The Henson Journals

[179]

Saturday, September 24th, 1921.

Arianism and Athanasianism both give answers to a question which multitudes of genuine Christians never ask. Once it is asked, the mind must be allowed to answer it freely. One may be convinced, as the writer is, that the Arian answer is quite unreal, and as convinced that the Athanasian answer explains nothing. It is not on the answer at all that a man's Christianity depends, but on something antecedent even to the question: & it is this antecedent something – the believing Christian's attitude to Christ, & the sense of Christ's unique place as determining all our relations to God – it is this, and not the metaphysics of Christ's Person, which alone is entitled to a place in the creed. If we wait for unity in the Church till all Christians accept the same Christology, we may as well give up the thought of unity at once.

Denny, Jesus & the Gospel, p. 403.

"It is not open or unanswered questions that paralyse: it is ambiguous or evasive answers, or answers of which we can make no use, because we cannot make them our own" ̶ Denny goes far in these and similar words to confess an anxiety which, since his death, has waxed and deepened like a thunder–cloud.

[180]

That futile creature, Dowson, now writes to say that he and his family are about to be evicted for non–payment of rent, and are faced with actual starvation. He asks the permission to secure temporary work. What is to be done? To send money is but to postpone the final crisis. To grant him his request is only to perpetuate this most discreditable "ministry" of cadging. To leave him to his fate is to run the risk of grave scandal.

Petrie writes withdrawing his offer of a curacy to Stophair because "he has deliberately deceived me with regard to his money matters." What is to be done with this man also? He has had his second chance, & thrown it away. Here again there will be more scandal.

What I actually did was the feeblest thing conceivable. To Dowson I gave the permission he requested, repeating at the same time my former decision that his career in this diocese was closed. I asked Petrie to come for an interview, & I wrote privately for information about Strophair to Hurrell, V. of Hunwick.

Ella took the Chelmsfords & Sir H. Craik to Lumley to lunch with Scarbroughs. Fearne and Elizabeth went to Darlington to meet Lucy Söderblom, who is about to begin study as a female student at Durham. Clayton and I walked to Eldon where the war memorial was to be dedicated. There was a great concourse of the miners. The function was more than commonly elaborate. A platform had been erected from which the vicar conducted a short service, & I gave an address. Then Lord Gainsford unveiled the Cross. & made a speech, after which I dedicated it. Then followed two speeches, from Ben Spoor, and a County Councillor with one arm. The Dead March, the Last Post, and the Benediction ended the proceedings.

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