The Henson Journals

[310]

Tuesday, April 26th, 1921.

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No one can move indifferently between "the churches" without being struck by a suggestive difference in their composition. While in the Church of England women predominate in the congregations and publick meetings: in the Non–conformist bodies men are most in evidence. This is the more remarkable since the later do not commonly share the strong prejudice against sex–equality in rebus ecclesiasticis [church business], which colours most Anglican minds. Young men and adolescents flock to the extreme "Ritualist" churches, but they do not generally retain their zeal for "Anglo–Catholicism" when they marry, settle down, and become immersed in business. I used to say of my congregation in S. Margaret's, Westminster, that it was rich in white heads, grey heads, and bald heads, but not in young men's heads. They would be more easily found in St Matthew's, Westminster, or in All Saints, Margaret Street. On Sunday evening in S. Martin's, I observed a considerable number of young men present in the congregation. It is certainly the case that young & unmarried clergymen have an attraction for adolescents. Partly, of course, this arises from the absence of the conventional proprieties and taboos which attach to the wife. The married man's home cannot be as accessible as the celibate's "diggings". There are other and subtler factors in the attraction, but about its existence and its power there can be no doubt.

[311] [symbol]

"England is the one Protestant country that has despised education." (Glover. 'Jesus in the Experience of men'. p.232) England, also, is the one Protestant country in which the medieval structure of the church was retained, and "the Gospel" had the least direct influence on policy.

The evening paper reports the rejection of Archdeacon Wakeford's appeal. Thus we must endure the almost intolerable weight of one of the most enormous and aggravated of clerical scandals. As a psychological study the case is one of enthralling interest. The paradoxical possibilities of human nature could hardly be more dramatically illustrated. It is a great calamity that the moral prestige of the Church should be grievously damaged precisely at this juncture when every factor of moral influence in the community should be operative in the utmost efficiency. But "the stars in their courses" are fighting against us just now: &to churches not less than to individuals the old bitter saying applies. Quem deus vult perdere prius dementat [whom God wishes to destroy he first makes mad].

We expected the arrival of Archbishop & Mrs Söderblom; their rooms were prepared: the car went twice to the station: but they did not appear.

In the afternoon I went into the Park, and talked with some young miners whom I found loafing there. They were very frank and friendly, protesting their desire to be back at work, but maintaining the impossibility of living on the reduced wages proposed to them.

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