The Henson Journals

[137]

Saturday, February 4th, 1922.

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My dear Godfrey,

Thank you for your letter. It is always helpful to know how the problems which harass one's own mind present themselves to the minds of others: & most of all to the mind of a friend. This "modernist" movement is clearly a very mingled & incoherent thing: & it is a great misfortune that there is so little lucidity of mind to balance & rectify such a plethora of hyper–sensitive conscientiousness. I was greatly opposed to the holding of the Cambridge Conference because I think it is very unwholesome for "modernists" to formulate their opinions in public before they have really thought out their positions, (and, I must add, before the relevant data for doing so is accessible) , and I think it is most unfair on the general body of believers to have large disturbing assertions & speculations about the core of their Religion thrown down, as it were casually, for the newspapers to use as "copy", and the enemy to handle as "brickbats". Major is a very sincere and spiritually–minded man: but I judge him to be a 'crank', & that his head is turned by the Modernist Choir which hymns about him that he is charged with the championship of religious 'honesty' against a horde of persecuting bigots. On the main question, I think S. Paul with his Gospel of "Jesus Christ & Him crucified" and 'S. John' with his philosophy of the "Light which lighteth every man coming into the world" have never really reconciled their teachings. The Ascetick conception of Christ's Religion symbolized by the Cross, & tied to a stern doctrine of sin grips the conscience with a terrible power; but it does not succeed in satisfying the intellectual which must somehow 'gather up in Christ', & so vindicate for God's glory & man's use, all the vast accumulation of human knowledge, art, wisdom &c. The late Marquis of Salisbury is said to have remarked that, while he had never found any difficulty about the doctrine of Christianity, he had been often staggered by its morality. That is another way of expressing the same deep discord, for the doctrine is Johannine, & the morality is S. Paul's. I am like a circus rider with a foot on both the horses! The position is precarious & very uncomfortable.

Yours v. affley

Herbert Dunelm:

[138] [symbol]

February 4th, 1922.

Dear Mr Denniss

I think it would be unreasonable to insist on the rule of fasting through Lent in view of the prevalence of influenza, and in consideration of the strain to which serious study subjects the student. Therefore I readily dispense you, and any others who may fairly be described as students, & who desire such dispensation, from the obligation to fast during the coming Lent.

Yours sincerely,

Herbert Dunelm:

The weather had changed for the worse during the night. Rain was falling heavily when I left Park Lane, & it changed to sleet & snow as the day drew on. I spent the morning in the Athenaeum writing letters, & lunched there. Then I went to Loughborough leaving S. Pancras at 2.25 p.m., & arriving at 4.56 p.m. Mr Briggs, the Vicar, met me at the station, & took me to the Vicarage. His father–in–law, Mr Barrow, is staying here. The Principal of the college came in after dinner. There appears to be a considerable collection of students here; about 1500 are actually resident in the town. They include young men ranging in age from 18 to 30.

The Vicar speaks disparagingly of the working of the Enabling Act. He finds it extremely difficult to find useful employment for the Parochial Church Council, and quite impossible to get together a meeting of more than 40 or 50 person to elect it! I inquired what discipline was maintained over the students, and by what means: & I was told in reply that they were required to wear "academic dress" up to 5 p.m., that there were 3 hostels or boarding houses, where about 150 students were accommodated, and the rest found such lodgings for themselves as they could. There was no proctorial system. I was assured that hitherto no disciplinary difficulties had been experienced, but that the College authorities were projecting schemes for securing more control in the future, when the members, now swollen by ex–service students, should have fallen to their normal limit.

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