The Henson Journals

[297]

Thursday, July 22nd, 1915.

353rd day

The rain was falling heavily at breakfast–time: and the promise of the day is about as bad as can be. So I turn my thoughts towards the article which Foakes–Jackson wishes me to contribute to his volume of Essays. I am disposed to do it, though I doubt whether I am sufficiently in agreement with him & the rest to make co–operation easy, or even possible. He says, 'What we want is a good definition of Christian liberty, which means a great deal more than the right to elect a bishop by a general synod or other machine for picking–up second rate men'. He goes on after this attractive but rather unhelpful beginning: 'I shd like really something for the plain man to read, an article on the C. of E. as it might be after the war.' This appears to assume that the War will have affected our ecclesiastical attitudes, that it will have brought some illuminations, hitherto unattainable, to our minds when we set to work to organize Christianity. But is this assumption really sound? If it be sound, is it generally allowed to be so? We are, perhaps, all disposed to look with kinder eyes on other forms of religion. It would, for instance, hardly be possible for a tub–thumping Protestant to denounce the Mass & the Confessional on the old brutal manner: & 'Prayers for the Dead' have 'come to stay'. But all this falls in with the eager advocacy of "Catholicism", which has been so conspicuous & divisive a factor in our Church life. So far from weakening the exclusiveness of our 'Catholicks', it stimulates it by weakening the opposition, & giving the hope of victory. So far from any similar toleration being manifested towards 'Protestantism', we observe that the War is being made the occasion for an outburst of insulting speech which cannot but have the effect of making the work of the religious peace–makers more than ever difficult.

[299]

In spite of the rain, which fell without ceasing all day, we (i.e. Ella, Mr & Mrs Dennistoun and I) motored to Bassett, & there we lunched with the Bishop of Southampton & Miss McArthur. Inter alia we discussed the age of confirmation, & I said that 'If I should ever be a Bishop, a contingency the remotest possible, I shd never consent to the confirmation of such very young candidates as are now presented'. The Bishop caught me up by saying, 'But I understand you are going to become a Bishop almost immediately.' This was another disconcerting reminder that I am not so securely placed in my deanery as I had hoped and believed. It is clear that my name is being gossiped about in connexion with the see of Newcastle, & that is a most uncomfortable & humiliating procedure. We returned to Winchester for tea, & afterwards visited the hospital of St Cross, over which we were escorted by one of the brethren, an intelligent & humourous old gentleman. There is an amazing variety of interest within the quadrangle. Some attempt has been made recently to remove Butterfield's paint from the Chancel, but it is thought that the stone is too friable to admit of the scraping process necessary to remove the paint. The late Master, Broderick, would appear to have been a loveable & generous man. An inscription on a memorial window states that he found his happiness in making others happy. High praise indeed, if merited. The Master now lives in a new house just outside the walls: Thus space has been found for ten more sets of rooms within the walls. The total number of brethren has been raised to 27. We were shewn not only the Church but also the Hall & the Kitchen. The last is only used to cook the vegetables on the Seven annual gaudies when the Brethren dine together in the Hall. They receive 18/– apiece, & 'pickings'.

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