The Henson Journals

[102]

12th Sunday after Trinity, August 14th, 1921.

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An English Roman Catholic is never quite at home in the company of his fellow–countrymen. His point of view is not theirs: he reads the national history in a different way: his interest in contemporary politics is not that of his nation. He enters into the general conversation with important reserves, which are felt rather than confessed. Certain subjects are by tacit agreement excluded when he is present. Frank discussion of them would be impossible without hurting his feelings or his conscience. His distinctive habits must be reckoned with for he must observe his fast days, and not fail at attendance at Mass on Sunday morning whatever inconvenience his doing so may involve to his hosts. Inasmuch as the Roman church is quite as much a political as an ecclesiastical system, it is difficult to discuss politics without running up against his convictions, or at least what must be presumed to be his convictions. The inevitable embarrassment is almost as much felt on the one side as on the other: for it is known that the official view of non–Romans is sufficiently hostile, and it is assumed that his personal opinion cannot be wholly unaffected by the doctrine of his church. Thus his courtesy seems to be tinged with unreality, if not actual falseness: and his silence or hesitation is felt to imply an unconfessed condemnation or dislike. In short, he is as an alien among his own people. Newman would find in all this a demonstration of the real identity of his situation in the world with that of the first Christians. To him as to them the description of the Apostle may be literally applied. He is confessedly a "stranger & pilgrim" on the earth!

[103] [symbol]

If my book on Anglicanism with the Preface which I have added, shall finally be published, what can reasonably be expected to be its effect? It cannot but displease all those, from the Archbishop downwards, who have laboured to carry the "Enabling Act", and now profess to be more than satisfied with the "National Assembly"; it must needs be offensive to the Nonconformists because of its uncompromising support of the principle & working of national establishment; it cannot fail to alarm all the orthodox because it admits the necessity of moral & theological reconstruction; it will exasperate the whole mixed multitude of non–Protestant Anglicans because it criticizes their position, and condemns their policy; it challenges the popular fiction which passes for history in Anglican circles. It serves no cause, placates no faction, promotes no interest. It can please nobody, & must anger many. Why then do I publish it? Partly, I have the feeling that my fellow churchmen at home are entitled to know what I said to the Swedes at Upsala. Partly I cannot divest myself of the suspicion that there are many Anglican, more confused than disloyal, who do not perceive the direction in which they are drifting. Partly, I want to set on record my dissent from the policy which triumphed in the Enabling Act, and to state the lines of thinking along which I moved to it. Partly, I hope (though with little real expectation) that I may influence the course of Anglican politics by making the Romanising movement more plainly Roman, and by inciting the non–romanisers, who are in that movement on a misunderstanding, to break away, and think out a position for themselves.

[104]

We (i.e. our host, George, Ella, and I) walked to North Stoke, & attended morning prayer in the little church of St Martin, a stone building with a squat square tower, beautifully placed on the side of a hill. Mr Young, the Rector, preached extemporaneously from the chancel step, taking for text the words of S. Paul in 1.Cor:III. 21–23 'For all things are yours: whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present or things to come: all are yours, and ye are Christ's, & Christ is God's'. He had an unpleasing trick of swaying to and fro as he preached, and this made it difficult to look at him without being rendered giddy, but, when shutting my eyes I listened to the sermon, I was not unrewarded, for he said several things which were worth listening to. Nevertheless my objection to extemporaneous preaching was strengthened. We were given, not a sermon, but the unassorted materials of a sermon. After service we inspected the church, which is a 15th century structure of no special merit with an 18th century tower. The latter, if I conjecture rightly, was built on the lines of a Norman predecessor.

That old sour–spoken termagant the Countess of Carlisle has died at last, having made more people unhappy in the course of her frantically busy life than most people can ever have done.

We had tea with the dowager Lady Lawrence, a handsome old lady whose wits are now apparently failing. Sabrina, the Sealyham terrier, disgraced herself by slaying a pullet as we approached the house, and, though chastised by her master, showed no sufficient contrition for her monstrous deed.

[105]

We attended Evensong in Langridge church (S. Mary Magdalene). This little parish has been united with North Stoke, and the two together provide Mr Young with a flock of about 250 souls. But, as the churches are 3 miles apart, he has to cover much ground in doing his duty. Langridge Church is a fine example of Norman architecture, a style which, perhaps, is less affected by dimension than any other, for its tiniest structures display the solemn splendour which attaches to its mightiest. I was particularly impressed by the chancel arch, and by an early carving on the wall above. Mr Young was again the preacher, & again he preached from the chancel step extemporaneously. His text was Heb:XI.10 "He looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God". He was verbose, obscure, disconnected, and pretentious. It was altogether a bad sermon, and, addressed to a rustic congregation, even grotesque. I suspect, however, that I was myself unintentionally the cause of its fault, for, I was assured afterwards, that his ordinary mode of preaching was very different, and that this unusual effort was probably inspired by the desire to make the discourse suitable for the audience of the Bishop of Durham!!

After dinner we had some conversation about the notorious Bottomley, respecting whom Aleck Lawrence appears to have trustworthy & considerable knowledge. His scoundrelly character is well–known, but his forensic skill is extraordinary, & has hitherto carried him successfully through all his trials. "If I had any morals, I should have been Prime Minister of England long ago" is his modest estimate of his own powers.

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