The Henson Journals

[179]

Tuesday, September 18th, 1917.

1142nd day

The post brought a letter ^from^ Michell Pierce, whom I picked up and was kind to last summer (v. p.76). He writes from Shorncliffe, and expects to go to France immediately. I wrote to him at once in order to catch him before departure. Wells, the Warden of Wadham, writes to express amazement at my championship of conscientious objectors: but he evidently does not understand the situation. I wrote to him kindly indicating as much.

The "Report of the Committee of Enquiry on Evangelistic Work" for the diocese of Durham came to me last night, & I read it through with a real curiosity as to its contents. It is an almost startlingly conventional production, betraying no perception whatever of the situation in which the Christian Message has to be delivered. Its conclusion runs thus:–

"We conclude our report by submitting as our unanimous conviction that the need of needs is 'Hotter Fire at the Centre'. It is lukewarmness which kills."

Now what can that really mean? What is the centre where the "hotter fire" is needed? What is the "fire"? This kind of language appears to me unmeaning if not actually mischievous. For those who use it think that they mean something very true and important: & they are self–cheated into the too–familiar conventions.

[180]

I travelled to Hartlepool, and attended the meeting of Provincial Grand Lodge. Arriving late, through missing my train at the main station in Durham & having to travel by a later one from Elvet, I yet came in time to lunch pleasantly with Lord Barnard & the Provincial Grand Officer. The meeting was held in the Methodist Church, of which the architecture seemed better suited to Masonic business than to Christian worship. I remained in my place until Lord B. had finished his address, & then travelled back to Durham by way of Darlington. It is woefully slow travelling – more than 2 hours to go 20 miles! I am not uninterested in Freemasonry, though, of course, horribly bored by the ceremonial & red–tape. It is really a Theistic Church with a marked emphasis on benevolence and social entertainment. Its enemies accuse it of fostering intemperance, & being a Tory organisation: but I think the first accusation is baseless, & the last only so far true that the mass of the members are Tories.

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