The Henson Journals

[52]

Tuesday, May 22nd, 1917.

1023rd day

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Mr Kerr, the Scottish minister, who once wrote to me in connexion with the Lee Lecture, & who is now staying "under treatment" at Harrogate, writes to me about Presbyterian affairs. His account of the new Moderator of the Church of Scotland is not without interest:–

"Dr Cooper is to be the new Moderator. He is to be in the Chair as one of the results of the War viz: the forgetting of Ecclesiastical bigotries, for his name was often brought up in the College (of former Moderators) but always rejected, as he was leader of an extreme High Church section in the church, not generally in favour with the people. Privately I may tell you (for your amusement) that he resigned his position as a Vice–President in the Church Service Society when the Committee asked you to preside at our meeting on the ground that you were an unbeliever (!). Dr McAdam Muir & myself were rather glad he resigned as his extreme Sacramentarian views hindered ministers & elders from joining us. But last year the new Committee who were ignorant of his narrow–minded bigotry, have re–installed him & now he is promoted to the Moderatorship because acute differences are forgotten, & though a narrow High Churchman, he is an active promoter of Church Union. When the late Principal Cunningham of St Andrew's was appointed Moderator in 1886 Dr Cooper rose in the court & protested against the Principal occupying the chair because he was unsound in the faith. There will be no such scene tomorrow when Prof Cooper is called on.

[53]

Gee tells me that the Bishop of Stepney (Luke Paget) has been invited to attend the Assembly. There seems no possibility of "getting past" these neo–Tractarians. They are always in evidence & they hold most of the great places. One can hardly blame the Scots for accepting them at their own valuation as the true representatives of the C of E. Yet if their real beliefs, methods & objectives were frankly disclosed, the English people would have none of them. Under cover of a general pacification caused by the War the Sacerdotalist faction have pushed forward on both sides of the Tweed with extraordinary pertinacity & whoever attempts to protest against their procedure is at once overwhelmed with denunciation as a "breaker of the truce"!! The Presbyterians in Scotland & the Nonconformists in England are the victims of rhetoric, & very amenable to compliment from social superiors. They would resent the statement hotly, but it is none the less true, & the key to much that is perplexing in the present situation.

I attended Mattins & Evensong, walked with Hughes, & wrote the Empire Day sermon. Dennett reported that three of the choirboys had developed measles, most annoying business. George came to fetch the book that I had given him viz "Guy Mannering". He goes to present himself to the shippers in Liverpool tomorrow.

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