⁄
not always found in other
denominations. Thus the
little seed planted several
years before at Camden
Road did indeed appear
to bear fruit.
Whether the other
hypothetical seed that
was sown in Alfred
Johnson’s grey matter
definitely took root can
well be questioned. It is
a long and wandering
The venerable Purley Chase
story, leading eventually
to the reasons why the General Church’s British Academy today finds a home
at Purley Chase. But you might find the trail worth following.
Alfred Johnson was not just a member of Tafel’s congregation. His mother
was widowed, but her husband had left her with a large house where she was
able to let rooms to supplement her income – a common custom at the time.
When Tafel and his wife arrived from Germany they initially took rooms with
Alfred’s mother, and so for several years, when at an impressionable age, Alfred
had frequent contact with Rudolf Tafel.
It would seem that as a result Alfred developed a considerable knowledge
of and enthusiasm for Academy ideas. That could have led to him becoming a
minister – he did become a lay preacher – but he had a natural gift as an artist.
He could sketch anything perfectly at a moment’s notice and so that became
his obvious career choice. In addition to drawing, he was also a competent
calligrapher. One year he even won the London City and Guilds top prize for
copperplate handwriting, the highest award attainable for the subject.
I cannot record that the particular respect and enthusiasm for the Writings
that Tafel had planted in Alfred Johnson took formal shape. In due course,
however, he had a son to whom he passed on the knowledge, respect and
enthusiasm for the Writings: the Rev. Philip Johnson.
Philip Johnson became a minister, but the Tafel/Academy seed came to
show itself more particularly in associated activities. Alfred had seen that
Philip was given a good education, which in the early 20th century meant you
had a firm grounding in Latin, and it led to BA and BS degrees. This qualified
him to serve on the Swedenborg Society’s translation committee.
Apart from his sound Latin he also brought another gift to the committee.
His father had passed on to him the ability to write, and appreciate the
intricacies of copperplate handwriting. About this time the Society was
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