The Henson Journals

[196]

Thursday, March 3rd, 1921.

O Lord, I beseech Thee, make me to remember how much more than other men I have need to call upon Thee. My charge is great, and my strength little; O give me grace to come often before Thee, and ask that help, which Thou art readier to give than I to ask; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Abp. Laud. 1573–1645

There is a vein of egotism in all Laud's prayers. He is always very fully persuaded that he himself the Primate of all England, is the pivot on which much turns, & that his personal failure would involve a great derangement of Providential designs. There is, perhaps, in this an element of weakness. The externalism which was the besetting sin of his whole religious policy discloses itself in this magnifying of the human instrument and the hierarchic dignity. In the external counsels, he assumed, (as beyond question in the actual politicks of England,) an Archbishop of Canterbury was a very great factor! That essential nothingness of man before God which was the strength of Calvinism was alien to a mind which was accustomed to think of the Divine Purpose in the terms of ecclesiastical system & interest. The egotism of the Calvinist was an overwhelming conviction of Divine Mission: the egotism of Laud was a profound sense of official importance, for his office was the God–ordained instrument, not himself save as its holder. The distinction is easier discerned than defined.

[197]

I wrote letters to (α) Carissima, (β) Clarence Stock, (γ) Cruickshank, (δ) Newbolt. Then Squance came to take him [sic] to the Durham School Mission, which has no "plant" beyond the small iron church, which is showing evident signs of decay. It is clear to me, on the one hand, that church–building is out of the question while the cost of all building remains at the present level: &, on the other hand, that the work can hardly go forward without some building besides the church, in which to carry on classes, entertainments &c.

After lunch the Rector took me to the Industrial Home, from which the boys who attracted my notice last night had come. The Head, Mr Barlow, showed me over the place ̶ classrooms, work–shops, recreation rooms, and dormitories. I was impressed by his evident keenness & intelligence. He told me that the newly–confirmed boys and he had talked over the service & my address until nearly midnight. I asked him what in his judgment was the right age for administering confirmation. He said that he thought it should not be below fourteen.

Returning to the Rectory, I wrote to Gilbert, sending him a copy of the reprint of the Enthronement proceedings.

I confirmed about 200 candidates in Christ Church, and then we motored back to the Castle, where we arrived a little after 10.30 p.m. having been detained on the way by some aberrations of the car. There was a pile of letters awaiting my arrival, among them one from Harold announcing the advent of the new (old) car in about a fortnight.

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