The Henson Journals

[449]

Monday, October 18th, 1915.

441st day

Caröe went off by the early train; & the Murray Smiths left in a hired motor about 11 a.m. I wrote a letter to the "Challenge"; and did little else, feeling rather 'played out' after yesterday's exertions. I attended Evensong in the Cathedral, & walked with Logic. Knowling tells me that Robertson, the Bishop of Exeter, is in a bad way. He seems to have had something in the nature of a paralytic stroke. The Bishop of Durham, dedicating some new hospital building near Bishop Auckland, is reported to have 'made the remark that there were many present who in his opinion would not see death before the coming of Christ'. This gives the key to the problem of Evangelical impotence. Tied & bound by Biblical literalism, & always living in an atmosphere of other–worldly pietism, Evangelicals are not modern. Medievalists are nearer the life of the Twentieth Century than these Apocalyptist Rip–van–Winkles!

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