The Henson Journals
Mon 16 January 1922
Volume 31, Page 118
[118]
Monday, January 16th, 1922.
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The snow lay deep on the ground, and the travel–prospect had so unattractive a look that my heart failed me, and I telegraphed to the Chairman of my Committee & to Lady Scarbrough cancelling my engagement. In these days of extending influenza even apparent "shirking" takes an aspect of reasonable prudence.
I worked (but to little purpose) at the Commemoration Sermon: and read some more of the admirable & informing volume, "The Legacy of Greece". After lunch Headlam and I walked, or rather stumbled & waded, in the snow for an hour & a half. Cutty and Pepper went with us but their short legs were unequal to the drifts, and we had to carry them at intervals.
I read a good deal of Raleigh's "Annals of the Church in Scotland", and was much struck by his contemptuous handling of the Presbyterian saints & martyrs. It is, perhaps, noteworthy that he writes of "the Church in Scotland", not of "the Church of Scotland'. But the broad effect of his book is certainly to belittle and make rather ridiculous the national Presbyterianism. I had not realized how far he had travelled from the religion in which he had been reared. This circumstance may, perhaps, go some way to explain the coldness of his family towards him, a fact which, I think, could not be doubted by any close observer of his life.
Headlam returned to me the copy of "Anglicanism" which I had lent him with the observation that "he didn't agree with me." This, of course, I knew already: but his saying it probably indicates that he will review it unfavourably! We had some talk about the legal method in accusations of heresy, and turned to Phillimore. It would appear that the bishop may appoint a commission, & deal with the matter himself: or he may decline to do so, & refer the accuser to the Archbishop. The essential things in my judgment are 1. to avoid seeming to claim for the Bishop and authority which he cannot reasonably have: and 2. to make sure that no course is adopted which shall prejudice the accused man's right of self–defence.