The Henson Journals

[69]

Monday, March 1st, 1920.

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The post brought me a letter from "Millard Brown Thorpe, Minister of the First Congregational Church, 1640 Third St: San Diego, California". He has been moved to write by reading my article on Prohibition which he read aloud to his family "as a sort of curiosity was distinctly one of amusement." He is himself a whole–hearted Prohibitionist though he think that it was "a dubious experiment" to apply the policy to the great cities, & to "allow a mere plurality of votes to decide it." His account of the situation is illuminating.

"As for the Churches, in only two of them, the Roman Catholic and the Protestant Episcopal, is wine used in the sacrament. I agree with you that the necessity of making an exception to the law for the benefit of the central sacrament of the Christian religion creates an anomalous situation, & one might seem to cast a reflection on the personal habits of the Founder himself. The embarrassment however is confined to those communions which have stayed behind the great body of the American churches in the substitution of grape–juice for wine at least half a century ago. It is true that the effect of the temperance movement has been to add total abstinence to the list of necessary Christian virtues: but it has not alienated the masses from the Church, for the simple reason that the moral judgments of most decent people among us for more than a generation have been in sympathy with this. As to reconciling the new 'commandment' with the Bible, the practice of the Master, etc, the Sunday [70] school teacher has to manage that along with slavery, demoniacal possession, usury and several other anachronisms of the Scriptures."

Is Christ committed to the institution of slavery?

Is the modern Christian intelligence as hostile to the temperate use of alcoholic beverages as it certainly is to the belief in demoniacal possession?

Is there any condemnation of usury in the Gospel which could now prohibit the indispensable procedures of modern commerce?

I begin to think that, even if the tiresome difficulty of "Order" were cleared away, new & perhaps not less formidable obstacles to Reunion will emerge on these moral questions. The controversy about the use of unleavened bread in the Sacrament, and that in which John Huss was the protagonist, were sufficiently formidable, and neither had any connexion with "Orders". I perceive the rapid development of a quasi–Manichaean doctrine with respect to alcohol, which in all the circumstances must needs carry those who hold it into an attitude towards Christ which is essentially heretical, and into a contempt for ecclesiastical authority & precedent which can hardly be reconciled with any belief in "the Holy Catholick Church". Add the vital questions connected with the institution of Marriage, with respect to which a schism between episcopal and non–episcopal Christianity is evidently developing, and there is little reason left for being hopeful about reunion.

[71]

I motored to LLanwarne, and confirmed 26 candidates. After the service I walked in processed [sic] to the Memorial Cross, which had been set up in the village, & dedicated it after a short speech. This was a rather impressive little function. Then I lunched with the Vicar (Rev. H. W. B. Mynors). His wife is an authority on bee–culture. After lunch, I motored to Whitchurch, & confirmed 30 candidates. I had tea with the Vicar (Rev. D.O. Thomas), & then returned to Hereford. My staff was carried by Frank Rolles, one of the senior choir–boys.

After dinner, Ella & Fearne accompanied me to the Y.M.C.A., where a meeting of Welsh people had been arranged for the due celebration of St David's Day. There was a crowded room & much enthusiasm.

Eckett came to report what had happened at Hatfield yesterday. The Vicar did not appear: two services were conducted in the Parish Church by Mr Potter who had been sent to take the duty. He was entertained by Major Chambers.

I received from the Archbishop's Secretary a request that Mr Bickerstaff's letters should be returned to Lambeth in order that they might be preserved, and an assurance that Mr B.'s name should be placed on the Black List. This is my first case of discipline, and its very grossness tended to simplify it. How far are we, as a Church, really responsible for the moral collapse of a clergyman whom we allow to live in idleness and penury?

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