The Henson Journals

[55]

Saturday, November 26th, 1921.

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I left London in a fairly thick fog at 10 a.m., and travelled in a very crowded train to Darlington, where William met me with the car. Mrs Carruthers (erstwhile, Violet Markham) was at the castle, having come across from Newcastle, where she has been attending the meetings of the Liberal Party's Association. Later there arrived Wilson, and he was followed by the new Rector of Stanhope, (Mr Shebbeare) and his wife.

Today is William's birthday. He comes of age. I gave him a copy of Green's "Short History of the English People", with an inscription stating that no Englishman was worth his salt, who didn't know the history of his own nation. Also, I gave him the letter on which I have bestowed so much labour.

Before going to bed, I had some talk with Shebbeare. He appears to be a well–read and intelligent man. He told me that he was one of a group of Oxford men who, under the leadership of Bishop Gore, were attempting to construct a treatise on moral theology, which would be placed in the hands of the parish clergy to guide them in the counsels they give to their parishioners in and apart from private confession. It is evident enough that the gravamen or crux of the venture will arise precisely at this ternal & was more perplexing factor of Sex, with respect to which the self–appointed directors are probably far more "at sea" than the common folk, whom they think themselves called upon to direct. For the healthy instincts, which do control the behaviour of most well–conditioned & religious folk in their sexual life, are too often perplexed and paralyzed by the vast amount of pseudo–psychological & physiological dogmatism which is now current among professed and professional moralists. On the whole I believe that the cause of purity would be saved best by our upholding the great Christian Law of Self–respect, and sternly disallowing departures from it which are so plainly such that we can count upon the response of the individual conscience to our teaching. For all the rest, the individual must bear his own burden. It cannot really be delegated to any one else, be he parson or lay man.

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