The Henson Journals

[58]

Monday, January 29th, 1917.

910th day

I went to Newcastle and visited the dentist. On my return I attended Evensong. Philip le Mesurier came in to consult me about his position at St Chad's, where a thoroughly Roman system is in being. He described to me the endless prattle about ceremonial; the incessant harping on "our Lady"; the exaltation of auricular confession; the wearisomely detailed functions of "the server" at "Mass". He said that his conscience was in revolt, and that he felt himself to be getting no good, but rather harm from the place. I advised him to write to his father explaining what he felt, and saying that he had consulted me, and that I had advised him to migrate to University College, where he would certainly be in a wholesome atmosphere. I have long suspected that St Chad's was a nest of papistry, but I hardly supposed Moulsdale would have carried matters to such extremes. But in all directions I observe a new insolence in the soi–disant "Catholicks". The lack of charity, & the intellectual squalour which Philip's description disclosed were truly lamentable.

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