the details of the last news. Quiet evening at home.