The Henson Journals

[39]

Monday, May 7th, 1917.

1008th day

Bright sun, & keen east wind. I wrote a letter to the "Newcastle Daily Journal" with reference to the vote of the Lower House of the Canterbury Convocation in favour of re–inserting the name of Charles I in the Calendar. Then I wrote to Curzon thanking him for the Anson letters, and to Lord Cobham, asking him to write something about the Etonian activities of the Warden: & to Fawkes, explaining why he wd probably be benefitted by my support of his candidature for St Olave's. After lunch I laboured on the potato–patch, which is now finished as far as the planting stage is concerned. Freeman was good enough to declare that I had proved myself to be no "paper Dean"! On returning to the Deanery, I found my wife entertaining two Belgian officers, who cd speak as much English as I can French, which is little enough. However, we went round the Cathedral, & then I handed them over to Ella for a visit to the Castle. Scarcely had I settled down to writing a letter in my study before Cruickshank appeared, & held me in talk until dinner. Afterwards I read a really remarkable letter written by Huxley to Kingsley. The excellent canon had seized the opportunity of the death of Huxley's son – a child of four – in order to offer as persuasive an argument for immortality as he could, & Huxley had been moved to a frank expression of his own position. The letter fills six pages of the 'Life', and is a notable exposition of the Agnostic's point of view. (v. "Life & Letters[^"^]. vol I. p. 313–320) I read the "History of the Papacy" aloud to Ella. We finished the history of the Council of Constance. Surely that Council was the greatest & most significant failure, which Christian history records. Yet the notion which holds the minds of Bishop Gore and his followers appears to be essentially identical with that which determined the assembling of the Council; & certainly no modern exponent can vie in learning & ability with Gerson & D'Ailly. I suspect that the Council's treatment of Huss is not more remote from the treatment which our "Catholicks" would extend to those whom they are pleased to regard as hereticks, troublesome folk like the Dean of Durham for example!

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