The Henson Journals

[669]

Monday, February 21st, 1916.

567th day

Again a white frost, which disappeared during the day. Ella went off to Newcastle, & I worked on at the Warburton–Neal paper. Also I went to Laidler, & arranged for my motoring on Sunday. The supply of petrol has become uncertain & costly, through the action of the Government. Hughes walked with me after lunch. The evening Newcastle paper contains a column of extraordinarily foolish letters denouncing the expenditure of £1500 on Benwell Tower. The writers are plainly ignorant of the purposes for which the expenditure has been sanctioned: of the source from which the money will come viz: the Bishop's own income; of the reasons for undertaking the work immediately. Nevertheless, they write with arrogant assurance, with offensive rudeness, & with a simulation of Christian motives which is truly odious: & they can find an editor willing to publish their effusions.

Last night, Meade–Falkner supped with us, & we had some serious conversation. He said that my position as head of a great medieval foundation, & yet myself a strong Protestant, must be extremely difficult. I replied that the difficultly, however great, belonged rather to the general situation of all Christians at the present time, than to my particular position as Dean of Durham. He agrees that there are but two possible forms of Christianity, the frankly Protestant, standing on the difficult principle of Private Judgment, & the frankly Sacerdotalist, standing on the principle of authority. Of the latter, the Church of Rome is the historical embodiment. Anglo–Catholicism is doomed to extinction, being wholly an artificial product, of which the indispensable conditions are quickly being destroyed. Insularity & sham historical science are the Jachin and Boaz of Anglicanism. Both are passing away.

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