The Henson Journals

[74]

Tuesday, June 12th, 1917.

1044th day

I finished reading the book which has fluttered orthodox dove–cotes – "What think ye of Christ? being lectures on the Incarnation & its interpretation in terms of modern Thought" by Rev. Charles E. Raven M.A. The author is examining chaplain to the Bp. of Southwark, & therefore, the orthodox nose is the keener to scent heresy, of which, indeed, I apprehend that the book is very full. There is much bumptiousness, which never suffers one to forget that the Author is still a young man, but some things are well said. The weakest chapter is the last in which he wd fair be "constructive". In the "Introduction" he explains the reasons why he was led to write his book. He gives an ugly account of the situation in Emmanuel College, Cambridge, & indeed generally in the University:–

"I was ordained, & found myself responsible for the Christian life of a College wh was at that time (1909) the scene of a strong anti–Christian crusade. The whole tone of feeling in the University both on moral and on religious questions had been for some years very unsettled, partly owing to the preaching of hedonist or neo–Hellenic ideas, which were too often made attractive as the excuse for sexual perversion & secret vice, but still more owing to the offence caused to the ablest & most honest undergraduates by the foolish dogmas, incessant quarrellings, & obvious ineffectiveness, of professing Christians."

Linetta sent me a monograph on 'Julian Grenfell' by Viola Meynall, reprinted from the Dublin Review. It is a charming picture of a privileged life, rich in everything which the mass of men sigh for in vain, or do not know even in the dreams of envy! Who can measure the gulf between such a life and that of the mass of men? What mockery all this prating about equality really is! Only in the tragical stroke of death did Julian Grenfell come into the region of the general experience.

After Mattins the Precentor brought me a letter which he had received from a Liverpool shipping firm offering hope that they might take George as an apprentice. I thought [75] it advisable to write to Lawrence Holt, asking whether the firm were respectable, and whether there wd be a prospect of George getting into the service of his own company, if he waited. With daily reports of submarine activities, it is an ill time to send boys to sea but the years pass quickly, & George is fully old enough to make his start.

I attended Evensong, and afterwards fell in with old Dr. Greenwell in his Bath–chair. He began forthwith declaiming against the notion of placing the figures in the niches. Somebody has been fool enough to prate to the old man on the project of the War Memorial, & as ever he is eager for the fray. It is certainly annoying! Miss Anson and her sister arrived at tea–time. They came on from the Headlams. After tea I took the ladies for a short walk to the Observatory Hill, & by the Banks. Everything was looking at its best in the evening light. Cruickshank & his wife came to dinner. I lent him Dicey's "Statesmanship of Wordsworth".

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