The Henson Journals

[244]

Wednesday, March 30th, 1921.

"He who would keep his conscience awake, must be careful to keep it stirring."

South

South's two sermons on 1. John iii. 21. "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have confidence toward God" are very admirable compositions on a very noble theme viz: "An account of the Nature & Measures of Conscience". They were "preached before the University at Christ Church, Oxon", on Nov: 1st 1691 and Oct: 30 1692. The latter is very clearly influenced by the controversial passions of the age. South indicates the disgust with which he regarded the Toleration of Dissenters while disclaiming any intention of arguing against it. He refers with fierce scorn to the attempt to 'comprehend' the Nonconformists by a revision of the Prayer–Book. After alluding to the authors of the civil war by whom the Church had been 'laid in the dust' and the King 'hurried to his grave in a bloody sheet' he continues passionately: "And are not the principles of those wretches still owned, & their persons sainted by a race of men of the same stamp, risen up in their stead, the sworn mortal enemies of our church? And yet, for whose sake some projectors amongst us have been turning every stone to transform, mangle, & degrade its noble constitution to the homely, mechanic model of those republican, imperfect churches abroad; which, instead of being any rule or pattern to us, ought in all reason to receive one from us." The sermon contains some very noble passages.

[245]

I wrote to Archbishop Söderblom saying that we should be delighted to welcome him and his wife here on 26th April. Also to Neville Talbot, Bishop of Pretoria, who had written to me characteristically. Also, to Mr Squance, the Sunderland actuary, who had sent me a bundle of quills.

After lunch I motored into Durham, and went to the Castle. Here Sykes came to me by appointment, and we discussed the question of his taking J. as his curate in the special circumstances of his case, which I frankly disclosed to him. He finally decided to "leave himself in my hands", which, of course, means that, if occasion arises, he will be ready to take on. He said that so far as he could discover the Good Friday procession in Sunderland had done much good. The 'Echo' said that there were 2000 men in the procession, Aglionby maintained that there were 5000. But, Sykes himself thought that there were probably not less than 2500. He says that the Easter services in S. Ignatius, and, he was told, in the other churches, were very successful, by which I must assume that the congregations were large, & the number of communicants above the average. Then I called at the "Three Tuns Hotel", and picked up Knight & his wife, who had been to Houghton–le–Spring to see the Rectory & look round. We all motored back to the Castle, and arrived a few minutes after 6 p.m.

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