The Henson Journals

[511]

Wednesday, December 1st, 1915.

485th day

The new Bishop of Newcastle (Wild) was consecrated yesterday in York Minster. Inge preached the sermon, which is reported at some length in the Newcastle paper. It was, indeed, a notable pronouncement. He spoke of "the strain upon that marvellously dexterous Elizabethan settlement which fixed the constitution & character of the Church of England when separated from Rome". He described the settlement thus:

"The object of that settlement was to include all Catholics who would renounce the Pope, and all Protestants who were not anarchical of principle, & it was wonderfully successful: but it will require all the statesmanship of our rulers to avert disruption in the 20th century."

Is this a true description? I incline to think it gravely inadequate. About the pope there was not much difficulty: the Mass was the crux. The Henrician tradition, which Elizabeth professed to recover, had abolished the first, and jealously guarded the last. The 2nd Prayer–book of Edward VI was an essentially Protestant book, and the petty changes made by Elizabeth's Act did not really affect its character. Whitgift's language goes far beyond the eloquent Dean's:–

"I pray God make me thankful for the queen's majesty, who hath not been slack in this point, but hath, like a virtuous, religious, & godly prince, in the very entering into her reign, notwithstanding the multitude of her adversaries, both at home & abroad, abolished all superstition, and restored the simplicity of the gospel". [v. Works. vol. I. p. 263. P.S.]

Every parish church in the kingdom proclaimed that 'simplicity' by its wrecked altars & broken windows!

[513]

There is not much of the 'via media' about Whitgift's declaration with respect to the papists. "I place them among wicked & damnable idolaters". The question is, how far did Whitgift express the true mind of the Elizabethan Reformers, & exhibit the spirit of the Settlement?

We went to Bishop Auckland, in order to dine with the Bishop.

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