The Henson Journals

[24]

Monday, February 2nd, 1920.

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Purification of the B.V.M.

Two years ago on this day I was consecrated a bishop in Westminster Abbey. After so much experience of episcopal office, I certainly feel quite unable to decide whether I regret my acceptance of this bishoprick or not. That I am completely out of sympathy with the ideas and methods now dominant and accepted in the English Church is evident enough. The passing of the Enabling Act makes me doubt whether there is any considerable body of opinion left to which I can appeal. Such an institution as the C. of E. is clearly becoming can have little use for me. Nor am I really interested in ecclesiastical politics now that they are plainly losing contact with national policy, & becoming merely denominational. Everything tends to shrivel into a vulgar scramble of sects and parties. The issues which are most absorbing in the Anglican world are also the remotest from modern interest, & the least intrinsically important. "Reunion", a practical matter of evident gravity, is tied to this tiresome & exhausted wrangle over Orders, which cannot possibly interest any reasonable & educated man. Or, it is made the occasion for outpourings of Evangelical sentimentalism, as futile in effect, as they are foolish in expression. Between these points of an obsolete logomachy and a wash of sentiment there seems to be no standing ground for reasonable Christian men, who desire to act together for the best in the extraordinarily difficult circumstances of the time.

[25]

Ella and I went to the Cathedral at 8 a.m., and there received the Sacraments. I spent the morning in writing letters, and in the afternoon went to Shrewsbury, where I presided over a meeting of the Ludlow Schools Association. There is a general sense of exhausted utility about all educational meetings in the Church of England, for not only is it perfectly well known that our financial resources are "used up", but also it is becoming quite evident that the "amour proper" of the teachers is hostile to the Church Schools. It can be but a matter of a few years before the long rivalry of Church & State in the sphere of national education has reached its inevitable termination in the complete elimination of the Church. Kenyon, the Rector of Ludlow, gave me tea in the club, & then I returned to Hereford. In my absence Edmund Parker had arrived. After writing number of letters with Wynne–Willson, I dined with my family.

I beguiled my journey to and from Shrewsbury with Loeb's Juvenal

Esto bonus miles, tutor bonus, arbiter idem integer: ambiguae si quando citabere testis incertaeque rei, Phalaris licet imperet ut sis falsus et admoto dictet perjuia tauro, summum crede nefas animan prœferre pudori, et propter vitam vivendi perdere causas. dignas morte perit, cenet licet ostrea centum Gaurana et Cosmi toto mergatur aeno.

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February 2nd 1920

Dear Dr Carnegie Simpson

The other day the Bishop of Norwich showed me a printed "Report of Conference of Representatives of the Evangelical Free Churches on Closer Co–operation of the Churches". It seemed to be of rather special interest & importance. I should be really grateful if you could secure me a copy.

The subject of "Reunion" is likely to be the most important of the subjects considered at the Lambeth Conference. I shall take a part, perhaps even a prominent part, in the discussion, & I desire particularly to get that discussion out of the grooves of the old futile wrangling over "Order" on the one hand, and the washy futile sentimentalism of the Evangelicals on the other. I confess to much scepticism as to the precise value of conferences in which there is no preliminary agreement on first principles, & I must needs think that there is apparent in some quarters a tendency to get immediate results by hustling the real issues out of view. Be that as it may. It is very necessary to understand where the serious thinkers of Nonconformity stand, & in what direction they are looking. If you can, and will assist me to such an understanding, I shall be very grateful.

Yours sincerely,

H. H. Hereford.

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February 2nd 1920

Dear Mr Hounsfield,

The particular point you mention – the presence of malignant parasites in mammals including men – is but part of the challenge which the Universe as we see it in the light of modern science seems to offer to our Christian Faith. It must, therefore, properly be considered in relation to the general issue of Faith v. Atheism. The lives of a popular, (but not, therefore, either shallow or unsatisfying) apologetic may be found in the writings of the well–known Methodist minister, the Revd Frank Ballard. I have found much that is re–assuring & suggestive in some recent courses of Gifford Lectures, especially in Prof. Pringle–Pattison's "The Idea of God". But I do not think clear and satisfying answers to particular difficulties are accessible to us. "Now we see in a mirror darkly" is a true description of our present state. What Bp. Lightfoot on his death–bed wrote with reference to the vexed question of Biblical Inspiration is, I think, true over the whole area of religion. You will find the letter printed in Abp. Benson's Life voll.ii. p.289. "The salient passage runs thus:– "There is nothing so dangerous on such a topic as the desire to make everything right & tight. I do not know whether it is that my mind is not being logical, but I find that my faith suffers nothing by leaving a thousand questions open, so long as I am convinced on two or three main lines". I must need think that there is a far larger sphere for rightful Christian Agnosticism than had generally been supposed.

With kind regards, yours sincerely,

H. H. Hereford.

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