The Henson Journals

[168]

2nd Sunday in Advent, December 10th, 1916.

860th day

Jim drove me in his car to Darlington, and there I preached in Holy Trinity Church, repeating an old & favourite sermon on the "Broadness of the Divine Law" (Psalm. 119. 96). The weather was wretched, and as we had the car open on our return journey, we got a complete realization of the fact. Fred: Macdonald and the lad Mangin came to lunch – two promising lads. At Evensong there was a woefully small congregation, which was the more regrettable since Fawkes preached an admirable sermon on the consequences of the war & our duties with respect to them. It was well conceived, and well expressed. Mead–Falkner called to see me with respect to Arthur Morgan. He would be willing to undertake the burden which Morgan's father declines (viz: find £10 monthly for the next two terms.) He has also undertaken to pay for Walter Jackson's schooling at Lichfield for the space of one year.

I wrote to Ernest, and to Gilbert. Also I sent a note to the Bishop of Southampton asking him to call at the Hospital and visit the latter. Fawkes and I sate until midnight talking over ecclesiastical affairs. One doesn't get far forward in these discussions. For we seem to be reaching a stage in the dissolution of traditional and established Anglicanism, which has got beyond the power of remedy. We are bankrupt equally of men, of principles, and of ideals; and now have fallen to be helpless kind of opportunists hanging on the skirts of chance, and like so many clerical Micawbers "waiting for something to turn up", like him canting furiously the while we wait!

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