The Henson Journals

[126]

Wednesday, December 27th, 1916.

877th day

An 'awful rose of dawn' glowed in the sky when I came into my study before going into the Cathedral for the Celebration. The Gows went off after breakfast. I wrote the letter of invitation to the Commemoration of Founders and Benefactors, & sent it off to the Church Printing Company. Then George came in, & cut into useable form a lot of fool's cap paper. After lunch I walked in the garden with Linetta until Evensong, which I attended. I received a letter from Ralph, who is obviously pleased at the warmth of the welcome with which the Evangelicals received his speech, which appeared in the "Record" of December 14th.

"The good Evangelicals are in ecstasies, & welcome me as a man and a brother with open arms. 'Flectere si nequeo superos' …"I think we must try to work with them, in spite of their intellectual limitations. After all, the cleft between sacerdotal and non–sacerdotal religion is the one chasm which cannot be crossed, and which divides us into two camps."

The sun setting was most beautiful, all the western sky aflame with deep rosy colour. I went across to the Bishop of Jarrow's house to see it to better advantage. After dinner I talked with Linetta, & read the "Times" aloud until bed–time. There is a fatal attraction in the newspaper, which makes read them conscientiously while never really believing anything that they say. The "Peace–Movement" engineered by Germany & wittingly or not, assisted by President Wilson provides the mass of the matter in the newspaper at present. It is not yet possible to estimate the true character of the movement. Even in America there appears to be the sharpest differences of opinion as to the purpose, range, & probable consequences of the President's Note.

---