cult material to deal with. He had to set a tradition and form a character for the school from the outset. Perhaps it was this fact, as well as natural temperament, that made him a stern disciplinarian at Wellington. Masters and boys alike feared him. But his sternness was joined to profound sympathy with the boys, and to an exact knowledge of them individually. His own idealism could not but be infectious, and there were few, either masters or boys, who came into close connection with him without imbibing something of his exalted spirit.
Wordsworth, bishop of Lincoln, had, at his appointment in 1868, made Benson one of his examining chaplains, and the year after a prebendary of Lincoln Cathedral. That same year Dr. Temple was nominated for the see of Exeter, The choice excited much opposition because of Temple's connection with 'Essays and Reviews;' and Bishop Wordsworth earnestly joined the opposition. Benson felt constrained to come forward as the champion of his friend, and wrote to resign his chaplaincy at Lincoln. Wordsworth smiled and put the letter in the fire; and for some time after Temple's consecration Benson acted as examining chaplain to the two prelates at once. At a later time it was they who presented him between them for his consecration as bishop. When, in 1872, the chancellorship of Lincoln Minster fell vacant, Bishop Wordsworth offered it to him. Thereupon Benson resigned the mastership at Wellington, and took up his residence at Lincoln.
The chancellor of Lincoln was by statute responsible for the teaching of divinity in the city and diocese. The statute was obsolete; but Benson, in accordance with the bishop's desire, set himself to revive it. He formed without delay the beginnings of a 'chancellor's school' for the training of candidates for the ministry, both graduates and non-graduates. By the bishop's munificence they were provided with a suitable home, and it soon took a good rank among the theological colleges of England. Besides teaching the students in this school, Benson gave public lectures on church history in the cathedral, and on the scriptures in a side chapel which he got fitted up for divine worship. He conducted a weekly bible-reading for mechanics of the city. He set on foot and organised night schools for men and lads, which from the outset were remarkably successful. He introduced the university extension lectures into Lincoln. It has been truly said by his faithful coadjutor, Mr. Crowfoot, that 'he took Lincoln by storm.' Besides all this he founded a society of clergy for special evangelistic work in the diocese, of which he was himself the first warden. The holding of a general 'mission' in the city was mainly due to him, and he preached the mission himself in the principal parish church of Lincoln.
Both at Wellington and at Lincoln, Benson had exhibited his powers as an originator. He was soon to have an opportunity of exhibiting them on a larger scale. For many years past, efforts had been made to secure the erection, or the re-erection, of a Cornish see, independent of that.of Devon. Bishop Phillpotts of Exeter had laboured and provided for this end; and under his successor, Bishop Temple, the work of Edmund Carlyon, and of many other promoters of the cause, was crowned in 1876 by a magnificent gift from Lady Rolle which completed the endowment required by parliament for the see of Truro. In December the see was offered to Benson by Lord Beaconsfield, then prime minister. A few months before he had refused the offer of the great see of Calcutta, but the new offer was accepted, and on St. Mark's day (25 April) 1877 Benson was consecrated at St. Paul's, and enthroned at Truro on St. Philip and St. James's day (1 May).
Benson settled in a modest house—Lisescop, as he named it, the Cornish for 'Bishop's Court'—which had formerly been the vicarage of Kenwyn. The place and people proved thoroughly congenial. He delighted in the Cornish people, and was never tired of observing and analysing their character. As Dr. Lightfoot prophesied, in his sermon at the consecration, he was a Cornishman to the Cornishmen, and a Wesleyan to the Wesleyans. Within the first year of his consecration the bishop experienced a great sorrow in the loss of his eldest son, Martin, a boy of seventeen, who died at Winchester College, of which he was a scholar.
The act which constituted the see of Truro empowered the bishop to appoint twenty-four honorary canons, and to make such statutes for them as he thought fit. Other new sees had a similar provision made for them; but his was the only one where the provision was at once made a practical reality. Benson based his statutes mainly upon those of Lincoln, with such adaptations as the circumstances required, and a working chapter was gradually formed, residentiary and non-residentiary, though it was reserved for his successor to obtain some endowment for the officers of the cathedral. He made his chapter a real concilium episcopi, and employed them in giving instructions and lectures in different
