The Henson Journals

[417]

Wednesday, September 29th, 1915.

422nd day

'Angels' – they are much in the air just now, and today the Church affirms their existence, organisation, and activity. It would be hard to say what precise degree of assent goes along in my mind with the language of the collect for Michaelmas day. Of course there is always the reasonable refusal to advance beyond an agnostic attitude in these matters: but on any shewing agnosticism is not faith. The collect leaves open the mode of angelic succour to mortals on earth. Our scepticism cannot reasonably extend beyond the 'objective' sphere: & here it is precisely identical with the scepticism as to the 'miraculous' which appears to be as inevitable in the case of a considering man, as it certainly is embarrassing in the case of a clergyman! Anyway, we stand at that point: Angels belong to the 'spiritual' world, and are not historical.

I celebrated at 8 a.m. in the Cathedral. The Bp. of Jarrow & Lillingston were both present, & three Minor Canons. The morning was frittered away in a sustained attempt to 'clear up' my study in preparation for visitors. I lunched with the Lillingstons.

Frank Pember & his wife arrived shortly after 2 p.m.: and, after shewing them the house, I carried them to Evensong in the Cathedral. After tea I took them for a walk, which was spoiled by the weather. Ella returned from Scotland about 6 p.m. Pemberton came to dinner.

Sir Edward Grey told Frank recently that he did not believe the war could be continued beyond the autumn of next year on account of the exhaustion of all the combatant powers. On the other hand, Lloyd George holds with Kitchener that it will continue for at least a year longer, i.e. to the autumn of 1917. In that case, Europe will pass from War to Revolution.

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