The Henson Journals

[58]

Friday, December 5th, 1919.

Somebody sends me a spirited Article by Canon William Barry on "The Turks, Cardinal Newman, & the Council of Ten". He urges very vehemently the expulsion of the Turks "bag & Baggage" from Europe, & the extinction of the Turkish secular dominion. He quotes Gibbon:–

"The Mahometan, & more especially the Turkish casuists, have pronounced that no promise can bind the faithful against the interest & duty of their religion, & that the Sultan may abrogate his own treaties & those of his predecessor."

It argues much courage or much ignorance for a Roman Catholic to invoke condemnation of that kind of casuistry, for the Sublime Porte might reply that it had been learned from the Infallible Pope!

I spent the morning in reading proofs of the Anson "Memoir", and sent portions to Ker, Gwyer, & Curzon. It disappoints me on the whole. My own contributions seem particularly wooden & dull! After walking for an hour, I had an interview with James, & then did letters with Wynne–Willson. I wrote to Carissima, & to Armitage Robinson.

[59]

My dear Madam,

In the circumstances you describe I have no doubt whatsoever that the rule of thr Church of England with respect to fasting is not intended to apply to your case: & I hope that you will set it aside without the smallest scruple. If it be any assistance to you in coming to that decision to have obtained a formal dispensation from the Bishop of the diocese, then, as Bishop of Hereford, I dispense you from the said rule, and beg to remain'

Yours sincerely,

H. H. Hereford.

This was my answer to a lady who asked for a dispensation as having being 'under medical treatment for tuberculosis'. It seems odd that people should trouble themselves about such trivialities when the world is going fast into revolution, but there is no sense of proportion in fanaticism.

The principal place in the daily papers is given to the account of a boxing match in which the Frenchman, Carpentier, was easily victorious. This is a fortunate result as relations between England & France are not too cordial.

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