The Henson Journals

[184]

Saturday, May 15th, 1920.

I spent the morning in reading through Hutchinson's Hulsean Lectures on Christian Freedom. They are very well written, courageous, and suggestive. He takes his side with those who disapprove the attitude of those Liberal Anglicans who would have the creeds unaltered while tolerating a wide latitude of interpretation. He quotes my "Creed in the Pulpit" in a note, & makes two other references to that volume. He omits any reference to the "Hereford Scandal", probably out of consideration for me, since he must needs have condemned my position. I licensed 3 curates, & witnessed the oaths of the new Prebendary, Warner, who afterwards lunched with me. At 2 p.m. the archdeacon joined me in a conference with Tallents of Kimbolton on the subject of his dilapidations at Lower Sapey. After an ineffective discussion lasting a whole hour by the clock, we could arrange nothing, and had to leave the maters to take its discreditable course. Then Grist of Woolhope came to see me. He is on the eve of an operation, & wanted to arrange for his parish during his enforced absence. When he had departed, I motored with Ella and Fearne to Pembridge, and after tea with Sir Elliot & Lady Wood, dedicated a memorial cross to the fallen soldiers, and made a speech. Snead–Cox, the late editor of the Tablet, was there, and his wife. They lost no less than 3 sons in the war. There is one left, a boy at Downside. We returned to the Palace immediately after the function.

[185]

An interesting chapter in the history of religion has yet to be written on the lay interpretation of the Christian faith. In spite of some inevitable amateurishness & vagueness, it would reveal certain common characteristics amid much diversity of expression, & it would, in some respects at least, come nearer to the mind of Jesus, himself a layman, than do the scribes of the Christian Church.

Hutchinson p.139.

Then the melancholy Potter came to inquire what his prospects might be in respect to the living of Withington. I could hold out no hope to him.

---