The Henson Journals

[17]

Friday, April 13th, 1917.

984th day

My first work was to answer the Serbian minister. My letter ran thus:–

Sir,

In reply to your letter of the 11th inst. I have to state that the sermons to wh. you refer were reported in full in several newspapers both Anglican & Nonconformist. They were concerned rather with the conditions of Reunion among English–speaking Christians than with the larger aspects of ecclesiastical unity. I desired to emphasise the point that the C. of E. is a Reformed or Protestant Church, & cannot rightly or wisely ignore the fact. The Reformed Churches in Scotland and America, as well as the Nonconformist Churches in England itself, are mainly non–episcopal in constitution, & have on that account grown into isolation from fellowship with the C. of E., wh. like the Church of Serbia, has an episcopal organisation. I insisted on the primary importance of recognizing the fundamental religious agreement wh. properly exists bet. all the Reformed Churches of English speech, &, wh., in my judgment, must necessarily form the starting point of any serious effort by English Churchmen to promote unity with foreign churches. For how can we decently seek the fellowship of foreign Christians when we are unable or unwilling to unite with Christians of our own race? I beg to enclose copies of the "Church Family newspaper" and the "Record", wh. contain reports of the two sermons wh. I preached in the C.T.' on March 25th last, & to add to these [18] a Lecture on "The relation of the C. of E. to the other Reformed Churches", which treats of the same subject in its historical bearings.

Give me leave to express the hope that the fearful experiences of this unparalleled War, in wh. the noble Serbian nation has played so heroic a part, & suffered so cruel a martyrdom, may, by the Blessing of God, draw England & Serbia more closely together in the future for the advantage of both, and that the Churches of the two countries may be brought into an intimacy more congruous with their common Christianity. The authority by which the Reformation was effected in England during the 16th century was national, & the Church of England must needs therefore recognize the full competence of national churches to determine their own system in all the non–essentials of Religion. It follows that the differences between the Churches of England & Serbia (which express the distinctive history & idiosyncrasy of the two nations) do not in the judgment of English Churchmen form any insurmountable obstacle to their mutual recognition & fellowship.

Believe me, with much regard,

Yours very faithfully

H. Hensley Henson

Beyond attending Mattins, writing this letter revising my Sunday sermon, & reading the papers I did nothing before lunch. The afternoon was spent in a meeting of the Sherburn Trust, at which 'iste archidiacous' made rather a pretty display. The speeches delivered last night in London at meetings organized to celebrate the entry of America into the War were remarkable. Lloyd George excelled himself in his characteristic vein of prophetic oratory. The American Ambassador was a trifle sententious in his eulogy of his country, but something may be allowed for the occasion. Bryce was excellent. I expect to see developments within Germany as a consequence of America's declaration of War. The Kaiser's government cannot conceal the gravity of that fact from a population which has many links with America.

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