The Henson Journals

[123]

Saturday, July 28th, 1917.

1090th day

I wrote to Carissima and to Ella before breakfast: attended Mattins: had some talk with Hadow about organising a great theological school in Durham, and wrote a series of letters including one to Mr Balfour. George came to see me, & to report progress. He has been to Liverpool, & tried on his clothes. He is to sail before October. This delay is on some counts regrettable, but the activity of the German submarines reconciles one to it. Later I wrote a cheque (£29.3.2.) for his kit, & gave it to him to be posted. I lunched with the Cruikshanks, with whom Turner is staying. Also I attended Evensong.

After dinner I read Pringle–Pattison's "The Idea of God in the light of recent Philosophy" (The Gifford Lectures for 1912 & 1913). The book was warmly recommended both by Ralph & Lord Haldane. Hadow also spoke highly of it. I found it very interesting. It is written in an admirable spirit, & (what is not less important in a philosophical work) in an admirable style.

"Changes in our conception of nature may be fatal to one formulation after another; accidents of expression may drop away in deference to historical criticism, nay, much that seemed of the very essence of religious faith may have to be left behind. But each time that the earthly body of a belief is laid in the dust, it receives a more glorious spiritual body, in which it continues to function as of old in the heart of man. Timid theologians who tremble for the ark of God at every advance of scientific knowledge do but repeat the sacrilege of Uzzal in the sacred legend, smitten by the anger of heaven for his officious interference. Faith, which is an active belief in the reality of the ideal, is the very breath by which humanity lives, and it will reconstitute itself as long as the race endures." P. 81, 82.

This is finely conceived, and finely expressed. Such philosophy as this makes one begin to pluck up heart again!

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